Gabriel prepares outside Dhahaeth’s gate, dosing himself with sanctus and readying caustics, holy water, and Ashdrinker. He steps beyond the palisade to confront Danton Voss and a fledgling, with a coach drawn by enthralled wretched girls. When the fledgling demands the boy, Gabriel realizes the vampires seek Dior, not him, linking this to Chloe Sauvage’s warning that non-mortal feet were following her group.

Danton tries to command Gabriel’s mind to betray Dior’s whereabouts, but Gabriel resists through hatred and training as a silversaint. The fledgling dismisses him, and Danton releases the thralls. Empowered by the bloodhymn, Gabriel charges and cuts down the wretched girls, granting them what he calls a merciful end. The Dhahaeth militia watches in shock from the walls.

Gabriel probes for information, mentioning the Grail, and goads Danton about coming in daylight. When the fledgling asks his identity, Gabriel reveals himself; Danton recognizes him as Gabriel de León. Enraged, the fledgling attacks, but Gabriel shoots her in the damaged cheek with silvershot. Danton then assaults Gabriel with superior speed and strength, injuring him badly and hurling him through the mud.

Exploiting the weakened daylight and his tools, Gabriel hurls a silverbomb (black ignis and silver caustic), briefly blinding Danton. He severs Danton’s sword arm with Ashdrinker and smashes holy water into Danton’s face, forcing the ancient vampire to retreat, gauging the risk of continuing the fight in daylight against an unexpected foe.

As the fledgling crawls for safety, Gabriel drags her down with a silvered flail and pins her with Ashdrinker. He methodically saws through her ribs with a silversteel knife, tears out her heart, and captures its blood in a phial as the fledgling decays to a husk. Gabriel taunts Danton about promises to his “children,” confronting the prince with the massacre of his thralls.

Danton, clutching his severed arm, promises Gabriel will suffer and vows legendary vengeance before vanishing into the fog. The encounter leaves Gabriel bloodied but victorious, Dhahaeth’s militia stunned, and the stakes clarified: the Voss seek Dior, likely for the Grail.