Although Darrow expected to see Eo in the afterlife, he wakes beneath dirt and emerges from a grave in an old mine. He has not died. He wonders if his uncle drugged him and buried him here. 

A tumbler vehicle approaches, and two masked figures lead Darrow inside. He realizes the masked people, a man named Ralph and a woman named Harmony, are Sons of Ares. Darrow grabs Harmony’s hand, demanding to know why he has survived. She says, “Because Ares has a mission for you, little Helldiver” (55). Beneath Harmony’s mask Darrow witnesses the half-beautiful, half-scarred face of a fellow Red.

Darrow wonders why Eo wasn’t spared. The tumbler travels through a gate and toward a garage. Harmony invites Darrow to meet Dancer. 

Dancer finds out Darrow knows they are Sons of Ares. Darrow wonders aloud why they need him. Dancer says Eo could not be saved. Harmony makes a callous comment about her martyrdom, and Darrow lunges at her. Dancer ends the fight and promises Darrow justice. 

Later, Harmony cleans the lash wounds on Darrow’s back. She says Eo’s death had an effect and that Darrow should turn Eo’s dream into reality. 

Dancer reveals that Uncle Narol was conspiring with the Sons of Ares and pointed them toward Darrow. Darrow scoffs at Dancer and his organization. Dancer tests Darrow by asking him to pick one of two cards from a bowl. Darrow outsmarts him by eating the card he chooses. 

Dancer explains the difference between the mythological Ares and Mars. He references the immense destruction waged by Golds. Dancer claims not to be Ares. He says Reds were trained not to use their full capabilities. 

Dancer placed footage of Eo’s death on HCs throughout Mars, and people now call her Persephone. He leads Darrow through tunnels and onto a lift. Darrow would like to kill Nero au Augustus. Dancer asks him to think more expansively about his mission. 

Darrow steps off the lift, squinting in sunlight. He walks across an unfamiliar wooden floor and carpet, toward natural light streaming through windows. He glimpses a city. 

Darrow watches Gold and Silver people flying about the city in gravBoots. One Gold carries two bottles of wine as four teenage girls follow him. Darrow witnesses cars and ships amidst the opulent city, which is organized by Color. He realizes the depth of falsehood he was fed all his life. 

Dancer explains that humans began colonizing other worlds 700 years ago, beginning with Earth’s moon, Luna. Mars’ colonization, in addition to that of other planets and moons, followed. Luna’s denizens defeated Earth’s in the Conquering. People have inhabited the terraformed Mars for hundreds of years. HighReds are sanitation workers up above, while lowReds like Darrow are enslaved underground. 

Darrow asks how the Reds will reclaim their planet, and Dancer answers, “Blood” (70). Remembering Eo and his family, Darrow decides to join the revolution. 

Darrow remembers how his cousin sold herself to a Gamma for medication to help her husband. Her husband murdered the Gamma, and the couple died. Darrow reflects on how the Society has pitted clans against each other.

Dancer explains Ares’ plan for Darrow. Darrow considers it impossible, given the imperious caste system set in place to squash him. Dancer has disguised Darrow as a highRed. He asks how many times they have attempted this plan, and Harmony says 97 have preceded him and failed. 

Darrow, Harmony, and Dancer travel through the city of Yorkton observing its bright lights, impressive technology, and color-coded sidewalks. In the lowColor district, the group passes Green alternate reality businesses and Pink brothels. They proceed into the busy Bazaar. 

When a Brown stonewalls Dancer at the door to a club, Dancer reveals his gun with its Son of Ares marking. The man lets them through to meet Mickey the Carver, a Violet. 

Dancer tells Mickey they came to ask him something. Harmony gives him a box, and Mickey recoils at the contents. Mickey commands them to leave. Inside the box are contains the Sigils of the Golds. Dancer reveals his plan to transform Darrow into a Gold and affix the Sigils to his hands. 

Harmony and Dancer try to compel Mickey to perform this seemingly impossible surgery on Darrow. Mickey describes that making Darrow into a Gold will require much more extensive work than merely affixing the Sigils to him. He argues that as a Red, Darrow is not smart enough. Mickey recognizes Darrow from the HC footage of Eo’s death. 

Dancer describes his plan to send Darrow through the Golds’ training protocol and become a Peerless Scarred, an elite leader within the Golds. Mickey predicts that Darrow cannot withstand their ruthless culture. 

Darrow challenges Mickey by solving his electronic puzzle cube while describing his difficult work as a Helldiver. Darrow solves the puzzle, astounding Mickey with his mental acumen. 

Mickey performs surgery on Darrow’s hands and brain, and Darrow dies a second time in the process. While in a coma and while sleeping, Darrow dreams of Eo. Mickey plans to transform Darrow’s body into that of an iron Gold, an ancient warrior with extraordinary physical capabilities. Mickey must augment Darrow’s skeleton and muscles. 

Throughout the painful process, Mickey regales Darrow with stories of his youth. They discuss the servitude of Darrow’s people. Darrow’s body adjusts to new gravity and the rich food of the city. Mickey recognizes the poison of pitvipers in Darrow’s blood. He replaces Darrow’s red eyes with golden ones. Mickey also gives Darrow a zither for playing the songs of his people. 

Harmony physically trains Darrow in a concentration suit, which uses virtual reality to help him gain muscle. Darrow overhears Mickey complaining to Harmony and Dancer that his training regimen will ruin Darrow’s new body. Darrow’s strength and knowledge increase exponentially. 

Darrow gazes at his new image in the mirror as a winged Pink named Evey cuts his hair. Mickey greets Darrow, who realizes the Carver fears him. Darrow seizes Mickey and tells him to treat Evey well.