Part 2
Location: Belgium
New Time Period: Atla ~ 545 Million years ago
The entire Atlan entourage - teams, spectators, and living field alike - are teleported into the ocean of a strange moon called Xanrillon in the Phyade I system in an alternate reality. Briefly taking their place in the deep of the bottom of the ocean of their original Alternative Earth, a strange and colorful sentient plushie from a yet to be seen world pops into existence. It is terrified of being waterlogged and its innerds being dissolved by the polarity of water. (RNG roll … 1) Unfortunately for it, the fears did not simply become reality. The water rushed in like a hungry predator, not just simply water logging the poor creature, but partially crushing it due to the water pressure. Decolored. Dissolved. Dismissed.
All because of the two-headed dragon digimon of destruction …
The singing Pukilarus Skakalus is briefly teleported to a fish tank in another Alternative Earth, one very similar to the original one where people are randomly transformed into their favorite forum species, before arriving on the transported living microbial mat field on Xanrillon. Despite this brief detour, it is not deterred, and continues from where it left off singing…
(Translated sounds) “I am a poor…wayfaring stranger…”
Action RNG roll … 3
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.7 | 4 | ? | 1.5 | 1.5 | ? | 0 | 2 | 3.5 |
As the singing starts, a Haootia uroborus with Argonite sclerites quickly crawls to center of the microbial mat “field” using its tentacles, silently and without apparent rythym. A stark reminder of how much the life of this Alternative Earth has lost so far. And how much more it could it be. This organism with the power of Toxin synthesis (Unique Toxins) is this deadly prehistoric soccer game’s referee. As much as an Altan organism can referee. After all, who would want to bear the onus of watching life compete with survival on the line? The burden of determining who lives and who dies?
Boths sides look tense, or at least, as tense as ancient “animals” can with the lack of human-like facial features. The team of other organisms – Arborea elegans, Xinuiningella rara, Vendoconularia triradiata, Flabellophyton Mystificus, Spriggina floundersi, Lantianelle laevis, and Pukilarus Skakalus – face the odds against a team of the Altan Apex Predator, Deathbolus lucis. Are the other diverse team of organisms the heroes of this endeavor? They are the metaphorical underdogs, and every sapient being seems to root for such a tale. But they hunt. They kill. Not unlike the Purple Polyhedromorph Deathballs. The Deathballs are not evil. They, too, have families, and are simply trying to survive.
Thanobolus lucis
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 5.5 | ? | 1.1 | 1.1 | ? | 0 | 2 | 2 |
The Haootia uroborus referee turns upside down as a much smaller Deathball comes forward. Possibly no larger than your original timeline’s Grapefruit – perhaps 6 inches wide. Much, much smaller than the nearly 1 meter wider adult Deathballs. One of the Deathball teammate’s “children”. Another reminder that the Deathballs have everything to lose in this deadly soccer match as much as any other organism here. The mini-Deathball gently lands on the tentacles of the upside-down Haootia uroborus referee, taking care not to have its cirri-like spikes land on referee’s tentacles. In turn, the referee gently holds the mini-Deathball, in almost caring way. A fleeting moment of tenderness and kindness between predator and prey species before what is about to occur.
The mini-Deathball is dropped from the water, as the singing goes on.
(Translated sounds) “I’m travelin’ through…this world of woe…”
Action 1 RNG roll … 1
Action 2 RNG roll … 4
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.7 | 4.5 | ? | 1.5 | 1.8 | ? | 2 | 2 | 0.5 |
As the mini-Deathball is dropped from the water, it slowly falls. From an outside observer, it would be only due to the drag forces from the viscosity of water and buoyancy forces opposing the weaker downward pull of gravity on the moon of Xanrillon. But to those super powered organisms that are there in your timeline’s version of the Late Ediacaran arena, time seems to slow down due to the weight of this “futbol match”.
The mini-Deathball, if it has a consciousness, has one of the most difficult roles in this situation: be the ball. To those sapients of the future, it would be seem bizarre for such task to be this arduous. After all, one does nothing. But sapients should know too well how strenuous it can be to simply do nothing. One’s mind, one’s thoughts, are endlessly restless. A survival adaptation against the possibility of death in any situation. This is are same feelings this mini-Death ball feels at the moment. If it decides to move of its own accord, then this fragile compromise of a deadly futbol match is null and void. A blood bath will ensue. And the mini-death ball would forever carry the pain of not only causing unnecessary death, but also shame from its species, its parents, everyone.
The two organism next to the mini-Death Ball begin to make their moves toward the mini-ball as the Haootia uroborus referee observes on, sensing for any unnecessary violence. Unnecessary for violent ancient standards in the Atlan, in this case. On one side was an Amethyst colored Thanobolus lucis, its cactus-like surface indiscernible in terms of emotion. On the opposite side was a member of armored and faster arthropod-like Spriggina floundersi, one of the few Atlan species who can out run the apex predator and deter it from trying to attack.
The invisible powered arthropod attempted to go invisible in order to catch the Deathball attacker off guard, but the stress of the situation prevented Spriggina floundersi’s powers from activating properly. Not only that, but it panicked, completely missing the ball and accidentally hitting the opposing Amethyst Deathball, getting some spikes into it (0 damage due to defense). In your timeline, hitting another player could be a futbol yellow card, but this is not ordinary futbol, even compared to the roughness of your timeline’s South American futbol. Haootia uroborus referee ignores the unsanctioned hit as the Amethyst Deatball get the ball (RNG roll … 3) and hits it away from the Spriggina floundersi and toward another Deathball. Despite this setback, the Spriggina floundersi continues to follow the ball.
