The Blizzard of Osborn

In this, the final chapter, Cassie and Jet venture back out across the Sea of Opacity, where they run into the dreaded Scream again. In her terror Cassie remembers something about the Emperor, something key. But is she dreaming? Can she really be where she seems to be?

Since no one throughout the history of the Empire had ever expressed such a wish, not even the Emperor knows how to grant Cassie her truest deepest wish: to just go home!

When it’s finally time for Sly to collect his reward the Viceroy reminds him of the timeless expression, “Be careful what you wish for.”

The ways of the Emperor seem inscrutable. Who is rewarded next, and exactly how they are rewarded is a wonder.

Back at the Pinnacle of Aspire Memyselfandi is called upon to proclaim his deepest truest wish.

Quintilianis saves his best secret for the end. Not to be outdone, Cassie reveals her own secret, a real jaw-dropper!

Once their cover is blown all hell breaks loose. The Crow goes on a rampage determined to torture and destroy the strangers. But then his rage leads to a shocking discovery!

Because raiding the Crow’s operations center was considered a suicide mission they tried to anticipate every possible thing that could go wrong. There was, however, one thing they overlooked.

So far so good—the Master Plan is working! Quintilianis’s Diversion Mask was a wonder to behold. And when the going got tough, Sly got going.

Memyselfandi’s elaborate act and disguise seem to be doing the trick. Cassie’s disguise however, turns out to be a problem.

When it comes to preparing for a suicide mission into The Crow’s lair, no expense is spared and no tactic is too outlandish to try.

The Emperor’s Intel Forces are equipped with the most amazing tools. If Cassie, Sly, Memyselfandi and Assam use them wisely they may have a 2% chance to survive a suicide mission!

To solve the quandary of the bio-encrypted data drive, one of the techs proposes a simple test. But the Commander doesn’t approve–at least until a greater force makes him change his mind.

The last one to face the tribunal is Assam. Expecting nothing from him, the tribunal may have finally discovered what they were searching for.

The tribunal shows Sly a troubling video wherein Memyselfandi appears to betray Sly in order to save his own neck.

Valdor Extancious, Chairman of the Cognoscenti, draws Memyselfandi into the tried and true tactic of divide-and-conquer.

Cassie is interrogated by a tribunal of specialists. The more Cassie tells them the more they believe she is lying.

The five strangers who arrived in Aspire were not only strange—they could very well be dangerous—so they had to be dealt with accordingly.

Empty and unknown, The Sea of Opacity remains a mystery. No one who has ever tried to cross it has lived to tell the tale!

Skirling technology proves to be useful not only to the Skirlings but also to a resourceful Memyselfandi.

The Skirlings treat Cassie, Sly, Memyselfandi and Assam to a bountiful feast replete with traditional song. But a tragic misunderstanding turns the festivities dark.

As luck would have it, the Skirlings chance upon Cassie, Jet, Sly, Memyselfandi and Assam. But their reputation as hostile warriors seems unfounded when they provide a tour of their encampment and invite them to an exquisite banquet.

Cassie, Jet, Sly, Memyselfandi and Assam encounter what appears to be an insurmountable obstacle. Then a strange traveler arrives who steers them farther into the unknown.

As they journey across the desert, Assam tells Cassie, Sly and Memyselfandi a little more about himself. Eventually, they come to a fork in the path where they must choose between two ways, each one posing its own risks.

Even though Cassie, Jet, Sly and Memyselfandi are desperate to escape, the limits of their endurance are tested by Assam’s crazy plan.