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;Plot Summary
In the shrine, Painter receives a map of Torio from Liyun and shares some empathetic words with her, thanking her for her patience. He sketches Masaka's map over it and they confirm that their worlds overlap witheach one anotherother. They decide it is time to destroy the machine. At Yumi's urging, Painter approaches Liyun and hisher attendants withto an explanationexplain that the spirits have directed her to destroy the machine. They acknowledge the potential conseqsuences,consequences but agree to help. Liyun sends Hwanji to get the bailiff, and they gather several villagers who will help them destroy the machine if the scholars stand in their way. When they reach the scholars' tent, they explain what they are there to do. The lead scholar is unsurprised, and calls for Sunjun, explaining it is time for a confrontation. He asks for Nikaro's theory on what is happening as the other scholars bring out their machine. His idea amuses Gyundok, who says it is wrong but a good guess. Painter notices that everyone has become very still, and as he watches they all begin turning into nightmares. He tries to destroy the machine but is stopped by Gyundok, who is also a nightmare along with the other scholars. Nikaro asks about the others as their surroundings also disintegrate into the shroud, and the scholar explains that they don't understand their true natures. Liyun transforms more fully and Painter realizes that she iswas the stable nightmare they were hunting for. Lastly, he turns to see Yumi turning into a nightmare as well. Gyundok apologiesapologizes itfor tooktaking so long for this to allreach come to athis headpoint, explaining that they had troubles with their power source and needed some time to catch some rogue spirits. Painter begs, but the man explains "the machine is lord now". They flip a switch on the machine which severs the Connection between Yumi and Nikaro. Nikaro feels himself being shot like an arrow back to his own home and into his body, which painfully snaps back intosnapping his own physical appearance.
{{anchor|Chapter 35}}
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