by Apryl Baker
Even with all his success, Tobias felt like something was missing, some part of himself he couldn’t quite hush. He’d found that missing piece in a tavern on the outskirts of Crompton, a fishing village as old as DeCadia itself. He and his crew had docked because of a massive hurricane blowing through. He knew better than to try to sail through those, having seen the results too many times under other captains.
The man he’d met there was in his later years, his shock of chalk-white hair wild: Tobias had laughed when the man approached him. His clothes were mismatched and bright. At first Tobias had indulged his questions because he’d found it amusing, but when the man began to speak of Tobias’s grandmother and of his mother, Tobias had truly started to listen to him. This stranger knew his family he had said, and offered to take Tobias to them.
Impulsive. That was what Tobias remembered the boy of twenty-five being. That impulsiveness had promoted him to agree, to put his first mate in charge and go with the stranger on board a ship the likes of which Tobias had never seen. The massive structures had metal plating and he’d panicked when they’d started to sink into the water itself. The old man, Carrow, had laughed and told him to hold on. They’d completely submerged themselves under the sea and set off: the storm above them raging, though under the water it had been still and calm.
The slap of his sandals against the cold, hard marble brought his thoughts back to his present memory unfolding before him and he cringed, knowing what was coming and unable to stop any of it.
Tobias hurried across the empty room and to the rear of the apartment where a balcony overlooked the island of Atlantis. Thoughts of victory raced across his mind as he was faced with the realization that, thanks to him, the war with DeCadia was finally over. Winning would have been a strong word to use; nevertheless as events fell into place, Atlantis certainly had not lost.
Tobias finally left the apartment past the king’s chamber and blinked as the setting sun hit him full in the face. “Do not strain your eyes, brother,” a friendly voice spoke to him from his left. Rage for what he now knew built in Tobias at the sound of the man. However, the Tobias in the dream was as gullible and trusting as ever.
“Of course,” Tobias said, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the setting sun’s brilliance. All below him, the city of Atlantis spread out in a blanket of pure white structures and perfectly manicured lawns and foliage. Tobias loved his city and it was from this love that his downfall would eventually come. Even now, he still felt that insane sense of pride he’d first experienced when saw Atlantis the very first time. The simple, yet elegantly exquisite structures had filled him with a sense of homecoming then, as it did now.
He only wished that simplicity could have saved them from engaging with the DeCadians in a war of epic proportion; a war he had helped to end that very day he was reliving. He had been responsible for finding a way to bring back peace for his home, his family, and for future generations to come.
Or so he’d thought.
Turning his eyes from Atlantis, Tobias turned to the man at his side. Kronos was a head taller than most men, with wide shoulders and a ready smile. His golden hair made him look more like an ancient god than one of his fellow dark-haired Atlanteans. Square pupils set him apart from the moment he was born. Some said he was destined for greatness, others agreed he was cursed from the instant he exited the womb. Whatever the case, Kronos had risen through the political ranks quickly. Kronos served as military advisor to the King, Tobias’s brother.
“Is it done?” Tobias asked with a quick lick of his lips. “My brother and his family were not hurt, were they?”
Kronos shifted his gaze from the city below to Tobias. The way he looked Tobias up and down with his unnaturally square pupils sent a shiver down Tobias’s back like an icy finger tracing his spine.
“It is done,” Kronos said with a smile. “The weapon will make the waters of this world uninhabitable and in the chaos that ensues, our people will disappear—ensuring their safety forever. You should know that this was only possible with your help, Tobias. You are a hero of our people.”
A breath of relief Tobias hadn’t realized he was holding escaped his lungs. “But my brother, his family, are they safe?”
Kronos looked at Tobias sideways as he motioned to someone through the room. “See for yourself.”
Tobias’s eyes tracked along with Kronos’s and his heart sank in his chest. The King—his brother—was being dragged forward by a contingent of guards loyal to Kronos. Blood streamed from a wound on his mouth and another from near his hairline, the King’s eyes were full of horror as he stopped feet from Tobias. Sadness oozed in his words as the nature of his betrayal was made clear, “Tobias, Kronos…why? We would have had peace with DeCadia. We—”
Kronos cut him off with a bark of laugher, “Peace? Peace does not exist in their vocabulary. It is not in their nature! The humans fear what they do not understand. This war had to end one way or the other. It was my duty to see that our side was left standing when the air stilled.”
“And you, my brother?” Tears mixed with the King’s short beard as he looked into Tobias’s eyes. “You betrayed me and our home as well?”
Tobias felt his jaw lower move to speak but no words would come. Kronos picked up the conversation in the interim. “It’s over, Dendali. A new age for Atlantis is upon us and it is time for a new leader.”
Kronos reached for the short sword at his side and drew the blade in one quick motion. He extended the sword hilt first to Tobias. “It’s you that should do the honor. End your brother’s life for our people and to herald in a new era of peace and prosperity for our kind.”
Tobias recoiled from the blade as though it were a snake ready to strike. “This was not the plan. This was never the plan,” Tobias said, fighting the panic in his voice. “My brother was to be overthrown without harm to him nor his family.”
