Lan visits his grandfather Kaul Sen in a room filled with art, honors, and photographs from Sen’s heroic past as the Torch of Kekon. Sen, now elderly, volatile, and increasingly withdrawn, stares past the city toward the mountains and recalls the war against the Shotarians, including the fate of Lantern Men who aided the rebels.

Sen mistakes Lan for Lan’s dead father, Kaul Du, then pointedly compares Lan unfavorably to Du. Lan tries to redirect the conversation by saying that Shae is returning home to pay respects. Sen reacts angrily to Shae’s past departure from clan and country and her relationship with Jerald, though he is slightly appeased to hear the relationship has ended.

Sen mourns his dead son, wife, and former comrade Ayt Yugontin, and regrets that business divided the old One Mountain Society into rival clans. Lan prepares to leave, but Sen demands to know why Lan came. Lan says he wants Weather Man Yun Dorupon to retire so someone like Woon or Hami can bring a fresh perspective.

Sen refuses, defending Doru as experienced, loyal, and farsighted. When Lan asks Sen to speak to Doru as a friend, Sen shifts to insulting Hilo, then Lan himself, claiming Lan lacks Du’s strength and that other clans disrespect him because of it. Sen also brings up Eyni leaving Lan, accusing Lan of losing face by not killing the jadeless foreigner who took his wife.

Lan angrily says the matter is irrelevant and accuses Sen of offering only insults instead of support. Sen challenges Lan to prove himself, then suddenly attacks him with jade-enhanced force. Lan initially tries to avoid hurting Sen, but when Lan reacts and knocks Sen down, Sen uses the opening to disable him and lecture him that a Pillar must act with full intention.

Sen ends the confrontation by declaring that Doru stays. Lan silently restores a fallen bowl and leaves, realizing that his grandfather’s lesson has made him Pillar only by proving he cannot rely on Sen’s support.