- The Elder explains that something has escaped from the village to the island and is slowly killing off the remaining survivors.
- Sabriel promises to restore safety to the island, but says she can't help with the village, because the evil at work there is just too big to deal with.
- Sabriel detects the presence of the Dead in a fisherman named Patal amongst the gathered villagers. When she gets close enough, she is sure that "technically, he was still alive, but a Dead spirit had somehow suppressed his will […] using his body as a puppet" (17.19). Um… yuck. She recalls that this type of spirit is called a Mordaut.
- Touchstone and Sabriel draw out the Mordaut and defeat it, but not before it kills the fisherman it possessed; during the fight, Touchstone draws his swords, and Sabriel sees that they are etched with powerful Charter marks.
- After checking the rest of the island to make sure no Dead remain, Sabriel looks out toward the mainland and detects the presence of the same Mordicant that has been pursuing her. She tells Touchstone they must leave right away, even though it's nighttime, because otherwise her presence will lure it to the island.
- The villagers prepare a boat for Sabriel. Bidding them goodbye, she meets a little girl and remembers what Touchstone said about the ability of children to speak of the Charter. The child recites a rhyme about the Five Great Charters, because every good fantasy novel needs an epic poem.
- Sabriel, Touchstone, and Mogget set off in the boat at night.