“First, I want to thank you all for your help and for coming this far with me. You have left your homes and territories far behind. Orlando, Jess, Jabez and myself have good reason to live or die today. You see, we have young ones to rescue. The rest of you, I cannot ask you to sacrifice your lives for our cause; they are not your young ones down there.”

Basil Stag Hare stood up. “Beg pardon, old lad, but young Tim and Tess are down there. What’d my old chum John Churchmouse and his good lady wife say if I came back empty-pawed without their young uns? Coming with you? I’ll say I am, bucko. You try and stop B. S. Hare esquire!”

Cheek stood by the hare. “I’m with Basil. He’s a grumpy ol’ frump and I like him, so there!”

Basil and Cheek went to stand with Matthias. Log-a-Log drew his short sword.

“Shrews and Guosim are friends of Redwall. I never started a job that I didn’t finish. I go with you.”

The whole of the Guosim moved as one with Log-a-Log to stand at Matthias’s side.

Orlando raised his huge axe. His voice was tight with eagerness as he called: “Come on, Warrior, what are we waiting for?”

*   *   *

Mattimeo and the slaves had been taken from their darkened cell. Nadaz and several black-robed rats led them to the edge of the ledge where the statue stood. They were permitted to look over into the depths.

Through the greenish mist, Mattimeo could make out the thin bedraggled forms of scores of young creatures: squirrels, otters, hedgehogs, mice. They were hauling huge blocks of stone on towropes, and rats stood guard over them with whips and cudgels, urging them with heavy blows to greater efforts. Other young ones were lifting the stone blocks into position with pulleys and tackles, while yet other young woodlanders laid mortar and limestone cement in the gaps that were to receive the stones. Sometimes a young creature would cry out and fall over exhausted, only to be beaten by the rats until he or she got up, or lay permanently still.

Numbed by the horror of it, the new slaves were led before the statue and forced to bow their heads whilst Nadaz spoke to Malkariss.

“I am Nadaz, Voice of the Host. O Ruler of all below earth, these are your new servants. What do you require me to do with them?”

The hairs rose on Mattimeo’s neck at the sound of the voice emanating from the crystal-toothed statue’s mouth.

“They have looked upon my kingdom. Soon they will have the honour of building it for me,” it proclaimed.

From his bowed position, Mattimeo glanced along the line. He saw Vitch chained and held by two rats. The young mouse nudged Tess.