Nagasta smiled. Dark Mongooses had eaten the eggs of some rebellious crows. Some of Tacróc's family no doubt had started that little riot. Unfortunately she couldn't manage to destroy any of their eggs, and she had bitten two Dark Mongooses over it. News had spread like wildfire of the death of Kinsta's wife and son. She would deal with Avíá and this Chalícává later. Darzee hadn't come out. It looked like the rebellion was failing. "At last, our reign is absolute! And no Rikki-tikki to challenge us! Now to start planning our attack on the humans. It couldn't hurt to plan." said Nagasta to Karistan. "Certainly it couldn't hurt, except the humans." said Karistan. The two laughed evilly.
Krädós had, with the help of the snakes, Dark Lions, Dark Mongooses, and his own army of tarantulas, killed everyone in three entire villages that morning. "That should bring these traitors out of hiding! These human lovers!" he laughed. He had just finished off the last members of a fourth village around ten in the morning when one of his crows came to him. "Your Highness, I have some bad news about Eradá." he croaked, bowing low.
Meanwhile, Rikki and Avíá, after exploring snow more, and finding that yellow snow was not good to eat, came down the mountain. "So, what are you going to do?" asked Streda. "I'm going to fight the Emperor myself. Avíá is going to help. She'd never forgive me if I left her out of this, as she really hates sexists. Also, it would help end the sexism if a woman[1] helped kill the Emperor." said Rikki. "What do I do?" said Swívíla. "Get all the girls in the land, particularly his enslaved wives, to revolt against him. We'll need their help." said Avíá. They had to fight their way past two groups of spiders and snakes. Cáöné killed two Dark Lions. "What can I do?" asked the teenage spider after downing his second lion. "You can help fight the Emperor's army." said Rikki. "What about Krädós himself? I want to avenge my brothers." said the spider. "Probably not a good idea. Though you can help us fight our way through the army." said Avíá. "Fine." said Cáöné.
"Where is Eradá?" said Krädós angrily. "Cáöné has slain him. I arrived too late to get there. I saw him attack him with a web. Nothing I could have done." the crow said. The crow remembered the death of Paróc and wanted to make clear that there was nothing he could have done, lest he also die a painful death. Krädós groaned, but let the crow live. He had some crows in his service though they seemed to often be idiots. But, nevertheless, they could fly, and hence had some value. "Find Cáöné immediately!" he barked. "No need! Your time is up Your Highness!" Who would dare challenge me like this! Krädós thought. "Who are you, impertinent[2] fool?" he snapped.
"Rikki-tikki-tavi. Enemy of tyrants!" said Rikki. "So, you're the red-eyed pest? The one who is supposed to kill me?" laughed Krädós. "You've killed innocent creatures Krädós. Release the daughters of Chalícává and leave and never return!" said Rikki. "I don't think I'll do that. I think I shall give you such a painful death that it will be spoken of for hundreds of years to come!" said Krädós. He summoned an army of tarantulas. "Kill them!" he barked. The army came toward them. "Now!" yelled Rikki. Chalícává's army charged forward to meet them head on. Rikki-tikki jumped over the heads of several tarantulas and landed near the Emperor. Avíá-tía landed beside him. "You fools have picked a fight with the wrong spider!" laughed Krädós. He nearly bit Avíá, but she moved out of the way just in time and landed upon one of his bodyguards, flattening him.
Cáöné and his parents moved through the line of enemies. A bunch of snakes had apparently joined the fight, though it was mainly spiders for a while. Several cobras barred the way, biting spiders here and there. Though they were somewhat immune to the venom, they nevertheless were sickened by it and some died, attacked by enemy spiders. The advance of the snakes was slowed, however, by Swivíla and Chalícává's two daughters, who had been freed after a brave stunt by Sciurus, Tucker the Mouse, Barda, Streda, and two lions that were at odds with Nagasta, Krädós, and the Dark Lions, distracted their guards. With their captors distracted, they quickly moved throughout the area, gathering oppressed women and freeing them from their male overlords. "You've gone too far Krädós!" said Rikki, his eyes growing hot. "Killing innocent rabbits and squirrels!"
Sciurus and Tucker were being chased up a hill by several irate males that had suddenly lost their captive mates. "We're done for!" squeaked Tucker. Sciurus spotted a rotten log. "I've got an idea!" he said. "I don't think that'll hide us." said Tucker. "Help me push this!" said the squirrel impatiently. "Ok. Fine." said Tucker, catching on. They pushed it down the hill and jumped onto it. It slid down the hill, flattening their pursuers. "Brilliant!" said Tucker. "Thanks." said Sciurus, blushing.
