- Chapter 74 -

The Entity Below

Today was the day of a very rare celestial event, one that had Donnie absolutely giddy, but also mildly concerned. He had everyone gathered in the living room, attempting to tell them about what was about to happen. As he tried to explain it in his usual style, Mikey held up a hand.

"Okay, Don," he said, yawning. "You know I love ya, but the technobabble... you're boring everybody."

Indeed, everyone looked half-asleep.

"Okay, fine." Donnie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let me try this one more time."

He held up a grapefruit and nine different donuts, setting them in a perfect line on a table.

"It's really quite simple to understand. The longitudinal span of the other eight planets, the moon, and the sun culminate within a geocentric sector of fourteen degrees to form a grand planetary alignment with Earth. Say this grapefruit is the sun, and the Earth is the third donut from…"

And that was when he looked down, noticing one of the donuts was missing.

"Hey! What happened to the Earth?" he exclaimed.

Mikey had taken that donut and was busy eating it. Everyone in the room glared at him, and Raph smacked him upside the head.

"Lint for brains," Jade muttered, shaking her head.

"Continue, Donnie," Leo urged.

"Okay," Donnie continued, "long story short, our entire solar system, the planets, the moon, the sun, everything... They'll be in perfect alignment today."

"And this should bother us because…?" Raph questioned.

"Planetary alignments are huge, and often harbingers of doom," Hisako cut in. "Right, Don?"

"They're considered as such, yeah," Donnie admitted.

"Will this have any effect on the Earth?" Tai asked.

Donnie shook his head. "Astronomically speaking, the planets are just too far apart to exhibit any additional gravitational pull."

At that moment, a tremor rippled through the Earth, startling them.

"And I'm sure that was just a random earthquake," Vee deadpanned, looking at Donnie. "You know this is your fault for saying that, right?"

Another tremor, this one stronger, knocked the group off of their feet.

"Not me!" Hisako raised her hands. "I'm not doing this!"

"We better check the news," Kagome insisted.

The group made their way out into the living room, Hisako leaning on April, as Vee snatched up the remote, changing to Channel 6. The screen showed a seismograph going off the charts, as well as a map/radar of the Earth with Vernon Fenwick's voice in the background.

" A live feed from the university's seismograph rating in at 7.8 on the Richter scale! " Vernon declared. " Closest estimates put the epicenter a thousand miles south of Greenland. Scientists believe that with the current shifting of tectonic plates, we may be witnessing the birth of a new island or even a subcontinent. "

The images shifted to the outside of New York, with water flooding in and dark clouds overhead.

" With the displacement of water so massive, it's dangerously raising the sea level . Unstable temperatures have prompted violent thunderstorms, due to reach the eastern seaboard within the hour. "

"Uh, I don't like the look of that," Makoto let out.

"Well, there you have it. It's the end of the world," Mizuki mused. "Floods, earthquakes, storms…"

"Dogs and cats living together!" Jade added. "Mass hysteria!"

Midnight looked at Jade with a snort of indignation. From the cooler he was in, Klunk seemed to cross his creamy paws.

"It doesn't make any sense," Donnie muttered. "Something else may be at work here."

Another tremor rocked the lair, and the lights and TV went off.

"Y'know, that crazy guy on the streets parading that 'the end is near' sign may not have been so crazy," Erika remarked.

Suddenly, a cry of pain from Hisako and April alerted the group. The two girls were covering their ears, curled up on the ground as Splinter ran out.

"What is that?!" April demanded. "It's like someone's trying to split my brain in two!"

"What the hell is going on?" Vee shouted.

Suddenly, a bright blue light flashed from Donnie's lab and recognition dawned.

"The Undercity crystals?" Tai whirled on Donnie. "You brought them back here?!"

"I had them under lead glass, like the power cell in the Shellraiser!" Donnie defended. "Their energy signature shouldn't be anywhere near this strong!"

"You think it's the alignment?" Hana questioned. "Or something's going on with the Crystal Moon?"

"If it is, we need to get back to the Undercity and find out," Leo declared as another tremor hit the ground. "And fast!"

"I will tend to Hisako and April," Splinter assured them. "Go find the source of these disturbances and stop them."

"Wait," Kagome piped up. "What about Mom? Tai and Erika's family? The rest of the clan?"

"Mom and Dad'll know what to do," Tai assured. "If things get too bad, they can come down here and hunker down."

