With enemies both inside and outside the city walls, the group must forge alliances to survive. Zara, now fully aware of the threat posed by the Dread King, attempts to make amends by helping Lyra learn to control her powers. The Scholars' Guild reveals that Lyra's resurrection is part of an ancient cycle of creation and destruction, and each cycle has ended in ruin. To break the cycle, Lyra must find the "Heart of Eternity," a fabled artifact said to give its wielder the power to rewrite destiny itself.

But as the group prepares to leave the capital, they are betrayed once again—this time by General Hawke, who has secretly aligned with a faction loyal to the Dread King. Hawke believes the Dread King's reign is inevitable and that serving him is the only way to survive the coming apocalypse.