DAN DANBY VS THE UNDERTHINGS!

By: Trevor Strong

trevorstrong.org

PROLOGUEDeep down in the belly of the Earth, the Dark Prince trudged up themountain upon his mighty war-toad. He was large, this Dark Prince, and kind of round, and²encased in his thick, black armour²looked like a giant, flightless,four-legged beetle. He turned his gaze to the gloomy army behind him and pulledback hard on the reigns. The war-toad stopped, sat down, and let out adisgusting belch. The Dark Prince raised his arm.³Companies, halt!´ shouted General Greep, the large Troll who was theDark Prince¶s second in command.But with the wheezing of troops and the metal breeches grating moreloudly than corduroy, only the first few rows heard him. They stopped, and were

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promptly knocked over by the still marching troops behind. Soon the whole armylay on the rocky slope like a pile of twitching leaves.³Get them up!´ yelled the Dark Prince.³Companies rise!´ shouted General Greep.The soldiers untangled themselves and, after much muttering, stood at theready for their next command.³Today,´ proclaimed the Dark Prince, ³we take over the world above!´But the Dark Prince¶s voice was muffled by his enormous helmet, and thesoldiers²some of whom could have sworn he¶d said ³Today we make yogurtwith swirls of mud´²muttered even more loudly than before.³Your majesty,´ said the General, ³I don¶t think they heard you.´³Well, they should be better listeners.´³I know, but perhaps, for the sake of expedience, you could repeatyourself slightly louder and raise your mouth-guard a little.´The Dark Prince raised his mouth-guard and cupped his hands. ³I said,today we invade the world above!´ There was no reaction. ³Did you hear me?´³Yes,´ said some soldiers in the front.³Well, how about in the back?´³Yes,´ said some soldiers further back.³Then why didn¶t you cheer? We¶re invading a whole other world today.You should be pretty excited.´There was muttering.

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³I think they want to hear from the King,´ said the General.³Really? Do you want to hear from the King?´ asked the Dark Prince.³Yes!´ shouted the soldiers.³Oh, all right. You shall hear from your King, but keep in mind that he isbarely alive, so you will have to listen very carefully.´General Greep led the feeble King, strapped to a war-toad, up beside theDark Prince.³Oh, King,´ said the Dark Prince, ³do you give your blessing to thisinvasion?´The King¶s lips quivered slightly. ³Yes,´ he said.The army roared.³Then let us now take over the world above!´ The Dark Prince raised hisfist in the air.The army roared again. But soon the roar subsided, replaced by moremuttering.³What¶s the problem now?´ asked the Dark Prince.³Your majesty,´ said General Greep, ³I think they want to know where theyare supposed to go.´³Look above you,´ said the Dark Prince.He did. Directly above, in the roof of the world²the solid layer of rock thatseparates the world below from the world above²was a rectangular hole.