The Deev, led by Prince Vasheron marched boldly south along the narrow beach leading to the base of the three hundred foot high cliff upon which the Deev fortress stood. Behind them, the two hundred pirates and crew of the Neure followed cautiously, knowing the docks and stone stairs leading up to the castle would be zealously defended by the Scarlet Brotherhood.

The Deev were bustling with confidence. Almost immediately after crossing the shield into Xenoth, they tested to see if they were once again invulnerable. They did this carefully at first by lightly cutting and stabbing themselves. When they were confident that their small wounds healed instantly and that they felt no pain, the tests became more vigorous, with the Minge pairing off and violently stabbing and slicing each other. It was a complete success, and soon they felt like gods again, fearless and arrogant, ready to deal death to their enemies.

Vasheron ordered his minks into two lines, shoulder to shoulder, on a direct path to the stone stairs. Brotherhood troops massed on the beach in front of them in an attempt to prevent their ascent up the steps. The steps themselves, each six feet wide and two feet deep were clogged from beach to cliff-top with Brotherhood warriors. Vasheron and his Minge laughed and shouted in anticipation. It was twenty yards from where they stood to the point where the steps began. The scene seemed almost like a painting, with every participant frozen in place. An eerie silence engulfed the beach as the Deev looked to their leader for the command to attack. Prince Vasheron licked his lips and grinned wickedly.

"Kill them all!" he shouted as he led his Minge forward into the fray.

Onboard the West Wind, it was peaceful and quiet, save the cawing of seabirds and the gentle splashing of waves against her hull. That calm was replaced by the distant shouts, shrieks, clangs and crashes of battle.

The crew migrated to the landward side of the ship to view the carnage. They could see the mass of attackers flooding into the Brotherhood defenders on the beach in their effort to reach the stone stairs.

Several of beasts on board ship, including Chumley and Thoris, put spyglasses to their eyes to get a better view of specific areas of the battle. Others, like Gladis and Robbi chose to watch the entire clash, with its surges and retreats like a great tide of war.

Robbi stared at the distant stairs, rising up the three hundred foot high cliff like an ugly zig-zag shaped scar. Even from this distance, it was apparent that the steps were packed solid with Brotherhood troops awaiting the surge of enemy attackers if they swarmed past the brothers defending the strand.

Vasheron's force was doing well. His Deev cut through the defenders like a scythe through wheat, while the pirates, directly behind the Minge warriors, cut down any beasts who managed to get past the initial Deev onslaught.

The Prince had fought his Minge to within a hundred yards of the stairs when the battlefield went temporarily still. The remaining beach defenders withdrew to directly in front of the steps in a tight mass, while Vasheron's force caught their breath. The two sides stared at each other briefly, separated by twenty yards of sand. Then Vasheron raised his sword and led a furious charge toward the cliff. The sound of yells and war-cries again filled the air and reached the beasts of the West Wind. Robbi turned away and walked to the far side of the deck. She was soon joined by Gladis, Chumley, and Thoris.

Chumley approached the small wizard, who seemed deeply disturbed.
"Ah know it's brutal and all, luv, but those Brotherhood chaps are tryin' to destroy the world, ain't they? Ah wouldn't waste a lot of pity on them."

Robbi turned.
"It's not that. The fighting and dying are horrible, of course, but that's not why I'm upset. It's the Deev...it kills me that I'm rooting for them...they're vile and evil. They killed my fellow wizards and who knows how many other innocent beasts...they've crippled Arisha...our Arisha...and here I am cheering them on. It just isn't right!"

Thoris gave the rat a hug.
"Any port in a thtorm, Robbi. The world ith at thtake. We can't afford to turn away any help."

Robbi tried to smile.
"I know, believe me, I do, but it doesn't mean I have to like it."

Chumley chuckled.
"None of us do, do we? Don't worry Robbi, if we survive this, we'll deal with those 'orrible beasts, but for now we got to accept their 'elp. Ah can't abide those minks meself, it's not like ah'm gonna ask 'em over for tea."

