The next morning, the guards haul Immanuelle by cart through the darkness to the cathedral, past funeral pyres. Inside the packed sanctuary, the Prophet summons her to the altar for a final confession. To shield Ezra, she falsely confesses to witchcraft and other sins. The cathedral erupts with calls for her death. Instead, the Prophet announces that he has had a new vision. Bethel will raze the Darkwood to destroy the last remnants of witchcraft, and he will wed Immanuelle and carve his holy seal into her flesh in order to break the curse.

Apostle Isaac and others protest mercy for a witch, but the Prophet turns the crowd by framing the marriage as a necessary sacrifice. Immanuelle accepts, advancing her own plan.

Guards move Immanuelle into Leah’s former room. Esther visits, desperate to protect her son with or without Immanuelle’s help. Immanuelle says she intends to free him and asks for help finding him. Esther agrees to distract the guards, telling her Ezra is held in the library with Leah’s baby.

As Immanuelle sneaks to the library, she feels the darkness calling to her from beyond the castle walls. She pauses at a stained-glass window where a dark reflection beckons and urges her to open the latch. When she does, darkness fills the hallway, and she flees. Inside the library, she finds Ezra wounded and shackled. He reveals that he promised to plead guilty in order to save Immanuelle, suggesting that the Prophet does not intend to keep his promise to either of them. He begs her to escape Bethel with him, but she refuses, insisting she must save all of Bethel. They share a kiss, and Ezra agrees to trust her.

The Prophet’s wives wash and dress Immanuelle for the wedding without speaking to her. At the altar, the Prophet marries her and carves his holy seal into her forehead. During the grim feast, Immanuelle spots her grandmother, Vera, head shorn, captive among the guests. The Prophet breaks his word and orders Ezra to be brought in for judgment. Ezra denies any sins, and the Prophet sentences him to the pyre. When Immanuelle protests, the Prophet strikes her in front of the wedding guests.

As Ezra is about to be tied to a burning pyre, Immanuelle offers her life in his place. Martha tries to take her place, but Immanuelle refuses to let her. After Apostle Isaac confirms that Immanuelle is still a virgin, the Prophet accepts her plea. Immanuelle undressed and led to the altar, where the Prophet prepares to kill her with his sacred dagger.

When the Prophet raises the gutting knife, Immanuelle grabs it and cuts the reversal sigil into her own arm. The cathedral convulses and windows explode, but to Immanuelle’s horror the darkness does not disappear. Suddenly, a legion of beasts surge with the Unholy Four: Mercy, Jael, Delilah, and Lilith. As they begin to torture and kill the assembled people of Bethel, Lilith offers Immanuelle a choice: a place among them or death. Immanuelle refuses to join them an condemn the people of Bethel.

A beast under Lilith’s command kills her grandfather Abram. Enraged, Immanuelle channels the plagues through her wound. She drowns Delilah with blood, tortures Mercy with blight that causes her to destroy herself, and smothers Jael with darkness. Finally, she battles Lilith, who nearly kills both her and Ezra. Moments before Lilith is going to stab Immanuelle, Vera throws her gutting knife, and Immanuelle drives it into Lilith’s skull.

Sunlight breaks into the ruined cathedral and trees push through its floor, filling the space with new life. As Immanuelle and the other survivors mourn over the bodies of the dead, the Prophet emerges from hiding and blames Immanuelle for the death and destruction. Ezra defends her and calls out his father’s cowardice. When the Prophet orders the Guard to seize Immanuelle, Vera, Martha, Esther, Glory, and other women lock arms to shield her.

The crowd turns on the Prophet and demands his blood. Ezra asks for the knife to execute him, insisting that it’s the only way to bring peace. Immanuelle argues that blood will only bring more blood, but gives Ezra the final choice. He gives the blade back, and Immanuelle lets it fall, choosing mercy. The flock immediately agrees to lead with peace.

Weeks later, Immanuelle sits on the Haven steps at sunrise and traces the sigil scar on her arm. Ezra joins her, and they discuss Bethel’s uncertain future, as a schism grows between his followers and those of the dying Prophet. Haunted by the slaughter, Immanuelle is steadied by Ezra, who reaffirms their path together and his commitment to peace.

They watch the last purging pyres gutter out and face the morning. Immanuelle names the coming year the Year of the Dawn, a new beginning after the Year of the Witching that has just ended.