The Pirate's Legacy: New Horizons

Chapter 17: Madness is the First Step

In the beginning, no one experienced any difference in the water pressure than what they were accustomed to while swimming. At least two of the men dismissed the scientist's dire warnings and started pulling ahead of the group at a faster pace. The others were content to stroke at their own pace. Yet, no matter the pace each individual swam, everyone was eager to reach Atlantis.

About ten feet from the surface, Em finally let go the breath she'd been holding since going under. When she no longer had to mind her moving limbs, she let her attention wander in contemplation of the divers' surroundings. The group learned quickly that the helmet gave them the ability to speak to each other. Ahead of the pack, Gillespie and Craig chattered about what they could possibly find in Atlantis. Their words were heard clearly, although their voices echoed and they sounded a bit muffled. Yet, it was no more than what they had gotten used to from hearing Dread Robin's muffled speech. As for Roger, he reveled in his element. With his long limbs and being a natural-born swimmer, he appeared as if he had all the time in the world getting to Atlantis. He had experimented initially with their newfound weightlessness by performing flips and twirls which he only stopped when his ears registered the sound of Em chuckling at his antics.

It was a truly surreal experience as they traveled deeper. They became one with the sea. Their bodies felt the water pulse as a fish swam around them, unperturbed by the bizarre sight of the humans. Everything under the water looked slightly bigger and dimmer as they swam farther from the surface. When their initial excitement was over, and all talking ceased, their ears picked up every strange and little sound in the ocean. From snapping shrimp to squeaking dolphins, the humans listened in awe to a world entirely different from their own and yet no less busy.

When the divers passed six-hundred and sixty feet and effortlessly slid into the twilight zone of the ocean, the change in the ocean was palpable. The water's temperature dropped significantly as less sun penetrated that far down. They noticed less fish inhabited this zone. A feeling of trepidation enclosed the group, and everyone instinctively pulled together. It was then that the divers began to feel another sensation, a slight squeeze within their bodies. The ocean's pressure that Daryl had warned about was starting to kick in.

As some men, like Matt Colosi, started jerking around in discomfort, the captain ordered, "Slow down!"

The pressure increased as they swam father into the twilight zone. The helmet protected Em's eardrums from being pushed further inside her skull, but it was as if an anchor lay on top of her chest. Needle-sharp pain jabbed at her joints. Em turned her head to Roger. She watched his chest slowly move up and down. He minimally moved his limbs, relying on the weight provided by his boots and helmet, as well as natural gravity, to bring him down. Copying him, Em reined in her panic and began to breathe deeply. This exercise soothed the small burning sensation in her lungs. Em stopped moving her arms and legs as much as well, and in response, the pains in her joints dulled. The pressure stayed heavy for many more feet. Bill Dukes began to pray in his nasally voice, and soon, Ted Gillespie and Mark Coleman joined. Their muffled yet echoing voices were all that could be heard until, finally, the divers reached the midnight zone. The pressure was relieved considerably. Like a burden removed, everyone could breathe easier.

Colosi cried out. He pointed ahead of them toward their destination. Where ruins had been on the shelf that the scientist had described, a dark and looming palace shimmered into view. Atlantis was a building taller than even the highest tower in Peralta. It was not a sparkling gem, as Craig's tale had described; signs of abandonment were everywhere from broken windows to crumbling structures.

Dread Robin paddled ahead of the group and led them to the jade gates. As if expecting the group, the gates swung open. The divers settled just inside the threshold. "Stick close," warned the captain. "Whatever happens to you from here on will be on your own head. We get the trident and then get out. Anything else you pilfer will be yours."