At the far end of the beach, Wilbur, Ursamus and the Scratchbacks had watched the Ürgod's annihilation of the Brotherhood fleet in silence. They watched in terror as the Asherouboros and Chumley plummeted into the sea and only felt a slight relief at seeing Gladis retrieve Chumley from the churning surf, shouting their encouragement to the albatross as she paddled toward the West Wind. When they saw their small friend being lifted onboard the anchored ship, followed by Gladis, they once again turned their attention to the ravaging monster, who had by now completely reduced the thirteen ships in the harbor to shreds and splinters.

"Is the Asherouboros dead?" Gella asked despondently.

Wilbur scanned the area where Asherouboros had sunk beneath the waves. The water was turbulent, churning and boiling like the Circe Sea. He shook his head.
"Oi don't know. Something is happening where he went under, but Oi can't tell if he's moving or anything. Oi can't see him at all."

Salto walked to the edge of the water and looked toward the West Wind.
"Our pals better get outta there quick-like. That monster's done eatin' the monks and I think he's still hungry. The only snack left floatin' is the West Wind and I kinda doubt they can outrun that thing once he notices them."

Ursamus interrupted urgently.
"I think you spoke too soon, Salto, that abomination has seen them!"

Xenophus had indeed noticed the West Wind, lying at anchor about a mile distant. The destroying creature had finished pulverizing the Brotherhood fleet and picking the struggling mariners out of the water as snacks.

It paused, allowing the lower portion of it's massive body to come to rest on the bottom of the harbor, a hundred feet below the surface. It curled it's body beneath it like a snake, raising the upper hundred feet of its torso into the sky in a whip-like curve resembling a cobra poised to strike.

The monster slowly scanned the horizon to the west, in the direction of Arishamal. Despite the distance across the Cold Narrows, it could sense the collection of life that was present on the continent and that vast presence of life-force fueled its fathomless hunger even further.

It was as it prepared to traverse the Cold Narrows on its quest for food that Xenophus sensed the intoxicating aroma of magic emanating from the West Wind. Having tasted the delightful delicacy of the shield surrounding Xenoth, the scent of Robbi's power was seductive to the vile beast, an enticing promise of more magic to consume. It faced the anchored ship in the distance, raised its loathsome head to the heavens and let out a deafening roar which rent the skies. The sea, land and air shook.

Thoris was tending to Chumley with Robbi's help as Gladis looked on. The battered rat was coughing up sea-water. Everyone's head turned when the Ürgod's scream echoed around them.

" 'E seems a bit upset," Chumley said weakly.

Thoris smiled.
"We thought we lotht you. Don't ever do that again!"

"Ah'll do mah best, ah will." Chumley sat up, " 'As anyone seen Ashy? Ah'm afraid that potion might of done 'im more 'arm than good."

Robbi shook her head.
"He hasn't resurfaced. I don't know what happened, but I can't believe that Arisha would have given him anything that would hurt him."

Gladis chimed in.
"Much turmoil there is in the water where he sank. Something is happening, methinks. If it will be in time, I know not."

Chumley stood and steadied himself.
"We'll know soon enough, won't we? Lets go see what that other beastie is makin' such a fuss about."

Even as the group was about to head toward the prow to see why Xenophus had screamed, Winky and Groggs ran up to them nervously to inform them of the latest development.

"We gotta get outta here!" Winky shouted.

"That there monster's headed this way and he don't look none to happy!" Groggs added.

"Can you shield the boat wit your magic, Magus Veritus?" Winky asked desperately.

Robbi walked briskly to the ship's prow as she answered.
"I'm afraid not. The monster is immune to magic...it feeds on it, you saw it devour the magical barrier around Xenoth and that shield was created by the entire council and has been in place for five hundred years."

She reached the forward rail ahead of her friends and stared at the approaching behemoth. It was moving slowly, but steadily toward the West Wind. Robbi turned to face her friends and continued, "You all need to abandon ship and make for shore as quickly as possible. It's me the beast senses and me that it's after."

Chumley was outraged.
"If you think we're leavin' ya here ta be an appetizer for that over-sized worm before 'e proceeds ta eat our 'omes, yer sadly mistaken, ain't ya?"

The rest of the friends voiced their agreement with Chumley's sentiment. Robbi smiled and gave the black rat a light kiss on the forehead.

"That's very sweet, guys, but I have no intention of being eaten. You muster the crew and make for shore and I will lure the monster away with Gladis' help. We'll stay out of the thing's reach, won't we Gladis?"

The albatross nodded intently.
"It will not eat us, away from its foul mouth I shall stay."

Robbi looked at her friends who remained unmoving. She shooed them away.
"Well, go on! Get the crew to safety." She patted the mighty albatross on the back, "Go on Gladis, back in the water with you. As soon as your down, I'll lower myself on top of you and get secure in the saddle. I want you to circle the monster's head a few times till he notices me and then lead him away from the West Wind and back towards the waterfall. Just keep him busy until everyone is safely ashore, can you do that?"

"Drive the monster crazy, I shall. On a goose...albatross-chase I shall lead him. Ensure thou art well secured in the saddle, Lady Robbia, many sharp turns I shall be making."

Robbi smiled.
"I will, Gladis, I will indeed."

After Gladis had re-entered the water, Thoris and Chumley lowered Robbi onto her back and the small wizard secured herself snugly into the saddle, strapping herself down across her waist and chest so there would be no chance of falling off, however sharp the albatross' turns.

