Helena wakes with a severe hangover and must force herself well enough to perform Vanya Gettlich’s autopsy in the Alchemy Tower operating theatre. Under Falcon Matias and the Flame Keepers’ observation, Helena dissects Gettlich, documents evidence of abuse and metal injections, and turns over samples while the Flame Keepers remove every part of Gettlich’s body for cremation.

In the war room, Luc recounts Gettlich’s final report, and General Althorne explains that the West Port Lab is too fortified and too deep in enemy territory for a viable raid. Called before the Eternal Flame, Helena reports that Gettlich was likely subjected to an attempt to suppress resonance through toxic metal microparticles injected near the brain and arms, though Helena cannot confirm whether the method worked.

Falcon Matias presses Helena to speculate as a vivimancer, implying that her abilities align her with the experimenters. Luc defends Helena, but Matias interrogates her about her prior transmutational dissection until Crowther intervenes, suggesting possible uses such as controlling prisoners, weaponising suppression, or managing human subjects. Ilva warns against spreading panic and reminds the Council that Helena’s title has the Faith’s and Principate’s blessing, but Helena recognises that Matias is actively trying to remove her.

After the meeting, Crowther leads Helena beneath the Alchemy Tower to hidden underground cells holding badly tortured prisoners. Helena heals burns, broken bones, sores, and mutilations in the dark, realising the treatment of these prisoners is itself an atrocity. Shaken, Helena promises to heal Ferron quickly and argues that his array has made him emotionally vulnerable, but Crowther rebukes her: he wanted Helena to enthral Ferron with controlled vivimancy, not make Ferron dependent on her in an uncontrollable way.

In Crowther’s office, Helena insists that vivimancy cannot simply create a controllable obsession and reminds Crowther that he gave her to Ferron as the price of survival. Crowther warns that Ferron is obsessive, ambitious, and will never let Helena go if she succeeds this way. Helena leaves, watches Luc, Lila, and their unit sparring below, and feels the full weight of her loneliness and moral isolation.

That night, Helena studies Ferron’s array with new urgency and tells him she may soon be able to close the wounds, possibly during the Abeyance when resonance is low and regeneration slower. Ferron mentions rumours that Bennet is experimenting with alchemy suppression. Helena asks whether Morrough could be seeking the mythical Stone of the Heavens as part of Hevgoss’s immortality plans, but Ferron dismisses the idea and reveals he does not believe in Sol at all.