Atlantis: The Beginning (The Atlantis Saga Book 1) Page 7

  ''Yes, of course. I will have someone escort you to your quarters''.

  Stonearm gestured at one of the guards. ''Lock them in the dungeons'', he said, pointing at us.

  ''Really? The dungeons?'', sighed Alice, rolling her eyes.

  ''No need for that'', interrupted the king. ''There are no dungeons in my castle. They will be given proper accommodations as long as they are here. No one can escape this castle. You can set them free''.

  Stonearm looked annoyed, but he did not press any further.

  Alistair Talbot bowed stiffly before turning his back to the king.

  ''Don't try to escape'', he warned, glaring at us. ''Or you are going to regret it later''.

  A couple of servants came forward and escorted us to the southern part of the castle, where we were given a room. It was very comfortable with two soft beds in the corner and a window overlooking the sea.

  ''At least the King of Beachcastle has some courtesy'', said Alice.

  I nodded in agreement. ''He seems kind''.

  ''Lock them in the dungeons'', mocked Alice, imitating Stonearm and we started laughing. It felt good to be free, even if it was for a few days.

  ''It has been so long since I slept in a proper bed'', sighed Alice.

  ''Yeah'', I agreed, snuggling under the soft blankets.

  For the first time since our capture, we did not have guards behind us, though Julian was sent to check on us now and then.

  We were allowed to go anywhere in the castle, except the grounds. We spent most of our time roaming along the empty passageways.

  ''Alice, if we ever get a chance to escape, you have to return to Atlantis without me'', I said looking at her. ''I have to find a way to rescue my parents''.

  ''I am not going to leave now, after all we have been through. Anyway, I do not have anyone in Atlantis. You are my only family. I will help you free your parents'', she replied. ''Besides you will need someone to watch your back, so that you don't do anything stupid'', she winked.

  ''Thank you'', I whispered, throwing my arms around her.

  ''That is what sisters are for'', she replied, patting my back.

  ''Come, let's go'', she said, as I pulled away. ''We still have to check out the lower levels''.

  I could always count on Alice. She never let me down, no matter how difficult the situation.

  We were walking along one of the corridors, when my eyes fell upon a young girl standing near the stairs. She was probably a couple of years younger than us. She looked lovely, with golden hair that shimmered in the light and bright green eyes.

  She almost jumped in fright when she heard our footsteps, but relaxed when she saw our faces. She was wearing a makeshift armor over a dress.

  ''Oh, it's you two'', she sighed, relieved.

  ''Who are you?'', I asked, smiling at her.

  ''I'm the Princess'', she replied, as if that should have been obvious.

  ''What is your name?'', I asked.

  ''Christine Maynard, you can call me Chrissy'', she replied.

  ''Nice to meet you Chrissy'', I said. ''I am Scarlett and this is Alice''.

  ''You two are hunters'', she gasped, ogling at our marks. ''I always wanted to meet a hunter. I want to cross swords with you sometime'', she said, giving us a toothy grin.

  ''Do you know how to hold a blade?'', Alice asked, looking at her.

  ''Yes, of course'', she replied, looking offended. ''Come with me'', she added, leading us down a set of stairs into what appeared to be a basement.

  It was quite big, but it was empty except for some damaged wooden dummies. There were some old swords on a table beside the wall.

  ''My father doesn't want me to be a warrior, since my mother died in war. He says it is too dangerous. So I sneak down here sometimes to learn by myself. My brother Luke and I used to practice every day. He taught me everything he knew about sword fighting'', she said, with a sad expression on her face.

  ''I'm sorry'', I said.

  ''Where is he now?'', asked Alice.

  ''He was summoned to Aregon, two years ago. He has not returned since. I wonder if I will ever see him again'', she said, her eyes welling up. ''I have lost almost everyone''.

  ''Hey, it's alright. You will see your brother again'', I said, patting her shoulder.

  I suddenly jolted upright in my bed. My heart was pounding and my forehead was covered with beads of sweat.

