As Rall Elorim comes into view, the group leaves their restless chasmfiend with Yus-Son-Les and Melu, docking about a kilometre from the city. Tas-son-Dar disguises them as traders with lightweaving. At the heavily guarded gates, a Regal in Envoyform greets them in a language they don't speak, but Jirani saves the day by claiming they're from Alethkar. He learns the city is ruled by two Fused — Dymab, a Deepest One, and Lilinum, a Devastating One — both intent on crushing the local resistance.

Inside, Kaiana leads them toward Pailiah's vault, but the Everstorm has buried its entrance. Searching the monastery for plans of the city's underground, they instead meet Dymab, who offers 1000 marks per resistance member found. They play along but leave empty-handed.

On the way to the market they rescue Axies, pinned under a Warform's foot, by bribing the soldier. Axies is hunting the rumoured Shadowspren, which he believes are in Pailiah's vault, and is due to meet a contact at the Lopsided Chull tavern. There, a Regal patrol bursts in and harasses the tavernkeeper and Jirani, sparking a fight — watched with bored amusement by Lilinum from across the road, who idly carves dicks into a wall with her shardblade. Two Singers join the fray on the group's side and, after the attackers are dispatched, reveal themselves as resistance members, inviting the group to their hideout in the Dirgehollow District. The group torches the tavern and follows.

The resistance is struggling. Orlan asks whether they know how to stop the Fused from returning, but no one does — until Larinda realizes the dagger they gave Nale could do exactly that, and that a weapon with a perfect gem and enough Raysium might permanently kill Fused. Orlan donates generously and helps disable the Alerter Fabrials Dymab installed to track movement in the district. The patrols carry jade coins that deactivate them; the group disables the fabrials using Sha's Stonespear ability, then ambushes a patrol to steal their coins and burns the bodies. In thanks, the resistance points them to a well leading to the underground.

At the well, Lilinum and two Warforms ambush them. After a long, bloody fight — Orlan downed twice, the shadows around them acting on their own — they defeat Lilinum and claim her shardblade, though its screaming makes it hard for Sha to wield. With Kaiana and Axies, they descend the well and rest before confronting Ylt.