A rewrite of Tales of the Eternals Chapter 2. This one was a challenge to write back in the day, however this re-write mostly went smoothly. I've really enjoyed coming back to this and adding more, polishing details and removing fluff. I hope this story reads far more better.

The original can be found here

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Tales of the Eternals Chapter 2: The Ship

Shern’aath gaped at the creature called Altallo.
“How…how can you speak? You’re not a dagger-claw like me, you’re…you’re a…what are you?” he asked, scratching his head in thought.
“I can speak your language because I’ve run a simple biological scan over your body,” replied Altallo holding up his hand and showing it to Shern’aath. “It means I looked at your mind and now you understand everything I say and I understand everything you say.” he added after noticing Shern’aath still looking confused.
“Oh…wait, you still haven’t told me what you are. And why you’re covered in these,” he pulled at one of the strange gold coloured cloths that covers Altallo’s body.
“Well you see I am from a species called-“Altallo began, but his voice is drowned out by a loud roar which seemed to make the whole forest shudder.
“That was nearby!” Shern’aath whispered, just as they felt a hushed silence across the river and nearby trees, as though the whole world was now holding its breath. Then they heard a nearby tremor.
“And something very big,” added Altallo. “Come on, leave-“
He is cut off by another deafening roar! From out of the trees in beside them burst out a monstrous head, yellow eyes fixed on them and a gigantic drooling mouth full of sharp deadly teeth. Shern’aath could only stare in horror, transfixed. This was a knife-tooth, a lethal predator and invincible to anything. Shern’aath suddenly felt himself flying!
“Hurry!” cried Altallo, who had grabbed Shern’aath and thrown him out of harm’s way, just as the mouth of the monster had snapped shut where Shern’aath had been seconds before! Now Altallo was running, still holding Shern’aath’s hand. Shern’aath finally found his feet and tore after Altallo. They darted among trees and undergrowth like phantoms.


“Do you think we lost it?” Shern’aath asked, just as they heard another roar and saw the knife-tooth chasing them on two sturdy legs with clawed feet. It had two arms which are strangely tiny. Its body is covered by thick grey scales.
“No, keep running!” Altallo replies. “Let’s try and loose her through here.”
They dive into some deeper undergrowth between two sturdy trees. Behind them they hear an enraged roar and the sound of pounding feet fading away.
“Finally, I think we’re safe.” gasped Shern’aath as he took deep breaths.
Altallo meanwhile who did not look tired at all, was peering through the bushes with a thoughtful looked. Shern’aath was unnerved by how still he seemed. He didn’t look like he was breathing at all.
“No we’re not she’s trying to find a way around us. She must be desperate for food, they usually aren’t this tenacious I know somewhere safe, follow me.” He said.
“Wait a moment, how do you know that its a she? And where are we going?” Shern’aath panted. On one of his feet a large sickle shaped claw claw started to twitch with agitation.
“Females of that species are a lot bigger than males. I’ve studied them for a while now, magnificent creatures.” Altallo replied matter of factly as he pushed through the undergrowth. “And I was trying to go back to my ship, the place where I live.”
“You mean that big rock out near the nests? That thing isn’t big enough to fit us both in-“
“Never judge by what something looks like” Altallo replied sharply, interrupting Shern’aath, then noticing the dagger-claw’s hurt expression he went on, in a much more gentle voice “I’m sorry. I promise I’ll explain everything soon, but right now I'd rather not end up as dinner.”
Shern’aath nodded and then follows the little being through the undergrowth. Up in the canopy they could hear the noises and songs of small forest-dwelling creatures. Sunlight filtered through the leaves casting odd patches of light across the forest floor; larger patches created by spiky monkey-puzzles and smaller more fluid ones caused by broadleaved conifers and ginkgoes. It was so quiet, but to Shern’aath the forest felt as though it was closing around them, every tree loomed in, cornering them. Then, they heard a distant, echoing roar.
“There it is again!” Shern’aath hissed and grabbed Altallo’s shoulder again.
“Keep calm” the little creature whispered, his voice level and quiet. Glancing up at him, Shern’aath notices Altallo’s face showed no sign of fear at all. “Its further away this time. We’re nearly to my ship. Keep calm and keep moving; we’ll be harder to track.”
Shern’aath was impressed by this. Altallo moved like a seasoned hunter despite his rather soft appearance.


