Gruntle is the Mortal Sword of Trake, the Tiger of Summer and Battle, who sends him in dreams through many worlds. In some of these dreams he sees a huge black panther. Mappo Runt is crossing the Glass Desert. He sees an enormous swarm of butterflies and realises they are all one D'ivers. They attack him, but are repelled by one of Badalle's songs. Silchas Ruin returns to Rud Elalle with his new sword and gives Rud the old ones. He then leaves after explaining that large numbers of Eleint will soon be arriving from Starvald Demelain, and he will be trying to resist them.