Gladis pointed her wingtip toward the distant stairs.
"Quite well they seem to be doing. Almost to the stairs they are."

Robbi looked to the shore and saw that Gladis was being accurate, The Deev force had covered the ground to the stone steps and had begun their ascent. She walked back over to the rail with her friends to continue following the battle. The friends were now silent and entranced by the violent ballet playing itself out on the forbidden shores of Xenoth.

Prince Vasheron was in his element. As he reached the first step of the stairs at the head of his force, he took the time to look up the cliff-face. Each step was manned by Scarlet Brothers, several hundred in total. All around him the sounds of battle roared. He was struck several times by arrows and sword-strikes while he took in the cliff. Absently pulling the shafts from his body, he turned to Mobus, who stood at his side hacking at the monks who surrounded them.

"Up we go Captain, let's clear these steps. Make sure to throw the bodies off the stairs as we progress. Get all our Minge to the front. We will take turns in the lead so we can rest our paws."

Captain Mobus raised his paw and shouted out orders. The Deev mustered behind him.
"Ready sir," he told Vasheron when all the Minge were assembled.

"Good. The pirates can finish clearing the beach as we clear the stairs. Slow and steady, just mow these red devils down," the Prince said calmly as he mounted the first stair swinging his sword and nearly slicing the first defender in half.

Step by step, the Deev advanced, dealing death to all who stood in their way. Every few minutes, the Deev in the lead would fall back and allow the warriors behind them take the lead so that their overworked sword arms could recover.

It was a slow methodical slaughter and a sense of hopelessness began to overtake the monks, whose frenzied defense was doing little but slow the Minge down. Their normally deadly sword-strikes against the Deev had no effect on the invulnerable warriors. Their futile efforts to kill the Deev led to frustration in the Brotherhood ranks. The defending archers stopped shooting at the Minge, focusing their volleys on the vulnerable pirates who followed in Vasheron's wake and taking a small measure of satisfaction in the screams of pain their efforts produced.

It was slow-going up the stairs for the first third of the ascent, but as the monks on the higher steps waited nervously for the Deev to reach them, fear set in, then panic. The monks on the highest portion of the stairs abandoned the steps and retreated toward the fortress. Those stationed on the lower steps were blocked from safety by those on the steps above them. It took very little time for the once disciplined defense to deteriorate into a deadly stampede up the stairs. Monks pushed their comrades out of their way in an effort to escape the slaughter, sending their unfortunate brethren plummeting hundreds of feet down to the beach.

Prince Vasheron saw what was happening in the enemy ranks and stopped the onslaught, sitting on a stone step halfway up the cliff. He motioned Captain Mobus to sit beside him. He addressed his subordinate.

"Let us rest our arms awhile. The monks are abandoning the stairs in retreat. This portion of the battle is done. We will continue our advance once the stairs are clear. We will re-assemble on the plateau...pass the word down, Mobus."

"It will be done, my Prince."

Frega and the World's End army, numbering nearly six hundred and comprised of Lokians, mariners, volunteers from the mainland, and locals, reached Ozab's cave shortly after dark.

It was fairly slow going due to the sheer number of beasts forced into single file up to and into the narrow opening to the mongoose's dwelling. The line of beasts stretched all the way down the stone ramp leading up to the cave and a hundred yards along the beach leading to the ramp.

There were other logistic problems as well. The tunnels in the caves were also narrow and keeping all the beasts headed the right direction through the underground maze to the points of entry into the Deev fortress was not easily done.

It was decided by Frega and agreed upon by the other leaders that traffic directors be stationed along the passages at wider points in the tunnels to keep the line moving in the right direction.

Ozab led the main contingent to the large chamber adjacent to the wine cellar, which would be their main point of attack. The chamber could hold over a hundred beasts, and the plan was to break through the wall and wait, hopefully undiscovered, in the vast cellar until most of the troops, now easing into and through the cavern, were all mustered for a unified attack.

Otto led a smaller group of about fifty to the second chamber which was directly next to the sacrificial cave in the hope that the combined strength of the group could somehow break through the solid granite wall that separated the two spaces.

