After the Harfoots discover the Stranger's presence, they prepare for migration. Nori describes the outside world to the Stranger, who seems to know nothing. On their way, they find a village decimated by ferocious creatures. Attacked, the Harfoots are defended by the Stranger.
Elves find the crater left by the comet's arrival. The Orcs tell Adar that the tunnel is finished.
Bronwyn and Arondir try to motivate the refugee villagers to form an army to fight the coming threat. Tredwill, one of the villagers, organizes a revolt and prefers to abandon their land and avoid the confrontation.
In Númenor, the anti-Elves still follow Pharazôn. Eärien asks Kemen, son of Pharazôn, to reason with him. Halbrand, heir to the throne of the Southern Lands, is requested by Queen Miriel and Galadriel. They ask Halbrand to tell them everything he knows about enemy movements. Elendil organizes an expedition to the Midlands and trains his volunteer soldiers. Galadriel leads the training, seeing that the volunteers are not very well trained.
Prince Durin, Elrond, Celebrimbor and King Gil-galad dine to renew their loyalty. But Gil-galad seems to have other interests. The ore containing the light of the lost Silmarils is at the heart of the search. Gil-galad wants to know if the Dwarves have found it.