Shadowy beings drag them along in the web. Haroun sees that the dark poison completely covers the colors of the Ocean. It is like a thick acid that light cannot penetrate. Haroun worries that it might be melting Mali, the Floating Gardener.

Soon, they see the edge of Perpetual Darkness, which looks like a black wall made of night. Thirteen Chupwalas appear and surround them. Haroun realizes that the Wall of Night is a massive black ship. Onboard, the Chupwalas unscrew the top of Butt’s head and remove his brain, disconnecting him. Iff pushes something small into Haroun’s hand. It’s called a Bite-a-Lite. It will give Haroun two minutes of light when he needs it most.

The ship is lit by dark bulbs that create darkness. The deck is at least a mile long and is covered in cauldrons. Haroun feels that the ship is insubstantial and made of shadows.

Khattam-Shud arrives. He is scrawny and his outline is slightly fuzzy. Haroun thinks this version of him is his shadow-self, and the physical Cultmaster is still in the Citadel. He reminds Haroun of someone. Haroun accuses Khattam-Shud of being Mr. Sengupta, who stole his mother. Khattam-Shud changes forms, becoming 100 feet tall with 100 heads, before restoring himself to his normal form.