Thousands of years in the past
Atlantis
Above the ground, Demeter was already manipulating the weather to create a powerful ice storm all over Atlantis. Amanda and Pallid were inside the store when Demeter’s full fury poured down from the sky. Amanda glanced out the window while Pallid was investigating something with the salesman.
Amanda winced at the blinding white snow that fell from the sky. People ran to the nearest buildings, slipping on the freezing rain that covered the ground. She shivered. She could feel the chill seep in through the edges of the window.
Atlantis wasn’t made for severe weather. Demeter had kept it in a constant state of Spring or Summer. There weren’t any coats or other clothes that were fit to wear in the cold temperature, and from what people were saying, the temperature was continuing to drop at an alarming rate. It was already twenty degrees Fahrenheit. Soon it would be ten.
She knew it was an unconventional way to use the magic her planet had granted her, but she made her dress to operate as a heater. If she wore a coat, she would arouse suspicion. At least this way, she would look like everyone else but remain warm.
With a groan, she glanced at Pallid. How much longer was he going to be? She didn’t even know why they were here. She had asked several times, and each time, Pallid refused to satisfy her curiosity.
She sensed something was wrong but couldn’t put her finger on it. All she knew was that Pallid wasn’t going to help her destroy the city. He was planning something else. So why would the Augurs send her here to meet him? They seemed so sure he was going to help her destroy Atlantis because it was a threat to the people on Earth, Aug, and Olympia.
She had to find out what he was up to. She studied the room full of medical supplies. It was a small room, but the many rows of shelves made it convenient to lose someone in, or follow someone without being noticed. She strolled by the rows, making sure to be quiet. The store was busy with people despite the fact that they weren’t there to shop. She figured it was due to the cold weather. People wanted to be inside for weather like this. The idle chitchat of those around her helped give her the anonymity she needed.
Finally, she spied Pallid and the salesman down an aisle filled with needles and containers of various fluids. She couldn’t read the language in this city, so she had no idea what kind of fluid he wished to put into the needle. She gulped the lump in her throat. He wasn’t going to inject her with something, was he? Did Aphrodite’s advice give him the idea to inject her with a beauty treatment?
She had to find out what he was up to. She walked down the aisle next to his and pressed her ear to the boxes of gloves so she could hear their conversation. It wasn’t easy to distinguish his voice from the others around her, but she managed to make sense out of what he was saying to the salesman.
“How long will it take to work?” Pallid asked the man.
“Oh, it should take effect within five minutes,” the salesman responded. “He won’t feel any pain. He will simply go to sleep and never wake up. It’s the most painless way to go.”
“I don’t wish to expose him to any pain. This is exactly what I’m looking for.”
“It is better than going to the Underworld. This way your friend can die with dignity. How long has he had cancer?”
“A few months. The leaders tried to cure him, but it’s no use. His health will fail soon and he doesn’t wish to spend the rest of his living days as an outcast.”
“As is to be expected. No one wants that for him either. This is the most merciful thing you can do for him.”
Amanda didn’t want to hear anymore. So that was his plan. He was going to kill her off. Then he could do whatever he wanted with Atlantis. She quickly backed away from the boxes and ran past a group of people standing in the aisle. She didn’t bother to apologize when she bumped into them. She just wanted to get out of there.
She opened the door and slipped on the ice until she fell to the ground.
“Let me help you up,” someone offered.
She glanced up and saw a man and woman standing over her.
“It’s too cold to be out here,” the man said.
“Where do you want to go?” the woman asked.
Amanda stood up and looked through the window behind her. She grimaced when she saw that Pallid was making his purchase. She didn’t have much time to hide.
“Excuse me,” she quickly said as she rushed past them.
It was difficult running on the ice. She slipped several times, her feet not used to such weather. Raz was pleasant and warm all year around. This was a new experience for her. She noticed the streets were quickly emptying as people found shelter from the storm. That made her feel even more vulnerable. She would soon be all alone out here.
Her dress did little to keep her warm, so she used her magic to produce a thick, long winter coat. She sighed in relief as she stopped shivering. She didn’t know what temperature it was, but she could tell it was significantly colder than when she’d entered the store.
