The protagonist and Tairn arrive at Basgiath and receive orders to head to the practice grounds, where they are awaited by Carr and Varrish.
Concerned about potential punishment from Carr for not forcing Andarna to participate in maneuvers, the protagonist feels a sense of foreboding.
At the practice grounds, Carr and Varrish order the protagonist to repeatedly call down lightning strikes as a warning punishment.
Major Varrish and Professor Carr push the protagonist to her limits, ignoring the physical and mental strain it causes her, as they aim to discipline her for insubordination.
Tairn protects and supports the protagonist, who suffers from fatigue, overheating, and guilt for potentially endangering Andarna and others.
Despite Carr's concern about the protagonist's well-being and warnings about the consequences of her death, Varrish forces her to continue.
Exhausted and in pain, the protagonist manages one final destructive strike before collapsing, clinging to her self-control to prevent more damage.
Carr ends the training session, noting the protagonist's condition, and recommends immediate care for her burnout symptoms.
Tairn swiftly takes the protagonist to a river for emergency cooling, assisted by friends who are concerned about her well-being.
The protagonist's friends provide support and questions arise about who will face repercussions for Andarna's absence in the next flight formation.
The narrative shifts to a discussion of Sloane's upcoming challenge match, highlighting the difference in training among the marked and concerns for Sloane's safety.
The protagonist vows to intervene to prevent Sloane from getting harmed in the upcoming match, despite the normal expectations for a rider.
In the gym, the protagonist narrowly avoids injuring a friend, Ridoc, due to her heightened sense of vigilance following the assault on her well-being.
The chapter ends abruptly with the protagonist being kidnapped, as she is covered with a bag and loses consciousness with just a single breath.