Atlantis: The Beginning (The Atlantis Saga Book 1) Read online

  ''What does that have to do with me?'', I asked.

  ''I'm getting to it. Anyway, when I first joined the academy, I saw you and recognized you at once, but I wasn't sure. I wondered how you were able to blend in with the humans. That is, until I saw the stone'', he said, pointing at my bracelet.

  ''What are you talking about?'', I asked.

  He ignored my question and continued, ''When I saw the sunstone, I was sure it was you. I sent a message to Aregon that you were in Atlantis. I was ordered to keep an eye on you, till someone from the Imperial Guard arrived''.

  ''What does the stone have to do with anything?'', I asked, puzzled.

  ''Do you remember the most important property of a sunstone?''.

  ''To suppress a vampire?''.

  ''Yes, exactly. You are half vampire, Scarlett'', he said and Alice gasped. I could imagine her shock. He was probably crazy. Me being a vampire was near impossible.

  ''No, I can't be. It's ridiculous''.

  ''Is it? The sunstone has been hiding what you really are'', he said.

  I felt as if the ground was being swept from beneath my feet.

  ''But if I'm a threat, why am I still alive?''.

  ''They need you Alive for some reason'', he replied, thoughtful. ''They are the Imperial Guard. You can never tell what their goal is and where their loyalties lie'', he shrugged.

  ''Do you know who my father is?'', I asked.

  ''Yes, his name is Lucien Ironfang''.

  Alice gasped, ''The Lord of Argent?''.

  I had heard of Lucien Ironfang. He was well known, even in Atlantis.

  ''Yes. The same one''.

  ''Where is he now?'', I asked. I was still trying to take it all in. It all seemed very extraordinary.

  ''He was imprisoned after being convicted of treason'', replied Julian.

  ''Treason?''.

  ''He was convicted because he helped your mother escape. And one more thing'', he continued. ''Never remove that sunstone bracelet from your hand if you value her life'', he warned. ''You won't be able to control yourself. The thirst for blood will overcome every other feeling till you are an emotionless monster''.

  The storm finally began to abate, as the skies started to clear. The sea was peaceful and there was no sign of the sea serpent. The ship sailed under a steady wind. I gazed at the horizon, listening to the waves lapping against the side of the ship, trying to take in what Julian had said. I was a monster.

  ''Alice? Care to share your thoughts?''.

  ''Are you worried about what I think?'', she asked, amused.

  ''Yes, of course. You are my best friend''.

  ''It does not matter what you are, Scar'', she said. ''It is not your fault. You will always be my little sister. I promise you, we will get out of this mess. We might even get a chance to save your parents'', she added.

  ''Thank you, Alice. It means a lot'', I smiled. At least I had Alice on my side.

  ''As long as you don't try to take a bite out of me'', she grinned.

  Suddenly, I heard a grating sound as the ship listed steeply to port side. The crates started sliding over the deck. Deathly silence fell over the crew. I knew what it was.

  ''Not again'', groaned Alice.

  I started struggling against my bonds, but it was of no use. Stonearm rose from his seat and picked up his huge scimitar. The captain started shouting orders. ''GET MOVING, YAH MAGGOT RIDDEN SNOT RAGS! MAN THE BATTLE STATIONS! BRING OUT THE HARPOONS AND LOAD THE BALLISTAE! DOUSE THE SAILS ! ''.

  The crew started running around frantically as a huge serpentine head rose out of the water.

  They dipped the harpoons in tar and lit their tips on fire, before loading them onto the ballistae.

  ''FIRE'', roared Stonearm and the crew started shooting the fiery projectiles at the monster.

  Its head went over the deck and disappeared as it started coiling around the ship. It roared as it appeared again from the other side. As it started tightening its coils, the main mast broke halfway, crashing onto the deck, a few feet from us.

  ''Julian!'', shouted Alice. ''Remove these blasted shackles''.

  ''I'm quite busy here!'', he shouted back, loading one of the cannons.

  Stonearm raised his sword and was about to strike the serpent, but stumbled backwards as the ship tilted again. The sword glanced off its thick hide.

