Celene attacks Gabriel in the snow near San Michon, forcing Gabriel to shove Dior aside and meet Celene's blood-red sword with Ashdrinker. Gabriel briefly remembers childhood games with Celene, when they imagined themselves fighting side by side, but Ashdrinker warns Gabriel that this undead creature is no longer truly his sister.

Dior tries to stop the fight, but Celene kicks Gabriel hard enough to send Gabriel crashing into Dior. The collision leaves Dior bleeding from the nose, and the sight of Dior's blood snaps Gabriel fully into combat. Remembering his promise to protect Dior and the stakes of her survival, Gabriel attacks Celene with lethal intent.

Gabriel appears to cut Celene down, but the body dissolves into blood, revealing that Celene used a blood illusion. Celene then impales Gabriel from behind and nearly kills him. Gabriel calls on his aegis, not through faith in the Almighty, but through faith in Dior, and the sevenstar on his palm burns red, forcing Celene back.

Celene escalates by seizing control of the blood in Gabriel's veins, using her gift as his maker to paralyze and torture him. Dior intervenes by holding a silversteel dagger smeared with her own blood to Celene's throat, reminding Celene that Dior's blood can destroy even powerful vampires. Dior refuses to be taken, but argues that Gabriel, Celene, and Dior may need each other because Celene knows where Dior might learn how to end daysdeath.

Gabriel reluctantly agrees to seek Master Jènoah with Celene rather than kill her or let Celene take Dior alone. Celene releases Gabriel, whose wound begins healing because of Celene's paleblood in him. Dior offers her blood to heal Gabriel, but Gabriel tells Dior to save it, and Celene warns that Dior will need her blood where they are going.