At dusk, Vis walks the empty Academy grounds with Veridius, Aequa, and Eidhin, trying to process the story Veridius has spent hours revealing. Veridius explains that, as students, he, Caeror, and Lanistia helped decipher ancient ruins that led them to the Labyrinth, its purpose, and the means to open and study it. From those writings, Veridius believes an ancient war was fought against an enemy called the Concurrence, and that a catastrophe called the Rending split existence into three near-identical worlds, leaving Will fragmented unless one person exists across all three at once as "Synchronous."

Veridius tells Vis that he believes Vis is now Synchronous, and that such a person may be the only hope of stopping another approaching Cataclysm. Vis presses him about telling Ulciscor and Lanistia, especially because Caeror may still exist in another world, but Veridius refuses, arguing that grief and divided loyalties make them too dangerous to trust with knowledge of this scale. Aequa and Eidhin agree with Veridius, and Vis reluctantly accepts that secrecy is the safer choice.

As the discussion continues on the Curia Doctrina steps, Vis tests Veridius's theories about the Labyrinth's original role. Veridius thinks it was a proving ground for soldiers sent to fight the Concurrence in other worlds, and that those soldiers were expected to die on Res to avoid becoming Synchronous. He adds that the ancient texts speak of a man called Ka, apparently responsible for repeated Cataclysms, and imply that he can be defeated through a vulnerability in Obiteum; however, Veridius does not know where Ka is in Vis's world or how to find him. Because Caeror knew the same truths and still died, Veridius concludes that Vis's best chance is to stay hidden, reveal his condition to no one else, and wait.

After Veridius leaves, Vis parts from Aequa and Eidhin and walks alone to the deserted dormitory. The stripped, silent room forces him to confront Callidus's absence. Vis retrieves the blackmail documents Callidus had hidden in a bedpost so he can finally return them to Livia's father, then breaks down in grief as he remembers Callidus and realizes how long he has avoided mourning him.

Livia finds Vis in the dormitory after Veridius releases her. Vis gives her the papers and explains that Callidus had tried to help another student, only to be blackmailed, which is why he had been placed in Seven. Livia reads the documents, reacts with affectionate sorrow, and asks who was responsible; Vis says it no longer matters because that person is dead. When Vis invites her to join the others, Livia chooses instead to remain alone for a while in her brother's space, and Vis leaves her there with her memories.