The Fall of Atlantis
Greku, a goblin shark of mature years, swam warily through the dark ocean canyons. Little surface light filtered this deep in the ocean, but there were other sources of light to trap the unwary and deadlier senses belonging to the well-adapted hunters of the ocean depths to ensnare the less observant or cautious. Greku, was both observant and cautious, but excitement bubbled within him at the significance of this day, and it stole the razor-sharp edge from his own hunting instincts.
Emerging from the winding canyons, the flat expanse of seabed ahead of him opened a vista that no surface-hugging land seal had ever laid eyes upon, despite the tableau being well-lit with luminescent algae. Greku flicked his tail twice and shot forward, darting from the canyon mouth to the first ring of ruined buildings, little more than crumbled walls of heavy stone after centuries of degradation at the hands of tides, currents, and scavengers. Despite being the ruins of once surface dwellings, the cityscape that spread before him was not long uninhabited. The inhabitants, those that survived, had adapted over the millennia to their new environment, and as their descendants had done on the surface, they had begun to expand, conquer and defile the natural world. Only now, they did it both above and below the surface.
Of course, all that was now in the past. There was good reason that Greku now swam easily amongst the ruins without challenge. The Atlantians were no more. Sure, stragglers had fled the uprising, but they would not last long in the dangerous and dark world of the ocean depths, even with their strengths and abilities. Their reign was over and Greku now swam towards the very seat of their once vaunted power to pay homage to the Queen who now sat upon Neptune’s Throne.
The movement was slight, almost imperceptible, but Greku’s senses were amongst the most acute of his kind and he reacted with the speed, precision and stealth of a mature Goblin Shark well trained in the assassin class of the ocean predators. Swimming low along a rough stone wall, Greku tilted his fins slightly to baffle the water eddies of his own movements, ensuring he remained not just unseen, but not sensed by other means as well. Slowing almost to a standstill he was soon rewarded with another sensation that confirmed his first instincts. An Atlantian straggler was still trying to flee the ruins of their civilization. They had made it almost to the very outskirts of their city, but unbeknownst to them, their luck had run out. The Atlantian; an elder of their race, slower and less sturdy had managed to remain hidden during the sacking of the city, but now sought his escape. One last expanse of open seabed and he could find refuge in the ocean canyons that spread out like octopus tentacles from this relatively flat expanse of seabed plateau.
The Atlantian looked around furtively for a moment before the set of his shoulders relaxed visibly, seemingly content that he was alone. Gathering about him the faded remnants of his old uniform, from years previously spent in the Atlantian military, he started out from the ruined Atlantian house. He made it exactly 20 feet from the darkened doorway of the ruins before Greku struck. Fast, silent and deadly, the Goblin Shark launched from the seabed floor and bit down hard on the torso of the Atlantian, whose face immediately twisted into a silent scream of pain. Greku’s jaw extended and with two swift lunges forward, he swallowed the Atlantian, his sharp teeth cutting through the old, faded uniform easily. One less Atlantian to survive the uprising and further degrade the underwater environment.
A short time later, Greku swam into the vast hall of the Neptune throne room, easily maneuvering between rows upon rows of sharks and mermaids gathered to witness this historic moment, born of an unlikely alliance. Adjusting a faded, and torn Atlantian military uniform he now wore with pride, Greku circled to a stop among the front rows of the sharks gathered before the throne. His was a position of honour and leadership, second only to the Goblin Shark Chief himself. With a brief gesture of greeting, his used a pectoral fin to adjust his new uniform and spoils of war. The Goblin shark chief grinned broadly at him and acknowledged his favourite assassin as they both turned to watch the majestic Mermaid Queen ascend the jeweled and elaborate dais to sit upon the famed throne, claiming if for the new overlords of the deep. A rumble and swirling of ocean current from the ranks of the Sharks was joined by a chorus of angelic song from the ranks of the Mermaids as they all cheered the new Queen of Atlantis. Arrayed around the Mermaid Queen stood her most trusted advisors and before her, bowed the Chiefs from each of the Shark tribes that had led the uprising.