She examined her surroundings. She was between two tall buildings, and there were only a handful of people running to their homes. The snow continued to blow around her. She couldn’t see anything more than two feet in front of her. She struggled to remember where the arc was located. It was the only building she was familiar with, and right now, she needed something familiar to ease her nerves.
She couldn’t recall ever being afraid before. It made her realize just how vulnerable she really was, and she didn’t like that one bit. She timidly walked between the buildings, aware that Pallid was walking the streets, and he knew exactly where things were in this city.
After she managed to get around the building on her right, she turned down the next street. A blast of cold wind hit her in the face, causing her to close her eyes. This wasn’t where she wanted to be. She wouldn’t get anywhere going in this direction, so she turned around. As she entered the street she had been on moments before, she ran into someone. She screamed in alarm.
“You’ve got a warm covering!” a gruff voice said.
She didn’t recognize the tall, strong man in front of her, but she understood he wasn’t going to make things easy for her. She quickly backed up.
“Just hand it over,” he ordered. “You’re no match for a man of my strength.”
She shook her head, trying to clear it. She was trained to defend herself, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what to do in a situation like this.
“You don’t want to fight me,” he warned, his voice sharp.
She bent her legs in her fighting position but slipped and fell on the ground, her back aching from the impact.
“This is way too easy.” He reached down to take her coat off.
She tried to stop him, but the ice and snow flying viciously around her prevented her from doing so. After he successfully took the coat, she broke down and started to cry. She didn’t feel like standing up. She just lay there, shivering and crying, her entire body fighting hard to stay warm. Several people passed her by and saw her, yet they kept going to wherever they were headed.
She had never felt so humiliated in her entire life. She was the Queen of Raz, but on Atlantis, she was regarded with contempt. She recalled Aphrodite’s words that were meant to “help” her but only served to put her down. Another scene flashed through her mind. She recalled treating Katherine the same way.
She had gone into Katherine’s bedroom without asking for permission, as was her way, and started telling Katherine what she needed to do in order to attract the men on Raz who were not good enough for Amanda.
“You need to make yourself more presentable to men. Wear something appealing. Men love dresses. You never wear make-up. I think if you wore some, it would bring out the beauty you already possess. You’ll be surprised at how many men will notice you then,” she had instructed Katherine.
Amanda winced as she recalled her words with crystal clarity. She didn’t realize how insensitive she had been, although Katherine tried to tell her. She’d treated the matter of Katherine being second best as if it was to be expected. She hadn’t stood up for her sister or insisted the men be as nice to her sister as they were to her. It hadn’t bothered her that Katherine got her rejected suitors.
When Katherine was told she needed a veil, she felt sorry for her, but secretly, she was glad it wasn’t her who was told her looks weren’t good enough for Atlantis. She was actually pleased she attracted the men of this place more than Katherine did. I was filled with pride, she thought. She had gone about her life believing she was better than everyone else, especially her sister.
Her tears froze to her face. Determined to change her ways, she found the strength to stand up. The bitter chill swept through her entire body. She struggled to walk to the entrance of the building next to her, but she had trouble finding it. Demeter’s fury was horribly unpleasant. She hoped Persephone would be back up here soon so the weather would return to its ideal condition.
She made her way around the corner of the building and noticed a group of angry people.
“We’ve got to make Zeus bring Demeter’s daughter back!” one of the many people yelled. “We’ll all be dead if this place freezes over.”
“To the arc!” someone else screamed.
Relieved, she quickly joined the group. Being among them provided some shelter from the blistering winds. She would also demand Zeus bring Persephone back. She would also seek out someone who could protect her from Pallid.
Ironically, she recalled Pallid’s words to her shortly after they had met.
“You’d be surprised at how quickly bad things can happen,” he had warned her. “Sometimes events catch you off guard and you’re not able to react in time. Bad things do happen, even to the Queen of Raz. You must proceed with caution.”
“I have been trained since I was a little girl. I won’t be caught off guard,” she had retorted.
