Driven by a polar storm, Darrow, Mustang, Holiday, and Ragnar rope together and climb toward a crash site Ragnar scouts. They reach a shattered Ganymede-built vessel and approach under cover of wind. Inside, they find dead Grays and signs of Cassius’s escort, along with drag marks and blood in the snow.

Deeper in the inverted fuselage, they discover Obsidian cannibals feasting on Gold corpses. A brutal fight erupts in darkness. Darrow and Mustang kill attackers, but Mustang is struck by an arrow. As more cannibals close, Ragnar arrives, slaughters the remaining Eaters, and interprets their chant, revealing their belief that eating Gold grants immortality and warning more may come seeking refuge from the storm.

They search the wreck, finding trophies—Institute class rings—and evidence Cassius’s party stripped supplies and departed hours earlier under attack. Mustang finds her own earring among Cassius’s effects. Darrow removes the arrow from Mustang and patches her wound; Mustang treats Darrow’s torn jaw. With gear scarce, they seal the galley, secure water and food, and eat while planning a route to the Spires.

As the storm howls and shapes drag off bodies outside, the group bonds. Ragnar recounts his harsh upbringing and his devout mother, Alia Volarus, while admitting he never knew his first father; Mustang offers to search registries to find him. Holiday shares her family’s past. Mustang then reveals her mother’s death after Darrow’s father refused medical aid for a pregnancy in the name of “purity,” and she affirms her resolve to be different from her cruel father.