- The magic surrounding Kerrigor's cairn makes everyone feel sick. They find his sarcophagus, but it won't open despite the powerful efforts of Sabriel and the Charter Mage soldiers.
- Sabriel realizes they need more magic power than they have, and remembers the magic students at Wyverley just down the hill. She feels a moment of guilt for involving them, but Touchstone persuades her, reminding her that the Charter Marked students are involved anyway since they are bound by the Charter.
- The soldiers move the sarcophagus into a horse-drawn wagon and start to pull it to Wyverley College.
- Sabriel hears the town bells go silent and knows that Kerrigor has arrived in town.
- When they arrive at Wyverley, Sabriel urges her old headmistress, Mrs. Umbrade, to fetch the head of the magic department—just then, the electric lights go out, and the school erupts into chaos.
- Sabriel interrupts the indignant Mrs. Umbrade, saying "'As you can see, the Army is temporarily taking over'" (27.65). She asks for all the Senior Magic students to assemble in the Great Hall, and tells the rest of the school to barricade themselves in another part of the building, because a Dead army is on the way. Not the most fun school reunion.
- As Touchstone and the soldiers pull the sarcophagus into the school, Sabriel muses that she must be "[…] the most ignorant Abhorsen in centuries, and perhaps one of the most sorely tried […]" (27.78).