Discovery of Atlantis

So there I was.  Out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with no other visible life at all.  Seemed like a deserted underwater desert, almost.  My hopes of finally finding the Lost City were growing slim and were just about to disappear completely.  Still, in my heart, I knew I had to keep searching.  If my research was right, I was right on top of it.  This was my final chance to bring my name back out of the mud.  The final chance for me, Alexandria Martin, to find what I had be searching for my whole life... The one things no level-headed scientist had ever seen.  Many had spent their entire life searching for Atlantis, and I knew I was right on top of it.  The greatest discovery was nearly in my grasp... I was so close, I could almost taste it.  1

Anyways, I was looking around for any sign of what was there... Any tiny thing out of place... Anything that just looked like it didn’t belong.  The entire area around me was deserted, which gave me more faith that I was indeed right about Atlantis truly existing.  Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a giant sea monster came up from behind.  I didn’t see it at first, but when I turned my sea-cruiser around... there it was.  A giant sea snake with three heads... All three of them looking extremely hungry.  I would’ve been fascinated on this creature’s biological structure if I wasn’t half scared out of my wits.  It truly was a remarkable creature.2

Thinking quickly, I turned my sea-cruiser back around the way I was originally facing and started heading down... My gas tank needle was nearly on empty.  I knew I had to get to the surface before I ran out... But my that burning sensation in my gut told me to move on and find the city.  Before I knew it, I had found an under-sea cavern.  Dark and lifeless it seemed, at first.  Slowly, but surely, I entered.  My stomach was in tight knots, but I still went forward.  Keeping my hands steady on the controls, I gasped at what I saw before me...3

The mightiest of gates.  Huge.  Made of stone with iron bars.  Jewels twinkled from here and there.  It was a strong gate, I could tell.  And there seemed to be some sort of a barrier in front of it... A force field, maybe.  Whatever it was, I knew it was what I had been searching for all my life.  Ever the more slowly, if that was possible, I ascended to the gate.  There were towers on either side, and there seemed to be people moving within them, from what I could see.  Assuring myself that they were simple sea folk, I went on ahead.  One of the figures looked out the window.  She seemed of human nature and kindness.  An aura came off of her, I- I’m not sure if I can fully explain, but as soon as she appeared, I felt... well, I felt peaceful.  4

They slowly opened the gates as I stopped in front of the force field-like thing.  I didn’t want to chance losing my transport by taking some rash sort of action, so I stayed there for a minute or two.  Finally, I decided that it would be worth the risk if this had been what I was searching for all my life.  I continued on through the gate.  There, I saw the wall of the cave ahead slope up.  I headed towards what seemed like the surface... But, it just couldn’t be.  It was impossible.  I was submerged at least one-thousand leagues... How could the surface be so close?5

I emerged at the surface and looked around.  Before me was the most magnificent of places.  It seemed more or less like a modern day city, but instead of being filled with crime, dust, and car exhaust, it looked... well, it looked pretty clean... And peaceful.  I swear I had never seen anything like it.  All around the force field was just water... The world outside this city.  6

I climbed out of my sea-cruiser and looked about as I stood on pure stone.  About twenty feet away, guards were coming... and some sort of higher authority was with them.  Following my instincts, I bowed as they approached.  The high authority figure, a woman, grasped my arm and pulled me off my knees.  “Don’t fear us, traveler,” were her first words to me.  Then she carried on, saying how her people could never harm to harm someone clever enough to find their great city.7

I swear that it was the greatest day of my life.  After many questions, I had managed to figure out that the force field I had seen earlier keeps the water from flooding the city.  The thought of something with the ability to do that fascinated me, so I set out to learn more during my stay.  For months I stayed with the kind leader who welcomed me to the city, which explains my late return.  When I finally asked the woman, Shaun was her name, her only reply was one word.  “Magic,” she told me.  Just as simple as that.  Magic? How is a scientist supposed to study the properties of magic? That’s the exact question I had asked myself.  Never-the-less, I tried to persuade Shaun to teach me how magic worked.  All she’d tell me was that it was an ancient secret of her and her people and while the outside world could hear of the amazing things they’ve been able to do in their hidden city, the use of magic is to remain a complete secret.  “The world may know that we have the use of magic,” Shaun said, “but the must never know how, or it might be the end of them.” Knowing the subject was off limits, I said no more about it.8

Toward the end of my stay, within the final week, the mechanics had finished restoring my sea cruiser with supplies and gas for the journey home.  During our final farewell, Shaun only had one thing to say.  “The heavens,” she began, “have granted you with the gift of seeing our city as you have granted us with such knowledge of the outside world we once knew so well.  We thank you for making the journey to us and perhaps we shall meet again in the outside world... Even if it’s in another life.” My heart aching to stay, I took my research and my sea-cruiser and left the city I had come to know and love in a short amount of time.  I wish I could share my experience through more than words, for it was the most amazing thing that I have ever had the pleasure in experiencing.  It is my hope that all of you, my fellow scientists, will be able to do the same one day...9