Haliya remains behind long enough to confront Vondam. Their argument is not simply faith against apostasy. Each recognises the other as evidence that the doctrines they served cannot contain every moral fact. Alpharael needs Haliya because protecting somebody gives her action a direction; Haliya needs him because his survival proves that refusing a promised ending can be courageous.
The stolen ferry reaches the Seriema amid a frozen-time trap and Solar Knight boarding attempt. Sami also finds Mirri alive inside a long stasis cask, making departure both urgent and emotionally possible. When the eternity column rejects their request, the captain accelerates directly toward Infinite Guideline. The station's systems can avert collision in only one way: open the route.
The ferry joins the column and the Seriema falls into the Weft. No revision delivers a clean victory. Thousands may be dead, Pinnacle is damaged and the two fleets remain responsible for choices the Endstone encouraged but did not invent. The crew escapes because cooperation, theft and a carefully constructed emergency succeed where absolute control would have consumed everyone.