“Plans change,” Kronos said with a hard stare. As fast as a lightening bolt, Kronos reversed his hold on the sword, gripping the pommel with both hands and plunged it deep into the King’s chest. Tobias screamed in agony as he ran to catch his brother’s sagging form.
Crimson spread out from the King’s chest, staining his bright, yellow tunic. Tobias gripped his brother in both hands, his tears falling so fast it looked like light rain on the tile floor. “I’m sorry,” he cried. “I’m so sorry, my brother.”
Dendali, the King of Atlantis, and Tobias’s brother—his own flesh and blood—looked up through clouded eyes as life drained from his veins. “Make—make this right.” The King clutched Tobias’s hand with a grip of his own so strong Tobias felt his hand flare in pain. “You—our family—must make this right.”
The King’s body went limp in Tobias’s arms. Dendali’s eyes stared lifelessly up at the blazing sun above. Tobias let his brother’s body slump to the tile floor, dead. Blood pooled out from his sagging form as the guards who were formally holding his brother secured Tobias. Kronos’s voice came to Tobias as though he were shouting through a long tunnel.
“Tobias Prometheus, you are hereby charged with the murder of the King. You and your family are banished from Atlantis forever.”
Chapter 13
Val stood at the ship’s helm, her movements at the wheel brought them diving out of the clouds so she could get a clear view of where they were. They’d been travelling for almost a fortnight now, their goal: the edge of the known world. Beyond that point, no one really knew what existed. Ships entered and never returned. Tales of sea monsters and demons kept nagging at her. She’d never really paid them any mind, but then again, she’d never thought of going into the unknown before either. Her crew was skittish, too. Not that she could blame them. She felt the same way herself, though she didn’t let them see how scared she was.
Lightening lit up the sky and Val frowned. There were no storms brewing. The sea was calm, the wind light. She cocked her head as another flash of lightening came closer, striking the water below. She looked down to
see the water churning, a dark mass of bright green and gold streams of light swirling in the funnel and then branching out, the water turned black.
The water in DeCadia had been useless for over a century. She’d learned from the crews she’d been on that the waters surrounding DeCadia had been impassable for over seventy decades before they’d finally found a material that could withstand the harsh, acidic water that made up DeCadia. It had taken them another fifty years to actually build ships that could travel the toxic mess. The metal was rare and exceptionally few shipyards could afford the material. Because of that, water ships were still quite rare in DeCadia. Airships would always be the more prevalent choice of travel.
“What in DeCadia’s name is that?” Lukas asked softly.
Val jumped slightly, her own nerves on edge. “I am not sure,” she replied. “Bring Stephen up. I want him to see this. He may know something. They learn things in the classes required of any member of the Royal Navy who wishes to take command—things that aren’t shared with the rest of the crew.”
Lukas nodded and started back down. Val had a thought and called out, “Bring the dragon as well. Her kind may know something.”
Val slowed the ship and then brought her to a complete stop, hovering about a mile out from the anomaly. She was spooked, not daring to go any closer until she could understand the sight her eyes were taking in. She wanted to find Atlantis, yes, but she’d lost enough of her crew. Val needed to be more cautious before flying into a death trap.
The lightning struck the water again and Val let out a small squeak, not expecting the magnificent shock of light. It truly had unnerved her. Sighing, she focused her attention on the water and followed the path of the streams of light. They branched out east, west, and south, each direction except north. She strained her eyes to see past the whirlpool of light and gasped. The water behind it was clear; a pure blue that glinted in the bright sunlight.
An idea began to form. What if she’d found the source of why DeCadia’s water was ruined? Could this be what cursed the once brilliant, crystal-clear ocean depths? What poisoned the waters so that no living thing could be in their depths for more than a few minutes without their skin burning away? Val had learned the oceans once teamed with millions of different sea creatures, that it had once been DeCadia’s greatest source of food, even for the poor—until the waters turned acidic.
Gasps and murmurs behind her alerted her to the fact Lukas had returned with those she’d requested. Stephen came to stand at her side and it was all she could do to not step away from him. His scent hit her and she took a deep breath, reveling in it for just a second.
“What is that?” he asked, his deep voice almost soothing.
“Welcome to the end of the world,” Ryder said with a laugh. “I’m surprised you found it. Most can’t.”
Val turned around and faced the Dragon Princess. “I’m not most.”
“No,” Ryder agreed, her face becoming serious. “You’re an Atlantean.”
Stephen and Lukas both stared at her, their faces shocked, bewildered, and curious. She knew this day was going to come. She’d not told anyone exactly what she was trying to find or why. As much as she wanted to strangle Ryder right now, she couldn’t.
“And what makes you think that?” Val asked, curious to see what the girl’s answer would be.
“I can smell it, of course,” she smiled. “Atlantis is a part of the Dragons as much as the Dragons are a part of Atlantis. Our blood resides within you and we always recognize our own kind, even if it’s the diluted Atlantean bloodlines.”
Val’s stomach dropped just a bit. This girl was telling her she was part dragon? “I’m not a dragon.”
“No, you’re not,” Ryder said. “You’re Atlantean. We shared our blood with them several millennium ago as part of a pact between our races to never harm each other. We could control the gifts in our blood that were transferrable and we did not share our shape-shifting abilities with them.”
