A force pulled me backward and I was ripped away from the scene. Both the tree and the snails disappeared into blackness as the ancient snail's voice entered into my head once more.
"Child... you're too young and it was before your time, but there was a time when we snails had struggled hard to get a footing not only on the ancient tree but in the very field or now forest you were born in. We fought many wars with other creatures. There were wars for resources and there were wars for space and breeding. Before we snails fought anything else... We fought each other."
A scene was shown before me as the green colour of plants and the blue sky returned to my vision once more. We were now in the fields quite away from the World Tree.
The sky was growing dark as if the clouds knew that something was growing. Thunder and lightning lighted up the scene as they flashed. Tiny reflections glimmered as it did. Thousands of them. Big and small. Shells of different colours lined up against one another as I looked around at the scene.
"The field. We occupied the field. Lush grasses and plants could be found everywhere, but it wasn't enough. It never was enough. Our population kept on soaring and so did the populations of the other snails... " the ancient voice continued.
Snails with spikes could be seen below me on the right. Those that seemed to be completely dark stood towards my left. Wherever I looked, there were different species. There were thousands of them as they stood around and stared at their neighbouring groups and at each other.
As I looked on, the tension within the groups began to grow. Menacing glances were plastered across all their faces as they all looked on with jealousy, hate, determination, sadness, anger, and fear.
"So we had wars. To cull the weak. To make room to get more territory and access to more food."
Then immediately, it was like the string of tension suddenly snapped and all hell broke loose. Screeches and screams filled the air as thousands of snails attacked each other.
Snails aren't as weak as I thought they were.
Although they were slow, they were resourceful. Those that had sharp spikes or barbs used their shell as spears. The dark snails that I mentioned before seemed to fuse into the darkness and unbelievably became assassins within the darkness.
Before I could get a better look at the battle, the scene in front of me faded once more and the ancient voice began to narrate once more.
"And so we fought. We fought wars amongst ourselves as the other creatures around us profited from our losses. Your great grandfather died in this manner and so did my brothers... all six hundred and thirty-one of them. They died as we tried to secure a place within the meadows..." the ancient snail said gloomily.
The scene unfolded once more. Nothing much was left. The green lush fields were demolished into the dirt. Thousands of dead snails lay on the dirt as blue blood ran like streams through the chaos. Caws filled the air. Scavengers big and small swooped down from the skies for a free meal.
"There were no winners in the senseless wars amongst ourselves. We were all losers. The only winners were the creatures that lived on the ancient tree. We were entertainment for them. While we waged war for the measly resources of the meadows, they watched us and laughed from their stop atop the tree while they dined. Without planning, without training without going through any hardship, they continued to eat and laze around. The tree provided them with sustenance... with strength. Occasionally, they would leave the tree and terrorize our meadows for fun."
The scene shifted once more to a white bird-like creature that was perched on top of the branches on the tree. It plucked shiny fruits that were radiant and full of bright colours into its gullet. A smirk of glee could be seen shining in its eyes as it did. Eating quickly, it large chunks of fruit fell out of its mouth, but like a wasteful child, it only glanced at it and watched it fall.
'What a waste.' I thought to myself as I felt my stomach growl.
Caw.
It cawed while it seemed to signal to a group of birds nearby as it shook its body. Its white plumage shone in the sunlight as it spread its four massive wings. Swinging in the light breeze, they clipped the wind, and the four-winged bird raised itself into the skies.
It continued to soar around towards the meadows.
Swooping down, it approached a group of snails that were sitting under a plant - hiding from the sun.
I knew that something bad was going to happen.
Opening its gaping beak, it began to spew something out. A dark fog. The snails reacted immediately as they slid away from below the leaf, but they were too slow. Instantly the leaf above them turned dark and so did they.
Screeching as they melted, melted into a mess of organs and shells.
Snickering, the bird ascended and travelled back to the tree.
And my vision of the scene faded to black once more and I was dragged away.
"As years passed they got more brazen... and more lives were being lost as we became their playthings. Child... We took it all... we killed each other and the creatures occupying the trees killed us for entertainment. We were the epidemy of pitiful, child." The ancient snail continued. "Not just us and not just all the snails... but all the creatures in the meadow."
"As our discontent for our situation grew... so did the chaos. Borders were broken. Rules were broken. Murders in the night, stealing, and stashing... you name it, child, your ancestors have done it."
"In the depths of our sorrow and agony, we finally snapped. And wisened up. We finally decided to use the only true trait that our species is known for other than our hard shells."
"Yes, it was our brains child."
...