Gerard and Casey catch up on the nine years they've been apart.  Casey even goes so far as to reveal her secret marriage to Shawn.  As they talk, Gerard asks questions about her role and duties in the House, becoming particularly interested in the padlock she designed for the cage in the basement.  He admits to her, also, that he had no idea she was in the Phoenix House.  Earnestly, he urges her to leave the House and find safety outside of Shaldani, but Casey will hear none of it.

 

When Casey goes down to the basement to check her lock in the evening, she finds Gerard there, releasing Kazuo from the cell.  Angry and betrayed, she yells out.  Cirrus hears her and alarms the rest of the House.  Just as they prepare to arm, however, Gerard activates a summoning crystal that brings a batallion of Ebene down on the House.  A massive fight breaks out, the Phoenix Fighters overwhelmed and caught off guard.

 

During the fray, Gerard pulls Casey into the bar, Sito following as he combats an Ebene named Dorrie.  Casey confronts Gerard about his betrayal, but his interest is focused on keeping her safe.  When Sito is knocked down, Casey makes a lunge for Dorrie.  Gerard jumps in the way and takes a fatal blow for Casey before Sito manages to kill Dorrie.  Casey holds Gerard in her arms as he dies, telling her that his only regret about being an Ebene collaborator is betraying her trust.  With words of love, Gerard dies.

 

The battle rages through the rest of the House.  In the lobby, Ariadne manages to get out a sonic scream, imploding the heads of the footsoldiers.  In the kitchen, Lex, Shawn, and Pipira hold their own until rescue comes in the form of Alastor and Amorette.  Adriana gets down to the basement and finds Kazuo.  She locks the two of them in the cage and fights him, eventually getting him at a disadvantage.  Instead of killing him, however, she orders him to drink a mild poison and call off his people.  Although incredulous, Kazuo realizes he has no choice and obeys.  Adriana drags him out to the lobby and introduces him to the Phoenix Fighters as the enemy.  She is about to execute him when Milady appears, pulling him out of the House through a portal.

 

As Adriana is taking a head count, Tranns stumbles into the lobby, carrying the body of Bobby, who was killed in the fray.  Lex grows hysterical, crying over his body.  Meanwhile, in the bar, Casey mourns for Gerard, Shawn by her side.  The next morning, Pfalz timidly approaches Adriana.  She tells her that the reason she betrayed the Phoenix House was because she was in love with the original Zelazny.  Now that she knows for certain he is dead, the future is murky at best.