20 "We plan to make our headquarters in a small
village just
off the road to The Valley of Shadows. There are many deep, abandoned
mines in that area that we would use for our testing. We DARE NOT EVEN
THINK of exploding one of these bombs in the open air! If it does what
we
suspect it will, the results would be horrifying!" Gray Boar explained.
21 "Is there any chance," inquired Thundering Boar, "the enemy's
working on the same thing?"
22 "Their Scientists are pretty good," admitted Gray Boar. "If they've
got their hands on Shining Toad's theory, it's a good possibility
they're thinking along the same lines we are. You can bet on that!
They'd love to be able to cremate our cities, and they'd do it without
a thought, if they get the chance."
23 "Then they hadn't better!" warned Thundering Boar. "YOU get this
damned weapon first, hear me? Get to work! "
24 So what had once been an obscure village, quickly grew into a
thriving city, which became known as Atom. here, Gray Boar worked
tirelessly, night and day; first, making what they called a 'reactor,'
then refining material for a bomb.
25 Five seasons later he watched it being put together at the bottom of
a long-abandoned mine. His sister came up. "Everything is set" she
announced, "They're ready to start pouring concrete."
26 Gray Boar nodded. "I almost hope this damned thing doesn't work, but
I've got an awful feeling it will! Lords help us!"
27 It took several days to fill the old shafts with concrete and let it
harden. Then, Gray Boar stood by a switch, everyone watching him
nervously.
Finally, he flicked the switch and deep in the ground beneath them,
there was a mighty rumble. The ground
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