ening ▁host ilities ▁in ▁between ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁the ▁valley ▁and ▁the ▁Rat ▁Cre atures ▁and ▁their ▁al lies . ▁Further ▁secre ts ▁from ▁Th orn ' s ▁past ▁are ▁revealed , ▁and ▁Ph oney ▁B one ▁appoint s ▁himself ▁the ▁town ▁drag on ▁sl ayer . ▁This ▁one ▁has ▁a ▁much ▁dark er ▁character ▁than ▁the ▁previous ▁books , ▁ev iden ced ▁in ▁part ▁by ▁moments ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁one ▁in ▁which ▁Th orn ▁cut s ▁off ▁King d ok ' s ▁arm . ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁ ▁Business ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁message ▁that ▁a ▁Rat ▁Cre ature ▁army ▁is ▁crossing ▁the ▁Eastern ▁border , ▁F one ▁B one , ▁Th orn , ▁and ▁Gran ' ma ▁Ben ▁travel ▁off - road ▁to ▁Bar rel h aven . ▁En ▁route , ▁Gran ' ma ▁Ben ▁suff ers ▁an ▁attack ▁of ▁her ▁“ g itch y ▁feeling ” ▁- ▁a ▁d izz iness ▁and ▁her ▁o men ▁of ▁imp ending ▁trouble . ▁At ▁the ▁Bar rel h aven ▁ta vern ▁itself , ▁Ph oney ▁B one ' s ▁tales ▁of ▁dangerous ▁drag ons ▁make ▁his ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁bar ▁the ▁most ▁popular . ▁Lu cius ▁attempts ▁to ▁call ▁off ▁the ▁bet , ▁but ▁Ph oney ▁decl ines . ▁ ▁Earth ▁& ▁Sky ▁ ▁After ▁f ending ▁off ▁their ▁amb ush , ▁Gran ' ma ▁Ben ▁capt ures ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Two ▁St up id ▁Rat ▁Cre atures ▁and ▁lear ns ▁from ▁him ▁that ▁the ▁Rat ▁Cre atures ▁are ▁under ▁orders ▁to ▁ev acu