Alyss and Dodge return to find the aftermath of the Cat’s attack on the Alyssian headquarters, and they are attacked by Glass Eyes who’d been awaiting their return. Generals Doppel and Gänger and other members of the Alyssian army come to the rescue, and the Alyssian chessmen hold off the Glass Eyes while the generals, Alyss, and Dodge escape to the emergency looking glass portal, where Hatter and Bibwit are waiting. They do not know, however, that more Glass Eyes are already in pursuit.

The small group of Hatter, Bibwit, General Doppelgänger, Dodge, and Alyss enter the Crystal Continuum, but they are followed by Glass Eyes, and a battle ensues. During the battle, Alyss is finally able to produce something from her imagination: When she sees Dodge being attacked by a cannonball spider, she imagines a muzzle covering its mouth, which prevents it from dealing a killing blow to Dodge with its pincers. However, the Alyssians are still surrounded by Glass Eyes with few remaining options for defense.

Back at Mount Isolation, Redd is enraged when she discovers that Alyss was not killed during the attack on the Alyssian headquarters; but then Redd’s