Zoltan, travelling on the Expedition zeppelin, Southern Star, works with the Green Lancer, Malachite, on restoring the armor of the Champion of Shadows – as Zoltan intends to use the armor himself as a disguise when facing his own father. He fears that his father will not listen to him or speak to him honestly if he knows right away that he is being visited by his long-lost son.

As the zeppelin approaches the Pit of Himar, the Winged Citadel can be seen … and a group of Vartans, led by Cambio Herbir, which is bombarding the Citadel with a great bug-cannon. Zoltan and Wynona fly toward Herbir and his comrades. Zoltan, as the "Champion of Shadows", confronts Herbir about what he's doing, telling him that he understands his motivations, but that he is going about this the wrong way, for the wrong purpose. At last, Zoltan reveals his true identity. Herbir is overcome at the revelation, and takes flight, but Zoltan won't let him get away so easily. At last, Zoltan convinces Herbir that this is doing no good … and the final nail is hammered into the coffin as an Imperial airplane rains the Vartan crew with remnants of the Progenitor, gathered from the Confederate Life-Dome.

Zoltan persuades Herbir to hold his men together, not to let them do anything rash and suicidal, and he instructs Wynona to get ready to cast some sort of spell to fend off the expected assault from a Silent Ones Titan-Ship or the other armies vying for control of the Pit.