Otto and Ozab had begun to spend their days on the jetty jutting off the point near Ophelia's cottage watching for the returning fleet. They were confident that Egbert would return. Their main worry was that it would not be in time to thwart the ceremony and time was running out. None the less, both beasts found this self-imposed duty a pleasant task. Ophelia packed them a basket each day, loaded with fresh fruit and a large jug of lemonade, along with straw mats for them to sit on.

This day found them, each with a small telescope in hand, lounging on the rocks and lazily scanning the waters north and south of them.

The storm was finally passing and its remnants were mainly to the south, still hugging the shield and obscuring the visibility in the direction of the Deev Castle. The north however was crystal clear and sunny and this is where their diligence was focused.

Ozab sat biting into an apple and sipping some lemonade when Otto alerted him. The young otter had been scanning the horizon outside the shield and as he swept the telescope landward, he saw the white glint of sails in the sunlight, within the shield and headed in their direction.
"I see ships, Ozab!" he shouted excitedly.

The old mongoose quickly took up his spyglass and directed it to where Otto was pointing.
"I see them, young friend, they must have sailed within the confines of the shield to escape the storm."

"Do you think it's them, Ozab?"

"I count at least four ships and among them are what appear to be Lokian Dragon-ships. It is certainly our friends...and high time too, we are less than three days from the full moon," he motioned to Otto, "go quickly and bring some sheets we can use to signal them with. We will guide them here to the jetty."

Otto was about to leave when he turned to his friend.
"If Azmeritus wakes the monster, what good will our army be?"

"Not much, my friend. If Xenophus is everything I fear he might be, our weapons will be useless."

"What will we do?" Otto asked.

"Pray, my friend, we will pray. Now go get those sheets and hurry back."

Never has a group of beasts and men been more grateful to set foot and paw on solid ground than the battered, bruised, and beleaguered crews of the World's End fleet. Nearly the entire company of mariners, save the skeleton crews watching the anchored ships, milled around the shoreline. The Lokians, being an organized force, quickly assembled behind their commanders, who in turn stood behind King Frega Tarchak.

Frega sat on a small boulder with Robbi, Egbert, and Gladis around him. Chumley and
Thoris walked up and joined them.

"Well, 'ere we are," Chumley said brightly, "which way now?"

The large wolf looked around.
"South I should think. What do you think Egbert? You are recently a prisoner on this land."

"Oi agree, south. Oi've never been on this part of the oiland, but if we follow the shore south we will be heading to the castle."

"South it is then...," Frega was interrupted by Bobo, who came running up.

"We've got company coming from over the ridge," the nutria pointed down the beach, "an otter and a beast I'm not too sure about."

Egbert craned his neck to look. He broke into a broad smile.
"It's Otto and Ozab!" he smiled at Frega, "They're friends."

"They're not the only ones!" Robbi said cheerfully pointing skyward, "I'd recognize that splash of colors anywhere. That's Max!"

Everyone looked up at the approaching bird. He landed gracefully in their midst and gave Robbi a big hug. He panted from exertion and took a second to catch his breath before giving his report.

"It's so good to see you are well, well! Willum, Wilbur, and the rest are mooring the Crimson Rose at Farewell Ridge, ridge. They'll muster on the beach and wait for you. The Deev are returned too...nearer the castle... and a mess of pirates who are landing further south, south."

"I don't know how I feel about the Deev sticking their unnatural paws in this business, but the news is good...and time is short. We best move out to Farewell Ridge," Frega said sternly.

Chumley stepped forward.
"Robbi, Gladis, Thoris and yours truly'll be returnin' to the West Wind with a small crew. We got ta 'ave Ashy in place in case that Ürgod wakes up, don't we?"

Frega clapped Chumley firmly on the back.
"Off with you then, you reprobate! Take your pet to fight the monster. Targas be with you." The wolf turned to Robbi and hugged her. He spoke gently to the small rat.

"Be careful, Robbi...and take care of Chumley for me...Belinda needs him to return...their child needs a father."

Robbi smiled gently and kissed Frega on the muzzle.
"I'll do what I can, but he's a pawful."

"He is indeed." The big wolf chuckled.

As Robbi headed back to the landing boats with Thoris and Chumley, Egbert ran up franticly carrying a small case. He ran in front of the wizard and thrust the box in her hands.

"Oi almost forgot that you, Thoris, Chumley and Gladis never took the potion to get back out past the shield," he chuckled, "it wouldn't do our cause any good if the three of you got squashed. This case has fifty viols of the stuff we had in excess of our castaways. Make sure you take a dose before you head out, also check your crew to make sure that they're all protected too."

"What about Ashy? Does 'e need to take this stuff?" Chumley asked.

"Better thafe than thorry," Thoris suggested, "we'll doeth hith next meal before we head out."

"Yeah, that sounds awright. Ah'll see to it mahself, ah will," the rat offered.