  We pulled against our bonds, but to no avail. The chains were too thick.

  ''Why does this always happen to us'', I moaned.

  ''If I die here, I am coming back to haunt that treacherous, double crossing traitor'', snarled Alice, throwing a murderous glance at Julian.

  The serpent turned its slit eyes on the giant and its head lashed forward. Just when I thought he was going to be swallowed whole, the giant jumped aside at the last moment and it crashed through the deck.

  Stonearm grabbed the chains on his sword and swung the blade above his head, bringing it down in a sudden arc. The blade sliced right through the serpent's scaly hide, separating its head from the rest of the body.

  I winced as the severed stump flew past us into the water, splattering us with green blood from head to toe.

  ''Just when I thought it couldn't get any better'', sputtered Alice.

  I exhaled a sigh of relief. The monster was dead! The crew started cheering.

  The shouts of joy came to an abrupt end when the giant ordered them to pull out the monster's severed head from the gun deck.

  The ship was heavily damaged. The deck had a huge gaping hole and the sails hung uselessly from the broken mast. Without the sails, most of the crew was below decks manning the oars, while the rest tended to the rigging. It was doubtful that the ship would hold much longer.

  It was past sundown, before the atmosphere on the deck turned back to normal. The stars shone overhead, white sprinkles against the black backdrop of the sky. Alice was already asleep. I leaned back against the mast and closed my eyes, letting sleep take me to the world of dreams.

  I woke up with a start as someone shouted from the forecastle. ''Land in sight!''.

  ''Morning, Sleepyhead'', muttered Alice.

  ''Morning'', I replied. ''How long have you been awake?''.

  ''Since the captain woke up'', she sighed. ''Shouting orders every five seconds''.

  ''DROP ANCHOR AND READY THE LONG BOATS! ''.

  Julian started untying our bonds, and once we were free, he led us down to one of the boats. Alistair Talbot was already sitting on it.

  The island was hilly, with dense woodlands. The outer rim was covered with fine, white sand. It was the most beautiful island I had ever seen.

  The crew started making camp at the edge of the forest, near the mouth of a small stream that flowed into the sea.

  Julian tied us to a tree and placed a guard to keep watch over us. I could see the ship anchored at a distance. The crew went about filling the water cans and casks in the stream. It was already getting dark, so they decided to start the repairs after sunrise.

  ''Hey!'', called Alice, motioning at the sentry. But he ignored us completely.

  It was nearly impossible to sleep, leaning against the rough trunk of the tree, and Alice was complaining continuously.

  ''Julian?! I need a tent. How can you expect us to sleep with all these insects crawling over us. If you don't want me to keep you up all night, you better give us a tent!'', she shouted.

  ''Stop shouting Alice, just go to sleep'', sighed Julian, who was sitting nearby on a log.

  I was staring absentmindedly at the sea, pondering about the recent events. Just a few days back, I was a normal teenager at the academy, without any worries. It all seemed ages ago.

  It was a moment before I realized that Alice had stopped complaining. I glanced at her and saw that she was already asleep, snoring peacefully. Typical of Alice. I rolled my eyes and sighed. It was almost an hour before sleep overtook me.

  The repair work for the ship started the next day. Trees were felled to repair the mast and the deck. Some of the c
rew went to gather food. It would probably take a couple of days for the ship to be seaworthy.

  It was almost three days before the repairs were complete. Some of the men who had gone into the forest to hunt had not yet returned. Julian was taking us to the longboats, when one of the men came limping out of the forest, severely wounded.

  ''What happened?'', asked Julian, running towards him.

  ''You have to save them!'', he panted. ''We were attacked. They came out of nowhere. I could not even see them. The others have been captured. I barely escaped with my life'', he said in a quavering voice, before he collapsed on the beach.

  ''Leave them'', said Stonearm. ''We do not have time for stragglers''.

  The captain stepped forward. ''We cannot spare any crew, my lord. The sails won't hold for long. We need the whole crew to man the oars''.

  The giant growled in frustration, ''Take the rest and ready the ship'', he told the captain, before turning to Julian. ''You! Bind the girls and bring them too. I do not want them out of my sight''.

