Dome of Atlantis

Chapter 2

I watched in horror as they surrounded the friend I just met and started to pull him out of the water. The hooded figures surrounded him, so he was now hidden from my view. The hooded figure that held me turned me around to look away from the commotion.

"We're trying to help you," the hooded figure said and took off his hood.

He was large in stature and had emerald eyes. His blonde hair swayed to the front and then I saw it. His ears were pointed. He was not human.

I stepped back, but his grip on my arm still held strong.

"Please, don't hurt me. I crash landed on this island with a few others and I didn't mean to trespass on your land," I said a bit terrified.

My captor looked a little hurt. "I promise you we're not trying to hurt you, we really are trying to help you," he said.

"What about the friend I just made, why are you attacking him too?"

"That merman over there? Mermen are always against elves. They may seem gentle, but they are always full of malice. I also believe we may have found some of your friends."

"A merman? You said my friends? They survived the wreck? Please take me to them."

"That is my intention, but first you must meet with our leader. Please follow me."

The new elf hesitantly let his grip off of me and led me through the beach. He watched me for a while to make sure I was not going to run away.

My crinkled clothes shed some sand off when I lifted my leg to walk over a log separating the beach from mossy green grass and beautiful palm trees. Colorful plants lined the path for us as if to welcome newcomers. My shoes sloshed in the moist moss walkway and birds greeted us in their songs while I was led through the canopy of leaves and coconuts.

"Our kingdom lies just a little bit ahead of here," the elf said and pointed to the opening coming up ahead of us.

I walked forward and could barely make out a rising path ahead now that the sun was hidden from view. My body ached from the climb up the hill, but the view was worth it. Fresh cut grass and flowers filled my nostrils while I looked out to see a beautiful glowing city in front of me. There lay a massive building the color of every green and blue one could think of. It would reflect off of the ocean waves in the distance so the colors of the buildings would change to different blue colors.

"Beautiful isn't it?" the elf asked me once he realized I stopped walking to take in the view.

"Very beautiful. What is it called?" I asked.

"Travelers that have made it here called the place Atlantis."

"Atlantis? I thought Atlantis was buried beneath the ocean, or I thought maybe it was in Africa as a desert now," I said more to myself than to the elf beside me.

"I'm only saying what other people have called this place. To most of us it is home and to others . . . not so much."

"They do not like it here?" I asked.

"That's a question you will have to save for our leader. Let's keep going so we don't keep anyone waiting," the elf said and started walking.

This time I followed the elf. We walked out of the island's elements and into a quiet palace with no one around. My shoes echoed on the beautiful glass-looking floor. Massive pillars the same color as outside the palace held the building in place. The elf led me to a tall purple stone door and opened to reveal a comfortable bed and a miniature pond. This pond had amethyst rocks inside as well as flowers along the outside of the water.

"Your room for the night. We will have someone come get you in the morning," he said and beckoned me to go inside.

I walked inside of the room before the door was quickly shut and locked behind me. I turned around in surprise and tried the handle. Is this a trap? They locked me in here. Am I now a prisoner? I thought. I turned back around to see if anyone lurked in the corners of this room. Once I was positive I was alone, I decided I needed to find a way out of this beautiful prison.

I walked over to a big bookcase full of texts in another language. My parents would have loved to take a look at these books. Interest of archaeology ran in our blood. Where are you father? I thought. I went to the side of the bookcase and pushed as hard as I could, but there was no budge.

Tap tap tap, someone knocked on the door.

I grabbed a book and hid it behind me while I went to try the handle. It was locked. "I'm sorry, I can't open it. It's locked," I said to whomever was on the other side.

A key insert noise was made and the door opened to a small elf lady in maid-looking clothes. "I'm so sorry about keeping you locked in here, it's for your own protection. They asked that I bring you clothes in case you wanted to get cleaned up and change," the elf lady said and looked up to reveal her face.

She was very petite and had yellow eyes. She lifted a beautiful purple-scaled outfit for me. "It should fit you. It's supposed to change a little depending on the wearer. You are welcome to get cleaned up in the water in your room. It has special cleaning powers," the elf lady said and handed me the dress.

I looked out behind her in the darkness. "What am I being protected from?" I asked.

"Our leader wants to speak with you tomorrow and he will explain everything, we were just told to keep you comfortable enough before you meet with him."

I hesitated between taking the dress and listening to her or running full sprint to the island. They said they have my friends. That merman seemed nice to me, but I have heard bad stories about them. Who do I trust? If I run away now, I won't know if they have my dad's friends or not, I thought tirelessly. I grabbed the dress and the elf lady looked relieved.

"I will come for you in the morning," the elf lady replied and stepped out of the room so I could change. I heard the door gently shut and lock once again.

I brought my book and the gorgeous purple dress over to the bed. I tossed the book further up the bed and placed the dress softly onto the silky blanket in front of me. The dress reflected purple and green when it turned. It was long and also had long sleeves that would open like bell bottom flowers. If I were to put it on now, my forearms and hands would come out of the sleeves and the rest of the sleeve material would go down to the floor along with the skirt length of the dress.

I looked over to the welcoming water and changed to take a bath and relieve the aching pain in my body. The elf lady was right. The bruises from my seatbelt slowly faded away. I leaned my head back and let the water wash over all the cuts and bruises my body had.

When I put my face under the water I remembered the gentle feeling of being tugged on my arm onto the beach. I resurfaced from my bath and closed my eyes. Did he really have malice intent? I don't think so since he saved me. Maybe there are good and bad mermaids, I thought.

I pulled myself out of my bath and changed into the unfamiliar clothes that were brought to me. The dress slid over me and felt so much better than the sand-infested clothes I was wearing earlier. I walked over to the side of the bed to reveal more items that I would be able to use to brush my hair and freshen up.

Once I was done, I crawled under the silky blankets and welcomed sleep before another knock came in the morning to wake me up from my slumber.