they come from they’re the lowest of the low that feed on the leftovers. How boring must their lives be? How infinitely small must their minds and their imaginations be? Maybe it might help if we put it inta context: could ya imagine pulling a crab or say a squigglefish from the ocean and expecting them ta create great philosophies or paintings or scientific equations?’
‘Well, if you put it like that … no.’
‘Of course. And would ya expect a crab ta be able ta think past its next meal?’
‘Um, no. But how can you compare a crab from here to something that’s a god?’
Jensen shrugged. ‘Different realms, but same mentality.’
‘Huh … well, that’s food for thought and that’s for sure,’ said Charlie. ‘You’ve definitely given me something to consider for our next meeting with Darkmount.’
Nibbler, having finished chewing on the last of the grilled fish that Crumble had caught and cooked, shook himself and sat upright. ‘So what about the rest of the beasties that live in their realm? I mean if the smallest, most insignificant creatures from their realm are seen as gods over here, what amazing things could, say, the whales and the dolphins of their world do?’
They all paused to think about that. A different realm with different laws and physics and thoughts.
‘Indeed, me young Winged One.’ Jensen grinned, obviously enjoying the idea. ‘Wot wonders could such things accomplish? But surely thoughts and dreams like that are for another day? Right now we’ve got other matters that need attending ta.’
‘Yes we do,’ agreed Charlie as thoughts and plans started to whirr through her mind. ‘I think it’s time for us to get moving. It’s time we paid Darkmount a visit.’
42
The Great Plains
The Portal closed, leaving them on a grassy and rain-swept ridge. Jensen indicated that they should get down on their stomachs, so one by one they wormed their way across the wet grass until they reached the hill’s summit. Following Jensen’s instruction they slowly stuck their heads over the top in order to see the valley.
When they saw what lay below Crumble’s eyes bulged, Sic Boy growled deep in his throat and Nibbler let out a low whistle of surprise. Charlie, already expecting the worst, merely grunted.
A cavernous tent had been erected in the valley basin. Dark pennants fluttered from its supports. In precise ranks that spread from the tent like vast spokes of a wheel, was an army. An army the like of which Bellania had never seen. Row after row of brooding, bulky things squatted, and even though they were silent and unmoving there was something about them that screamed violence. Distance and rain made it hard to judge exactly what they were, but Charlie thought they looked like smaller versions of the Stoman behemoths they had encountered before, though less mannequin-like.
‘Looks like our bishop has been a busy boy since I saw him last,’ muttered Jensen.
‘There must be thousands of those things,’ said Crumble.
‘Tens of thousands,’ corrected Jensen as he ran a practised eye over the neat lines.
‘What are they?’ asked Nibbler.
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Jensen. ‘I’ve never seen the likes of them before.’
‘They look like gargoyles,’ said Charlie.
‘That’s funny,’ said Jensen, ‘I was thinking that they looked just like gorillas.’
‘Gargorillas or apeogyles?’ suggested Crumble, mixing the words together.
‘Ape-o-gyles?’ queried Charlie, unimpressed with his lack of originality.
‘Gargorillas,’ said Nibbler. ‘Definitely gargorillas.’
‘Gargorillas it is,’ said Jensen, settling the debate.
A dark green pulse of light suddenly appeared beneath the canvas flaps. As it faded, four more gargorillas knuckled their way out of the tent to join the ranks.
‘How many more does he need to make?’ asked Charlie. ‘Surely with an army that size he could defeat anyone?’
Jensen shook his head. ‘No he couldn’t. Bane has raised a force larger than any in history. Three armies with hundreds of thousands in each. Hundreds. Of. Thousands. And while I’m sure those big beasties down there could wreak all sorts of damage, they’re still not enough ta match one of Bane’s armies, let alone all three of them. Not yet anyway. Either way I think it would be wise ta get down there before Darkmount makes any more. Although with all those brutes facing outward I’m not sure how we’re going ta get down there without being detected.’
‘We’ll just open a Portal behind the tent and slip in.’
‘Wot, just like that?’
‘Why not? Like you said, they’re all looking away from the tent. As long as we’re quiet, we can open the Portal in the gap between the gargorillas