In a gambit to learn more about their mysterious pursuers, the king and his mesmer escort, tired and tattered, had set a trap for a mursaat who had wandered further ahead of their hunting party. On their own, a single mursaat was formidable—deadly, but not invincible. Even with their foe defeated, one of Gauvain's students fell in the skirmish and King Jadon sustained serious injuries attempting to protect the young spell-slinger. The rest attempted to carry the king afterward, but he would succumb to his wounds the following day.