Diversion To Urasha

Every time that her heart beat, Lottie could feel the surges of blood, throbbing and pulsating its way into her frightened little ears. She could hear noise, loud choruses of crowds of people all gathered outside this shabby little room. What was this room? It was about the same size as the Earthship’s communal area. Yet it was dark, muddy and damp. The furnishings were all carved into the simplest, most basic of shapes.

Lottie felt the cold black bar of the cage which captured her. She looked over to Lisa and Karl. They were trapped in the cage with her. Karl was completely calm. Lottie began to wonder if anything ever got to that man. Lisa looked more angry than worried. Lottie herself? She was absolutely terrified, but she wasn’t prepared to show it.

Lottie squeezed at the cage bar, wondering how long she would be trapped here for. Something was definitely going on outside, something big. Had the others returned? Was the king acting out his sick, twisted plan of revenge now? Lottie felt sick. What did his plan entail? The truth was, Lottie could just about handle something terrible happening to her. She could handle being fed to, and then eaten alive by some Urashan monster out there in front of all those people. But something happening to James, something bad. Lottie could not bear it.

Interrupting her thoughts, Lottie heard commotion sounding from the little corridor which led to this awful room. Then, only moments later, Phil and Zach emerged, each of them being manhandled by several strong looking Urashan guards. Oh no, Lottie thought to herself, where was James?

With futile attempts, both Zach and Phil fought against the guards, fruitlessly failing to escape from their mean menacing grasp. Eventually, the two humans were both thrown into the cage to join their companions.

“Phil! Zach!” Lisa exclaimed, relieved to see two of her loyal comrades at least. “Where’s James?”

“I don’t know,” Phil croaked. “The bastards had us surrounded. Then they just...they knocked James out, me and Zach too.”

“James is alive?” Lottie croaked.

Phil turned to Lottie. “Yeah. He’s alive, Lottie. I promise.”

“He came back to the city with us,” Zach added. “But then we all got knocked out and separated. Maybe they’re bringing James in now.”

Lisa shook her head doubtfully. “I don’t know about that,” she said.

“What do you mean?” asked Phil, the concern stretching out all over his sweating face.

“They’re up to something.”

“You don’t say!”

“No, I mean they’re really up to something, Phil. They’ve been plotting against us this whole time. Lottie and I heard them. We heard the king talking about revenge. What if it’s to do with James? This place? I don’t even know what it is.”

“I do,” Phil grunted. “It’s the Urashan Stadium, the place they all go to watch the planet’s biggest events.”

Crystaline stood in the stadium’s royal balcony, watching as the vast crowds of people filled up the many thousands of seats. Crystaline looked up towards the Urashan sun, feeling the cool breeze brushing through her black hood. This new hood was a comforting addition to her tight black suit. Why? Crystaline did not quite understand why. Perhaps it was because it kept her warm? Or perhaps it just helped to hide her anguished face from everyone else.

Crystaline sighed a heavy sigh. Her people had no idea what was coming, what she and her father had planned. Crystaline winced - what she had planned...plotted, concocted. What did that make her? Evil, that was what.

As the sun’s silver rays sent shimmering sparkles of light onto Crystaline’s little silver nose stud, she felt a soft gentle hand resting on her shoulder.

“Crystaline?” Crystanaphy’s voice sounded. “What went on out there?”

Crystaline turned to face her auntie, her face etched with so much pain and guilt. She couldn’t speak a single word.

“Crystaline? Something’s changed. You should speak with him. Tell him that this is all...” Crystanaphy could not let her words carry on, for the very man she was speaking of walked onto the balcony.

“Ah!” the king beamed. “My two favourite ladies! I’ve been notified that everything is all set up, so, we can execute our plan. Everything is good to go.”

“Cryston, are you sure?”

“Sure? Crystanaphy? We’ve waited so long for this day. Of course, I’m sure. Get you and Crystaline down to the stadium stage. It’s time this show begun.”

Lottie gripped on tightly to the bars of the very cage which held her. The thing was moving now, being wheeled along the floor by four mean Urashan guards.

Lottie closed her eyes, shuddering at the very sound of the crowds, getting louder and louder, until Lottie knew that she was out there, in the open air, surrounded by all those people. The timid young woman forced her eyelids open, unveiling to her eyes the intimidating sight of the crowd of thousands all seated around her. This place...it was huge! Like a football stadium, only bigger! Other than the vast crowds of Urashans, what struck Lottie the most about this place was not its sheer massive size, but instead, its technology. This Urashan stadium was advanced, way more technologically advanced than the rest of the planet. There were huge screens and speakers. Ones which put the Earth’s stadium screens to shame. How? Lottie couldn’t help but think. The rest of the planet, it had just seemed so behind?

Lottie gave another little shudder, her thoughts returning to the current situation at hand. As the cage thunked down underneath her, Lottie took note of the circular, sandy purple floor beneath the cage’s wheels. She noticed what appeared to be several poles, tall black poles which rose up from the round stage.

As Lottie’s glasses covered eyes focused on the open space in front of her, she noticed what she could only assume was a display of some kind. It looked like a table, covered in violet velvet. Right in the very centre of the display, Lottie could just about make out something blue.

Distracting her curious, frightened little eyes from the display, Lottie heard the thousands of gasps from the people sat all around her. When she turned her head around to see what had caused these noises of astonishment, Lottie was shocked to witness Crystos, being manhandled by not one, not two, but three Urashan guards. After much struggling, the guards eventually managed to tie an angry looking prince to one of the black poles beside the human cage. With his hands now tied behind his back, Crystos could only watch on, just like Lottie and the rest of her comrades.

“Crystos!” Phil’s desperate voice called out, endeavouring to reach him through the overbearing sounds of people. “Crystos! What’s going on? Where’s James? What have you done with him?”

Crystos’ head slowly turned to Phil, his eyes saddened by the turmoil inside him. He remained silent. For he did not even need to answer Phil’s question.

The crowds raised their voices once again, as James was brought out to centre stage.