Iron Gold

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of war and death.

Before the duel starts, Cassius and Lysander have a heart-to-heart conversation. Cassius opens up about his desire to redeem himself after his role in the war. Lysander realizes that he and Cassius fundamentally disagree about the legitimacy of Cassius’s actions—Lysander still feels like the massacre of his family for fighting against the Reaper’s army was not justified. They part on ambiguous terms, and the duel begins a little while later.

While the duel is happening, Lysander observes the people in the arena around him. The audience is made up of the most powerful Moon Lords and Golds in the Rim, whom Dido is trying to rally to her cause against her husband. Dido tries to use the duel to pressure Lysander into giving her the combination to the safe, but Lysander refuses. Cassius unexpectedly wins and kills Bellerephon. Instead of ending the duel, Dido sends another Raa cousin in to replace Bellerephon. Cassius kills his new opponent as well as the next one, until Dido eventually sends in Seraphina.