I figured you guys wouldn't want to listen to my attempts to explain the properties of green pikmin, so I'll just say that they're immune to explosions, and are mottled, sort of like camouflage. Enjoy this revised and improved version of the prologue.

A pair of pikmin hurried through the night, in an inky black forest, past many tall trees. Both pikmin were covered from head to toe in a black paint made from coal dust and water, thus masking their true colors. They both continually through nervous glances over their shoulders. Finally, one of them said, in a low whisper, "Vodi Kiln will be rather angry with you, Taragamen."

The other pikmin, Taragamen, responded in a markedly different voice, a slow, steady voice, and a considerably enigmatic one at that, "Then he will be angry with me."

"Then you do not fear him?" said his companion in surprise.

"I will take what comes, Hinehm. I do not attempt to escape the inevitable, which is more than you can say," Taragamen responded in a low and deadly voice.

"It pleases me to hear you say so," announced a cold, clear voice from behind.

Taragamen and Hinehm fell to their knees and intoned, "Master Vodi Kiln. You have come."

Vodi Kiln was a green pikmin, heavily scarred and missing an eye, but still an obviously capable pikmin. Even if you didn't know of the many crimes and atrocities he had committed, you would know there was something bad about him, for Vodi Kiln exuded an aura of hatred and evil. He said, in a menacing voice, "Captain Hinehm, is it true that you failed in your attack on the Clawbel fortress of Tyberam?"

"Yes," said Hinehm, in a shaky voice.

"And did I inform you beforehand, Captain, that if you failed again, there would be the most dire consequences."

"Yes, my lord."

Vodi Kiln smiled cruelly, "Captain, look up."

Hinehm raised his head so as to look into Vodi Kiln's remaining eye, and Vodi Kiln lashed out, a knife flashed in his hand, and he cut the Captain's throat. "You are relieved of duty," he hissed. Vodi Kiln then turned to Taragamen and said, "General, you are aware of your considerable failure in securing the first keystone. Is that correct?"

"Yes, my lord," he answered in a whisper.

"This is the first mark against you. The keystone will undoubtedly be moved, and it may take some time to relocate it. To rectify your mistake, you will take over the project our former captain Hinehm failed. I want the walls of Tyberam to come down. We need the clawmin for this upcoming war. You have until the solstice, two months from now."

"I understand, my lord," murmured Taragamen.

"Do you, now?" said Vodi Kiln in an evil whisper. Then his knife flashed again, and a long, deep slash appeared across the general's chest. Even with with a pool of green chlorophyll forming around his knees, Taragamen showed no sign of pain. Vodi Kiln leaned forward and hissed, "Do not fail the Darkling Tide again, General, or the consequences may be… severe."

"It shall be as you say, my lord," said Taragamen, as the scarred figure of his master faded back into the shadows.