Gabriel described a consuming hatred and rage as he rose and drew Ashdrinker, channeling his will to annihilate Fabién Voss, the Forever King. He delivered an apparently perfect strike, starsteel against immortal flesh, aimed at Voss’s throat.

The blow failed: instead of cutting Voss, Ashdrinker shattered upon impact, sounding like steel on stone and "the song of dreams undone." The failure of the strike immediately shifted the fight’s momentum.

Astrid then attacked with a silver knife, screaming and willing any sacrifice to make Voss bleed, but her effort was futile against his ancient strength. Voss seized Gabriel by the throat with one hand and Astrid with the other, holding her to his chest while meeting Gabriel’s eyes and whispering, "There he is, the lion awakened."

With overwhelming power, Voss hurled Gabriel through the floor into the cellar. Gabriel struck stone, feeling bones shatter and his body break. Through the dust and blood, Voss’s voice drifted down to him alone: "I shall await thee in the east, Lion."

As darkness overtook him against his will, Gabriel heard not Astrid’s screams nor the ruin around him, but Voss’s laughter. Blackness fell, leaving Gabriel unconscious and Astrid still in Voss’s grasp, their home undone.