The Underdwellers

A decimated and desolate land of Sixth Earth is all that I remember from childhood. Years of warfare, pollution, and plague have, tragically, shaped THAT future. No one would dare walk the land of this Earth for very long; for, during the day, an intense warm or a decimating Winter could be a person's downfall; by night, we fear the hunts of the Skylanders.

Seas still surround Sixth Earth where the Aquatitans may live as they have not pledged their warriors and resources to a side yet. History has already created the rift between Skylanders and Underdwellers. That is WHY we stay to our underground lairs for protection and may only venture upward for brief stints at a stretch in search of resources. To live only to our tunnels is no way to woo the Aquatitans to the side of justice. Nevertheless, the Skylanders in their constant hunts for new prey and their misuse of advanced war technology have never convinced the Aquatitans to join them either.

Virgor leads us. He is a good leader; a headstrong, former military commander who will keep himself in front of danger for the family pack. Lotek is as close to a technician and weaponsmith as we are about to find in our Underearth; and, though we will never boast a technological advantage over the Skylanders, we require his technology for our PROTECTION. Fuja promises to be a good healer and spiritual guide; but her mind is lost to age. She even speaks of an ancestral race of Cat People who could not only WALK an Earth three cycles in the past of the one we know; but who were bold enough to protect it...

Virgor promises that he has found something as one final opportunity to enjoin our forces with the Aquatitans. I hope that, this time, he is right...

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The sun was beginning to set over a scorched and unusable Earth. The day would be cooling now; and the Skylanders patrols were not bold enough to be out this early. THIS was the opportune hour.

The ground beneath an old, decrepit pyramid began to shift and shake. A tunnel of quicksand swirled on the land. Soon, that sand rose up and formed a human shape. Virgor stood and surveyed the land that existed above his tunnels. His whitened eyes seemed to suggest blindness; instead, they surveyed everything at once. All was safe; for the moment...

The hulking, bronze leader beckoned that his chosen allies follow him. Kala (myself) emerged first to take in my surroundings. I was young and very rarely ventured above ground. My blue-skin seemed to suggest a resemblance with the Aquatitans; maybe that's why Virgor had brought me as an ambassador.

Finally, Kando's shaggy mane and powerful frame emerged from beneath the earth as well. The three of us were here. Virgor had suggested only three for this mission. "It was not a military expedition; and three was small enough for a peaceful ambassadorship."

The older warriors glanced about as if expecting to find something. I could only wait for instructions.

"There!" Virgor suddenly bellowed, pointing to a bit of gold lying in the sand. "Kala, scoop that up!"

I nodded in my eagerness to help and swept my delicate hands through the sand. With that, I picked up a golden, heart-shaped pendant. I moved my mouth once; twice. No words came out. Instead, Virgor and I made eye-contact and my own eyes began to glow.

"What's this?" my telepathy asked.

"That heart-piece resembles a piece of the Aquatitan royal treasure." Virgor boomed. "Their Princess Mercia could have dropped it when she came to land a few days ago. I am sure that the Aquatitans would be delighted with the return of their treasure. You come the closest to resembling them and we wish you to be the ambassador to return it, youngling. Kando and I will be with you in case of trouble."

I took in the sight of the locket in my hand and I couldn't have felt more proud. Today, I was finally of use to the Underdwellers! I had lost my own father ages before and Virgor came the closest to replacing him in my life; I would make him proud today!

Suddenly, Kando gave a harsh bark and pointed his one taloned nail forward.

"I agree, friend Kando; we move now." Virgor declared. "Lotek's technology will greatly reduce the risk of being picked up by Skylander radar. However, I would still prefer to be back underground before the vultures begin to circle. Come."

Before Virgor could move, however, it was my turn to see something in the sands...

"Wait!" my telepathy requested once more.

As Virgor paused again and began to let impatience show, I picked up a piece of iron. It was a broken sword's hilt; yet, with a shattered crimson eye in its epicenter. I also picked up a claw-shaped shield.

"Huh?" Kando grunted, snatching the shield and fastening it experimentally to his wrist. With that, since I held the pendant, Virgor took the damaged sword.

"A broken sword!" he spat. "Nonetheless, if not much of a weapon, it could make a good trophy and omen of our time up here; especially if this is the night that the Aquatitan's join our cause. Come, brave ones."

The delay was over and we set forward as Virgor tucked the damaged weapon into his belt. Between the heart locket, claw shield, and broken sword, perhaps one of these was a good omen to serve as new friendship and loyalty; or even as a time of lasting peace for us...