Robbi laughed.
"You just miss talking to your pal Ashy, what with the sea-voyage and all."

Chumley smiled a wry smile.
"Ah confess, ah need to catch up on the latest gossip...Ashy's just a social butterfly these days, ain't he?"

"A disturbed young rat, thou art, Sir Chumley," Gladis sniggered. The small band said their farewells to Egbert and with potions in hand boarded the landing craft for their journey back to the West Wind.

Ozab and Otto caught up with the small army on their way to Farewell Ridge. It was a happy reunion with hardy paw-shakes and hugs. Ozab told Frega and Egbert of his discoveries within the maze of caves and tunnels around his home and the access they provided to the Deev Castle. Frega didn't speak, but rather mulled over the strategic implications of this welcome information.

He was still deep in thought when word reached him that the crew of the Crimson Rose had been spotted up ahead, making camp on the beach in front of the ridge. The wolf-king speeded the march and soon both groups were massed on the rocky strand.

A large table had been set up and the leaders of both groups, Frega, Egbert, and Pretor Barus, the Lokian Commander and brother of Deedor Barus, the governor of Morgaard, representing the World's End contingent, and Willum, Wilbur, the Scratchbacks, and Ursamus representing the crew of the Rose. No sooner had all the beasts seated themselves and made their introductions than Ursamus became extremely agitated and fled from the table to the edge of the water.

"What is wrong with your friend?" Frega asked, "Have I said something to offend him?"

Wilbur stood.
"Oi can't imagine how. I'll go speak with him." The young mole walked over to his friend. He placed his paw gently on the mighty beasts shoulder.

"What's wrong, Ursamus?"

The mighty snow-bear looked sadly at his friend.
"I am shamed and unworthy to sit at that table."

"Whoi? You have been brave and loyal, whoi do you say dat?"

Ursamus sat on his haunches and slowly shook his head.
"The Lokian commander, Pretor Barus...he is the brother not only of Governor Deedor, but of Herstad Barus as well...the father of the wolf I killed in Lokias. I murdered Pretor's nephew...I do not deserve to sit at the same table with them." His eyes became determined, "I must confess my crime to Frega and Pretor and receive my punishment."

Wilbur addressed his friend quietly.
"Are you sure you want to do dat now? It's barely two days to da ceremony and we need to stay focused...can't you wait till de battle is done to confess to the Lokians?"

Ursamus stood.
"No! My guilt has been haunting me for too many seasons and I need to be free of it and face the consequences of my actions."

Wilbur walked alongside his friend back to the table and reassured his friend.
"I'm with you all the way, Ursamus. Frega is a very fair and reasonable beast...he will understand what you did."

"How? Even I do not understand."

The two friends rejoined the table and Wilbur addressed the Lokians.
"Moi friend Ursamus has something he needs to tell you, but first let me say that he is an honorable and loyal beast who has shown great bravery."

Frega looked intrigued.
"What is this about Ursamus?"

The snow-bear hung his head as he answered.
"It is about the son of your commander's brother, Herstad Barus."

Pretor laughed.
"Grable? What's that little snot done now?"

Ursamus looked up.
"It is I who killed him, it was an accident, but I am guilty."

Pretor looked confused.
"I think that highly unlikely, I saw him in the brig at Gruverst just two weeks ago. He is a constant burden on his father...but as far as I know, still very much alive."

Ursamus appeared to be in shock.
"But that's not possible. I was to be wed in Lokus...there was a fight...I threw him into a wall...they told me he was dead."

Frega suddenly burst out in laughter.
"You are the great beast who smashed that little monster in Lokus...ha, ha, ha...He was disgraced after he recovered...my cousin had arranged the wedding after all...he was fond of your bride...Lia or something like that..."

"Aliya." Ursamus corrected.

"Yes, Aliya...Herstad was and is still quite fond of her, more than his own son, I daresay...and rightfully so." He looked the great bear up and down and smiled broadly, "So you are the mighty beast who put Grable Barus to sleep for a month...well done master bear, he needed to be put in his place. I had heard you fled out of fear of retaliation, let me assure you on behalf of the Lokians, you have no reason to be concerned...if anything we owe you a debt of gratitude, there is not a wolf who has ever met him who has not wanted to smash young Grable into a wall."

Ursamus was dumbfounded and simply stared blankly at Frega, unable to speak. The Lokian King smiled and spoke gently.
"Now that that is settled, I suggest we get back to the business at hand."

Wilbur clapped his paw on his friend's side. Ursamus looked down at him with great tears of joy trailing down his cheek. He smiled silently and nodded, seating himself quietly next to the mole.

The war council went on with a grim determination. Ozab and Otto gave their accounts of the secret entrances they had discovered and their accounts of the deployment of the Brotherhood troops.

