Fútbol Beneath Tides
Battle 1
ANOMALY DETECTED!
Time and space are warped underneath ocean of alternative ancient Belgium due to the mere presence of the two-headed dragon digimon of destruction in another Universe. A section of the ocean floor, and the strange organisms that inhabit them, are suddenly teleported. Teleported to another universe not unlike the one they came from. A strange “battle” is about to unfold in the oceans of the Mars-sized moon of Xanrillon…
The Sun shines in the sky, blissfully unaware of the vast death occurring below. Deep
beneath the ancient Belgium ocean, this universe’s version of the Koltan Crisis in full swing. Many enigmatic organisms unique to the Atla Period will never recover. Driven to extinction.
Yet among falling of this Garden Paradise, there seems to be some form of hope. Some organisms have started to congregate together for survival. A form of your timelines’ Triassic Cuddle. Despite gaining super powers, life never needed them for its one of its most quintessential qualities: kindness. Indeed, one could argue life’s nearly endless capacity for empathy and mutualism is a super power all on its own.
And the most curious example of such gatherings is about to take shape. In this case, quite literally. The bioluminescence of the tree-like Arborea elegans, and bioluminescence gifted to the limbed, moving fungus Xinuiningella rara, illuminate the constant darkness of the deep. Like twinkling stars underneath the ocean, they provide a dazzling backdrop for the remains of the mystical undulating Bacterial mats and other remaining Atla lifeforms. The droning sound of hissing from the quenched fires of Xinuiningella rara, the humming from the sonics of Vendoconularia triradiata, the gentle swimming of Flabellophyton Mystificus, and the soft pitter-patter from the legs of Spriggina floundersi provide an atmosphere of strange tranquility. Hidden among them, was the shy enigmatic Pukilarus Skakalus. Even the disruptive phasing of Archaea is rhythmic, in-tune to the ebbs and flows of an imperceptible peace.
Then, a large shadow moves, constantly eclipsing the bioluminescence. But this is no mere shadow…The fleeting peace is broken…The remains of the Garden fall silent…The tension in the water is palpable… A mature, sessile Lantianelle laevis is suddenly “swallowed” by the giant open shadow, digested and killed by acid and digestive enzymes.
This is Thanobolus lucius! This Deathball!
Archaea wiggle happily!
This Atlan Apex Predator is not alone. First, one more “Deathball” comes. Then another. Now, there are four of them. They keep on coming, until there is a group of six in total. Lined end to end like enormous Netwon Balls, this posse starts moving. Perhaps that one Deathball was having a meal for a reason, as the Deathball group continues to move toward the darkness.
Where could they be heading?
The answer comes soon enough. Eventually, the Deathballs come across rocky outcopping sticking up from the bottom of the ocean. They beat their cilia in more downward movement to get lift, coupled with their primitive Hydrogen flotation bladder, to move away from the ocean floor. Slowly, but maturely, they go up. After some time, the Deathball gang reach over the rocky outcopping, revealing a clearing of mats.
One would assume this clearing is due to the fragmentation and moving of mats from Bacterial superpowers of Gigantification. But there is something strange. Some remains of mats are kept in strange patterns. Lines and hollow circles. Patterns that ordinary Bacteria should not be able to produce naturally.
Could it be from grazing? Many Atlan organisms like Spriggina floundersi eat microbial mats, and many of them are nonsessile. While many organisms do move in seemingly linear tracts, there is something off. Microbial mat grazing organisms do not normally eat or move in a straight lines. Especially as long as these lines.
Since this conga line of Deathballs has come to this place, perhaps it is a place of mating rituals? Ancient organisms most likely do fight for territory, or when they feel threatened. Even in places where organisms are sessile. But then why would Deathballs congregate in groups of six, especially in a line? Perhaps there is more than just ordinary animal behavior going on, due to the ongoing Extinction Level Event.
But upon closer inspection, these strange markings in this strange area has a high concentration of Lantianelle laevis. These organisms are known to have the ability to control other organisms. It would not be surprising if this was an area where the controlling super powered organisms used a shelter from the ongoing chaos. And with Deathball being apex predators, they probably know in this place has potential prey.
It is not just the controlling organism coming over here. Suddenly, a large concentration of Arborea elegans arrives. The natural rock outcropping and nearby underwater ridges causes underwater currents to be funneled to the place. The Arborea elegans all begin in bioluminesce in an unusually highly rhythmic pattern, almost like an underwater light show. Then groups of Spriggina floundersi arrive, “standing” in groups. They begin to systematically lift and thump their legs on the ground. Similar to an ancient march. Nearly like an underwater tune.
When groups of floaters Xinuiningella rara and Vendoconularia triradiata arrive, this clearly is no ordinary gathering. The group of Xinuiningella rara is on purpose turning on and off its firebending in a way to produce “boop” sounds. Not to be outdone, the group of Vendoconularia triradiata is using it sonics to produce occasional high frequency pulses, adding to the group tune. This is no gathering. This is a party. A rave of ancient proportions.
Some Arborea elegans began to concentrate light using their light-manipulation powers into beams. A group of Flabellophyton Mystificus began to pound ground. And the some Pukilarus Skakalus came out of hiding to swim jubilantly. It is clear from the energy that they are anticipating something.
As the line of Deathballs settle on one end of the strange clearing, the “noise” from spectating organisms started to become louder underwater. From the other side of the area came another group of organisms: a combination of Arborea elegans, Xinuiningella rara, Vendoconularia triradiata, Flabellophyton Mystificus, Spriggina floundersi, Lantianelle laevis, and Pukilarus Skakalus. This was no clearing. This was a field. These are teams. Teams for sport.
Unlike most sports in your timeline, this not for fun. This is for survival. Whichever side wins gets a chance to stay alive.
The crowd began to wane in their noises. Then came silence. Only the currents dared to move. The two teams “stared” at each other. The tension underwater was building. So much that it could break the surface and create waves. This was it. This was the moment of truth.
As the two teams started to take their positons, a Pukilarus Skakalus came out from the crowd. It was nervous. Not about getting killed, or its species on the potential verge of extinction. It gulped hesitantly one last time before it started to “sing”, with everyone became teleported…