All the landing boats and skiffs were lowered and boarded by the remainder of the crew and made for the beach, save one small skiff which remained tied to the West Wind, awaiting Chumley, Thoris, Winky, and Groggs who were the last to leave the ship.

Max decided to search out Willum and flew northward to where he had last seen him near Ozab's cave.

After Gladis took off towards the monstrous Ürgod with Robbi riding her back, Chumley turned to his three friends in their small boat.
"Ah'm not really feelin' like hittin' the beach. What say we head ta where Ashy went down and see if we can spot 'im. We can keep an eye on Gladis and Robbi too, can't we?"

Thoris shook his head smiling.
"Robbi would be very upthet with uth for not running to the beach, but what she doethn't know won't bother her," he turned to Winky and Groggs, "what do you thay boyth?"

Winky laughed.
"I guess it don't matter if we get eaten here or on the beach."

Groggs nodded.
"We'll probably go down smoother here in the water and he won't need ta chew us. I really don't wanna get chewed...so yeah, let's head to the falls."

"Ah'm right proud of you boys," Chumley said, taking up his oars, "yer a fine band of brave heroes, ain't yah?"

Thoris chortled as he joined in the rowing with his friends.
"Or really, really thupid."

Xenophus immediately noticed the flurry of activity around the West Wind and reacted by increasing the speed of his attack. He was now less than half a mile from the anchored ship and fleeing lifeboats and would have reached them quickly except for the sudden smell in the air. That fragrance was magic and it stopped the monster in his tracks. His nostrils flared and he stretched that portion of his body above the water's surface nearly straight skyward, rotating his head to and fro in order to locate the source of the seductive aroma.

The wellspring of the enchanted fragrance was circling high above the monster's head. Even as Gladis navigated the air-space around the Ürgod's head, Robbi busily incanted a minor spell from upon the albatross' back, producing a trail of dark smoke imbued with the enticing aroma of magic.

Gladis felt safe at the altitude she circled and was taken by surprise when the Ürgod shot upward toward her like an uncoiling spring. He moved at her like a rocket, launched by the substantial portion of his anatomy tensed at the bottom of the harbor.

It was only through her substantial flying skills that she managed to bank out of the line of attack and avoid the snapping jaws of the monster. If Robbi had not been firmly secured to the saddle, she would have been thrown into the sea or even the gaping mouth of Xenophus. As it was she righted herself and clung to Gladis for dear life.

The albatross, aware now of the Ürgod's reach, circled and pestered the creature, leading it away from the West Wind and its fleeing crew.

Chumley and his friends had maneuvered the skiff to the area of the harbor where the Asherouboros had disappeared in the hopes of spotting the legendary beast below the surface. They kept a careful watch on Xenophus, who luckily did not notice them, being instead entirely focused on the dodging and weaving Gladiverserac and her small passenger.
Gladis' maneuvering had managed to entice the Ürgod to turn back towards the falls and away from the West Wind.

The albatross now felt confident that she could stay out of the monster's reach, having seen the range of its movement. She was extremely wary of the gigantic abomination. It moved with a speed and sinuous grace which belied its enormous bulk. Xenophus' movements were serpentine and flowing, like a dancer's, weaving, twisting and turning, but always balanced.

It was becoming frustrated with its prey and snapped more frequently in Gladiverserac's direction whenever the albatross was directly in front of it. Gladis always dodged right or left at the correct time and safely avoided the snapping jaws and seeking teeth. Then the monster did something unexpected.
Gladis had just circled the creature's head, careful to stay out of range. She leveled her flight in front of the monster to continue leading it deeper into the harbor while the last of the West Wind's crew reached the safety of the beach.

She was well ahead of Xenophus and gliding comfortably with Robbi on her back when the Ürgod suddenly spit. A massive lump of foul green phlegm shot toward her and struck the rear portion of Gladis' body, sticking like glue and covering her wings and most of Robbi's body. The added weight forced the albatross into a steep descent. She crashed into the harbor with a violent splash, stunning her and knocking Robbi temporarily senseless. Xenophus towered above them in triumph, thrusting its head skyward and loosing a roar of victory.

Chumley looked toward the beast in horror and shouted.
"We've got to get over there and get Gladis and Robbi out!"

"I don't think we can make it in time," Winky noted.

Chumley took up his oars once more, followed by the rest of his friends.
"We got to try, don't we?" he said urgently as the little boat began shooting across the water powered by the four desperate beasts. Thoris tried to encourage them.

"The monthter theems to be bithy roaring and gloating. Maybe he ithn't in a hurry to eat our friendth and we can make it in time."

"Let's hope...," Chumley began. The boat shot up on a sudden wave as a huge bright shape shot beneath it.

"What wath that?" Thoris asked nervously.

Before anyone could answer, something huge shot through the surface of the water directly in front of them, sending the small vessel tumbling and spilling the four panicking beasts into the harbor. They quickly scrambled through the surf and latched onto the overturned boat, trying to determine what had upturned their skiff.

"Wath that the Atherouboroth?" Thoris asked incredulously, "If it wath, he hath sure grown a lot...and changed color too."

Chumley poked his finger into his ear to clear the water out and shook his head.
"Ah can't imagine there's too many other giant beasts rovin' this water...it's gotta be him, ain't it? Ah suppose Ashy's all grown up," he looked toward the shooting form heading in the direction of the Ürgod and smiled broadly, " 'e's right 'andsome, ain't 'e? Just like 'is stepdad."