After more trekking through undergrowth, they soon come across the open, rocky hillside and the nests of the flying creatures. They spotted the large boulder up ahead of them.
“We’re almost there,” says Shern’aath looking around “It’s all clear!” he cried out and confidently steps out of the cover of the trees…just as a giant familiar face appeared out of the forest a few meters away; the monster! She cocked her head, nostrils flaring as it spots Shern’aath. With a roar, she charged.

“Quickly!” yelled Altallo in alarm, grabbing Shern’aath’s arm again and running up the steep slope. The flyers took to the air in fright and confusion. The monster struggled up the hills, her feet gripping the rock, but her tiny arms scrabble feebly, barely able to haul herself up. She snapped her jaws at them, stretching her neck to try and catch them. Shern’aath jabbed his spear at the monstrous head and the monster yelped of pain as the spearhead made contact with the side of her face.
“We’re trapped!” Shern’aath yelled.
Altallo meanwhile pressed his hand against the boulders surface. From his palm a series of intricate, luminous turquoise lines spread across the whole of the rocky surface, then disappear as a bright light engulfed the boulder, which caused both the monster and Shern’aath to look around in bewilderment.
“Get in!” Altallo shouted at the stunned Shern’aath and dragged him into the light.
As soon as the two had dived inside, the light disappeared. The lines reappeared quickly and then vanished. The boulder stood, dull and unremarkable once again. The monster blinked in confusion, before a flyer swoops down and tries to peck at her eyes. She roars and snapped at the flyers, who continue to soar and swoop around her, driving her from their nest. Soon she slunk away back to the forest, looking rather defeated. She would have to find new prey.


Shern’aath sighed deeply and closed his eyes.
“That was a narrow escape, I’m so glad you decided to bring us here-“he abruptly fell silent and his mouth fell wide open. His spear dropped to the floor with a clatter. He had just registered where he was.
He was standing a large circular room, with walls made of dark blue crystal and a huge column in the centre. Around the base of the column is a large basin, full of a strange turquoise light that shone all over the walls. The column reached the ceiling with a large circle which looked as though it were made of different coloured pieces of glass in an abstract pattern surrounding it. He also noticed turquoise lines along the column like blood vessels, running from the column over the ceiling and walls, the exact shade and colour of the light. A huge doorway stood at the end of the room, with ornate carvings in every hue and colour in abstract shapes across it and the frame. The whole room smelled like fresh air and there was a strange sort of weightless atmosphere, with the only sound being a gentle rhythmic hum.

Standing nearby the basin was Altallo, calmly looking into its depths, the turquoise light eerily illuminating his face.
“Well that animal has just walked back to the forest and we’re all in one piece. I should think we were lucky and—what is wrong?” he asked. Shern’aath, had been standing stock still, mouth wide open and arms hanging by his sides.
Curiously, Altallo sidled up to Shern’aath, who was still staring gormless at the column and basin. Altallo placed a hand on his jaw and gently closed his mouth. Altallo looked satisfied and removed his hand, but as soon as he does, Shern’aath’s jaw droped wide open again. Altallo then waved his hand in front of Shern’aath’s eyes and then poked him in the chest.
“W-what?” Shern’aath was still dazed. He then shook his head. “Where am I?!”
“Don’t be scared! You’re safe. This is the ship I told you about, it’s my home,” Altallo calmly replied. “What do you think of it?”