  ''Give me a break'', groaned Alice.

  ''Alistair, can you track them?'', asked Stonearm.

  Alistair Talbot nodded, and our small rescue party set out into the forest. As we ventured deeper into the woods, the trees started getting bigger, towering high over us. The forest was unnaturally beautiful, with colorful orchids that permeated the air with their sweet fragrance.

  Only faint shafts of sunlight pierced through the canopy overhead. Underbrush was scarce, except for clumps of short green grass here and there. A stream gurgled nearby, filling the air with a tinkling sound.

  After walking for several hours, Alistair raised his hand, signaling us to stop.

  ''They were ambushed here'', he said, inspecting the ground. The grass was trampled and smudged with droplets of blood.

  ''This way'', he said, following a scent.

  Finally, after another thirty minutes of walking, we glimpsed a gathering of small huts through a gap in the gigantic trees.

  Suddenly, I heard a faint whistle, just as Alistair reached out, plucking a sleek arrow right out of the air..

  ''This is bad'', whispered Alice, as a dozen women, wearing leather armor, advanced towards us with spears and bows, but they kept their distance, eyeing the giant's sword.

  ''What business do you have on my island?'', demanded a cold voice.

  The warriors parted, making way to a lean, noble looking woman, who I assumed was their leader.

  She was strikingly beautiful, with long, black hair, on which rested a silver tiara, inlaid with sapphires. She wore a blue cloak, fastened at the base of her neck with a brooch, which was shaped like a trident. She carried herself with the grace of a queen. She looked out of place in this secluded jungle.

  ''Who are you?'', asked Alistair Talbot.

  ''I am Calliope. The guardian of this sacred island''.

  ''This island belongs to the Emperor'', growled Stonearm.

  ''Is that so? Let him come to claim it'', answered the woman, looking at him coolly.

  Before the giant could reply, Alistair stepped forward, ''Give back our men and we will be on our way''.

  ''This island is sacred to Lord Triton, the King of the sea. You have defiled it, letting your men spill innocent blood'', she said. ''Your men will be punished accordingly''.

  Suddenly, Alistair Talbot stiffened and deep growls emanated from his throat. There was a terrible snarling noise as tremors passed through his spine and his face elongated into a snout. Dense gray hair started sprouting all over his body, as he began transforming. Julian swore under his breath, pulling us behind a thick oak tree.

  A huge gray werewolf reared in the middle of the clearing, snapping its dagger like jaws. It was almost as big as the huts. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as the beast raised its maw to the sky and howled.

  Everyone except Stonearm and Calliope stepped back in fear. A strange expression of surprise and recognition crossed Calliope's face, before it turned to that of rage.

  Everyone was staring at the beast, transfixed. Suddenly it growled and charged at Calliope, but she stood her ground, glaring angrily at the werewolf.

  Just when the beast was about to pounce, she thrust out her hand and the werewolf was thrown backwards with a tremendous force. It crashed into one of the trees, which broke halfway from its roots under the weight of the gigantic beast.

  ''A werewolf!'', she snarled, her face contorting with fury. ''Leave now, before I change my mind! If you set foot on this island again, I will kill you all!''.

  I felt the raw power rolling off her. Even the giant looked taken aback.

  Calliope gestured at one of the maidens. ''Bring them''.

  She went inside one of the huts and brought out five men bound in ropes, ''Take them and leave''.

  Alistair Talbot had already turned back into his human form. He was glaring at Calliope with both fear and anger. I had never heard of anyone who could stand their ground with the Imperial Guard.

  He stepped forward and cut the ropes binding their hands, ''Let's get out of here''.

  I could feel their eyes watching us as we made our way back towards the ship.

  ''Who was that!?'', whispered Alice, her eyes wide with awe.

  ''Not someone to be trifled with'', I whispered back. ''She is no ordinary Witch''.

  ''Yes. She could've easily killed him, but she let him go''.

  ''She probably did not want any bloodshed on her sacred island'', said Julian.

  Alice looked at me and rolled her eyes.

  ''What is our course, my lord?'', asked the captain, looking at Alistair Talbot. ''We cannot make it to Westerport in this ship, even with the repairs''.