(Translated sounds) “Yet there’s no sickness…toil, nor danger…”
Action 1 RNG roll … 1
Action 2 RNG roll … 1
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.6 | 3.5 | ? | 1 | 1 | ? | 0 | 0.5 | 1 |
Action 1 RNG roll … 5
Action 2 RNG roll … 1
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.9 | 6.5 | ? | 1.4 | 1.2 | ? | 0 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
GodofKnowledge
Action RNG roll … 4
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.9 | 6.5 | ? | 1 | 0 (1) | ? | 0 | 0.8 | 0 (0.8) |
The other attacking organism for the non-Deathball team was a Pukilarus Skakalus. This blind organism sensed the movements of the other Lavender purple-colored Deathball that now has the ball, thanks due to the alarm network by Lantianelle laevis. The Lavender colored Deathball (RNG roll … 5) was able to expertly “dribble” the ball by hitting it and dodging the Pukilarus Skakalus coming toward it. The Amethyst purple colored Deathball from before was trying to guard the Spriggina floundersi, who was attempting to follow the mini-Deathball. The Pukilarus Skakalus could not get close to the ball, and became confused. It became angry that it was failing, and with a sudden very burst of super speed in water, hit the Lavender colored Deathball from behind with such force that a shockwave spread throughout the field.
Before the Pukilarus Skakalus decided to hit the Lavender Deathball in anger, Lantianelle laevis and Vendoconularia triradiata were busy dealing with other Deathball midfielders. Haootia uroborus was near the scene as it unfolded. A Mulberry purple colored Deathball was joined by a Heliotrope purple colored Deathball in trying to penetrate the other team’s defenses. The Heliotrope colored Deathball was pricking Vendoconularia triradiata on purpose with cirri in order to draw a foul (-1.2 HP), but the sonic-powered sea jelly like creature simply ignored the inciting attempts and “stood” its water, since it is floating. This allowed Lantianelle laevis to temporarily take control of the Mulberry colored Deathball and temporarily force it back to the other side.
When the underwater shockwave occurred, nearly every Atlan creature in the makeshift area was pushed back, even those members of both teams on the far ends of the field. Spriggina floundersi was about to catch up to the Lavender colored Deathball when the underwater shockwave occurred. Even though the mini-Deathball could not speak, the way it curled its cilia indicated it was in pain, being thrown out of the field. The beautiful “singing” temporarily stopped. The ancient audience stunned. The non-playing Deathballs on the stands away from the other creatures started to thumb the ground in anger. The referee Haootia uroborus got up from the ocean floor as Venodconularia triradiata* tried to get the ball, but the tentacled creature received a tentacle slap warning from the referee. Haootia uroborus then utilized the alarm network by Lantianelle laevis to find Pukilarus Skakalus and the Lavender Deathball.
(Translated sounds ) “To that bright land…to which I go…”
Action 1 RNG roll … 6 (Wow)
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.9 | 5.5 | ? | 1 | 0.5 | ? | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Arborea elegens RNG roll … 3
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.7 | 4.5 | ? | 1.5 | 1.8 | ? | 2 | 2 | 0.5 |
Action 1 RNG roll … 2
Action 2 RNG roll … 5
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gather | Health | Speed | Movem | Intel | Sight | Def | Atk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.8 | 5.5 | ? | 1 | 1.1 | ? | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
With the sediment settling back on sea floor, the atmosphere became quiet again. A macabre sight was visible to those who could see on the futbol field. Pukilarus Skakalus had completely punctured (-10 HP) and gone inside the top half of Lavender Deathball, who was missing almost one hemisphere of its body (-15 HP). The non-playing Deathballs pound the sea floor even harder, furious at one of their own nearly dying in an unprovoked attack. Players on both teams start to gather around the referee Haootia uroborus to try to persuade the impending decision, as Xinuiningella rara detaches and goes to get the mini-deathball, but the referee simply gives all nearby players a tentacle slap warning. The Atlan referee then picks up a small Purple Protist Polyhedromorph from the sidelines and it changes color (RNG … 2) to yellow!
(Translated sounds) “I’m going there…to see my Father…”
If Deathballs could boo, they would do it now. Two players heavily injured, and only a yellow card?! Arborea elegans starts to gather more light to prepare for the possibility of a brawl, but Xinuiningella rara signals with the remains of the Mycelium network to stand down. The Haootia uroborus’s referee decision is final, and there are no sideline referees or underwater VARS yet to make a different decision. Such is playing games in ancient times.
The other team is relieved at not having a red card, as it would have been devastating. The ancient futbol players make their way back to their original position before the shockwave, as the Deathball team makes a double substitution. One to change the Lavender colored Deathball (which still has *Pukilarus Skakalus stuck inside it) to a Psychedelic purple colored Deathball, another attacker. The other was to exchange the rather uncouth Heliotrope purple colored Deathball, a more mild mannered midfielder. The Heliotrope colored Deathball swims slowly to the sidelines, like it is sad; it did not mean to do something dishonorable. Just a spur of the moment act.
In a surprise move, Haootia uroborus makes its way to the former Pukilarus Skakalus position. Otherwise, the non-Deathball team would be down one team member. Flabellophyton Mystificus is given the mini-Deathball, who is feeling better now due to their species regeneration abilities. The reason it was given to non-Deathball side is because it was pushed out onto that team’s side of the field. Arborea elegans and Xinuiningella rara take their defensive position with the rest of their team, preparing for their next move, as the singing continues from the stands.