  I had the same nightmare again. The one with the huge black wolf, but this time there was another creature standing at the end of the hallway. It was huge, with leathery, bat like wings and sharp claws.

  I looked over at Alice. She was sound asleep. Moonlight filtered through the windows, throwing a soft light across the room. I closed my eyes and mulled over the details of my nightmare. The black beast was definitely a werewolf, but the other one was different. It had looked more like a huge bat.

  I felt a little better when I woke up. We dressed up and went down for breakfast.

  We were sitting on one of the benches in the kitchen when Alice nudged me and pointed at the door, ''The traitor is looking for us''.

  I looked up and saw Julian at the doorway. He was glancing around the kitchen. When his eyes fell on us, he waved and walked towards our table.

  ''I hope you two are enjoying Beachcastle. I don't think you will have much freedom when you are back on the ship'', he smirked, picking an apple from the bowl. ''Hmm, this is quite tasty'', he said, taking a bite.

  He glanced over his shoulder. After making sure that no one would be able to hear us, he lowered his head and whispered, ''The reason I came here is, I overheard something important concerning you, Scarlett. It looks like the Empire is on the verge of a civil war. The Wolf King Hector Talbot is planning a coup d'etat. He has already sent his packs to capture the small towns around Lycaonia. Even the Imperial Guard has split up. The Emperor had sent Stonearm and Alistair Talbot to kill you, but it seems like they had their own plans. They want to keep you alive since you are their greatest weapon against Viktor. I think they are taking you to Lycaonia'', he said. My eyes widened as realization dropped on me.

  He continued, ''The Wolf King cannot defeat the Emperor all by himself. He needs all the help he can get. Who better than the girl destined to bring about the Viktor's downfall''.

  ''If the Emperor comes to know that you are still alive, he will surely send more soldiers after you. He might send another member of the Imperial Guard itself. The safest place for you is with the Wolf Lord and the giant, because they want you alive''.

  ''Thank you'', I replied.

  ''Why would you give us this information?'', asked Alice, eyeing him suspiciously.

  ''So that you won't do anything that you will come to regret later'', he said, before walking away.

  ''At least now we know why you are still alive'', said Alice, looking at me.

  ''It doesn't make me feel any better'', I grimaced.

  We headed towards the basement, brooding over what Julian had said. I was in a dilemma. If we escaped, we would probably get captured by the Empire. On the other hand if we stayed, it would be a long time before I could rescue my parents.

  ''I still don't know how I am supposed to defeat the Emperor. He is hundred times more powerful than me. I cannot even hope to defeat Julian''.

  Alice shrugged. ''If only you could control your dark side'', she said, winking at me.

  I rolled my eyes, ''Even if I turned, he would still be more powerful than me''.

  As we reached the basement, I heard the sound of heavy breathing and metallic clanking.

  Chrissy was practicing with her sword. She stopped as soon as her eyes fell on us.

  ''Good morning'', she beamed. ''Did you have breakfast?'', she asked, and we nodded.

  She went over to the table and tossed us each a sword.

  ''Who's first?'', she asked, grinning.

  I gripped the blunt sword in my hand and charged. I swung, aiming a her shoulder, but she parried the blow and struck back at my ar
m. I ducked before deflecting her blade.

  The basement rang with the metallic din as the blades clashed. She was very good, but not as good as an Atlantian. I darted past her guard and swung at her wrist, hitting with the flat of my blade.

  ''Ouch!'', she swore, dropping her sword.

  ''Never let the opponent get inside your guard'', I smiled.

  Alice and I took turns teaching her some new techniques. She was a fast learner.

  ''Hold your sword a little higher and always aim for the weak spots in the armor'', Alice advised, as they swung their blades, exchanging a flurry of blows.

  ''I think that is enough for today'', gasped Chrissy. We had been practicing for almost two hours.

  ''I never thought you would be that good'', I acknowledged, as we placed the swords back on the shelf.

  ''I have been practicing everyday. Still, I am not as good as you two'', she smiled.

  ''Soon you will be. You might even become better than us'', said Alice.

