Evar lets the Soldier lead him away from the char-wall, then challenges the Soldier’s authority, arguing that those he was charged to protect died centuries ago. Frustrated, Evar drifts toward the pool where the Assistant stands motionless, recalling the cryptic line from his book.

Handling the book by the water, Evar suddenly interprets “Find me at the bottom” as pointing to the pool’s depths. When Evar asks the Assistant how deep it is, she replies that the question isn’t meaningful and walks away, offering no help.

Fighting childhood dread, Evar jumps in and fails to find any bottom, panicking back to the surface. Weighing caution against urgency, he rejects careful planning and help, deciding speed matters more than sense.

Evar gathers precious metal hinges, plates, rods, and wheels to use as ballast, accepting the loss and secrecy. Reflecting on accelerating Escapes, shifts in the Soldier and Assistant, and his need for the unknown woman, he chooses action. Whispering, “I don’t want to do this,” he steps in burdened and sinks.