Atlantis I

Enigma: stories about mysteries

From a distance, the city lies beneath a bright sun and a very pale white-blue sky. There are many buildings and streets. They all seem to reflect the light of the sun with a golden shine. Tall, skinny palm trees frame the view. Deep green tufts of fronds spill out from the tops to hang gracefully down. This is the only vivid color in the scene. The streets teem with life. People hurry about. All of them wear long robes or tunics and their heads are covered by turbans or keffiyeh.

A merchant passes, leading a heavily laden camel in front of a large temple-like structure. Steps stretch across the long front, and two huge columns support the ornate stone façade. People sit on the steps, lounging in the sun. Two older men walk rapidly past, deep in a very animated conversation. One of them wears a colorful robe and seems to be quite agitated.

A regal woman approaches slowly in the opposite direction, coming towards the temple. She wears a gown with a black and white pattern woven into the luxurious fabric that looks faintly Grecian. A wide piece of the same fabric is draped over her left shoulder. It is arranged carefully to cover her left arm, while the right one is bare. Her skin is light golden, matching the color of the buildings. She has short hair that ends just below the nape of her neck. It’s a rich dark brown styled into many tiny ringlets that glisten with the sheen of oil. A thin gold circlet rests around the top of her head. She seems to be noble.

A boy of about ten with deep brown skin runs past on some unknown errand. As he flies around the corner of the temple, a group of men appear. In the center stands a tall, majestic man with skin as dark as ebony. He towers above the others who clearly are his retinue. He wears a crisp and immaculate sleeveless white tunic that ends just below his knees. A gold chain is wound around his waist, accentuating his lithe, muscular form. His face is long with high cheekbones and an aquiline nose. He is very striking and charismatic.

The group halts in front of the temple steps. Far off on the west side of the city, a busy seaport bustles. Large ships float in the harbor taking on and expelling cargo. Back at the temple, the nobleman stands amongst his minions, listening to them vie for his attention. The noblewoman goes by, casting a sideways look of interest his way. He is holding a strange item in his big hand that hangs from a long iron chain. It is a large hexagon, also made out of iron. Gradually, it begins to glow red from within until the heart of it throbs bright scarlet.