Escaping the realm of the Ascendant Singularity, the cabal returns to their climb, making good time thanks to their “rest”. They soon spot the strange void like being above them again. Colt sees that it is about to cast a spell and warns Valkyrie who counters it. Meanwhile Adele, who is scrutinizing it, sees that the being’s nimbus is the exact opposite of Valkyrie’s, dimming the area around her. She guesses that this may be a mirror image of Valkyrie. The being flees and they continue their climb.
They soon find their route blocked by a vast fire. It seems their mountain is a volcano. They recognize that the flames represent a shortcut to the deeper parts of the Astral, but one that will cost them dearly. The cabal is behind Valkyrie’s decision, even if it means they will be burned. She decides to go around. They climb for another hour, deftly dodging a rain of rocks along the way, before reaching the top.
There they find a volcanic crater and descend into the glowing bowls of the mountain and the Anima Mundi proper. They soon find themselves lost in a maze of molten tunnels. Mammon augments his senses with a large spacial map, helping Colt to find their way out. They exit the caverns into a forest where the fleeing of animals and smell of smoke warns them of an impending forest fire. Valkyrie slows down the fire while the others run to safety. They soon escape the fire and a hot rain falls upon them drowning them in a boiling sea. Adele quickly leads them to a deep sea vent as a possible escape. There they find crabs, strange worms, and other life. Passing through the vent they are washed up onto a strange shore.
A vast stony desert extends from the edge of the boiling sea. As they travel into the desert, they find strange burn marks in the rock, which Mammon and Colt identify as the trail of a giant six legged lizard. Adele remembers her research into the salamander and they start to follow the trail.
They soon catch up to it thanks to Colt’s expert tracking. Valkyrie takes the lead in talking to the elemental. She is able to gain directions to the Aeon Azezel by vowing to use always use her flaming sword first in combat when ever possible. Mammon also decides to talk to the salamander, asking it about the Great Fire Spirit. It tells him that the spirit is rising soon, but it doesn’t know exactly when. As to what it heralds, it cannot say though it implies there is a connection to the Supernal.
Following the Salamanders instructions, they travel to the crumbling Palace of Jinn. Here the world is reduced to smoldering coals and stone becomes like dust. Adele remembers from her research that the Jinn hate material beings, being from a much earlier version of the universe. They enter the palace and soon find the Jinn, a being of bluish flame, seated upon a stone throne in front of what seems to be a star filled sky.
Mammon and Valkyrie try to talk their way past him but he refuses to budge. He hates them for what they are and even more so for Mammon whose legacy touches that of Solomon who bound his kind into servitude. In the end he attacks Valkyrie, covering her in spectral flames that do not harm her but cause her crippling pain. Mammon stalls the Jinn, commanding him to point the way out, which lies behind him. Adele drags Valkyrie to the edge of the star filled void beyond the throne. Colt arms himself for combat with the insubstantial being and then they all rush past him to the void. Mammon counterspells one last attack from the Jinn and then they find themselves in outer space.
In the void, they can see a winking star which upon closer examination is a ruined temple. They fly to the ruins, arriving at a temple on the edge of the Abyss. Gold thread covers the stonework, spelling out something in Atlantean. They quickly begin to analyze it as the ecstatic wind tear at their souls. Colt finds himself drained and is forced to resist it with only his will. They soon decipher that the writing details a song, a melody of the spheres that needs to be sung to reach the Aeons. Valkyrie sings it and the threads glow with a magical light and they are teleported away.
They arrive at a grand cathedral seeming to encompass all religions. Through the open gates pours a golden light. At the far end, past the statuary, script, and artwork of saints and sages are two thrones by a blank and broken alter. Seated in them is the fallen angel Azezel and the first woman Lilith. Also there is the dark inverse of Valkyrie, the Adversary.
The Adversary argues to Azezel to deny Valkyrie mastery of Forces and to instead give it to her who will use it to put the world in order. Valkyrie argues for own cause. Lilith seems to favor Valkyire, pointing out the Wisdom of her case, though she also comments that Valkyrie needs to indulge more. She also tells Mammon that the Exarchs are watching him, especially the Chancellor and his minions, the Ministry of Mammon. She encourages him to seize his destiny. In the end, Azezel says the two must fight it out on Mars where the Tyrant is attempting to dominate the desert world. The winner of that battle will receive the gift of mastery.
With that the mages wake up, discovering it is late at night and that they have been meditating for 18 hours. They eat and recover mana, planning to continue their struggles in a few days. Colt and Miguel also end up discussing the difficulty of maintaining relationships for supernaturals, a discussion Valkyrie avoids.
In preparation for Mars, Colt boosts the cabal’s speed and endurance while improving his own physique to superhuman levels. Mammon meanwhile, with the aid of Adele, builds sympathetic connections with some weapons and gear so they will be armed for whatever troubles they find.
They meditate and descend to the top of Olympus Mons. There they see an odd giant six legged lizard with a saddle made for four. They ride it down to the desert floor where they see a group of refugees being attacked by some helmeted men riding two legged lizard creatures. They hurry to their defense.
Adele shoots first, piercing one attacker through the neck. Then Valkyrie jumps off the mount and slices up another. As one comes after Valkyrie from behind, Colt kills him with a well placed shotgun blast. Adele steers the mount and keeps it from running off as the attackers close. She is cut by a sword for her troubles. Mammon reaches out to the minds of the attackers’ mounts and scares off the weak minded beasts taking two of the men with them. Valkyrie creates a telekinetic wall to protect the refugees, most of whom are old men, women, and children. Colt then spots the leader and kills him with another blast of his shotgun. Devastated and demoralized, the attackers flee, warning that the Tyrant will have his revenge.
The refugees thank them for their help. They explain that they are Red Martians fleeing the Tyrant and headed to the Singing Flame for safety. Colt and Valkyrie heal the injured. They join the refugees on their journey to Singing Flame.