Tae Jin, a fugitive ghostfire warrior, joins Yasova's party carrying an older account of Ugin's life. In that account, the young dragons encounter Arcades and the human communities around him. Ugin studies with Te Ju Ki and learns to consider forces and relationships that cannot be reduced to visible strength.
Nicol is interested in people for different reasons. Their rivalries, ambitions and hunger for status make them predictable to someone willing to exploit them. When the brothers return toward their birthplace, revenge for their sister becomes the opening through which he tests that understanding.
On Tarkir, Yasova protects the fugitive despite the danger he brings, and Naiva and Baishya help him survive an attacking broodling. The local action offers a counterweight to the ancient lesson. Knowledge can make someone easier to use, but it can also reveal why a stranger deserves help. The choice lies with the person who holds it.