This section may as well be a letter to FXC. It concedes that many of S.’s decisions could have been avoided and he could have spent the life he yearned for with Sola. That said, it also points out that there is a greater power out there that manipulated S.’s choices. He was left with the notion that “desire is a ghost.” This marks a point in the novel when the killing and distance from Sola is justified. It acts as an explanation for S.’s somewhat questionable actions.

The death of Agent #8 is simply described as involving “more suffering than any one person should have to endure.” This is the agent who killed Corbeau as she leapt from the cave and S. makes sure his death is the worst it can possibly be. This vengeance is strong and shows the deep feelings S. had for Corbeau (or in the S. world, Straka had for Durand).