Dianna hides with an unconscious Liam in a compelled family’s house outside Charoum because daylight prevents her from flying openly. She calls Gabby, who has noticed Logan and Neverra acting alarmed after the quakes near El Donuma. Dianna admits that Tobias appeared, raised the dead, defeated them, took Azrael’s Book, and that Liam restored Dianna after she died or nearly died.

Gabby is shaken by Dianna’s possible resurrection and quickly realizes Dianna and Liam have grown closer. Dianna asks Gabby not to tell the others that Tobias has the book, believing Liam should be the one to explain. After sending the homeowner and his family out, Dianna lies beside Liam, reflecting on the scar over her restored heart and on how far Liam went to save her.

When Dianna wakes, the room has changed into an otherworldly chamber, and Dianna realizes she is inside another blooddream or memory. Dianna follows angry voices into a vast hall where celestials and gods are gathered. Liam, still called Samkiel, is being condemned for disobeying orders during a battle, though Imogen supports him by presenting the severed head of an Ig’Morruthen as proof that Liam’s mission succeeded.

The gods argue over Liam’s recklessness. Nismera accuses Liam of endangering celestials, Yzotl nearly attacks him, and Unir, Liam’s father, stops the confrontation. Unir both criticizes Liam’s arrogance and defends the outcome, but later tells Liam that pride and disobedience will make others turn against him. The memory then shifts abruptly from the hall to a battlefield where the gods are killing one another.

On the battlefield, Nismera taunts Liam as “World Ender” and urges him to summon his death blade. Liam refuses and fights with an ablaze weapon, but Nismera wounds and nearly kills him. Unir intervenes and saves Liam, only to collapse from his own wounds. As Unir tries to protect Liam one last time, Yzotl redirects Unir’s attack back into him, and Unir dies after telling Liam, “I love you, Samkiel. Be better than us.”

Unir’s death breaks Liam. When Yzotl mocks him and pulls him up by the hair, Yzotl suddenly turns to ash. Liam then summons the black-and-purple death blade and kills every god who attacks him. Finally, Liam drives the blade into the ground, releasing a devastating wave that burns everything it touches to ash and leaves him alone before Rashearim explodes.