Vis wakes in the infirmary at the Academy on the island Solivagus, where the Transvect took Ulciscor and Vis after the crash. Two students stand over his bed and introduce themselves as Indol—a handsome young man with a scowl—and Emissa—a pretty girl with green eyes. Indol and Emissa leave to avoid getting in trouble, and a man walks in. He is handsome, in his mid-20s, and appears to be a physician. He checks Vis’s injuries while asking seemingly harmless questions. Ulciscor walks in and greets the charming man as Veridius, the Principalis of the Academy.

Ulciscor and Veridius clearly know each other and Veridius says he looks forward to seeing Vis again when he officially enrolls. Vis and Ulciscor leave to go to Caten.

Vis explains what happened after Ulciscor was shot with the arrow, leaving out the fact that the Anguis are trying to recruit him. Ulciscor confides that his younger brother, Caeror, died at the school during the Iudicium, a final test between the six highest-ranked students at the end of the year. This is part of his motivation for sending Vis there. Ulciscor also points out the location of two ruins on the island, outside the school walls, where Vis should search for clues.