Murtagh calls out too late to stop Thorn from taking off near their landing site. Thorn admits he launched because he wanted to, and Murtagh quickly climbs aboard so they can leave before anyone notices them. As they fly over the southern edge of Isenstar Lake toward the western marshes, Murtagh worries that Durza may have placed unusually clever magic on Muckmaw, especially because any protective wards would need energy and might have been designed to draw from the fish itself.

Thorn and Murtagh land on a slate shelf beside the lake. Murtagh prepares Galbatorix’s magically strengthened bow and his enchanted arrows, then ties Glaedr’s golden scale to a cord as bait. Thorn holds the line while Murtagh searches the lake with his mind, sensing many small creatures but nothing large enough to be Muckmaw.

Just as Murtagh concludes they must try another place, Muckmaw surfaces nearby. The fish is far larger than expected, with huge pale-rimmed eyes, but Murtagh cannot sense its mind and Thorn cannot grip it mentally either. Murtagh concludes that Durza hid the fish’s mind, making Muckmaw much harder to target or control.

Thorn draws in the bait, and Muckmaw lunges from below, swallowing Glaedr’s scale and snapping the cord. Murtagh fires an enchanted arrow and casts a killing spell, but the arrow glances off Muckmaw and the spell has no effect. Instead of fleeing, Muckmaw circles the slate ledge, proving itself not merely protected but cunning enough to stalk its attackers.

Murtagh decides physical weapons are useless and turns to deeper magic, drawing on Thorn’s strength. Using the Name of Names, Murtagh attempts to strip away Durza’s enchantments and then attacks with another spell, but Muckmaw remains unharmed. After repeated failures, Murtagh realizes the ward may be designed to replace itself whenever altered or removed, showing him again that the Name of Names is not the absolute weapon he believed.

While Murtagh considers how to counter the renewing magic, an ominous itch and fear alert him too late. Muckmaw bursts from the water, slams into Murtagh, and knocks both of them into Isenstar Lake.