Two years have passed since the Itko Kan Massacre. The chapter opens just after the bloody end of the Siege of Pale as Tattersail watches the Black Moranth marching into the city to exact their vengeance on Pale and Hairlock lies dying, missing his legs. Several Bridgeburners (Whiskeyjack, Sorry, Kalam, and Quick Ben) arrive. Whiskeyjack and the Bridgeburners had been tasked with undermining the walls of Pale for three years, and most were killed as the siege ended and tunnels collapsed. Of the 1400 Bridgeburners, only about 35-40 survived after the last day. Tayschrenn stopped the remaining Bridgeburners from trying to dig out their comrades.