While hiding in a remote village, Alara encounters a wanderer named Elias, a former member of the Order who has been in hiding for years. Elias recognizes the markings from the Astral Key and reveals that he, too, has a connection to the Celestial Guardians. He offers to help Alara harness her powers, but his teachings come with a warning: the dark twin will only grow stronger the more she taps into the Astral Key.

Elias and Alara begin training together, and she learns how to use her abilities without allowing the dark twin to take control. As they journey through Ephemera's hidden paths, Alara finds herself growing stronger, but the strain of resisting the darkness wears on her. She begins to experience moments of blackouts, where the dark twin's influence takes over, leaving traces of destruction in her wake.