"Knowing them, they're probably en route," Jade said.

"Besides, we don't have time to waste," Donnie insisted, picking up the crystals.

"Let's move, people," Leo declared. "To the Turtle Tunneler!"

They quickly piled into the Tunneler, going down the tunnels they'd dug out before and arriving in the Undercity in record time. As they piled out, they noticed a key difference from the last time they were there.

"Um…" Leo began, "what's wrong with this picture?"

The city was now flooding with inhabitants, piloting vehicles and roaming the streets.

"Where the hell did all these guys come from?" Raph asked.

"Yeah, I thought all of the Entity's buddies were frozen," Mikey let out.

"Well, they're not now," Kagome commented. "This can't be a coincidence."

"Got that right," said Vee. "We need to get in there."

-X-

In a nearby chamber, five figures focused the light of the Crystal Moon on a hologram of Earth, aiming for the spot marked by Channel 6 as they chanted. One of them just happened to be the Entity, who looked into a crystal to see the Hamato Clan's arrival.

"So…" he mused, "they have returned."

He pulled four crystals, all red and pulsating, from his cloak and threw them into the lava near where the Tunneler wound up. The lava began rapidly bubbling…

-X-

Meanwhile, the clan entered the city, and one of the inhabitants sped by them on a hover scooter.

"Um, excuse me?" Makoto began. "Could you please tell us-"

The scooter-rider just zipped past them without acknowledging the group at all, and Makoto scowled at their rudeness.

"Well, I guess they come from a time before manners were invented!" he spat.

"Dude, it's like they don't even see us," Mikey remarked.

"They see us," Donnie corrected. "They just don't care."

"So what, we're beneath their notice?" Raph demanded.

"As far as I can tell, yes," Donnie clarified.

"Dicks," Jade scoffed.

At that moment, something began melting through the walls behind them, and the group jumped back as four massive lava monsters oozed forward, surrounding them.

"Looks like someone noticed us!" Leo shouted.

"And it ain't the welcome wagon!" Vee declared.

Jade drew her staff and made to attack one, but Hana grabbed her arm.

"Jade, use your head!" she snapped. "Have you not noticed these things are made of BOILING HOT LAVA ?!"

"Oh…" Jade said sheepishly. "Right…"

"Any bright ideas?" Mikey asked.

"Just one," Leo replied. "RUN!"

They took off as the lava monsters pursued them, and soon found themselves faced with an entire crowd of the Undercity's inhabitants.

"Oh, now they notice us?!" Tai shouted. "When did we become so goddamn popular?!"

"Just keep running!" Mizuki yelled.

They kept running, only to find themselves surrounded by both the lava monsters and the Undercity people.

"We're boxed in!" Kagome screamed, just as a trap door opened beneath them and dropped them into a darkened room. Before they could react, blue energy beams spread across the only door, acting like prison cell bars.

"And now we're prisoners," Tai grumbled, kicking the wall. "Great."

"Not for long!" Jade declared.

She swung her staff at the bars and was hit with energy feedback that threw her across the room to slam into the wall back first. After a minute, she picked herself up.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Nothing's broken," Jade insisted, before wincing. "Except my spine. And ribs. Maybe everything else. Ouch…"

"Okay Jade, seriously," Hana began, "what did you think was gonna happen?"

"So…" came a familiar voice, "you decided to come back."

A door slid open, and the Entity entered, glaring at them.

"It's you!" Kagome shouted.

"You shouldn't have come back," the Entity said sternly. "You do not belong here!"

"Says the guy who invited us here in the first place," Leo shot back.

"What are you bozos even doing down here?" Raph demanded.

"Whatever's powering the crystals is wreaking havoc on the surface," Erika explained. "That's why we came."

"So whatever you're up to, buddy," Raph began, "you better knock it off or we'll-"

A massive rocky hand sprouted from the ground and grabbed him, cutting off his threat.

"Or you will what?" the Entity questioned, shaking his head. "Pathetic creatures. This is far beyond your control."

The fist released Raph, retracting back into the ground.

"After ten thousand years, a new day is dawning for my people." the Entity explained. "The Y'Lyntians shall finally rule once more."

"You lying motherfucker!" Jade shouted. "You're not the last of your kind! You've been playing us all along!"

