Chapter 1

The protagonist grieves over a damaged moonbird named Slátra while awaiting news of Raeve, who has left in pursuit of revenge. He consults with Borg, a spirit-being trapped in a vial, who delivers troubling news: his alchemist Roan is imprisoned in Bothaim awaiting trial for allegedly stealing the Book of Voyd, and a catastrophic moonfall—multiple moons falling from the sky—is imminent. The chapter closes with the young seer Lumo arriving with a dire vision of the disaster to come.

The protagonist begins in an underground chamber, inspecting damage to Slátra, a silver moon-creature, and mourning the departure of Raeve, who has chased revenge rather than remain with those who love her. He receives a message via a lark from Terros confirming that Rekk is being transported to Bothaim for execution. Returning to his suite, he uncorks Borg, a centuries-old spirit-being he has kept imprisoned in a glass vial, and requests information about the whereabouts of his sister Veya, niece Kyzari, and alchemist Roan. Borg demands a painful memory as payment; the protagonist feeds him a harrowing childhood memory of his father Pahpi humiliating him, breaking a clay mug he had crafted, throwing him into a dark pit, and telling him he is unworthy. After consuming this memory, Borg reveals that Roan has been imprisoned in Bothaim's dungeon and faces trial before the Tri-Council in three days for allegedly stealing the Book of Voyd. Before the protagonist can process this, Pyrok arrives in a panic with Lumo, a young miskunn seer. Lumo has experienced a vision of an imminent moonfall—not one moon, but many—descending upon the land. The scale of the catastrophe terrifies her; the protagonist realizes the magnitude of the crisis unfolding.