The Ninth Gate is the last gate in the realm of Death. Unlike the others, it is up in the sky at the end of the river, where there is no more current. There is, in fact, a sky here, compared to the perpetual fog [1]of the other 8 Precincts.
The Point of No Return[]
Lirael gazes into the depths of the Ninth Gate.
While it is possible for the Dead to claw their way back through the other eight Gates, including crossing over the border to Life, none can return from beyond the Ninth Gate. None know what lies beyond its starry expanse.
Passing Beyond[]
The way to go through the Ninth Gate is to look at it. Upon seeing the stars of the gate, any being puts away their possessions and begins to rise into the air. However, for some, this ascent is halted because their time is not up yet. They fall back to the river below, safe from the siren's song of the Ninth Gate.
However, for those who have outlived their time, there is no escape upon beholding the Ninth Gate. Even Hedge, upon catching a glimpse of the stars, is instantly defeated.[2] He loses all resistance and rises into the sky. After having prolonged his life for decades, he vanished into the infinite skies along with the thousands who had come before him. Chlorr meets a similar fate in Goldenhand.