Val considered what the girl said. Could that be the reason she’d been immune to her that first day? Why she’d been able to see her when no one else had? Why she’d been unable to bring herself to kill the girl for the catastrophe she’d caused? It would make sense.
“Do you know what that is?” Val asked at last, pointing to the water.
“Yes,” Ryder nodded. “It is the Dendali Curse.”
“The what?” she asked sharply, causing Stephen to glance down at her.
“This is what ended the war between Atlantis and the rest of DeCadia,” Ryder continued, unperturbed.
“What are you talking about, dragon?” Stephen demanded. “There has never been a war between DeCadia and an imaginary place.”
Ryder’s laugh caught on the wind and echoed around them. “Atlantis is as real as you and I. The Captain is living proof of Atlantis. The Great War…”
“The Great War was a civil war fought amongst all of DeCadia,” Lukas interrupted. “About a hundred and fifty years ago or so.”
Ryder smiled, her white hair streaming behind her in the wind. “Humans. How easily you fool yourselves. You rewrite your histories so that no one has to remember the most foolish war of your existence. The Great War was not a civil war, but a war between DeCadia and Atlantis.”
Val held up her hand before anyone else could start arguing. “Ryder, tell us the Dragon’s version of DeCadia’s Great War please. No interruptions.” She glared at the men to make sure her order was followed.
“Atlanteans were always an advanced people, then they shared their advancements with DeCadia,” Ryder began. “They wanted to see the people prosper as Atlantis had prospered. They made progresses in medicine, science, and the arts. Everything they knew, they were willing to share. They helped to create the world of DeCadia and wanted to see it become as great as the city of Atlantis.”
Ryder paused and came to stand beside Val, her eyes focused on the lightning bolt that repeatedly struck the water. “There was a problem.”
“A problem?” Lukas asked. Val scowled at him, but he ignored it.
“Humanity was the problem,” Ryder said. “Humans are inherently selfish and it was no different with their dealings with Atlantis. Humans wanted everything they could get all at once, instead of learning one thing before moving on to the next. Atlantis knew this was a mistake and started holding back the teachings to DeCadians. People began to fear what they didn’t know, afraid that one day Atlantis would turn on them with their superior knowledge and weaponry. So they decided to destroy what they did not understand.”
“If Atlantis was so superior, then why was this a problem?” Stephen asked, ignoring Val’s command for no interruptions. “Couldn’t they just use their ‘superior weaponry’ and destroy anyone who threatened them?”
Ryder smiled at him and he cringed. Val wanted to kick him, yet she refrained. Stephen was stubborn if nothing else. She hoped he’d come to at least forgive the girl for her foolishness eventually.
“Atlantis had shared enough knowledge with the DeCadians which made it more difficult to destroy them. The War raged for five years before it ended. The Atlanteans created a weapon that stopped the DeCadians from ever using the seas to attack them again, effectively cutting them off from Atlantis. Your airboats did not come into existence until several decades after the war. Atlanteans did not have the same mobility problem. They asked the Dragons for help. We went with them to destroy the bulk of the technology that was given to DeCadia; setting humans back almost a century in innovations. We destroyed much in those weeks following the implementation of Dendali’s Curse.”
Ryder stopped speaking and gazed out over the water, lost in the thoughts of the past. Again, Val did not see any kind of emotion. The girl did not understand the sentiments or implications behind the history of her tale. Would she ever understand human emotions? Val wasn’t sure.
“What happened?” Lukas urged her to continue.
“Truthfully, even the Dragons are not sure,” Ryder s
aid. “The Curse was implemented and then the route to Atlantis was sealed in all directions. No one could get in or out, not even the Dragons. We’d done our best to help them and they did something to us…they are the reason we cannot leave our territories.”
“You left,” Lukas frowned.
“At great cost,” she said quietly. “I had to give up something to leave.”
“What did you give up?” Val asked.
Ryder just smiled and shook her head, refusing to answer.
“What exactly is Dendali’s Curse?” Val asked, once again turning to look at the lightning in the sky.
“I don’t know the specifics,” Ryder said. “I only know that those who try to pass from here to the clear seas behind it do not survive. There is a graveyard of boats at the bottom of the sea from those who have tried before.”
Well, that explained why no one ever returned, Val thought to herself.
“And you expect us to try and get through?” Stephen asked, looking down at the small woman at his side. He could tell from her stance she was on edge. Her shoulders were straight, but her posture felt tense. “We can’t, Captain, we’ll die if we try.”
“Not everyone dies,” Ryder told them. “Those with Atlantean blood sometimes find the way through. Their ships pass through the Crucible.”
“The Crucible?” Lukas turned to stare at the whirlpool.
“You don’t just cross through from here to there,” Ryder explained. “It’s a journey, a passageway, that must be travelled. It may take a day or it may take a year. I do not know the exact timeframe, but only a person with Atlantean blood may take their ship through and attempt the Crucible.”
“And those on my ship who don’t have Atlantean blood?” Val asked softly. “Will they die if I try to take them with me?”