After the painful transition back between worlds, Vis regains his balance with Diago's help and realizes that Ostius has brought them into the Basilica's inner chamber in Caten. The location immediately alarms Vis because it is deep inside Military's most secure center of power, beyond heavy defenses saturated with Will. Hearing voices nearby and sensing an overwhelming pulse of power, Vis understands that Military's leadership is still gathered there.

As Ostius keeps Vis and Diago hidden just short of an archway, Vis listens to the meeting. The discussion reveals a major internal crisis: some leaders want to answer Volenis with force, fearing that any weakness will encourage Governance, Religion, and other provinces to rebel, while Princeps Exesius argues that Military cannot risk civil war. Exesius blames Quiscil and others for actions that led to Belli's death and insists that protecting Birthright matters more than striking back immediately.

While the argument continues, Vis realizes that much of Military's leadership is considering concessions to the Senate, including disbanding most of its armies, in hopes of preventing a wider conflict. Exesius believes Regnus and Pitorius can keep civil war from starting and that Volenis, lacking a Transvect, will need weeks to reach Caten; Exesius hopes that delay will cool his anger and allow negotiation. Ostius quietly confirms that Military truly believes a coup is under way and gleefully reveals that he intercepted Exesius's reassurances to the Forum.

At Ostius's prompting, Vis studies the powerful Will in the chamber and first identifies it as coming from the people inside rather than from an object. When Exesius ends the debate and calls for them to discover the Will of the people, the chamber changes: the floor begins to grind, and the Will becomes imbued there instead. Recognizing the moment he has been waiting for, Ostius tells Vis to remove his sandals, stay ready, and Adopt all of the imbued Will so none is left for Military to use against them.

Ostius then calmly walks into Military's inner chamber, turning the political dispute Vis has overheard into an immediate and dangerous opening for whatever plan Ostius intends to execute next.