12: UNITY

A hunting expedition for a chasmfiend takes a catastrophic turn when the massive creature unexpectedly emerges from the chasm onto the viewing plateau, where the king, his highprinces, and numerous unarmed attendants are gathered. The chapter opens with the royal party riding toward the hunt site, shifts to show internal tensions around King's uncle, and culminates in the creature's sudden arrival at the wrong location.

The chapter begins with King ElHokar and his highprinces—including the legendary warrior and general, Prince-Commander and Lord of the Knights, The King's Uncle, Lord of his house, and the primary protagonist, Lord of the house and realm—riding across the rocky plateaus of the shattered Plains, accompanied by soldiers and attendants. The men are on their way to hunt a chasmfiend, a massive shell beast. Within the party, we see tension building: Prince-Commander's younger son, Prince, is concerned about his father's deteriorating mental state, marked by episodes during highstorms where the commander sees visions and speaks in strange languages. The younger son suspects his father's reputation is crumbling as he becomes perceived as weak, particularly since the acting Lord of the house is becoming increasingly critical. During the journey, the king impulsively races Prince-Commander to the top of a rock formation; Prince-Commander seems oddly reserved during the race, allowing his nephew to win, remembering something about an earlier vision urging him to "unite them." At the hunt site, Prince-Commander reveals his growing conviction that the kingdom should withdraw from the shattered plains and reunite their homeland rather than continue the siege against the ParshUndi. His eldest son opposes this idea, fearing the implications for morale and the sacred oath of vengeance. The chapter ends when the baited chull unexpectedly flees before the chasmfiend can be properly lured to the designated fighting ground, and the massive creature emerges from the chasm directly beneath the viewing plateau where the king and most of the attendants stand defenseless.