The Return of Atlantis

Chapter 10 - Exitium

Matthew and June spent the next morning searching for the secret door. They searched every inch of the Satilant Island but could not find it.

"I give up," Matthew sighed as he fell back onto the smooth, wavy grass. June looked down at him.

"Don't," she said as she sat down next to him, "after all it is a secret door. We just have to keep looking."

"Can't Suka just tell us where it is?" Matthew groaned as he sat up and looked at her.

"Suka already gave us more than enough. Every part counts, Matthew." June said.

"I guess... come on, then. We're not stopping till we find it."

As twilight neared, Matthew and June had been hiking up and down, trying to at least spot a symbol, and speaking of which...

"Look, June!" Matthew gasped as he rushed towards a tree. June followed him and a confused look.

"What is it?"

"It's the symbol of water! The exact same symbol on this tooth has been carved on this tree!... but who carved it? Could it be—"

"Matthew look!" a gasp of horror sounded beside him as June pulled his arm, forcing him to face the shore. But it wasn't the shore June wanted him to see, beyond the shore not far at sea, was a whole fleet of boats. Matthew gasped as he noticed a symbol in thick black ink on the sail of the biggest boat, which was in front: the symbol was a snake with jagged scales, bending to form a circle. The head looked as though it was biting its tail, and in the centre of the snake's circle was a large letter " E ".

Matthew's eyes widened it shock and horror. He mouthed a few desperate words before turning to June.

"It's them," he said darkly.

"Who?"

"Exitium. They found Satilant Island... we have to warn the others— now!"

As Alexander studied the board silently, his opponent drummed his fingers on the wooden table impatiently.

"Come on! How long are you even going to take—"

"Shh! I'm trying to concentrate! Checkers takes time!" Alexander interrupted. His opponent groaned loudly before Matthew and June appeared out of nowhere from the bushes and rushed to Suka's hut.

Suka was busy sharpening his battle axe when the two barged in, panting like mad dogs.

"It's Exitium!" Matthew breathed. June took a second longer to catch up with her breath.

"They're here! Right now! Only an hour or two away from the village! We have to evacuate now!"

The words were passing too fast, the time for safety was coming too slow, but Suka knew exactly what to do. He pushed his way through in between Matthew and June as he marched out of the hut, looking so serious Matthew's heart gave a great leap as June let out a loud gulp. Matthew had never saw Suka like that, but now that he did, he had an uncomfortable twist inside of him. But before Suka stepped out, he turned to Matthew.

"Find Atlantis," he ordered briskly, "there should be some emergency weapons lined up there somewhere, you can use it. The door is at the back of the Island..."

"But that's all the way across to the other side!" Matthew said. "We don't have that much time!"

"But you must, Matthew," Suka said, "we are now counting on you, both of you, to protect Atlantis. It is the last standing historical place. We need to protect it."

And with that Suka disappeared out of the hut.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," he said with a worried look at June.