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Events

After dealing the finishing blow to Elhorn, Varrick is flooded with memories of his las moments with his son, Atlas. He recalls that night at The Last Drop in Langston and the pain of witnessing Atlas’s death. He walks away from Elhorn’s body and collapses in a heap realizing that even with Elhorn dead, his son is still gone. Around him, Elhorn’s fleet begins to scatter and disband in the chaos. Sundara approaches, and picks up the Ledger of the Faded Moon, and then stopping to hug Varrick. She expresses her fear that Solonor is facing Faraday alone and starts to move with a desperate urgency.

Cassius watches as Samugi and Allara approach Thaunia’s unconscious body. Suddenly, Thaunia reaches out and tells Samugi, “He’s here for you.” A dark energy ripples through Samugi’s astral visage and a demonic voice says, “It’s good to see you again brother.” Allara quickly cast a spell that expels the darkness from Thaunia’s body, silencing the voice. Samugi has brief vision of himself clad in royal armor, cutting down barbarians in Hangul Dynasty to bring order to the land.

The group gathers up and Sundara shares that she intends to go to Solonor. She knows he’s weakened and that Faraday is attacking him, but she insist she won’t ask anyone to join her; despite this everyone gets ready to come with her. They secure Valesca Vale in the hold of The Icebreaker with Nick on watch. Sundara communes with Clockwork Beverly to pilot the ship. Before reaching Beverly she receives a chilling message from Solonor—an apology for the past and a somber goodbye. With a fearful sense of urgency, Sundara stops by Anastasia’s ship, where they find her badly injured and missing an arm. Cassius heals Anastasia and Sundara collects a few Clockwork sentinels, before sending The Icebreaker to Solonor’s Workshop and teleporting the group their directly.

They arrive to find the workshop in ruins, with dismantled sentinels strewn about. Upon communing with the sentinels, she hears Faraday’s voice and the sentinels lead them to the warehouse. Inside they find Faraday, Conrad Gricks, Elowen, and Solonor. Solonor lies collapsed on the ground while Elowen attacks him with a spell. After Sundara stops her next attack, Elowen confronts Sundara, expressing disbelief that she could love Solonor. Elowen brings up Solonors prior cruelty to Sundara, his manipulation of the trials to find Valendrians that were close to Karsus, and finally revealing that their brother Nelaros was one of Solonor’s apprentice. Elowen accuses him of forcing their brother into the Heart of the Inevitable and Solonor apologizes saying Nelaros did what Solonor was meant to do and was lost in the process of casting the spell.

After tense negotiations, Cassius is the first to give his Pieces of The Inevitable to Faraday, even stating that he doesn’t truly understand why they were so against him this whole time. Faraday then approaches Sundara, demanding her piece in exchange for Solonor’s life; after a tense pause and with reassurance from Cas she reluctantly surrenders it. Finally, Faraday and Conrad warily approach Samugi, expressing surprise that Samugi ‘doesn’t remember.’ When Samugi hands over his piece, Faraday thanks him, calling him, “King Chetong.” This triggers a flashback, Samugi recalls a war council with other ruler, each bound to an Oni that helped secure their power. Among them, Samugi was known as King Cheton, King of the Black Sky.

Faraday offers the group various compensations: a donation to the Queen of Brightwater in the Manath family name with plans for headmaster positions for Cas’ parents. To Varrick he offers to deal with Elhorn’s clones. To Sundara, he promises Solonor’s life. However, before Faraday departs with the Heart of the Inevitable, Solonor cast Time Stop and swaps the heart with a replica, saying he couldn’t let Faraday leave with her brother.

Time restarts and as Faraday and his crew move to leave, Sundara reaches out gently to her sister. Elowen sees this and runs to hug Sundara. The sisters cry together as Sundara repeatedly apologizes and Elowen shares her fear that they will continue lose their other family along with the rest of their people.

Afterwards Sundara gives Solonor a potion to aid with his magical exhaustion and helps him to stand. Solonor turns to Cassius and Varrick, asking why they chose to help him. He seems taken aback by their answers and the fact they would help him at all. For the first time since she’s known him, Sundara watches as he allows himself to be present in the moment, not consumed by the centuries ahead. Hugging Sundara he quietly breaks down in tears.