Vattus sealed himself in his quarters to translate and interpret the Neure prophecies which Chumley had delivered. He suggested to Robbi that she take the time it would require him to complete his task relaxing and resting, since there was no doubt in his mind that both their power's would be sorely tested in the near future. Robbi did not object, she had wanted to spend time with Chumley, of whom she was truly fond. She had not seen him in nearly a year. He had missed her as well and was delighted when she invited him to tea while Vattus worked.

Gladiverserac, for her part was sleeping soundly after all the excitement and continuous flying of the previous week. Herman and Winnie were supervising the entombment of the glass flask containing the three Deev in cement, using their knowledge of glass to ensure the process did not accidentally shatter the flasks and release the warriors.

Chumley poured Robbi a cup of rosehip tea, sweetened with the nectar of a seaside cactus particular to Seth-e-Raman. Robbi tasted it and nodded approvingly.
"Delightful," she said.

"Yeah, it is, ain't it? So 'ow's it goin' Robbi? Is bein' a wizard all yah thought it would be?" Chumley asked.

Robbi smiled.
"I knew it would be hard...," she chuckled, "Vattus is quite a taskmaster. I guess the part of being a wizard that surprised me the most was all the responsibilities we have that has nothing to do with magic. We're always negotiating truces or trade agreements. We also hear complaints by simple beasts against the powerful and give judgment. On top of that, we have to spend most of our free time learning as much as we can. It's a lot, but I love it, Chumley."

"Well Targas bless yah, luv, sound's like much to much for a lazy bugger such as ah. That's the reason ah only served as governor for two years, ain't it?"

Robbi giggled.
"Stop trying to be humble, it doesn't suit you. You took a country that was two decades under a tyrants thumb and turned it into a land of freedom and learning. You created a country for the wolves and unified them under Frega and changed the method of their succession for the first time in five hundred years. You built roads that connected Arishamal so that prosperity could be shared. I could go on, you scoundrel, but I suspect you want me to," Robbi laughed loudly, "I hope you know that teasing a wizard is a punishable offense."

Chumley laughed in response.
"Guilty as charged. Ah guess ah did pretty good. Still got me finger in the pot too, don't ah, ah am after all the Governor Emeritus and mah suggestions are considered quite carefully in Morgaard."

"They are indeed. How are Belinda and Dema?"

"Been actin' a bit odd of late, they 'ave, whisperin' and such when ah enters the room. Nothin' sinister, mind, just your basic guy versus gal stuff, ain't it? Other'n that, Belinda's the light in my life, ain't she? Dema... well... she's Dema all right, acts like me mother she does. Ah feel like a twelve year old around 'er, but bless 'er heart, ah'm fond of that old toad."

Robbi smiled warmly.
"You sent them back to Thoth?"

"Yeah, Thoris is there as well. That should please Dema, 'e's the only pal ah got what can play a good game of chess. Ah'm 'opin' Frega finds 'is way to Thoth. 'E's off in the wilderness doin' wolfy thing's , 'e is, been 'ard to locate."

"We could sure use his help right about now." Robbi said.

"Ah hear that," Chumley nodded, "A bit of wolf-power would 'elp a great deal, wouldn't it?"

Robbi went silent for a moment, then smiled warmly.
"Gladis is a real gem, Chumley, where did you find her?"

Chumley laughed.
"She sorta bumped into me, didn't she? She's a real sweetheart, no complaints, no problems. Eats like an 'orse though and ah did offer 'er a bribe."

Robbi was curious.
"A bribe?"

"Yeah, she wanted to meet a wizard. You were a big sellin' point, weren't you? You're 'er 'ero, you are."

"Me? Her hero? That's silly."

Chumley reached out and gently put his paw on Robbi's shoulder.

"Don't sell yourself short, ma dear. You mean a lot to all beasts. You're the first beast-wizard...and on top of that you're a girl, it means a lot to folks...it's important. Personally, ah think it's high time for both. Too many cranky old men, set in their ways, got no clue what the real folk need."

There was a noise in the hall and the door began to open. Robbi could see Vattus approaching.

"Here comes one of those cranky old men now." She smiled.

Vattus entered the room. He looked worried and drawn. It was immediately apparent to both Chumley and Robbi that the news would not be good. Vattus walked to the table and poured himself a cup of tea. He sat between the two rats and quietly sipped. Robbi could contain herself no longer.

"Well? Did you manage to translate the prophecies? What do they say?"

Vattus looked up at his ward and slowly shook his head.
"Yes, I did and the revelations are far more foreboding than I had expected. If the Scarlet Brotherhood is acting on these writings, they are risking the entire world, it is irresponsible beyond comprehension."

Robbi became very concerned.
"What do they say?"

"I will explain," Vattus said quietly. He managed a small smile, "I'm afraid this is going to sound like one of my lessons."

Chumley interrupted.
"If this is goin' ta be a wizards-only kind of talk, ah can leave. Wouldn't want to violate any kind of rules and be turned into a bug, would ah?"

Vattus chuckled.
"I'd like you to stay, this concerns us all, besides, I think you'd make an outstanding bug."

"Ah would, wouldn't ah?" Chumley laughed.

Vattus became serious.
"The prophecies are quite amazing. They are of course, by definition, arcane and open to interpretation, but some of its pronouncements are quite clear," he paused, "it would appear that Azmeritus's purpose is to awaken an Ürgod, an Ürgod who has been bound to Xenoth for countless millennia, perhaps even millions of years."

"What's an Ürgod? Robbi asked.

"Sounds bad, don't it?" Chumley added.

"It's very bad," Vattus agreed, "we know nothing for sure, since they are from before the times of man or beast as we know them. There are legends, cave drawings, writings of psychics and savants, and so on, but here is what I know and what I believe." The wizard let out a long sigh and then began speaking, "In the dawn of our world, Eylysia, there was chaos. Magic had not yet been born, the Rubitar and Abitar were united and dormant.

