Duncan Idaho stands outside Sietch Tabr at night, looking from the irrigated plantings toward the open desert where Paul has gone. Tandis has reported that Paul, truly blind after losing his prescient vision, walked away alone and said, "Now I am free." Because Fremen custom abandons the blind to the desert, the Fremen refuse to send searchers or rescue craft.

Duncan grieves and blames himself for leaving Paul alone, remembering Paul as a boy on Caladan and fearing that Gurney Halleck would hold him responsible. Duncan considers how Paul may die and recognizes that the Fremen are already turning Paul’s disappearance into sacred myth. Duncan nearly retreats into mentat abstraction to avoid his failure, then pulls himself back and accepts that Paul will become one with the desert.

Stilgar joins Duncan and states that Paul will not be found, yet all men will find him. Duncan and Stilgar discuss Paul’s status as both outsider and Fremen, and Stilgar insists that the Fremen claimed Paul completely. Stilgar then reveals that Alia has returned from Sietch Makab, imposed her authority over the Naibs, and ordered executions of the traitors: the Guildsman, Reverend Mother Mohiam, Korba, and others. Stilgar admits that Paul had left word that Mohiam should not be killed, but Stilgar disobeyed, as Alia expected.

After Stilgar leaves, Duncan’s mentat awareness sees the political consequences of Paul’s final act. The Bene Tleilax and the Guild have failed and are discredited, the Qizarate has been damaged by Korba’s treason, and Paul’s acceptance of Fremen law has secured Fremen loyalty to the Atreides children. Alia then arrives, grieving and angry, calling Paul a fool because he could have chosen a path that saved himself and Chani at catastrophic cost to the universe.

Alia acknowledges that Paul chose freedom from his Jihad and deification, even though his legend will now endure. She tells Duncan that she must protect Princess Irulan, who has renounced the Bene Gesserit, grieves for Paul, and vows to teach his children. Duncan understands that Irulan’s defection removes the Bene Gesserit’s last leverage over the Atreides heirs. Overcome by grief, Alia asks Duncan to love her, and Duncan accepts; she leads him back toward the Place of Safety.