Arkold and Alptraum find themselves in a strange dream realm, where Abzhalom Dack shows them the entranceway brought about by Alptraum's presence. After some argument, he convinces them that Vorgulremik is the greater evil while not denying his own intentions for world domination. He holds Tulani's sleeping mind hostage while the other two enter into the inner world of the dragon.

They first encounter the remains of a coyote mage who witnessed Vorgulremik's arrival on Sinai, and learn something about the Avatar of Amena and her Shadow, and a terrible war with the followers of Nala and Sunala. Alptraum ends the spirit's suffering, and the wasteland they arrived in is replaced by a beautiful forest and a camp full of elves.

The pair are introduced to Eluria, an elven woman who Vorgulremik has used in the past, and who thus can move a bit more freely in the strange realm. She explains that they are in the Echo of Astillion, a world destroyed by the dragon when he was in his prime. She leads the Eeee and Jupani away, but not before they witness the replaying of the world's destruction.

Brought to the Valley of the Fallen, where they can talk to those who have fought against Vorgulremik and his kind, they meet with the somewhat condescending attitudes of the dragons there, who insist that only another dragon can defeat Vorgulremik and unmake his soul to prevent him from being reincarnated. Alptraum and Arkold argue that they might still be able to do it, so they are led to The Last Echo, which is the memory of Vorgulremik's last defeat.