Bryce and Hunt battle Rigelus in the crystal palace’s depths as the Asteri unleashes white-hot power that shakes the structure. Bryce counters with starfire and repeated teleports to avoid being pinned down, while Hunt hurls lightning that cannot break Rigelus’s light barrier. Realizing they must reach the firstlight core beneath the crystal floor, Bryce decides to create an opening rather than trying to get close enough to kill Rigelus outright.

Bryce buys Hunt time by teleporting unpredictably, including directly in front of Rigelus when the Bright Hand assumes her power is spent. The surprise moment distracts Rigelus long enough for Hunt to slam helfire into the crystal floor. The heat warps stone and begins melting and splintering the crystal, peeling it back until a tunnel starts forming down toward the firstlight core.

In the Eternal City above, Ithan sprints toward the palace through a battlefield of brimstone missiles, mech-suits, demons, Asterian Guard, and civilians caught in the chaos. A nearby explosion throws him into a building, and when he checks his supplies, the vials of antidote meant for Bryce and Hunt have shattered and leaked away. With no time to find Tharion for replacements, Ithan keeps the Godslayer Rifle and presses on, determined to contribute what he still can.

As Ithan regains his footing, a human woman helps him up, and he sees more humans moving toward the fight—some unarmed, some in work clothes—answering Bryce’s broadcast as a rallying cry. The sight hardens his resolve, and he runs for the palace again with the rifle and its bullet, focusing on what remains within his power to deliver.

Elsewhere, Lidia draws her sword to face Pollux and orders Ruhn to leave, intent on keeping Pollux’s attention away from her sons. Ruhn refuses, and Pollux taunts them, revealing he learned of the Depth Charger’s route by extracting information from a captured mer spy and that he seized the boys after their heritage became known on the ship. With two guards flanking the trembling children and Pollux savoring the moment, he promises to enjoy killing Lidia’s sons in front of her.