The Entity shrugged. "At the time, I had limited power. I needed your help to maintain my city. So I said what I had to."

"And what about the millions of people living above you?" Leo demanded. "Whatever you're doing, it's causing massive quakes and thunderstorms that could wipe out the eastern seaboard!"

"Yes…" the Entity began, "that is the price we must pay to reshape the world. Make it the way it used to be."

"Do you even care about the damage you're causing?" Kagome demanded.

"Why should we care about the insects who have infested our world?" the Entity shot back.

"You crazy son of a bitch!" Tai shouted. "If you think for one second we're gonna stand by and let you do this-"

"It is already happening. There is nothing you can do," the Entity cut him off, turning his back. "And when we Y'Lyntians rule this world once again, you shall be the first slaves of our new world order."

And with that, he was gone, letting out a maniacal laugh as he went.

"And adding him to the list of alien psychopaths I want to stab in the face," Vee remarked.

"What do we do, Leo?" Mikey asked.

"Look around." Leo insisted. "There's gotta be a way out of here."

Suddenly, something began melting through the wall. Everyone quickly backed up.

"Oh, now what?!" Makoto shouted.

The wall exploded, revealing a female Y'Lyntian holding a crystal.

"Quickly," she insisted, waving them on. "This way!"

"Why should we trust you, bitch?" Jade snapped.

"Would you rather remain here until they lock collars on your necks?"

That made them all pause.

"She's got a valid point," Tai conceded.

"Now hurry," said the woman. "There is little time."

They followed the woman out, and she quickly explained everything.

"My name is Versallia," she said. "I am a Y'Lyntian, yes... but I am not like the others."

"You'll understand if we're skeptical," Raph replied. "Especially since your friend lied to us from the start.

"The High Mage is no friend of mine," Versallia told them. "We must stop him and the rest."

"How can we do that when we don't even know what they're doing?" Mizuki questioned.

"You will learn," Versallia replied cryptically as they arrived at a door.

She held her crystal up, opening the door and revealing a room containing a computer and several archives.

"Our race's archives," Versallia explained. "You will see the truth you desire here."

The group looked around as Versallia prepared the proper crystals. She placed them into the computer, and an image of an island in the middle of the sea flickered to life.

"We were of a different age. A time long ago, when Y'Lyntians held unassailable dominion over the Earth."

The image shifted to numerous Y'Lyntians roaming around the island, when multiple crystals fell from the sky, landing around the area.

"We were the first. The chosen. The heavens bestowed upon us power beyond imagination, in the form of mighty crystals from the stars."

One particularly large crystal landed atop a mountain.

"The largest of these, the Sun Crystal, came to rest high upon our mountain peak, overlooking the entire continent. As a final gift from the heavens, the planets aligned and empowered our Sun Crystal, charging it with unfathomable energy. Energy which we harnessed through the other crystals to build the largest, most splendid civilization on Earth."

"So when did your people become supremacist douchebags?" Jade questioned bluntly.

"Jade!" Hana admonished.

"What? It's true. Everyone's thinking it. I'm just saying it."

"That's my job," Raph deadpanned.

Versallia sighed. "We Y'Lyntians had advanced so far so fast, that we began to believe ourselves superior to all others." As she explained, her tone betrayed the disgust she felt for her own people.

The scene showed multiple humans being exposed to the crystals' energy.

"We enslaved many innocent humans… and when they could not perform the jobs we imposed upon them, the Sun Crystal was used to mutate them into creatures better suited to serve our selfish needs."

One human became a fish-like creature, another became a furry beast similar to Bigfoot, and a third grew wings and talons.

"Water breathers to bring us the bounty of the sea," Versallia listed off. "Beasts of burden to raise our monuments and dig our canals. And winged sentinels to patrol the skies, preventing certain Y'Lyntians from escaping."

The group looked over the images with silent horror.

"Okay, I'm really glad we left Hisako at home for this one," Leo declared.

Erika doubled over and retched on the floor, Makoto patting her back gently. Vee looked over the beasts of burden, recognition dawning.

"No way…" she let out. "Guys, these Y'Lyntians... they created Bigfoot!"

Mikey looked it over as well. "It is Bigfoot!"

Jade saw red, slowly advancing on Versallia. "You sick fucks… You're no better than Krang! I'm gonna-"

"Jade!" Hana darted forward, grabbing her shoulder. "Calm down!"

