Helena and Bjork question Kethrick Voss, who identifies the Karin'Vare as a lost and secretive barbarian tribe whose magic draws upon something in the darkness beyond the wastes. His porcelain mask was given to him by Horatio Vinvestler, whom the Karin'Vare revere as their patron saint and magical conduit. Kethrick claims Horatio once helped the Queen of Glass escape Tyve and asks Helena to release him so he can unite his people with the other clans. Bjork's mother warns that the Karin'Vare may serve the true masters of the Watchers and that Horatio may be part of a game they do not understand, but Helena still asks her to free Kethrick as a show of goodwill. Later, the elder Garyn Valkar warns Helena that the antlered Watchers are shapeshifters, liars, and corrupters. Bjork finally confronts his mother and publicly declares that he no longer needs his parents' acceptance: he is a Harbinger, and he is Skjold.

At Keph, the Harbingers confirm that the final piece of the Crystallic is held by Draxus Kael within the Chained Fortress. Yurias questions a dead soldier and learns that servants of the Chain remain bound even after death, while their masters can sense those who do not belong. Torin then joins Ilk at the Twilight Temple and uses the Starving Darkness to uncover the Spear of Avorinth's role in Kypheron's first defeat. He witnesses Valence Avarith hurl the Spear of the Ithelion toward the dragon god, only for the strike to stop before reaching him as Avaros intervenes and Kypheron falls into an unnatural sleep. Ahzarax confirms that the completed Crystallic, sustained by Valence's will, kept Kypheron dormant. Realizing the spear alone cannot safely end the threat, the Harbingers decide to scout a cave near the Iron Lake that may provide a hidden route into the Chained Fortress.

Before the group departs, Torin speaks with Normandy through Silas. Normandy asks his friends to kill the Velpin, carry his remains out of Tyve, inform any surviving members of the expedition of his fate, and recover the books and journals he left with the Librarian. Silas also begins manifesting new magic through the Deathless Flame. At Normandy's funeral, Bjorn, Whisper, Ernan, and the others honor their fallen companion before Torin opens the cloud cover with Dawn and Ahzarax consumes the pyre in dragonfire. A small white flame remains burning as a permanent memorial outside Keph. The next morning, the Harbingers ride south toward the Iron Lake, Helena begins flying to meet them, and Cecil secretly sets out along the dark path.