"Life on our planet was different from what we know now, men were not yet men and beasts were not yet beasts. Creatures that you would not recognize ruled the world, monsters and giants of all types. Of all the voracious horrors which tread the earth, the Ürgods were the most terrifying. From all the legends I have heard, there were only three of these monstrosities. What they looked like or why they existed, I cannot say, but the one which Azmeritus wishes to restore is called Xenophus. It is from his name, that Xenoth takes its own. Xenoth was its tomb..."

"It died?" Robbi asked.

"I am unclear on that point, but I believe not. Let me continue...In this primordial world, the Ürgods seem to have had a singular purpose, to cleanse the world of life. They devoured all in their path, all living things, growing in size which each life force they consumed until they were almost the size of the continents themselves.

"At first, they destroyed the larger life-forms and then strove to consume the creatures of the sea and those which dwelt below the surface of the earth. Xenophus had nearly wiped all life off Arishamal when he began to dig around what is now Sapphire mountain and struck the cradled gems we know as the Rubitar and Abitar. He bit into them, unaware of their dormant power. The Abitar pierced his maw and something miraculous happened...all the life-force the monster had consumed in its relentless destruction of life began to flow into the blessed crystals, not just from Xenophus, but from the other Ürgods as well. The more the gems absorbed, the smaller the Ürgods became and the more powerful the Rubitar and Abitar became as well.

"Xenophus retreated from the mountain and away from the gems, but it was too late, the process was unstoppable. So great was the life-force taken in by the stones, that they reached a point where a great release, a great explosion of this force occurred. Xenophus had by this time reached what is now Xenoth when it happened. The ground opened and swallowed his now shrunken form. This catastrophic discharge of power was the birth of magic on our world. This burst of life-force engulfed the planet and the few remaining life forms began to change forever into what would eventually become the beasts and men which inhabit Eylysia now. The Ürgods were lost to time and now Azmeritus means to wake one to again to begin its relentless feeding."

"Why would he do that?" Robbi asked in disbelief.

"I can't even imagine," Vattus said shaking his head, "perhaps he believes he can control it, perhaps he is so bitter he wants the world to end, I do not know."

"If the 'ole Rubitar and Abitar were this nasty's downfall, why is 'e bringin' 'em right there to 'is pet. Won't they just suck the life juice outta them again?" Chumley asked.

"I'm not certain," Vattus answered slowly, "but there are certain reasons Azmeritus might want them. First, I suppose, if he possesses them, they cannot be used against his beast. I also suspect that he might think he can maintain some level of control over Xenophus if he holds the objects which proved the Ürgod's previous downfall. There is also, I'm afraid, a very functional purpose for him to possess the gems.

"The Rubitar and Abitar have separate powers. The Rubitar influences the life-force directly and is especially powerful in regards to all things living, the Abitar in contrast has its greatest power over the inanimate, the earth, the sea, stones, soil and water. Since Xenophus is trapped within the strata of Xenoth, the Abitar could be used like a key to free the beast, it would be necessary to once more unleash it upon the world."

"And the Rubitar?" Robbi asked.

"That is a more disturbing proposition, if that is possible," Vattus said, shaking his head, "used properly, the Rubitar could make Xenophus impervious to physical harm."

Chumley perked up.
"Are you sayin' that this 'ere Ürgod can be killed? Ah mean if that priest-bloke don't get 'is grubbin' paws on the Rubitar?"

"Yes, he is susceptible to physical death," the magus answered, "but what could kill him, I don't know. He is a god in the same way Arisha is, by what he is capable of. Do not forget, Arisha can die as well, from what Robbi told us, she lives now only by the grace of Targas and good luck. The point would be mute should the mongoose secure the Rubitar though."

"Couldn't you and Robbi just wave yer arms about and do your magic thingy, turn the beast into a butterfly or such?" Chumley asked.

Vattus couldn't help from chuckling despite the topic.

"No Chumley, I don't think so. While the pure power of the Rubitar and Abitar can contain or even destroy the beast, our magic is different. The magic of wizards and sorcerers is based on the life force which was thrown from the magic stones after they had drained it from the Ürgods. It is consumed by them. Spells would only feed the monster, make it larger, more powerful. If the creature escapes its prison on Xenoth and heads towards us, it will pass through the mystic shield, it would actually absorb it and grow to many times the size it had been. First and foremost, if we wish to stand any chance at all, we cannot allow the Rubitar to leave Seth-e-Raman. If the creature becomes invulnerable, Arishamal and the world itself will be doomed."

"Are you sure it's still in Seth-e ?" Robbi asked.

Vattus smiled.
"Can't you feel it, Robbi?"

The small white rat was silent, focusing her thoughts inward. Suddenly a broad smile fixed itself onto her face.

"I do! I do feel it!" she exclaimed.

"All wizards can if they try. It is still nearby. We simply need to find it," Vattus said reassuringly.

"Aren't we forgetting something?"

"What's that, Chumley?" Robbi asked.

" 'Ow are we gonna kill this bloody beast? Ah'm assumin' it's a real big, mean, and vicious thingamajig. If we can't use magic, what 'ave we got?"

"Well," Vattus said calmly, "according to Gadral Neure, we have 'The Secret King'."

"And who, may ah ask, is the Secret King?"

"That, my friends," Vattus smiled, "I have yet to determine. I'm studying the verses pertinent to this 'king'. Let's get something to eat and then we'll meet back here. Have Gladis and the hedgehogs come as well. If I can pick your brains, we might be able to figure it out."

Chumley laughed as he got up to leave for lunch.
"Ah 'ope you got a real small pick for me."