"Please, I am not your enemy," Versallia assured. "I detest the dark ways of my people, and I am far from the only one."

"So what happened next?" Donnie asked.

"An uprising," Versallia replied. "The human cultures banded together and launched an attack upon our home. We were taken by surprise, and the High Council gathered in the Star Chamber to take retaliatory action."

The next crystal showed a great war going on, with ships firing on the island. Then it showed the Sun Crystal's energy being focused into a laser that blasted numerous ships into driftwood, before the fish people, beasts of burden, and Avians attacked the Y'Lyntians.

"The slaves were ordered to turn the power of the Sun Crystal into the most devastating of weapons." Versallia continued. "But many slaves were allied with the human forces, determined to put an end to their cruel Y'Lyntian taskmasters."

Multiple slaves turned the laser back on its source, and the Crystal Moon exploded, causing the entire continent to sink.

"The power of our Sun Crystal was turned back upon itself, with catastrophic results. And the fabled island of Y'Lyntius... sank beneath the waves."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Donnie cut in. "Y'Lyntius?"

"That mean anything to you, Don?" Leo asked.

"Of course!" Donnie replied. "Think about it! Mystical island way ahead of its time sinks beneath the waves? Does that sound like anything to you?"

Everyone got it at that.

"My God…" Mizuki let out. "Y'Lyntius... is Atlantis! These guys are the Atlanteans!"

"Holy crap!" Kagome exclaimed.

"You are correct, but our story does not end there," Versallia told them. "A few of us managed to escape the destruction and took a fragment of the Sun Crystal. Though its power was greatly diminished, it was enough to give life to this city. Now named the Crystal Moon, its power began to weaken."

"And they were so used to slaves doing the work for them that the Y'Lyntians had no idea what to do," Tai deduced.

"Indeed. So the High Council decided to seal themselves away in stasis with the High Mage to watch over them. Awaiting the day of the next planetary alignment, when the power of the crystals would be restored, and Y'Lyntius could be brought forth from the ocean floor."

"So that's what's happening!" Erika exclaimed. "The earthquakes, the tsunamis... They're trying to raise their sunken continent!"

"With the sudden geological change on such a massive scale, continents will shift and sink!" Donnie added. "Most of the human race will be wiped out! The end of the world as we know it!"

"And whatever life survives the cataclysm will be enslaved," Versallia concluded. "Forced to toil away for eternity, in service of the new Y'Lyntian empire."

"No fuckin' way!" Jade shouted. "We're shutting these assholes down!"

Erika thought for a second and snapped her fingers. "I've got an idea! We can take a page from Y'Lyntian history, and sabotage the Crystal Moon! Without the crystal's power, they can't raise the island, right?"

"Erika, that's brilliant!" Donnie exclaimed.

Versallia thought it over herself and nodded. "I can get a prism large enough to interfere with the energy beam. But we'll have to gain access to the Star Chamber. It will not be easy."

"Nothing's ever easy," Hana said dryly.

"Perhaps these will help." Versallia led them to the Y'Lyntian armory, displaying numerous old suits of armor and spears. "This Y'Lyntian armor will protect you from the lava creatures the High Mage has created. And if you can dislodge the fire crystals from their bodies using these staffs, the lava monsters will disintegrate."

"Suit up, you guys," Leo told them. "We've only got one shot at this… so let's make it count."

-X-

In a few short moments, the entire group was dressed in armor. Once they were ready, Versallia handed Leo a large prism.

"This will disrupt the Crystal Moon's energy," she explained.

"Got it. Thanks," he told her as he turned to the others. "We all clear on the plan?"

"We take on the lava monsters and distract the Entity and his High Council buddies," Tai recited. "While that's going on, you handle the Crystal Moon."

"We got this, Leo," Raph assured him.

Leo nodded and quickly scaled the wall, while the others entered a tunnel. As he made it to an upper level, he overlooked the Star Chamber.

"Well, so far so-" he was cut off as a lava monster appeared. "Bad!"

The monster punched Leo in the chest, sending him skidding across the floor. He quickly got back up, looking at the small burn mark on his chest.

"Well, at least we know the armor works," Leo mused. "Now let's see where that crystal heart of yours is!"

He twirled the staff before stabbing the creature in the chest. It shrieked before evaporating, the crystal animating it piercing Leo's staff.

