On Feather Island, the fires from the earlier destruction have finally been extinguished by rain. Tané, referred to as the Little Shadow-girl, emerges from her place of exile and kneels in the earth, contemplating the mysterious jewel that had been lodged inside her body.

Through recalled knowledge or legend, Tané understands the jewel's origins: the comet that ended the Great Sorrow has visited the world many times, and on one occasion it left behind two celestial jewels, each containing its power. These solid fragments of the comet allowed the ancestors of the Eastern dragons to control the waves and sustain their strength far longer than they could without them. The jewels have been missing for nearly a thousand years—not lost, Tané realizes, but hidden.

Holding the deep blue jewel to her breast in the eye of the storm, Tané makes a solemn vow. She pledges that even if it takes her entire lifetime, she will find her dragon Nayimathun, free her from captivity, and present her with this celestial jewel—restoring to the dragon what was stolen long ago.