First Atlantis, next, the land seals of the surface world would feel the wrath of the Salty Shark Uprising!
Emerging from the winding canyons, the flat expanse of seabed ahead of him opened a vista that no surface-hugging land seal had ever laid eyes upon, despite the tableau being well-lit with luminescent algae. Greku flicked his tail twice and shot forward, darting from the canyon mouth to the first ring of ruined buildings, little more than crumbled walls of heavy stone after centuries of degradation at the hands of tides, currents, and scavengers. Despite being the ruins of once surface dwellings, the cityscape that spread before him was not long uninhabited. The inhabitants, those that survived, had adapted over the millennia to their new environment, and as their descendants had done on the surface, they had begun to expand, conquer and defile the natural world. Only now, they did it both above and below the surface.
Of course, all that was now in the past. There was good reason that Greku now swam easily amongst the ruins without challenge. The Atlantians were no more. Sure, stragglers had fled the uprising, but they would not last long in the dangerous and dark world of the ocean depths, even with their strengths and abilities. Their reign was over and Greku now swam towards the very seat of their once vaunted power to pay homage to the Queen who now sat upon Neptune’s Throne.
The movement was slight, almost imperceptible, but Greku’s senses were amongst the most acute of his kind and he reacted with the speed, precision and stealth of a mature Goblin Shark well trained in the assassin class of the ocean predators. Swimming low along a rough stone wall, Greku tilted his fins slightly to baffle the water eddies of his own movements, ensuring he remained not just unseen, but not sensed by other means as well. Slowing almost to a standstill he was soon rewarded with another sensation that confirmed his first instincts. An Atlantian straggler was still trying to flee the ruins of their civilization. They had made it almost to the very outskirts of their city, but unbeknownst to them, their luck had run out. The Atlantian; an elder of their race, slower and less sturdy had managed to remain hidden during the sacking of the city, but now sought his escape. One last expanse of open seabed and he could find refuge in the ocean canyons that spread out like octopus tentacles from this relatively flat expanse of seabed plateau.
The Atlantian looked around furtively for a moment before the set of his shoulders relaxed visibly, seemingly content that he was alone. Gathering about him the faded remnants of his old uniform, from years previously spent in the Atlantian military, he started out from the ruined Atlantian house. He made it exactly 20 feet from the darkened doorway of the ruins before Greku struck. Fast, silent and deadly, the Goblin Shark launched from the seabed floor and bit down hard on the torso of the Atlantian, whose face immediately twisted into a silent scream of pain. Greku’s jaw extended and with two swift lunges forward, he swallowed the Atlantian, his sharp teeth cutting through the old, faded uniform easily. One less Atlantian to survive the uprising and further degrade the underwater environment.
A short time later, Greku swam into the vast hall of the Neptune throne room, easily maneuvering between rows upon rows of sharks and mermaids gathered to witness this historic moment, born of an unlikely alliance. Adjusting a faded, and torn Atlantian military uniform he now wore with pride, Greku circled to a stop among the front rows of the sharks gathered before the throne. His was a position of honour and leadership, second only to the Goblin Shark Chief himself. With a brief gesture of greeting, his used a pectoral fin to adjust his new uniform and spoils of war. The Goblin shark chief grinned broadly at him and acknowledged his favourite assassin as they both turned to watch the majestic Mermaid Queen ascend the jeweled and elaborate dais to sit upon the famed throne, claiming if for the new overlords of the deep. A rumble and swirling of ocean current from the ranks of the Sharks was joined by a chorus of angelic song from the ranks of the Mermaids as they all cheered the new Queen of Atlantis. Arrayed around the Mermaid Queen stood her most trusted advisors and before her, bowed the Chiefs from each of the Shark tribes that had led the uprising.
First Atlantis, next, the land seals of the surface world would feel the wrath of the Salty Shark Uprising!