Bjorn and Freya disguise themselves in robes stolen from two gothar whom Bjorn tricked into surrendering their clothing inside the dark tunnels. Despite Freya's guilt about leaving the men bound in darkness, Bjorn justifies it by noting the gothar intended to steal treasure. They approach the gates cloaked and hooded, weaving unnoticed among Jarl Sten's warriors, who are watching for Freya from the opposite direction. At the gates, an elderly gothi recognizes Freya when she reveals herself and begins the lengthy rite of submission to the gods.

Before the rite is complete, the two stripped gothar emerge from the tunnels and point out Bjorn and Freya, alerting Sten's warriors. Bjorn throws off his robes and fights to buy time, cutting down multiple opponents with his burning axe while the old gothi frantically rattles off divine names. Freya shouts her assent as warriors fall around her. When the rite concludes, Bjorn shoves Freya through the divine barrier—which strips her of weapons—and orders the gothar to restrain her so she cannot rejoin the fight.

Sten's full force crosses the bridge and corners Bjorn against the barrier with a shield wall. Just as things look dire, Snorri arrives with archers on the far side of the bridge and orders volleys of arrows into Sten's trapped warriors. Freya reaches through the barrier and grabs Bjorn's hand, invoking Hlin's protective magic to shield him. The combined assault destroys Sten's force entirely.

In the aftermath, Snorri reveals that he used three thrall women disguised as Freya as decoys during his ascent, and all three were killed by ambushers. Freya is sickened and furious at the callous sacrifice but restrains herself, knowing that attacking Snorri would endanger her family. Bjorn steers her away before she can act on her rage, and they walk through the gathering of pilgrims toward the Hall of the Gods.

Along the way, Bjorn and Freya discuss her helplessness under Snorri's control. Bjorn bluntly observes that Snorri can do whatever he wants because Freya's family serves as permanent leverage. When Freya asks what he lives for, Bjorn answers "reputation and battle fame," though his tone betrays an emptiness beneath the words. Upon entering the Hall of the Gods, they encounter King Harald of Nordeland—the man who held Bjorn hostage for years and killed his mother—accompanied by a broad woman with war braids.