Egbert and Bobo directed the traffic into and through Ozab's cave and would be the last beasts into the castle. Max was instructed by Willum to fly to the West Wind and let them know that the attack was about to begin. Ursamus and Wilbur were stationed outside the cave entrance to ensure a smooth flow of traffic. The snow-bear was not happy, his great girth made it impossible to enter Ozab's cave and he would be forced to remain behind. Wilbur volunteered to stay with him to guard the cave entrance once all the troops were inside.

Further down the line on the beach, the Scratchbacks kept the progress orderly and steady. It was nearly noon when the last of the volunteers entered the mouth of the cave and the landscape was clear of beasts. The Scratchbacks sat wearily against the outside of the cave with Ursamus and Wilbur gratefully joining them. Egbert popped his head out the entrance.

"Is that the last of them?" he asked.

Salto answered.
"That's it Eggy, 'cept for us. What now?"

Egbert stepped out with Bobo at his side.
"Frega sent back word that he wants everyone to settle down where they are and get a few hours of rest before the attack. Oi, for one, will be happy to obey that command. When we go in, Oi guess I'll bring up the rear. How about you gois?"

Wilbur stretched as he answered.
"I'm gonna stay with Ursamus out here. We're gonna head down da beach toward da castle and see what's going on. Salto, Gella, Trey, and Cat are comin' with us."

Egbert looked concerned.
"There are lots of bad gois around there, you better be careful...very careful."

Wilbur laughed.
"Dere's lots more bad gois where you're goin'."

Bobo perked up.
"That's why he's got himself a topnotch bodyguard ta watch 'im."

Eggy smiled broadly.
"Oi could lend Bobo to you. Oi'm at the back of the line, boi the toime Oi get to the castle, most of the foighting will be done...Oi hope."

"I ain't a pair of trousers you kin just lend out," Bobo protested, "besides, there ain't no tellin' how long the battle's gonna take, there could still be plenty of villains about."

"Okay, foine. Moi bodyguard stays with me," he looked at his nephew, "just be careful and don't do anything stupid." He smiled at the other beasts sitting around the young mole, "Oi expect you gois to watch out for each other."

"Aye-aye, Eggy," Salto said cheerfully, "now go on back inta yer cave and let us honest beasts get a coupla hours rest afore we have ta save the world. As fer me, I prefers sleepin' in the open, 'specially since that cliffs been shakin' every hour. I don't know how anybeast kin sleep in a tunnel anyhow."

Egbert chuckled.
"Oi'm a mole, remember? We loike to sleep in tunnels, though Oi have to admit that those tremors are pretty nerve-wracking. Oi've had to assure a lot of beasts these last few hours that the cave isn't going to come crashing down on their heads."

Wilbur became concerned.
"It's not, is it? Collapse Oi mean?"

Egbert clapped his nephew on the back.
"Oi certainly hope not," he smiled, then became serious upon seeing the worried look on Wilbur's back, "the insoide is solid stone Wilbur, for now it's just a lot of shaking and pebbles raining down. It feels loike it will hold a whoile longer before it gets really dangerous...boi then we should be back above ground and safe."

Bobo interrupted with a laugh.
"Safe? Sure 'ceptin' for the coupla thousand crazy monks tryin' ta kill us."

Egbert couldn't help himself from smiling.
"Yes, except for that."

The pirate force, under the combined leaderships of captains Hogbrow, Yellowtooth, and the newly promoted Mauby, hacked their way through the dense jungle to the south of the plateau. The going had been tough, but despite the obstacles, they had made exceptional time. This did not mean, however, that they were pleased with their position or at the prospect of engaging the Brotherhood in a land battle.

Yellowtooth and Hogbrow were particularly vocal in their opposition to the plan, while Captain Mauby felt compelled to argue on behalf of the Deev strategy, since he knew it was Vasheron who had secured his position as Captain after Redbush's bloody demise. This increasingly heated difference of opinion came to a head when the troop reached the base of an extremely steep hill, better described as a sloping cliff, which marked the southern base of the plateau.