Shern’aath walked over to the basin and looks into its depths. Inside was bright turquoise liquid, rippling and swirling gently, causing the blue light across the walls.
“What is this stuff?” he asked, scooping up some of the liquid, which formed into a perfect sphere in his hand. It felt light as a feather and cool to the touch. For a moment it stayed perfectly still and then slid over and between his fingers back into the basin as if it had an intelligence.
“It’s the power core of my ship. It only recognises my touch, so it’s not responding to you,” Altallo explained. “I remember you asked what I am, is that right?”
“Erm yes…I think I did…” said Shern’aath confused and slightly embarrassed. The knife-tooth chase had driven all other thoughts from his mind. “I forgot.”
“That’s perfectly fine,” Altallo said and for the first time he smiled. His face became warmer looking and kinder. Shern’aath thought that Altallo looked rather graceful, if a bit odd. “Well, I am an Eternal.”
“What’s an Eternal?” asked Shern’aath. “Are you predator or prey? You don’t look like either. And what is that thing on your head?”
To the dagger-claw’s astonishment, Altallo took off the golden object on his head, revealing more red-brown hair.
“Eternals neither prey on other creatures, nor do we let ourselves fall prey to anything. We don’t live here on this land, or on this world. This is my headdress,” He handed the object to Shern’aath. “I fashioned it myself. I wear it to show I’m an ambassador, a bringer of peace and builder of bridge between peoples. At least when I find creatures with enough intelligence to talk to, so far you’re the first I’ve ever encountered.”
Shern’aath started to sniff it. It was hollow inside and surprisingly very light in his hands.
“You said you don’t come from this world?” he asked frowning. “But there is only the world, from the seas to the West and East…unless if you came from the Sun or the moon.”
“Not quite. You see the lights in the sky? Each one of those is a sun and there are worlds like this one revolving around its sun. Some have things living on them, some don’t. Simple?”
Shern’aath stared at Altallo in disbelief and shook his head.
“Oh,” said Altallo looking as though he had been slapped across the face. “Um…well I guess its difficult to take in for some people. Well anyway, I don’t come from here; I come from a very long way from here.”
“And why are you here?” asked Shern’aath as he wound the feather on Altallo’s headdress through his fingers. It wasn’t like any animal’s he had seen, it didn’t feel real and organic. It was soft to the touch, yet it felt too perfect, too seamless to be natural.
“Come with me and I’ll show you,” said Altallo, pointing towards the doorway.
Shern’aath hesitates, staring at the doorway, his back arched slightly. Altallo places a warm hand on Shern’aath’s, which causes him to jump.
“I promise you, no harm will befall you in here,” He whispered kindly. “Though I would ask you not to break anything or harm anything living.”
Without a hesitation, Shern’aath followed, still carrying Altallo’s headdress. They walked through a long, bright, white-coloured corridor. Everything; the floors, walls and ceiling was made of some sort of white smooth stone. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the corridor he noticed tiny lines of flashing colour in the stone. They looked like veins running through a body.
Altallo had walked on through the corridor to the end and had opened another door merely with a touch of his hand.
“What is this place?” the Shern’aath asked as he followed Altallo.
“It’s a decontamination chamber. It kills off any parasites or diseases that pass through it, otherwise it might be dangerous for anything that lives inside here.” Altallo replied matter of factly, pointing into another room.
Shern’aath stepped in and gasped. The next room was huge with a high clear ceiling that shone bright like a clear blue sky. Below lay a huge complex of raised platforms covered in plants surrounding a central lawn criss crossed with stone pathways. Some held a variety of species, while others were dedicated to just one. Altallo lead Shern’aath down a set of steps made from solid stone. Dotted around here and there on the lawn area and paths between the platforms were seats and statues. As they passed one of these statues to the nearest raised platform, Shern’aath took a closer look at it. It didn’t seem to resemble anything, nor did any of the others he could see in the distance. However they all suggested some sort of abstract movement. They were all taller than an average dagger-claw and came in a variety of bright, often contrasting colours. The effect was somewhat overwhelming but interesting.
In the nearest platform, Shern’aath noticed a small stream twisting around the trees and even a few stones and rocks scattered around the leaf-strewn earth. It looked just like the forest outside in miniature. There were graceful ginkgoes with fan shaped leaves, the recognisable yellow seed pod surrounded by tough leaves of cycads and spiky monkey-puzzles and conifers. All around these tall plants were scatterings of ferns and bushes.
Further on there were other patches of plants from more specific environments. In a big water filled trench grew the tangled roots of mangroves and in a somewhat barren looking bed full of rocks there tiny moss and lichen. Embedded in one walls was an enormous strange window full of water and aquatic plants growing within.
“Why are there all these plants here?” Shern’aath asked as he bent down to examine various fungi and moss growing on a fallen log.
“It’s all part of why am I here on this world. You see on my world, my original home, there are no plants.” Altallo explained. He sat down on a bench beneath a ginkgo and invited Shern’aath to sit next to him. “There are no native animals either, except us Eternals and our visitors. It’s a desolate and lonely world and we want to see it alive again. We imagined a place where all life can be preserved, to be observed and learned from. So we’ve left it and flew in ships like these to gather and learn about what lives on other worlds.”
“How many of you are there? And you have siblings? Do you have a brood mother and father who hatched you from eggs?”
Altallo frowned at all these questions and then his eyes brightened in recognition.
“It doesn’t work quite like that. We have no biological parents. From the moment we were aware, there was only us. But I do remember someone looking at me and speaking…” Altallo looked off to the middle distance, lost in old memories. Shern’aath was unnerved at how still Altallo was. Then the little creature abruptly shook his head and continued as if nothing had happened. “There are the Xaryuan though, they arrived to our home a long time ago looking for a place to stay, so we offered to share our world with them. They look a bit like me but taller and with silvery skin.”
The dagger-claw scratched his head as he tried to digest all of this. Silver skinned giants? Strange voices? It wasn’t adding up to him and so he pressed for more information.
“And so these tall things, are there any here?” he asked, looking around, as though hoping to see one stride out.
“No, some live on our home, the others.” Once again Altallo stopped mid sentence and looked out into the distance. After a pause he rather ashamedly admitted “I can’t remember. It’s been so long ago.”
“Did they go somewhere else?” Shern’aath suggested, trying to be helpful.
“Maybe,” Altallo replied. “I’m sure I’ll remember sometime. But for now I have more of the ship to show you.”


