The perspective you have chosen here allows for so much reflection and possibility. The detached observer, watching humanity grow, and the idea of the races growing up alongside each other. The peaceful Voltons trapped on the inside, unable to walk the earth, watching the varied motivates of humanity coming into its own. They must have been through a whole host of joy and frustration, only able to watch. The diversity of the Voltons is enchanting, the divisions between them, that are able to remain harmonious - or until now. It almost feels like the pollution of humanity seeped beyond the lava, a race that had been there before us, and could easily out last us, has both been tainted by us - in the risk of dissension in disobedience, but also, in the risk of oneself, to save another, inspired by us. There is a fine line of morality in the fantastical here that i love. And yet equally, this isn’t a heavy story teaching a lesson, this is a light fun tale, of tiny aliens at the centre of the earth, offering a very little hand, that would make an amazing longer story. I would have loved a hint of the impact of bringing people back, but equally, this makes for a good place to stop, leaving me wondering…. Did they get forgiveness…? How did humanity effect their society? Very well told, like a luxury chocolate, I may want more but what there is exquisite! <3