"You like webs, huh, Rikki-tikki!" laughed Krädós, shooting a web that he had quickly spun onto Rikki, holding him in place. Before he could bite Rikki, however, Avíá lunged at him, forcing him back. "So, another girl who doesn't know her place." laughed the Emperor, turning to face Avíá. "You've overstayed your welcome." said Avíá, her blue eyes glowing red. "You fool!" he said, shooting a web at her. He would have attacked them both, but Chalícává broke through the battle and started to fight him. "You dare attack me, Chalícává?" said Krädós. "I dare!" said Chalícává. The two battled, moving away from the others. Rikki and Avíá soon broke free and followed, bringing down enemy snakes and spiders as they went.
Chalícává and Krädós fought fiercely. Neither seemed to be winning. "Is it not enough that your sons are dead, and now you and your boy want to join them?" taunted Krädós. "You shall not kill again!" said Chalícává. "I've only just started!" laughed Krädós. "I'm going to wipe out all opposition! I'm going to work with the cobras and their allies to control half of the land. I'm getting the southern half!" he said. "Nagasta doesn't like to share." said Rikki, coming up toward them with Avíá. The two mongooses were blocked by the Emperor's bodyguards, who came at them. "You two don't give up, do you? It's over!" said one of the bodyguards. "The fat lady hasn't sung yet. Still not done yet.[3]" said Rikki sarcastically.
Krädós struck Chalícává across the head. The tarantula lost his balance and slipped. "I'm going to tear you apart!" he bellowed. Before he could strike him, Cáöné broke through the lines and fought him. "You'll pay for killing my brothers Krädós!" he said. The two fought fiercely, moving toward the edge of a cliff. They halted at the edge. Krädós and Cáöné moved up a tree, and onto a branch hanging out over the cliff.
Streda and Barda had been caught in a web. It looked bad for them. However, before they were eaten alive, Rikki and Avíá quickly pounced upon the webs and snapped them, freeing the rabbits. They brought down the spiders holding them captive and killed two snakes that had gone to eat the rabbits. They quickly hurried back in time to see Cáöné pushed against the edge of the branch. "Now I'm going to finish you!" laughed Krädós. Rikki and Avíá quickly attacked the remaining bodyguards that stood in their way. "Go Avíá! I'll handle them!" said Rikki. He, Chínselháüst, Chalícává, and some tailorbirds, who were tired of the oppression of the Emperor and dropped sticks and stones onto the enemy, fought the bodyguards. Avíá jumped onto a tree branch near Cáöné and Krädós. "I'm going to kill you like I did your brothers! You're finished, Cáöné!" yelled the wicked Emperor. "Cáöné jump!" Avíá yelled. Cáöné jumped to a branch, hanging on by a slender thread. "You fool!" laughed Krädós. He moved his chelicerae to snap at the thread. Avíá leapt into the air and landed on the branch, causing it to snap in front of her. "What no! I can't be beaten by a woman!" Krädós yelled before falling to his death. "Loser!" muttered Avíá. Cáöné climbed up safely. "Thanks Avíá!" he said. "Anytime." said Avíá-tía-tárá.
Rikki and the others had defeated the Emperor's bodyguards. By the late afternoon, the enemy had been routed. "We're free!" cried a female tarantula. Chalícává found a coppersmith barbet and told him to alert the jungle. This bird was not related to the Coppersmith. He went flying through the air calling "Ding-Dong-Tock! Krädós is dead! Ding-dong-tock! Krädós is dead!" This set all the birds in the area to singing and the mice to squeaking and the rabbits to hopping and the squirrels to go nuts,[4] for Krädós had hunted them all, and without mercy or pity. The news of Krädós' death spread through all of the Land of the Giant Spiders by early morning. Chalícává and Chínselháüst were made Emperor and Empress of the Tarantulas that afternoon. All the terrible laws restricting females were abolished immediately. The story of Avíá's defeat of the Emperor had spread everywhere and females were held in much higher esteem.
"Well, congratulations you two." said Rikki to the new Emperor and Empress. "We couldn't have done it without you." said Chínselháüst. "However, we need to get to Kalindo." said Avíá. "We could use your help with the Dark Tarantulas. They've gone off with the snakes." said Chalícává. "Nagasta attracts evil creatures like a magnet." said Rikki-tikki, shaking his head. "We'll be back soon." said Avíá. She and Rikki left. In the meantime, Cáöné and Swivíla became engaged and had their wedding on the day that Rikki and Avíá returned on their way back. Rikki and Avíá came to the entrance of a lush land. "Kalindo at last!" said Rikki. The two left the Land of the Giant Spiders and at last entered the Land of Kalindo. "Good luck you two." said Cáöné. "May you find what you seek." said Swivíla.