He gets up and lead Shern’aath through the plant chamber. There was so much to see that Shern’aath didn’t know where to look. From towering trees to deserts full of colours. They eventually reach another ‘decontamination’ chambers as Altallo put it which then lead out to another chamber.
This one was even larger than the previous. The two emerged onto a stone platform, with ramp leading downwards to the floor below. The room almost looked like it could be outside. Its floor was covered in earth and ferns and there were dense patches of trees separated by open plains. The ceiling was similar to the previous room, clear and held up by sturdy stone pillars, with ornate abstract patterns. The most amazing feature though was the animals. The whole room felt alive; herds of Horn heads (what people would later name ceratopsians such as Triceratops), a few armoured four legged beasts with clubbed tails gathered (known to Shern’aath as bone-breakers, but known to humans as nodosaurs and ankylosaurs) around pools and artificial rivers, small groups of two legged creatures with thick bony heads, herds of large herbivores of all kinds; some with flat beaks, others with strange crests. Among their feet, smaller bipedal herbivores with short arms scampering around the undergrowth. High above were several holes in the pillars supporting the ceiling, came the chirruping of small flyers which would occasionally swoop in or out from as they fed on insects. They descend down the ramp and onto the earthy lower level. Shern’aath smelled the air, thick with the scent of so many animals, yet it was just as fresh and breezy like the outside. Altallo meanwhile walked up of a creature, one with a rounded crest and long snout, what people in the future would recognise as a Corythosaurus. The beast looked up and yet it didn’t seem scared or alarmed at his presence. Altallo extended a hand towards it. The creature sniffed it and then started rubbing its face against the Eternal’s hand.
Shern’aath joined Altallo shortly, staring in disbelief at the creature. “I’ve never seen one of those grazers act like that before…they’re usually very timid.”
“The inside of this ship is an aurora, a sort of air or sound than calms the animals. They have simple minds and it works without hurting them.” Altallo explained. “I can also effect wild animals to an extent, but of course not all the time if they’re hungry enough like that carnivore we fled earlier.”
As if to reinforce this, the creature glanced at Shern’aath before turning away and resuming its grazing. Shern’aath thought it was a very beautiful creature. He had sadly never seen one up close before, except when it had been killed and cooked for the rest of his tribe. But in life, he admired its colourful crest and body and when it called to the rest of its herd, its cry was both haunting and beautiful.
Shern’aath and Altallo spent several hours in this chamber. Altallo gave the dagger-claw a tour of each of the areas inside and described many of the creatures. Some Shern’aath knew about, others were familiar yet different. Altallo had explained they were from different parts of the world or even from a time long since past. Shern’aath’s eye was drawn to some strange beasts with plates along their backs and spikes running down their tails. Outside of Altallo’s ship, these creatures, the stegosaurs, had become extinct long ago. Shern’aath’s earliest ancestors would have certainly encountered them during their decline. At the far end of the massive chamber, when they had eventually reached it, they sat down on stone steps leading to the next chamber. It was calming watching the animals grazing or simply relaxing in shade.


