Lysander gathers Rim and Core Peerless west of Plutus for the Parting of the Shadow, a confession rite before sailing to Europa. Knights of all ages admit fears; an athlete and Cicero speak, and Gaia laments a future lost to bondage. Lysander privately fears Atlas and exposure but publicly voices fears of Gold division and fragile unity.

The ritual is interrupted by a lone gray-cloaked flyer. Cries of “Storm!” swell as Diomedes lands among the knights. The Rim explodes in jubilation; Gaia weeps and embraces her grandson. Lysander is relieved yet wary as Diomedes credits him for survival and declares he came at Lune’s summons to join the battle.

Noting Lysander lacks the Shield of Akari, Diomedes insists they retrieve it. He leads Lysander to gardens carved in a dormant volcano and into a sanctum where only Golds may enter, leaving Praetorians Kyber and Markus outside. Along the way Diomedes offers a terse survival tale and keeps the pace urgent.

On the stairs, Diomedes demands honesty and makes Lysander name Atlas as the architect of Kalyke. He recounts recognizing Atlas’s vanity on Mercury and states he understands why Lysander accepted Atlas’s terms for unity. He promises discretion depending on what follows and bids Lysander continue.

They descend into a subterranean garden glowing with pale light and indigo roses, where the Shield of Akari rests with a box atop it. A scarred man sits by a white rose tree. As Lysander approaches, the man turns, and Lysander recognizes Darrow of Lykos, waiting for the meeting Diomedes has arranged.