Alptraum finds himself on the throne of Babel, but the shadow-life isn't working right – everything seems slow and heavy. It takes Nala to pull him out, but he remains connected by an umbilical cord to the image of the Barsunala that remains on the throne.

He learns that the Barsunala is another spirit left over from the big dream ritual, which survived because of its attachment to him. Also, since the Barsunala never really featured in many of the myths of Babel, it doesn't have any will of its own to challenge Alptraum's own.

Nala's and Amena's origins are discussed, as well as ways to deal with the Shadow of Amena.