The next chamber they entered seemed smaller at first. It was a narrow corridor which widened out into a circular lower basin. Another corridor carried on beyond the basin. The whole chamber was made of a smooth dark green stone with rippling patterns.
Lining the walls were arch shaped windows with intricate coloured carvings around their arches in delicate colours. Shern’aath peered into one of them. He could see a flowered bush inside with colourful butterflies, like the ones he had seen Altallo carrying earlier. In others there were beetles, spiders, scorpions, lizards, frogs, newts and salamanders. There were even small furry creatures which Shern’aath recognised instantly. His people saw them as little more than snacks. Seeing them up close and alive was an unusual experience. They were oddly rather cute.
“I still don’t understand why you need all this.” Shern’aath said. “Oh and…here you might want this back” he adds, holding out Altallo’s headdress.
Altallo smiled as he took it and placed it back on his head. Shern’aath thought it looked very good on him, but that he looked better without it.
“We need a variety of animals and plants to create a stable system, so nothing starves or becomes overpopulated. Without these small creatures, the larger ones couldn’t survive either. Its the same with plants which creates a-”
“Web of Life?” Shern’aath ventured. Altallo stops and looks at him.
“You know about ecological cycles?”
“I think I know what you mean, but we call it a web of life where everything is connected and depends on each other. My father taught me about it, or at least he tried to. I’m not very good at remembering my lessons.” Shern’aath admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
“What is this ‘father’?”
Once again Shern’aath was confused by Altallo. For all the otherworldly power he seemed to have huge gaps in his knowledge. In a way it was rather sad, he thought. What sort of a world has no families?
“He is...how do I describe this?” Shern’aath muttered to himself. He noticed strange rippling movements out of the corner of his eye. Another archway led beyond with a beautiful deep blue light shining through it.
“What’s through there?” he asked
Altallo was taken aback by this sudden shift. “That is where I keep the creatures that live underwater.”
Intrigued, Shern’aath said he wanted to see more. Altallo frowned, but followed. He had the nagging feeling that Shern’aath was embarrassed about whatever a ‘father’ was.