  ''What about Southfay?''.

  ''Too risky, especially in this vessel. Those waters are always infested with pirates. We will be needing a new ship. Our best chance is Beachcastle''.

  ''Beachcastle it is then. I will send a message to Westerport''.

  ''RAISE ANCHOR! HOIST THE CANVAS AND SET SAIL TO BEACHCASTLE! '', shouted the captain.

  The tense mood lightened as the strange island faded from view. Once again, we were chained to the foremast. Even though the ship was repaired, it creaked and groaned, even under light winds.

  ''I hope it will last till we reach the mainland'', said Alice, nervously.

  ''I think I have heard that name somewhere'', I said, deep in thought.

  ''What?'', asked Alice.

  ''Calliope''.

  ''Probably from the old Atlantian myths'', said Julian, who was leaning back on a crate near the foremast.

  ''The legend of the great siblings, Kalypso and Calliope. To make it short, they both wanted to rule the world. They fought against each other, thus starting a war, which came to be known as the Great war of bloodlines. It is said that the war lasted for a hundred years, before they finally ended up killing each other'', he continued.

  ''You think that was her?''.

  ''No'', replied Julian. ''It was thousands of years ago and she is supposed to be dead, killed by her own sister''.

  My curiosity was not yet sated. There was more to that woman than what met the eye. She was very powerful. But I let it drop for now. I had enough things to worry about.

  For the next few days, the weather was peaceful and the sky was clear. With a favorable headwind, we made good progress.

  After almost five days, the mainland came into view. The stone palace of Beachcastle was located at the top of the cliff overlooking the sea, beside which stood a tall lighthouse, sweeping its hazy beam across the gray water. The docks were to the left, below the cliff. Hundreds of ships were moored to the pier.

  The beach city was beautiful, with widely spaced buildings separated by green lawns and gardens. The waterfront was lined with huge watchtowers, connected by a low wall. Armed sentinels patrolled the battlements. Beyond the city, stretched low rolling hills, blanketed with willows and poplars.

  ''RACK THE OARS! DROP ANCHOR AND PREPARE TO M
AKE BERTH!'', shouted the captain.

  ~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

  4. Strangers in Beachcastle

  As we walked to the gates, a man clad in fine clothes walked towards us, followed by several armed guards.

  ''Welcome to Beachcastle, my lords'', he said, bowing his head.

  ''Take us to your king'', demanded Alistair Talbot, stepping forward.

  ''Of course, my lord'', he said, and escorted us inside the walls.

  We headed towards the castle, led by the nobleman and flanked by the guards. The road curved to the right before rising steeply towards the castle. A group of children ran between the houses chasing a cat.

  ''Look at that!'', gaped Alice.

  ''Yeah'', I agreed, staring in awe at the castle. ''It is almost impregnable''.

  The inner walls were almost thirty feet tall, with walkways at the top, on which paced the sentries. There was a loud grating sound as the portcullis began to rise. Behind the portcullis was a set of huge doors, reinforced with steel.

  ''Yes, two fold fortifications. They had to make it that way to protect the city from pirates'', said Julian, who was walking behind us.

  The nobleman led us through long stone walled corridors, until we finally reached a set of huge golden double doors, decorated with intricate designs.

  Two guards stood on either side of the door, wearing silver armor. On their surcoat, was sewed the crest of Beachcastle, two lions holding a shield, which had an anchor painted on it. Both the soldiers were armed with pikes.

  The doors swung open and we entered the throne room. Magnificent white columns rose from the smooth marble floors. At the end of the hallway, was a silver throne on which sat the king of Beachcastle, Dominik Maynard.

  ''Welcome to Beachcastle'', he said, rising from his seat. ''To what do I owe the pleasure of having two members of the Imperial Guard in my palace?''.

  He was tall and handsome, with golden hair and a neat beard. On his head, rested a silver crown, embedded with jewels. He wore a long violet robe over a golden armor.

  ''Our ship was damaged and we won't be able to set sail until a new ship arrives from the base in Westerport. We will be needing accommodations till it arrives'', said Alistair Talbot, giving a slight bow.