The twinkle in Jensen’s eyes was infectious and Crumble couldn’t help but return his smile. ‘OK, maybe you’ve got a point. And … to be honest, the idea of taking on Edge Darkmount and his new army sounds just as crazy as going to the Western Mountains. At least this will mean a change of scenery even if the risks are the same.’
‘That’s the spirit!’ Jensen chuckled.
‘So what’s the plan then? How do you intend to reclaim the pendant?’
‘I think it would be best ta ask Charlie.’
They turned to look at the bruised and battered girl.
‘After all my recent fights, Crumble, I think it’s fair to say that having the Will to fight is not enough,’ she said with a shrewd look. ‘So I’ve decided to take your advice: be more aggressive or be sneakier. Well, I choose being sneakier. But before we do anything I need to know a little more about these things you Bellanians call gods.’
41
From Another Realm
‘The stories would have it that, throughout the ages, gods have always come and gone from Bellania. In dis case Darkmount and Bane’s gods are relatively new ta the realm,’ began Jensen. ‘Edge Darkmount’s god appeared ninety years ago and a small but flourishing Stoman religion was built around its worship. Darkmount stems from a line of bishops who see their god and their religion as the one true faith. Indeed, rumour would have it that his father was the original founder of their religion.
‘Forty years ago Bane was a merely a young bishop with dreams of power. Unable ta wrestle the existing god of the “true faith” away from Edge Darkmount and his fellow bishops, Bane went in search of something else that would grant him supremacy. Drawn towards the never-ending passages and tunnels that lie beneath the Western Mountains, he went on a three-year quest until he found his own god. As Tremen, we’re not sure how he managed ta usurp both Darkmount’s god and religion and then rise even higher until he became the Stoman leader, but succeed he did.’
‘And what about the gods themselves?’ asked Charlie. ‘What are they? What can they do?’
‘I was just coming ta that, lass. Many years ago when I was still growing my financial empire I was granted a meeting with Dridif and a Winged One and they did their best ta explain the truth of the matter ta me.’
‘And that is …’
‘They’re not gods.’
‘Huh?’
‘Well, maybe they are, but not in the sense that ya or I would expect. The Winged Ones say that they’re just creatures from another realm – and insignificant ones at that; in their own realm they’re nothing more than bottom feeders.’
‘Wha– You’re not making any sense, Jensen.’
Well, maybe I’m not spelling dis out too clearly, although ta be honest I was never a hundred per cent clear meself when it was explained ta me. Look, from wot I can gather these “gods” ain’t from Bellania or even Earth. They’re supposed ta be from somewhere else altogether.’
‘How can that be?’
‘Uh, well the Winged Ones sometimes like ta talk about parallel realms and “united universe” theories but that’s a subject for another day. Apparently, in their own realm these gods live in a world that is nothing more than a gigantic ball of gas.’
‘What, like Jupiter?’
‘That’s that planet that can be seen from Earth, isn’t it?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then, yes, like Jupiter. Now as I was saying, apparently, in dis realm all manner of weird and wonderful beasties exist. The Winged One said that the beasties over there treat the gas like a liquid – almost like a spherical ocean – and that these weird creatures swim, fly and float through the gassy murkiness much like our sea creatures navigate through water. Now wot’s so unbelievable about all of dis is that over there the gods are at the bottom of the food chain. Literally. All the really amazing creatures swim high up where the pressure is lower, then as ya get deeper and deeper and the pressure grows, the creatures of that realm get smaller and smaller and less majestic. And there, right at the bottom, where there’s no light and the gas pressure is so intense that almost nothing but the most hardy bottom feeders can live ya’ll find –’
‘The gods?’
‘So they say.’
‘B-b-but that makes no sense!’
‘I know. That’s wot I thought when I first heard about it.’
‘But how …’
‘How did they get here?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good question. The Winged Ones reckon that in their realm the gas pressure is so strong