At breakfast the family celebrates Scott while Issac lies sick in bed and refuses to join. Relatives berate Issac, banish him to his room and reveal the Trisoul Hall can cure their father's chronic pain—but only by transferring years from a donor. They insist Scott is too fragile, so Issac is singled out to sign the sacrifice. Issac protests that his life doesn't matter to them, but under parental pressure he reluctantly signs the consent. The key change: immediately afterward his hair suddenly goes gray, a visible sign the cost has begun and leaving his fate unresolved.