  ''Thanks'', she grinned.

  We headed straight to the baths, which were on the lower level. The wide room was lined with several pools. There was no one around, except for us.

  ''Why is it empty?''.

  ''They only use it in the morning or in the evening. It is always empty around noon'', replied Chrissy.

  We undressed and stepped into the cool water. The pool wasn't deep and the water only reached up to my chest. I relaxed as it soothed and calmed my aching muscles.

  ''This feels so good'', said Alice, completely submerging in the water.

  ''Yes'', I sighed, closing my eyes, as I floated in the cold water.

  It became a routine. Everyday after breakfast we would go to the basement and practice with Chrissy.

  One evening, we were sitting on the stairs to the basement after a long practice session, when Alice asked, ''What is that?''.

  She was pointing at the wall in front of us.

  At first I couldn't make out what she was pointing at, but as I looked more closely, I saw a faint rectangular outline.

  ''There was a doorway which led the dungeons. It was sealed after my father became the king. Luke told me about it long ago, but I was too scared to go down there''.

  Alice went over to the wall and pulled out a loose brick.

  ''A little help here?''.

  Chrissy and I exchanged an exasperated glance before we joined Alice. Together we started removing the bricks.

  We stood back and admired our work. In the wall was a rectangular doorway. A set of stairs led down into darkness.

  Alice picked a torch from the bracket on the wall, and grinned mischievously. ''Let's go''.

  ''I don't think its safe to go down there'', said Chrissy, nervously.

  ''Are you scared, little princess?'', mocked Alice.

  ''Fine!'', hissed Chrissy, grabbing another torch.

  We picked up a sword from the table and made our way down the steps. At the foot of the stairs, there was a long hallway lined with holding cells. At the far end was the wardens room. There was a stairway near the door that led upwards.

  ''Those probably lead to the throne room'', said Chrissy. ''The door will be locked and there might be guards on the other side''.

  There was a cabinet near the stairs. Beside it, a part of the wall was covered with wooden boards which were nailed to it.

  ''That looks suspicious'', said Alice, handing me the torch.

  She started kicking the boards, which cracked under the pressure and finally gave in. There was a round hole big enough for us to squeeze through.

  ''Did your brother tell you about this?'', asked Alice.

  ''No, he did not mention about any tunnel in the dungeons''.

  ''Alice, it might not be safe'', I said, glancing nervously at the dark entrance of the tunnel.

  ''Who cares. We should definitely check it out. Maybe it leads to some secret treasure'', said Alice, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

  Finally we agreed to go into the tunnel. It was narrow and we had to crawl on our knees. Alice was at the lead, holding the torch.

  After some time we reached the end of the tunnel, where it joined a bigger passageway. It looked ancient, with weird drawings on the wall. It was big enough for us to stand straight.

  The tunnel we had just come through looked like it had been dug later to join this passageway, which stretched in either direction.

  ''What now?'', I asked.

  ''This way'', said Alice, pointing to the left.

  She grabbed the torch from my hand and eagerly started down the passage. As we moved forward, the tunnel started getting colder and walls got rougher.

  ''This is creepy'', whispered Chrissy.

  ''What if there is some kind of monster at the other end?'', smirked Alice.

  ''Alice! Shut Up'', muttered Chrissy, gritting her teeth. I smiled in amusement.

  Finally, we walked into a small cave. Four stone statues stood like sentinels in front of an empty dais. There were half a dozen skeletons strewn across the stone floor.

  ''This doesn't look good at all'', whispered Chrissy, anxiously. ''Let's go back, before we end up like those skeletons''.

  ''These almost look real'', I said, running my hand over one of the statues. What are four statues doing in a cave?, I thought to myself.

  The statues had chains around them and held a sword in each hand. The craftsmanship was extraordinary.

  We searched the room, trying to find its purpose. I was examining the small statue of a mermaid holding a cup, when I noticed the red stains inside the small vessel.

  ''What is that?'', I asked.

  Alice held up the torch and peered at the cup, ''It looks like wine stains''.

