Mische wakes in warm, metallic bathwater pressed against Asar, who is still asleep behind her. The intimacy embarrasses both of them when Asar wakes and asks why Mische is on top of him. After awkwardly leaving the tub and covering themselves, Mische demands answers about where they are and what happened at the gate.

Asar explains that they are in one of his private sanctuaries within Morthryn and that the bath contains a potion meant to wash away the influence of the dead. He says the dead leach life from the living and that their touch can cling even after contact ends. Mische remembers Eomin and realizes with horror that some souls may be trapped before reaching true death.

Asar tells Mische that Alarus’s ancient wards are decaying and that the Sanctums have grown unstable after two thousand years. Some souls still pass properly into the underworld, but others remain trapped, pressing against gates that were never meant to bear that burden. Asar admits that he has always maintained the gates, but the breach they just survived came dangerously close to failure.

When Asar notices the fresh burns on Mische’s wrist from using Atroxus’s magic, he criticizes Mische for harming herself instead of using her Shadowborn vampire power. Mische reacts with anger, insisting she is a Dawndrinker and that Malach Turned her against her will, costing her everything. Asar condemns Malach as selfish and cruel, says he is glad Mische killed him, and argues that Malach’s power now belongs to Mische.

Asar and Mische acknowledge the strange pull between their magic, likely tied to Malach Turning Mische and Asar’s connection to Malach, though the bond feels different from what Mische felt with Malach. Asar praises Mische’s magical discipline and urges her to use every tool available because the Descent will grow more dangerous and the gates are becoming too difficult for him to close alone. Mische resists because using Shadowborn magic feels like betraying Atroxus and the humanity she still clings to.

Asar then reveals that exile to Morthryn once felt like an ending, but became a beginning when he started hearing the cries of abandoned souls who needed someone to answer them. Mische recognizes that Asar, like her, is devoted to healing broken things others ignore. Though Mische still feels conflicted and traitorous, she agrees to help Asar maintain the gates.