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Professor Gadeiros’ Residence
Atlantis
Before the fall

 

“Everybody is talking now. They can’t hide it anymore.”

Ampheres stared at the man, Mestor, who had saved him earlier. “That may be, but we know it’s already too late.” As if to emphasize his point, the ground shook once again, the tremors coming more frequently, as if the earth were about to give birth to something horrible. “If we don’t evacuate now, there may be nothing left.” He stared at his mentor, Gadeiros. “I wish you would reconsider.”

The old man shook his head emphatically. “I still have my reputation, and that may count for something in the coming days. I will continue to voice my warnings, and hopefully, some will heed them and save themselves. But you must leave now and join your family and mine on the boat. There is no more time to waste. You must set sail the moment you arrive.”

Ampheres’ shoulders slumped, his heart still hammering with the pressure of what was being asked of him. A few months ago, the tremors and steam were a curiosity, something to be investigated, not feared. He was a professor, a husband, a father. Not the savior of Atlantis. If he were, shouldn’t he have been the one to put together an expedition to save his people? No, Gadeiros should be the one to lead them, but the old man was determined to be a stubborn fool.

Old man.

Ampheres regarded his mentor for a moment, noticing for perhaps the first time just how gray the man’s hair was, how wrinkled the skin, how hunched the shoulders. He hadn’t seen him in so long, he had been seeing the man of a decade ago instead of the feeble figure he had become. His mind was definitely there, but the spring in his step was long gone, and he likely wasn’t long for this earth, certainly not if forced to live those last days on a perilous journey to save civilization. He frowned, and his mentor smiled.

“You realize I’m right, don’t you?”

Ampheres’ eyebrows rose, his eyes widening slightly. “You appear to still know me better than I know myself.”

Gadeiros chuckled. “I have a few decades more experience in reading people than you have, my friend.” He leaned forward, patting Ampheres on the knee. “Don’t worry about me, my friend. I will continue to spread the message, and when the time comes, I will sit in my courtyard, a glass of wine in my hand, and toast the apocalypse, beside the grave of my wife, content in the knowledge that you and the others will rebuild after we are gone. And with a clean slate, who knows, perhaps what you create will be even greater than what our ancestors accomplished.”

Ampheres drew in a deep breath then exhaled loudly. “You do realize that this amount of pressure does no one any good. I fear you will still be grading me from the afterlife.”

Gadeiros laughed, tossing his head back. “I just might!”

Mestor held up a finger, silencing the two men as he made for the window. He pushed the curtain aside slightly, then cursed. “The Enforcers are here!”

Ampheres leaped to his feet, holding out a hand for Gadeiros, who waved it off, turning to Mestor.

“You know what to do.”

“Yes, Professor.” He bowed. “It has been an honor.”

Gadeiros smiled. “The honor has been mine. Now, I ask you to place your faith in my apprentice, and protect him as you have me.”

“You have my word.”

Gadeiros turned to his former student. “Tell my daughter and grandchildren that I love them.”

Ampheres’ eyes burned and his chest ached as he struggled to control his emotions. “I shall.” He didn’t bother to ask this man who had once been like a father to him, to change his mind. There was no point. And no time. He bowed, closing his eyes, then felt Mestor’s hand on his arm.

“We must go, now.”

Ampheres nodded and followed Mestor to the rear of the house, glancing over his shoulder to see Gadeiros lean over and pour another glass of wine.

I’m sorry it won’t be in your courtyard, my friend.

Mestor shoved aside a cabinet, a passageway revealed behind it, as someone hammered at the front door. “Hurry!”

Ampheres stepped into the passageway, Mestor following before pulling the cabinet closed behind them. A torch was lit a moment later, and Mestor led the way, the shouts of the arriving Enforcers fading behind them.

Goodbye, my friend.