Evar leaves the city to burn rather than witness its slaughter again and slips through the mountain into the library. Expecting sabbers to follow with fire, he begs a library assistant to act, but she continues shelving, unmoved. Evar realizes the assistants may perceive time differently, immune to his urgency.

He dives into the pool and emerges in the Forest Between, initially intent on caution but distracted by a woman in white sleeping by a pool. After checking Livira’s refilled pool and finding signs of his earlier fight, he returns and recognizes the sleeper as Livira, now grown. They confirm their mismatched timelines: for Evar it has been a day; for Livira, nearly seven years.

Livira reports that sabbers again menace her world, raiding near the walls, and Evar recoils at the thought of such carnage returning. Livira also reveals Arpix vanished during their portal crossing; she searched both the forest and the library without finding him.

They discuss how desire might steer the portals. Livira proposes traveling together to a time where they will be ghosts and safe, aiming for enjoyment or learning. Evar, reluctant to risk another pool yet unwilling to leave Livira, agrees.

Livira selects a pool that caught her eye earlier. To avoid being separated like with Arpix, she takes Evar’s hand and urges them to focus on a time without fighting. Counting down, they jump together into the water.