Tomas observes Petyr's complete transformation under Brennan—from traumatized boy to emotionally empty killer. Aldric reports Brennan executes dissenters quietly and rules through fear, building parallel power structure. Tomas advocates investigation at council; passes narrowly.

Pharaoh confession scroll read aloud - loved daughter, meant well, knew he was wrong. Then CRISIS: altar power surge threatens to reverse everything. Green light bleeds through stone. Architects will pressing to reconstitute curse. Souls being pulled back.

Northern Confederation officially formed from Valorheim and Karthian factions with Lady Margrave as leader. Joint council created (5 from each faction plus Cael as tiebreaker). Volunteers distributed proportionally (40/40/20).

Cael discovers the seals are failing in five years instead of fifty. He meets with Damien, the chief scholar, who confirms accelerated degradation. Cael decides to mount secret expeditions to find Progenitor artifacts as substitutes for mass sacrifice, keeping the truth from the Council to...

Thomas enters Merit-Amens childhood chamber - toys still arranged mid-play, dolls with faded paint, wooden animals, games unfinished. The room preserved perfectly captures innocence lost. Most painful chamber because it shows what tragedy destroyed.

Cael descends to Professor Venn's archives beneath the fortress to study Progenitor texts about the Wurm Lords and seals. They discover seven Lords (Gothrak, Morthex, Vyressa, Korthul, Tethrix, Velthos, Zeroth) and learn seals were created by sacrificing 49,000 lives.

Jennifer finds cedar box with preserved love letters between pharaoh and queen. Letters show genuine love before tragedy - pharaoh writing about daughters questions, queens responses. Beautiful intimate correspondence destroyed by grief.

Survivors reach Kelvareth fortress. Cael learns about the Wurm Lords and the failing seals from the council. The Announcement is made - seven thousand volunteers needed to power the seals. First volunteers step forward.

Thomas enters Queen Nefertari-Merits preserved tomb - different atmosphere of lotus and peace. Her golden sarcophagus shows face intact, not destroyed like husband. She chose death over complicity, rejected blasphemy from strength.