A loud bang on the door interrupts Hope, sending the others quietly out through the back. Hope, calmly, opens the door and confronts Pure Nation and his Shadow Guards. Pure Nation says:

governor of illusion 

please come with me

your gathering is finished

no time left to flee

Pure Nation motions to his Shadow Guards to arrest Hope. She stands calmly and responds:

you return again

the lord’s chosen hand

but the hills will not scatter

we chose where we stand 

and I know you stole

the book from my table

and so now you know

ts as dragon is a fable 

you see, at the gold house

on our meeting day

I later asked the lord

what his dream did say

he told me of lion and yak

which now as you know

were not seen by the dragon 

only the old sheep of woe

ts is not the dragon

nor emperor divine 

he is simply a sheep

compassion in his spine

without the family crest

the lord has no powers

which means you have no water

to grow your dark flowers

so do not move forward 

or this truth I shall release

and there are other hidden books

so leave these hills of peace

Pure Nation replies, with ICE in his veins:

you do not move me

nor those who beg or plea

the hills will bow to the altar

or be bound to its decree

but we both have aims

that require a deft hand

so let’s compromise

where we both stand

I shall redraw the boundary

to guard what must remain

the willow and its roots below 

now fall within our claim

the rest of the hills

we shall leave for now

but do not push me again

or all this land shall bow

Hope feels the weight of the Mountain upon her shoulders. She takes a deep breath and responds:

I will not compromise

with shadows down below

I have a right to protest

against freedom’s foe

Pure Nations responds:

then let us take

another way to the end

here is the security declaration

our government’s highest penned

it declares we have the right

to set aside what keeps us free

to seize what we determine

for national security 

Pure Nation hands the declaration to Hope who reads in despair. Pure turns to his Shadow Guards and direct them to arrest Hope. He says to her as they march her to the armed car: 

as for your threat

be careful what you impose

for even those you cherish 

are nearer than you suppose

I am the dragon

that guards this ridge

and decides what may endure 

I serve as god’s bridge

Pure Nation’s convoy heads toward the Ridge, disappearing as a shadow into the night.