"Worked like a charm," Leo observed as the crystal crumbled. "Y'Lyntian battle armor… never fight freaky lava monsters without it."

-X-

Elsewhere, the others were headed down the tunnels to the Star Chamber.

"So," Mikey piped up suddenly, "does this armor make my butt look big?"

Raph smacked him. "Will you focus?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to defuse the tension."

It wasn't long before the lava monsters appeared. Jade twirled the staff in her hands.

"Time to put these to the test!" Jade declared.

She lunged forward, batting the thing in the head before stabbing it through the chest. The crystal heart shattered, and the lava monster oozed away, dead.

"Talk about dying of a broken heart," Mikey observed.

Raph threw his spear like a javelin, spearing another through the chest and pinning the crystal heart to the wall.

"Not so tough now, huh?" Makoto taunted.

-X-

Within the Star Chamber, the High Mage's crystal amulet glowed, alerting him to what was going on.

"Our sentries have failed," he reported to the rest of the High Council, stepping back from the ritual. "Maintain your focus. The island must continue to rise. I will deal with the intruders."

He opened the door, revealing himself face-to-face with the Hamato Clan. Tai yanked down his mask for a brief second.

"Boo!" he taunted before pulling it back up.

The High Mage scowled. "How dare you desecrate the Star Chamber with your presence?!"

"How dare you threaten our home?!" Raph shot back.

"You fools…" the High Mage hissed. "You are no match for my power."

"We know," Hana informed him. "That's why we're not here to fight you."

"We're distracting you, ya big turd-blossom!" Makoto mocked.

Leo appeared at that very moment on an upper level, holding the prism high above his head. He pulled off his mask so the High Mage would know exactly who he was.

"Your crazy ritual is wreaking havoc all over the world!" he shouted. "And it stops now !"

"NO!" the High Mage screamed.

"YES!" Leo shot back as he jumped onto the crystal in the middle of the room, slamming the prism into it. That was all it took. The Crystal Moon began cracking apart, sending massive pillars of energy all over the place.

At that, a large Y'Lyntian vehicle came flying in. The door was thrown open, revealing Versallia behind the wheel.

"Come!" she exclaimed. "We must flee the city!"

"Don't need to tell me twice!" Mikey said.

Ditching their armor and spears, they piled onto the vehicle and made a break for the exit. The Undercity sank into the lava as they went, followed by the Crystal Moon. As soon as it went under the lava, the vehicle began powering down.

"Crap!" Leo shouted, grabbing Versallia. "Everybody JUMP!"

They did so, landing on a nearby ledge. Leo narrowly managed to grab on, Versallia holding onto his other hand. Just as Leo lost his grip, Tai darted over and caught hold of his wrist; Raph grabbed him around the waist, and together, they pulled Leo and Versallia to safety. With all members of their party safe, they watched solemnly as the Undercity was fully consumed by the lava.

"We did it…" Versallia remarked, tears in her eyes. "But I've lost everything I've ever known."

The Hamato Clan looked at her sympathetically as she buried her face in her hands and began crying, and Leo put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Kagome told her. "There was no other way."

"I know…" Versallia wept. "I know…"

-X-

Eventually, Versallia composed herself, and they made their way above ground.

"So, Versallia…" Mizuki began, "what're you gonna do now?"

"Long ago, I heard of other settlements, where Y'Lyntians like myself fled the empire," Versallia replied. "I'm going to find them."

"We have some friends who might be willing to help," Leo told her. "Look up Mr. Mortu at TCRI. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to help you find your people."

"I will," Versallia said, smiling. "Farewell, my friends. May we meet again."

She made her way up, eventually vanishing into the darkness.

"C'mon," Tai said. "Let's get back to the Tunneler."

As they went, Tai continued, "Can I just say how glad I am we'll never have to come back down to these creepoid caverns again?"

"You ain't the only one," Raph remarked.

Murmurs of agreement sounded amongst the group as they made their way back to their ride.

Author's Note:

Not much to say about this one.

Voice cast for this chapter:

* Versallia - Laura Post (Rosalia from Sword Art Online, Ragyo Kiryuin from Kill la Kill, Blizzard from One-Punch Man, Queen Nehellenia in Sailor Moon Crystal, Macrophage from Cells at Work!, Kasumi Yoshizawa from Persona 5 Royal, Sakuna from Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin)

Please R&R. Until next time!