Three people deliberate over Seraphina, a gravely injured dragon woman. They fear the Council will discover her wounds and punish them, as one admits to saying something that escalated the situation. To protect themselves, they decide to send her to the Dark Abyss, a rift where chaotic magic turns lethal. They acknowledge the danger but rationalize that Seraphina, who loves them, won't blame them when she wakes up. They make a desperate move to transport her before dawn, leaving her fate uncertain in a place where even a wounded dragon is not expected to survive.