  ''Probably blood'', muttered Chrissy, ''by the look of this place''.

  I thought for a moment, ''Wait, I have a hunch''.

  I grabbed a sharp stone from the ground and pricked the tip of my forefinger, squeezing it over the cup.

  As a tiny drop of blood fell into it with a dull thunk.

  ''No!'', gasped Chrissy.

  I heard a grating noise behind me, as the stone statues started moving. The chains clinked as they walked towards us, their swords raised. ''Get out, now!'', I shouted, as one of them swung their blade. I ducked and parried the blow with my sword.

  ''Ahh...!'', I screamed, as I felt sharp pain in my wrist.

  ''Scar! Come on!'', shouted Alice.

  I turned around and ran out of the cave after Alice and Chrissy.

  ''Wait'', I called, looking over my shoulder. ''They are not following us''.

  The stone warriors were standing at the entrance, as if there was an invisible wall preventing them from coming out.

  ''They must be guarding something'', said Chrissy, panting.

  ''Something very important'', whispered Alice.

  ''Let's go back, I've had enough for today'', I said, glancing nervously at the cave. We headed back through the tunnel, into the dungeons and back to our rooms.

  The next day, we returned, this time taking the right hand passage at the end of the small tunnel. Alice led the way with a torch in her hand, while Chrissy and I followed behind.

  ''I can't believe we are doing this again, after what happened yesterday'', muttered Chrissy, as we walked through the stone passageway.

  ''Are you scared, Chrissy?'', snickered Alice.

  ''I'm not scared'', she bristled.

  The passageway slowly started to slope downwards, before turning into stairs. The light reflected on the walls, throwing dark shadows behind us. After almost an hour of walking down the never ending stairs, Alice stopped, holding up her hand.

  ''Well, look at that'', she whispered, waving the torch.

  In front of us was a huge cavern. It looked like it had been carved out of rock. Alice placed the torch in a bracket beside the doorway.

  ''Do you think this was a mine?'', I asked.

  ''No, there are no mines in Beachcastle'', said Chrissy.

  ''It looks li
ke this cavern was here even before they built the passageway'', said Alice, glancing around.

  The floor was covered with sand, with small pools of water here and there. The walls were covered with slimy green moss.

  ''There!'', gasped Chrissy, pointing at a curtain of intertwined vines.

  Faint sunlight seeped through the tiny gaps. It was almost like a doorway.

  We walked towards the curtain. I grasped the vines and pulled them aside, revealing a opening.

  ''We have reached the base of the cliff'', I gasped, as we walked out through the leafy curtain. In front of us glimmered the ocean, stretching towards the horizon.

  ''Wow, I never thought there would be a secret passageway out of the castle'', said Chrissy, looking back in awe.

  ''I do not think it was built specifically for the castle. It looked like the tunnel had been dug later to join the passageway'', I said.

  ''Yes, the passageway looked ancient. It must have been there before the castle was built'', agreed Alice.

  ''Luke must have known about it'', said Chrissy, looking over the water.

  ''Look!'', I said, pointing at the docks.

  The Black Angel was docked to the pier, along with hundreds of other ships. The docks were crawling with sailors. Some of them were unloading the goods into horse drawn carriages to take them into the city and others were carrying supplies to their ships.

  ''Come on, let's go inside the gates'', said Alice, excitedly.

  ''Yes, that would be great! I am rarely allowed to go outside the castle'', said Chrissy, mirroring Alice's excitement.

  ''Scarlett, you better cover your hair. It is too noticeable'', warned Alice.

  I pulled the hood over my eyes, as we made our way towards the gates and joined a group of sailors entering the city.

  ''I hope they don't recognize you'', I told Chrissy, but the guards barely looked at us.

  ''They will recognize you before recognizing me'', she replied, rolling her eyes.

  The streets were filled with hundreds people. As we squeezed through the crowd, I heard the vendors calling out from their stalls.

  ''Do you think they will notice our absence?'', I asked, looking at Alice.