It was a formidable climb and not one Hogbrow or Yellowtooth were inclined to make. Mauby began chiding them about their reluctance to continue upward.

"Youse call yerself pirates, ptahh! A liddle hill scares ya? Ya should be ashamed!"

Yellowtooth snorted.
"I been a brethren longer than you been breathin', pup! One of the reasons I been around so long and not floatin' in the sea or danglin' from a rope is I don't do nuthin' that's outright stupid. And goin' straight up that steep hill inta a bunch of killers waitin' fer us is just plain witless."

Mauby looked up the immense incline.
"I don't see nobody waitin' fer us up there. I'm tellin' ya coves...they ain't expectin' no one ta be darin' enough ta attack from this side."

Hogbrow chuckled.
"And yer the darin' beast what's gonna do it?"

"Ya got that right...I tell ya what...supposin' I was ta climb up there and make sure it's safe fer you ladies ta foller...would ya come up or continya ta cringe down here like babies?"

Hogbrow bristled at the insult.
"Look Mauby, we're pirates...we fight at sea where we kin see our foes...I don't like doin' the bidding of Vasheron or his ilk. I don't see as to how we got anything real ta gain from this adventure, 'ceptin' a lot smaller crew and a lot of pain. I kin see how yer content at bein' the Deev's lapdog, seein' as how ya got yer command cause Vasheron said so, but us...I don't owe that scum nuthin'"

Mauby was stung by Hogbrow's  observation.
"And what about Willum? Ya gonna desert him too? I'm sure he ain't just gonna run away. That ain't even takin' inta account the fact that we're all gonna need a dose o' that potion Willum told us about so we kin leave this rotten island without I' ourselves smashed"

Hogbrow laughed loudly.
"Willum's got his own debt ta collect from that Azmeritus bloke. He's been huntin' 'im fer years. He don't care what we do long as he gets his chance at the albino. He needed us ta get to Xenoth and we're here, ain't we? Seems ta me we did what he asked of us. As fer the potion...you know as well as us that we sent a longboat ta where Willum's berthed ta collect enough ta get us all out. It might take a day or two o' waitin', but at least it'll be aboard our ships where we belong"

Yellowtooth pulled Hogbrow aside and spoke to him in private for a few minutes. Hogbrow returned and addressed Mauby.

"Me and Captain Yellowtooth been talkin' and we decided that if'n ya kin get up that there hill and make sure she's clear up there, we might consider joinin' ya. Ya kin lower down some ropes ta make the climb easier fer us poor infirm old beasts."

Mauby puffed himself up and selected two crew members to accompany him.
"I'll be up there in no time. Yer doin' the right thing...there's money ta be made and treasure ta steal...you'll see." He turned quickly and began to scurry up the steep hill with a sea-beast to each side. They all carried thick coils of rope.

When the three climbers were well on their way, Hogbrow turned to Yellowtooth.
"You really plannin' on joinin' him up there?"

Yellowtooth chuckled.
"I don't think that's gonna be a concern."

"How do ya figger?"

The nutria-pirate leaned in to Hogbrow and whispered.
"One of me men came ta me and said he seen some beasts hidin' up that hill. Coupla dozen at least, he says. We'll see how good a pirate Mauby is soon enough."

As though on cue, the noise of battle echoed out from above their heads, then several sharp screams, and finally silence. Hogbrow looked up. Something large was rolling down the hill. As he watched, Mauby's body, pierced by half a dozen arrows came to rest at his feet. The bodies of his two companions soon followed.

"Not too good a pirate after all," Yellowtooth said with satisfaction. He turned to his men, "Time ta go home boys, we'll hang about the island awhile and see if'n Willum needs any help on the sea...," he looked down and addressed Mauby's corpse, "that's where pirates fight!"

Hogbrow turned and began to walk back to his ship at Yellowtooth's side. He addressed his first mate, pointing at the three bodies.
"Don't ferget ta bring them ropes, ya kin never have too much rope."