Vera escapes when Mina collapses and Elias's transformation fails. Elias reverts to human, aged to his late twenties. Gregory assesses the aftermath—a tactical victory but Vera still threatens sixteen nexus points.

In the aftermath of Vera's attack, Gregory confronts devastating casualties—73 dead, 140 wounded. Lyria confesses she sensed an anomalous pulse thirty years ago but chose comfort over suspicion. She confirms the seals are degrading, though Vera's solution would accelerate collapse.

Gaius processes Ailana's testimony, learns from Torres that Vane is targeting Senator Okafor's daughter, discovers Vane's coup preparations, and decides to confront Vane directly - the catalyzing moment of his transformation.

Vane executes Iron Hand operations after the Council vote, orders surveillance of Senator Okafor's seven-year-old daughter as political leverage, destroys his father's declassification petitions, and convenes secret Military Command Council meeting to prepare the coup.

Marcus searches Santos's apartment and finds hidden books with UV-visible notes. Santos had documented everything: the Church's decades-long genocide of Nephilim, Torretti's confession, and Jonathan Kane's protection network.

Petrillo's perspective on the same assault reveals the moral complexity of fighting human believers. After subduing a machete-wielding teenager who bites him and watching a woman cry over the end of her ritual world, Petrillo confronts the weight of fighting people who genuinely believe they are...

Abigail experiences the corruption from inside—the constant golden glow, demonic speech in her sleep, corruption-enhanced speed and strength, and a tooth falling out painlessly. Arthur confronts her about worsening episodes and she admits the truth.

Haatim and Dominick investigate a small town where Nida was recently sighted. Three witnesses describe Nida struggling against her possession, whispering a repeated mantra, and surfacing briefly to say "help" and beg them to tell her brother she was sorry.

Ren observes the Hierophant Lethane Ashara deliver a masterful sermon to six thousand soldiers, using divine fire, theatrical staging, and channeled resonance to prepare the army to march into the Cathedral Province.