Paladyne knows that Threshtar, or Blackblade, a Predacon of noble house, will not accept defeat and capture. The only option is to fight him, and fight him to the death. Therefore, he goes about setting a few affairs in order, should he be defeated. The Manual that belonged to the gnomes is finally returned, given to a gnomish library for safekeeping. Paladyne then visits Eaglehome, and speaks to the high priest. Since he will be meeting with Threshtar on the Predacon's own turf, he asks for an honor guard of Eagle Knights to keep his spirits up and his prospects safe. The knights agree, and twenty of them, including the high priest on his silver dragon mount, ride to Vertoss, and the temple grounds there.
The Maximal ship being much faster than eagles' wings, Paladyne also has time to visit Falleen, and get his blessing from the priestess of Rayenelle. The night before the duel, Paladyne speaks with Victoria. He tells her he is unsure if he will win this next fight, which may be the most important of his life. She gives him her personal blessing, which he says means more to him than any he has been given so far. He allows her to view, and pray over, his spark, showing her the essence of his soul.
Meanwhile, on the bridge, the other Maximals make speculations about the final Predacon… the one about whom they know the least: Dim-Duhl, keeper of the Apocolypse. They decide to question their captives about the last Predacon, and the response is the same from them all: there is no fifth crew member, and the Predacon who impersonated Dim-Duhl, is already dead. Clockwork, however, is skeptical. After all, it seemed that, so far, every prediction made about the world they have landed on has indeed come to pass.
The next day, the duel is set to be held at noon. The Maximals arrive at the temple, landing their ship at a distance and approaching within the lines of both paladins and anti-paladins who are eager to back their champion. A ring is set up in a destroyed forum, and the duelists, Predacon and Maximal, take their places. Paladyne has Victoria to wish him luck, while Blackblade/Threshtar has Nagata/Zerine as his second. The moment the "goddess of storms" arrives, clouds settle in the sky, and a light rain begins.
The combat at once is furious, both opponents striking out at each other with powerful blows. Paladyne makes a good strike, and Threshtar counters, burying his drill sword in the knight's armor. The prayers of the Paladins of good begin to increase in power, and as rays of sunlight blast through Zerine's clouds, Paladyne finds new strength. His next strike rains onto the Predacon, putting a severe weakness in Threshtar's armor. But still, the chanting of his priests backs him, and as the skies again darken, the Predacon goes for another devistating blow, knocking out several of Paladyne's vital systems. Paladyne decides that the only way to truly defeat his opponent is to do so relentlessly, and he goes on the offensive, striking out again and again with no thought to his own defense. And in a crushing blow, the Predacon warrior...falls.
The sky is lit with a crack of lightning and thunder as Nagata rushes to her father's side. The ancestral sword fallen from his hands, it is several minutes before Blackblade can be revived, and several more before he can find the strength to rise to his feet. Then, and only then, does Paladyne drive his blade into the Predacon's spark, granting him a warrior's defeat. Weeping unabashedly, Nagata threatens a tantrum that will tear the skies apart, but she is captured immediately by the readied Maximal crew. They take her, and her father's body, back to the ship, and rest them in the hold. Snowshriek tries to console Nagata, but to no avail. Relieved and triumphant, Paladyne and Victoria share a kiss. But the skies still grow dark...