Now she knew better. She had learned that just because she was the Queen of Raz, it didn’t mean she didn’t need other people’s help. That was why choosing the king was a serious matter. She needed to choose someone who could defend her, someone who would sacrifice his life to save her. When she got back to Raz, that would be her first priority.
For now, she had to get through this mission alive.
***
Jake glanced around the large garden in the center of the cave which had at one time been barren. Now it was converted into a place where everyone in the Underworld could meet, eat, and enjoy themselves. The first order of business was for the people to meet each other, so Persephone instructed the servants on the meals to prepare, tables to set up, and any toys for the children to play with.
Hades was more than accommodating and welcomed the change, so she had free reign to do as she pleased. She decorated the area with her own flowers, though the quality was not as good as what could be found above ground. Still, it made the area more pleasing to the eye. She also gathered anyone with a musical talent to play sweet melodies.
“We will establish schools for the children and find adults to teach them,” she said, looking to Katherine and Jake for their approval.
“It’s a wonderful plan,” Katherine assured her.
“I have also requested that all the babies and children be brought here so we can start pairing them up with a mother or father who will love them and raise them. If anyone wishes to marry, then we can do that here as well. I figure as people meet each other, they will fall in love and dedicate their lives to one another. But first, I am anxious to take care of the little ones who cannot adequately care for themselves. It is sad when babies and children come alone to this world. In a perfect world, every child would be loved and cared for regardless of what handicap or imperfection he may possess.”
“In my opinion, this world is already a major improvement over the one above ground,” Jake said. “The idea that a parent would willingly send their child down here is unfathomable.”
“It is sad that Atlantis became a society which allowed such things to occur,” Persephone agreed.
“How did it happen?” Katherine asked. “Was it always this way?”
“Oh no. Originally, it was a very compassionate and caring place to be. People had a high sense of family unification back then. Had we noticed where we were headed, we never would have passed the laws that created the world it became. But none of us saw it coming, and the sad thing is, we aren’t exactly sure how it even began. It’s as if we woke up one morning and found ourselves in our current condition. Unfortunately, it keeps getting worse. I fear we may destroy ourselves before too long.”
Jake knew that Atlantis would sink into the ocean, and it would be hidden so well no other nation on Earth would be able to detect it until it mysteriously rose again.
“Oh look! Here come some people,” Persephone cheered. “I hope we can make their lives better down here.”
The servants brought out some delicious food and placed them on the tables.
None of the people spoke as they were brought to the center of the Underworld, but she eagerly welcomed them and led them to the tables where they could sit and dine.
“After dinner, I shall offer the children to anyone who wishes to care for them,” Persephone told Katherine and Jake when she was done.
Hades showed up with a huge smile on his face. “You have done a marvelous job,” he complimented her. “I hardly recognize the place.”
“I can’t take all the credit,” she replied, pleased with his comment. “Katherine and Jake have been an enormous help.”
“Thank you,” he told them. Turning to her, he asked, “Does this delight you?”
“Very much.”
“Now will you reconsider my proposal? It would be a shame for this place to be without a queen now that it’s better.”
She sighed. “I wish it was so easy, Hades. Really, I do. It’s never been a question of whether or not I want to be your wife. You know I do. But Mother won’t allow me to stay here. She is quite stubborn when she wants to be.”
“So what if she doesn’t approve? I can handle her. I’m one of the six main leaders and am equal to her in power.”
“Yes, but she controls the weather. I can only imagine what it’s like up there now that Hermes knows where I am. I hope she is being merciful to those people. They shouldn’t suffer for my sake. If only there was some compromise we could reach.”
Katherine picked up on her cue. “I have an idea, but it will require you to be with your mother for six months every year.”
Hades raised an eyebrow in interest. “But I will get to be with Persephone for the other six?”
She nodded.
“How can such a thing be?” Persephone asked.
“It’s easy,” Katherine told her. “But we’ll need a witness. I think Jake might do well for that, if he wishes?” She glanced at him.
Jake was flattered she wanted to include him in her plan. “I will do what I can,” he consented.
She quickly told them her idea.