At the center of the final maze, Paedyn suddenly realizes the condemned prisoner is Adena. Shocked and barely able to breathe, Paedyn runs toward her friend, who is bloodied, bound, and kneeling in the sand. Adena tries to speak and apologize, but before Paedyn can reach her, a broken branch is hurled through Adena’s back and out her chest by an invisible force.

Paedyn sees Blair on the far side of the circle, smiling with her hand outstretched, and understands that Blair has used her power to kill Adena. Paedyn catches Adena as she falls and cradles her in the sand, desperately insisting that she will survive. Paedyn screams for help, but the crowd’s cheers drown her out, leaving Paedyn alone with Adena as she bleeds to death.

As Adena weakens, she still tries to comfort Paedyn. Adena asks Paedyn to promise to wear the green vest with pockets that she made, and Paedyn tearfully agrees. Even while dying, Adena smiles gently and tells Paedyn that this is not truly goodbye, echoing the hopeful words she once used when they parted before.

Holding Adena, Paedyn is overwhelmed by grief and guilt. Paedyn thinks that she, not Adena, was supposed to die in the Trials, and blames herself for bringing Adena there and forgetting her until now. Paedyn promises never to forget her friend, calls Adena her favorite, and then feels Adena take her final breath in her arms.