In this chapter, we learn the identity of the man who is leading the charge against the rebeacon empire. We learn that he is the founder of the "true core church" , and that his mission is to obey the "god of the core" and subjugate the "surface" . We also learn that the emperor of the empire is an insolent rebel and that he has gone "like the wind" and has been "gone like the sun". He is surrounded by a "horrid horde" of enemy soldiers, and we learn that they are swarming under the ground, swarming together in a single mass. The men are wondering how they can defeat the emperor in such a short period of time. They also wonder how they could have defeated the emperor with such a small army. They wonder if the emperor will die, and if the empire will just disappear. The lieutenant general asks them to stay out of the way, and they agree.