In this second part of the story, we learn that the city of Augheen, the capital of the province of auhoon, is in the process of being transformed into a city of light and beauty. The city's goddess, goddess Issati, and the guardian of the city, goddess Salat, are helping the city to transform itself into a shining city. As the city is being transformed, a merchant named Rodrick tries to convince his fellow citizens that they should be vigilant. He tells them that he has learned that their father helped his brother, Kolhen, escape to safety. The merchant tells Rodrick that he is above all a "pragmatic man" who likes to "see the merchandise" before buying it. Rodrick tells the merchant that he will not be disappointed in destroying the creatures that will be released into the arena. He says that the creatures will devour him if they eat him. He adds that they have been eating humans for thousands of years, and that they are about to eat his tunic if he kills one of them. He claims that he wants half of the moon's iron if he can get it. He also says that he admires his former teacher, Becca, who taught him how to be a good runner. But now he is hunting down a gun, a runner who is trampling over the "fundamental values" that Becca taught him. The values Rodrick speaks of only mean the things that they want to mean. One of them is a pathetic asteroid that has been on an "intersection" with the moon for the past millions of years. One day, the asteroid will collide with its sister, the moon, and Rodrick will have to destroy the creatures in order to get to the moon. He wants to find a woman named Tryana, who he thinks was kidnapped in an engaal. He asks the merchant if he is a "fair winner" and