The next chamber was even larger than the last two and certainly the most beautiful Shern’aath thought. It was made of blue stone, engraved with pale ripples. In front of them was a large clear container full of murky water. There were floating platforms, plants, logs and rocks within. Swimming within were fish of varying sizes, from tiny jewel bright ones to large slow moving ones in dull silvers and browns. Shern’aath recognised the latter, since his tribe often fished them for food. Among the fish were turtles also. Some sunbathed on the platforms while others foraged below.
All around the walls were more clear windows full of water, with beautiful abstract carvings around their bases and arches. Inside were a bewildering array of fish, coral, sea stars, bivalves, crustaceans and algae. There were so many strange shapes and every colour. Shern’aath had no idea where to look first.
And then he saw it. Behind the exhibit of turtles were two much larger tanks.. They were much deeper than the previous one and mostly bare at the bottom save for a few rocky outcrops and coral. Swimming in them were creatures he thought only existed in campfire stories.
In one tank were five huge creatures with long tails that ended in a paddle. In contrast their bodies were stout with four flippers, but they all had a long snout with sharp teeth. Shern’aath’s people regarded these creatures as monsters. Millennia later they would be given a name, Mosasaurs. They were patrolling in and around a rocky archway in their container, occasionally coming up to the surface for air. The only other animals in with them were a few miniscule fish swimming around the rocks, which were much too small to be their prey.
The other contained a group of massive creatures with long necks, small heads and sleek bodies with four flippers and a small tail. They swam as a group, each co-ordinated with the other’s movements like a dance. They too sometimes swam up to the surface to breathe. Living alongside them was a pair of huge turtles, dwarfing the ones in the other tank. They were slow compared to the long necks, content on swimming around a growth of water plants. Amongst these giants were smaller Mosasaurs, which were harmless to the larger creatures, but would be prey to their larger relatives.
Shern’aath walked up close to the container and placed his hand against the glass pane. He felt utterly tiny in comparison, especially when one of the massive turtles swam past.


Altallo had been examining some of the other exhibits. Seeing Shern’aath staring entranced at the massive tanks, Altallo walked over and sat next to him. There was silence between them, they just watched the animals and breathed in the atmosphere. Shern’aath could not help taking the occasional glance at Altallo. He was starting to feel comfortable around Altallo despite his oddities.

The two retraced their steps back to the plant chamber. After the darkness of the previous chambers, Shern’aath had to get used to the bright sunlight again. Halfway down the plant chamber, he noticed an inconspicuous door set into the wall and obscured by creeping vines. He pointed this out to Altallo who placed his hand and lead him inside. Once again Shern’aath found himself in darkness. The whole chamber was dim and constructed out of a smooth, solid black material. Patches of light illuminated a variety of cabinets, some small and perched on pedestals, others large and on low raised plinths. Shern’aath was at first eager to see what was within, but was disappointed to find random lumps of rock, earth and minerals. A few looked interesting, like some of the gemstones, but most seemed ordinary and ubiquitous.
“I need to catalogue all the mineral and soil types I come across to replicate it for the other chambers if needed,” Altallo explained. “The large containers are for any artefacts I come across. If nobody is using them of course.”
“Maybe you can find some things in my encampment?” Shern’aath suggested “I’ll be happy to take you there, but you must be careful, I don’t think they’d take well to some strange thing walking into their home.”
“I understand, I will keep myself inconspicuous then,” Altallo replied as he lead the way out of the dark chamber, the door slid back shut behind them. “I’m looking forward to seeing your settlement.”
“Why?” Shern’aath asked. “Our encampment is so tedious. All the others talk about is hunting and competing to bring down the biggest kill.”
“Regardless, it will be the first of my cultural studies and I won’t waste this opportunity,” Altallo said determinately. Shern’aath shrugged and followed him back to the ‘flight cabin’ as Altallo called it.


The two stepped out of the ship, back onto soil and rock to the cries of the nearby flyers. Shern’aath looked around still alert.
“No sign of danger.” he said before beckoning Altallo out of the ship. He lead the way down from the cliffs and back into the forest.
Shern’aath again couldn’t stop glancing at Altallo as they pushed their way through the undergrowth. The little creature still looked out of place amongst the wilderness and yet the dagger-claw was still glad that he had met him. Little did Shern’aath know was that what started off as a strange detour on a regular hunting trip was just the beginning of something so much greater.