Author's note: Deep within the ocean, the beasts await. They had fangs, they have teeth, they have hunger, and they are avid. The darkness has now reached their corner and the dormant giant will open the door for them to roam free into the world that was once theirs.

1. Limbo

"Through me you go into a city of weeping;

Through me you go into eternal pain;

Through me you go amongst the lost people"

Dante Alighieri, Inferno.

Deep into the night, the eyes of the first world sleep under the ocean. Visions of plunder and destruction crouching into the colors of this world of darkness and decay where the once-mighty now dream of their past glory and the day when they would return to finish what they started those long centuries ago. Little do they know about what lurks beneath their feet, little can they suspect that their evil is fed by something more ancient that the whole lot of them.

Of the many inhabitants of this place that the mortals call Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters, is Tamatoa, the Artist and Shine Collector. Despised by many, kept in their first level for his hunger and vanity, the keepers of the place thought from the very beginning that he was no big threat. His own obsession kept him inside his cave and barely leaving it, hence having little contact with the other residents. The giant coconut crab was one of the biggest creatures around but not the most terrific so he was often ignored by the ones in the lower levels. Their train of reasoning was simple. If that large crustacean was only focused in shiny things and his personal rivalry then there was no point in considering him a monster to fear.

To some that was stupid but to Tamatoa it was losing respect. Something that was vital in a place like Lalotai, it was the difference between eating or been eaten. His arch-enemy, the demigod Maui, didn't seem to care about that status issue and had come several times just to make him miserable. First, when he put him inside that realm. A small setback in his plans but nothing too serious since most of the monsters inside hated the demigod and kept a truce because of that. Second, when that devil of half-man took away his leg. An embarrassing period which kept Tamatoa on edge for almost three months. And the last one, barely a few hours ago, when Maui came with his human toy to take away his hook and the result was a flipped crab lying on his back and waiting for a chance to be able to get up or be toast. The nerve!

Tama could only sigh.

He had been trying to get up for hours and without success. The eel and all the others were waiting for him to give up and they were soon going to get their long-awaited crab dinner. Hu! Some monster he was if he couldn't even get on his feet! Stupid! Stupid hook! Stupid Maui! Ugh! If he could only stand up that demigod was going to get… Hu? A sound of small feet caught his attention. Something was moving around him. Had the so-called-hero come back for more? Tamatoa looked around until he noticed a little figure on his underside. It seemed similar to a human but it was way smaller and seemed to be looking at him with a sneer. The crab frowned but had little time to make a reply before a bunch of similar looking dwarves began to appear from behind the rocks and made a circle around the large crustacean. For a moment, Tama feared that he was done for and he seemed to be right when the strange tribe tied his ten legs with seaweeds and coral and began to pull.

Tamatoa was frantic. Where were they taking him? Was he done for? He hardly could tell as they moved into the deepest section of the realm. Tama held his breath. Those pin-sized creeps were not going to eat him. It was much worse. They were bringing him to the doorstep of the most dangerous inhabitants in Lalotai to feast on him while he was tied up and weak.

And the crab could only watch.

"Long live the pioneers

Rebels and mutineers

Go forth and have no fear

Come close the end is near"