Tlandar followed his father through the underground corridors of New Asemeri's Lower District Shelter, his mind still adjusting to their new reality. His three sisters—Lirien, Nalara, and Kethra—walked behind them, while his mother, Seyna, kept close, her eyes darting around the massive underground city.
The air here smelled of metal and humidity, with a faint hint of the hydroponic gardens growing deep within the shelter. As they passed through a main hall, Tlandar saw families gathered around communal eating areas, security officers patrolling near control rooms, and engineers working on maintenance in mechanical storage areas.
"This is… bigger than I thought," Lirien murmured, staring at the glowing signs above each corridor.
"Feels more like a city than a shelter," Nalara added.
"It is a city," Zaruk said. "And for now, it's our home."
Tlandar looked at his father. "How long do you think we'll be down here?"
Zaruk's face was unreadable. "As long as it takes."
Adjusting to the Underground
They reached their assigned living quarters—a small but functional room with reinforced walls, a few bunks, and a central table. It wasn't much, but it was safe.
Kethra sighed as she dropped onto a bed. "So… what now?"
"We adapt," Zaruk said. "We figure out how things work here, get involved, and stay informed. Cosmus won't stop, and we need to be ready for anything."
Tlandar looked around. "I'll explore. See what I can learn."
Seyna nodded. "Be careful, son."
Tlandar stepped out into the corridor, adjusting his jacket as he surveyed the underground city. Holographic signs directed people to different areas—cafeterias, hydroponic gardens, medical stations, and even a holographic theatre where news updates were broadcasted.
A group of engineers passed by, carrying toolboxes. Another group of soldiers stood near a control room entrance, their eyes scanning the civilians. The tension was thick, even here underground.
A New Encounter
As he walked, Tlandar noticed a commotion near the security station. A young woman, wearing a worker's uniform, was arguing with one of the officers.
"I need access to the parts depot," she insisted. "We have machines breaking down in the hydroponic sectors, and if they fail, we lose food production."
The officer frowned. "Only authorized personnel are allowed in the depot. You'll need clearance."
The woman huffed. "And who do I talk to for that? The crops don't care about clearance; they just die."
Tlandar stepped forward. "What's the issue?"
The woman turned to him, her sharp emerald eyes narrowing slightly. "The issue is that these guards are more worried about protocol than keeping the shelter running."
The officer sighed. "Look, kid, this isn't your concern."
Tlandar crossed his arms. "Food supplies seem pretty important to everyone down here. Maybe we should get someone who actually understands that."
The officer glared at him but relented. "Fine. Report to Maintenance Supervisor Talvek. If he clears you, I'll approve access."
The woman smirked. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
She turned to Tlandar. "I'm Saryna. Thanks for the backup."
"Tlandar," he said, shaking her hand. "You work in the gardens?"
"Yeah. Someone's gotta make sure we don't starve," she said. "And it looks like I've got a meeting with Talvek." She glanced at him. "You seem new here. If you want to learn how this place actually runs, come with me."
Tlandar hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Lead the way."
The Underground Saurian Shelter
Before heading to Talvek's office, Saryna led Tlandar through a section of the underground shelter he hadn't seen before. As they turned a corner, the halls opened into a vast subterranean habitat filled with enclosures, housing saurian creatures of different sizes, mostly smaller, horse-sized beasts that had once roamed Val'katl.
Tlandar stopped in his tracks. "Wait… they actually brought them down here?"
Saryna smirked. "Of course. The war didn't just affect us. These creatures would've gone extinct if we hadn't saved them."
Inside one of the enclosures, a sturdy, quadrupedal saurian with thick, muscular legs and a ridged back stomped its foot, snorting as a worker filled its feeding trough. Another pen held smaller, agile raptor-like saurians, their golden eyes tracking the visitors with quiet intelligence. Some winged Saurians, smaller than a man, perched on rocky ledges, their wings stretching under the artificial light.
"These are the Zar'Kael," Saryna explained, leading him past the pens. "They were everywhere in Val'katl. We used them for transport, farming, and even hunting. But now? They're endangered. Only a few hundred of them left."
Tlandar peered into an enclosure where a group of Zar'Kael rested on a raised rock ledge. "So they're like… work animals?"
Saryna nodded. "That's right. We used them as beasts of burden, pulling cargo and equipment. Some were even trained for war—mounts for elite soldiers, armored with reinforced plating. But we also ate them when food was scarce."
Tlandar raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me people used to ride these things into battle?"
Saryna smirked. "Yeah. Not the big ones, though. The war-bred Zar'Kael were smaller, faster—about the size of a horse, with powerful legs built for speed. A rider on a well-trained Zar'Kael could tear through enemy lines like a storm."
Tlandar reached a hand out, and one of the smaller Zar'Kael, a sleek, dark-blue saurian with piercing yellow eyes, sniffed at him before nudging his palm. Its skin was leathery, with small armored ridges along its spine.
Saryna tossed some food pellets into the pen, and the creature snapped them up hungrily. "That one's called Varik. He's smart—one of the best mounts we have."
Tlandar grinned as Varik nudged his hand again. "He's… actually pretty friendly."
"They remember people," Saryna said. "Once a Zar'Kael bonds with you, it's for life."
Dr. Vaelis, the head of the Saurian Preservation Project, approached, adjusting his gloves. "Good to see someone taking an interest. These creatures were once the backbone of our civilization."
Tlandar glanced at him. "Are you planning to keep them here forever?"
Vaelis frowned. "That's the problem. We need to find a way to repopulate them in a safe habitat, but the surface is too dangerous. Some believe there's an abandoned valley outside New Asemeri where they could thrive, but the military won't approve any expeditions."
Saryna scoffed. "Typical. They only care about war, not preservation."
Tlandar stared at Varik, who was now nuzzling against his arm. He felt something click in his mind—a connection, a sense of responsibility.
He turned back to Vaelis. "If I help, could we get the military to listen?"
Vaelis studied him. "You might be able to."
Saryna nudged him with a grin. "Looks like you just found yourself a new mission."
Tlandar exhaled. The war had taken so much, but maybe this was something worth fighting for.
And for the first time since arriving underground, he felt like he belonged.