As the meeting was about to wrap up, word reached the seated leaders that a large group of beasts and men were approaching from the north. Frega was about to mobilize his wolves when Ozab informed him that the approaching column was, in fact, a volunteer force of the local resistance, numbering nearly a hundred additional troops for their mission.

When all the talking was done, Frega took charge and addressed the leadership.

"It seems that finally, Targas smiles on us...at least a bit. By using the tunnels Ozab has discovered, we not only save a day's travel, but we have the element of surprise. The large chamber leading into the wine cellar will be where we focus our main force...they will be watching for an attack outside the wall of the castle, not from within.

"The Brotherhood force is divided between the castle and the compound and while they outnumber our combined forces, if we can close the gates to the castle, we will effectively reduce the force of the enemy by over half, trapping most of them outside the walls. Therefore our strategy will be thus...the main force will flood into the wine cellars...their primary objective will be to secure the gate to the castle, close it, secure it, and defend it.
From the point when the gate is closed we will fight the battle within the castle grounds.

"The accursed ceremony Azmeritus intends will commence with the full moon...tomorrow night is the first night of the full moon, but Robbi tells me the ceremony could begin as early as late afternoon when the moon rises, so we have very little time.

"Captain Crookfang has volunteered to take a force of beasts to the cave chamber that lies next to Azmeritus' ceremonial cave where the awakening is to take place. He will attempt to break through and disrupt the ceremony and vanquish the priest. We will try to move our main force there as soon as we can, but I am told that the access from the castle to the cave is along a narrow cliff and is very easily defensible against even a vastly superior force.

"Let me repeat...we have very little time. If the Ürgod is awakened successfully, there is no telling what disaster would befall us...we must attempt to prevent that at all costs. If we fail...if the monster is revived...our last line of defense will be the Asherouboros who is being towed into position under the castle by the West Wind with our wizard, Robbi as its protector."

He stood, "We leave immediately...any questions?" Frega looked around the table. There were nods of assent, but no questions. "Good then, let us prepare for battle...we leave in fifteen minutes."

Every man and beast began to prepare, arming themselves and leaving any unnecessary items behind. Frega approached Ursamus who sat starring at the Cold Narrows.

"You are a brave beast Ursamus, to confess to the King of the Lokians about the beast you thought you'd slain."

Ursamus smiled.
"My conscience left me no choice." He turned and looked at Frega nervously, "King Frega...have you heard anything about Aliya?"

Frega chuckled.
"You mean the fine bear you left at the altar?" seeing the guilt on the snow-bears features, he quickly became serious, " I have not spoken to Governor Herstad Barus in many months, but the last I heard, your Aliya and her father were still searching for you."

He draped his arm around the giant bear's shoulder, "Fear not, I suspect that if our mission is a success and we manage to escape with our lives, you will be subject to a very emotional reunion with your love..." Frega shook the bear affectionately and raised his voice, "If ever there was a reason to fight, my friend, that sounds like an excellent one!"

Ursamus turned his head toward Frega and smiled.
"Yes, your highness, an excellent reason indeed."

The West Wind, despite its skeleton crew of twenty beasts not counting Robbi, Thoris, and Chumley, made ready to sail. Any crewmember who had not previously ingested the potion which permitted them to pass through the shield, did so now. The crew manned their underway posts which meant manning the oars to pull the ship back into the winds outside the barrier.

Four crew-beasts remained above the main deck. There was a lookout up in the crow's nest, a beast manning the helm, and two crew members to loose and tighten lines. These two beasts happened to be Winky and Groggs, who found themselves without any particular task until the ship actually got underway. They leaned over the stern-railing, next to Robbi and Thoris. All four were watching Chumley who had rowed a small boat loaded with sacks of fish that had been spiked with several vials of the potion, to the floating tank.

The Asherouboros calmly raised its head out of the water and opened its massive yaw wide. Chumley heaved a sack into the creatures mouth, who in turn swallowed the sack in a forceful gulp and then reopened its mouth for another helping. This ballet was repeated with each of the remaining five sacks until the small boat was empty except for the black rat who addressed the creature in loud tones.

"That's it mah friend...nuthin' left, is there? That'll hold ya over if yah need tah fight, won't it? Plus it'll get yah through that shield without getting' squashed and that's a good thing, ain't it?"

The Asherouboros lowered back into the water till only the top of its head and its eyes were visible above the surface. It swam right up against the side of the tank and seemed to stare at Chumley.

The rat tried to reach out and pat the beast, but the inflated bladders supporting the tank proved too much of an obstruction for him too overcome from inside the boat. He prepared to return to the ship and turned his bow toward the West Wind and began to row. This left him facing the Asherouboros whose good eye was locked on Chumley's retreating form. The rat called back to him.

"Good luck, pal, ah've got faith in ye, ah do! Ah'll be right up there in that ship. Me and mah pals'll help ye as best we can!"