Elise dreams that she and the flying drokar, Mystery, are once more in the "sea of souls" in Sunala's grey, lifeless realm. Elise urges Mystery to resist the souls of the dead, and to fly higher, at last breaking free, and returning to the Crossroads, where the archway leading to Inala's realm is more solid than ever. Elise chooses to go to the path leading to Sunala's realm, but then wakes up …

… finding herself on the Vision of Battle, an airship headed westward toward Caroban. The ship is under attack by unknown raiders, and Elise throws herself into the fight, slaying two of the enemy.