Destinies: The Origin

Chapter 8: The Lost Kingdom Of Atlantis

Adzima pov

After a short rest, we all gathered in the hologram room to discuss the next recruits. 
Adzima:"So, where to next?" 
Falco:"Atlantis" 
We were all shocked by that name, and Anjas immediately questioned Falco. 
Anjas:"Atlantis? Isn't that just a myth? Don't tell me you actually believe in it?" 
Falco:"Atlantis is real, Anjas" 
Aditya:"Even if it exists, it will be located at the bottom of the sea" 
Falco:"Exactly" 
Adzima:"So how are we supposed to get to a place that is located in the very depth of the sea?" 
Falco:"Follow me" 
He gestured for us to follow, which made us even more curious about the upcoming journey.

Falco then led us to his garage, but instead of heading to the cars, we went down into a room beneath the garage. We were all stunned when we saw it, as the room was filled with all sorts of water-type vehicles—jet skis, boats, ships, and even a submarine. We all stood there, completely amazed, almost not believing what we were seeing. 
Fian:"Mate, who are you, really?" 
Then, with a hint of disbelief, he added. 
Fian:"I'm sure you also have airplanes and that kind of stuff too here" 
Falco:"Yes, it's upstairs" 
That left us speechless again. Fian, shaking his head, muttered. 
Fian:"You know what? Forget it, I won't ask anymore" 
With that, we boarded the submarine and sailed toward the mythical kingdom of Atlantis.

This time, only Fian, Aditya, Ina, and Qori that joined me and Falco. The others chose not to come for various reasons—some really disliked cramped spaces like a submarine, some didn’t like being underwater, and some couldn’t swim, but we all know the truth that they are just being lazy. As we navigated through the Indian Ocean, I glanced at the hologram map behind the captain's seat to check the coordinates of Atlantis. It was still quite a distance away, so I shifted my attention to the window, enjoying the underwater scenery lit up by the lights of the submarine. Not every day I get to witness such an extraordinary view, and I wanted to savor every moment of it.

Falco then suddenly appeared beside me and spoke. 
Falco:"Charming, isn't it?" 
Adzima:"Truly" 
Falco:"Mother Earth is truly beautiful, but humans always pollute and destroy everything without a single care" 
Adzima:"Not all humans are bad, you know" 
Falco:"True, but bad people always manage to gain power and authority, forcing the good ones to do nothing" 
Adzima:"Do you hate the humanity?" 
He answered very quickly without even hesitating.
Falco:"Yes" 
Honestly, his words confused me because they seemed to contradict his actions. 
Adzima:"Then why do you try so hard to save it?" 
Falco:"Because it's my responsibility and for my redemption for what I have done in the past"

Adzima:"What do you mean?" 
Falco remained silent, not answering my question. It was then that I realized. 
Adzima:"Wait, who is steering this submarine if you are here?" 
Falco:"Don't worry, Princess, I set it to autopilot" 
Just then, we heard Qori scolding Fian and Aditya. 
Qori:"Fian, Aditya, don’t you dare touch anything!" 
Fian:"What do you mean, Qori? I don't even want to do anything yet" 
Aditya:"Me neither" 
Qori:"I know that look, you two. You're planning to do something dumb, aren't you?"

We approached them to see what was happening and noticed that Aditya and Fian are indeed seemed to be up to something. 
Qori:"Adzima, perfect timing! Can you help me stop them?" 
Adzima:"What are they doing this time?" 
Falco:"Let me guess, they are planning to mess with the torpedo, right?" 
Fian looked surprised by Falco's accurate guess, which made him inadvertently reveal their plan. 
Fian:"Wait, how did you know?" 
Aditya:"Fian!" 
Fian:"Ah, fuck" 
Qori:"So I was right. I don’t want to sink to the bottom of the ocean, so you two better not do anything stupid! Or..."

When Fian and Aditya heard Qori's threat, they immediately nodded, clearly scared. The sound of a siren suddenly echoed throughout the submarine. Qori and Ina shot suspicious looks at Fian and Aditya, assuming they were responsible. In response, Fian and Aditya shook their heads in confusion and panic, sweat pouring down their faces. I looked over at Falco, who stepped in to calm everyone down. 
Falco:"Everyone, calm down. The siren means we are getting closer to Atlantis" 
With that reassurance, Falco guided us to the navigation room, where we finally got a glimpse of the mythical kingdom drawing nearer.

Entering Atlantis was through an underwater waterfall, and as we passed through, we were greeted with the stunning sight of the underwater kingdom. I had always imagined that if Atlantis existed, it would be in ruins. Instead, what we saw was a thriving kingdom with advanced technology, completely unlike anything on the surface. Despite being deep underwater, the kingdom was far from dark, illuminated by glowing coral reefs and algae in various colors, making it look like a city view at night. 
Falco:"Welcome to the Atlantis" 
Everyone:"Woah"

Falco then steered the submarine closer to a dock near what looked like a grand palace. As we gathered at the back of the submarine, Falco handed each of us a uniquely designed mask. 
Falco:"Here, this will help you breathe underwater" 
Adzima:"What is this?" 
Falco:"An oxygen mask" 
Aditya:"What about the oxygen tanks and other diving equipment?" 
Falco:"This mask draws oxygen directly from the seawater, so we don’t need heavy equipment like oxygen tanks" 
Falco:"And if you're worried about your clothes getting wet, don’t worry. This mask also creates an invisible thin layer that protects your body from the water while keeping you warm" 

After hearing the explanation, we quickly put on our masks and activated them. Falco then opened the back door of the submarine, and we all prepared to dive. However, I noticed that Falco wasn’t wearing the same mask as us; he was still wearing his usual black mask. 
Adzima:"Aren’t you going to wear the same mask as us?" 
Falco:"No, my mask has the same function, Princess, and even more" 
As Falco had mentioned, when we stepped out of the submarine, surprisingly our clothes remained completely dry. Although I felt a bit cold from the water, my body’s warmth was really well-maintained, thanks to the advanced features of the mask. 

We were soon greeted by a group of Atlantis guards who bowed to us, or more specifically, to Falco, who stood at the front. 
Atlanteans:"Welcome back to Atlantis, Lord Falco" 
Falco:"How many times do I have to tell you that you don’t need to bow to me and that you don't need to call me Lord?" 
Atlanteans:"Sorry, it’s an old habit" 
Falco then inspected the guards before asking. 
Falco:"What is going on?" 
Atlanteans:"Please follow us" 
The guards then guided us into the palace, and we followed them. As we walked, Ina talked to Falco. 
Ina:"So, you’ve been here before?" 
Falco:"A few times, yes" 

As we got closer to the palace entrance, we saw a large bubble surrounding it like a shield. After passing through the bubble and entering the palace, I felt a distinct change in the atmosphere. The guards quickly put on their water helmets. 
Falco:"You can take off your masks, guys. The bubble outside has the same function as the mask, but on a larger scale" 
Aditya:"So why are the guards wearing helmets?" 
Falco:"Because they can only breathe underwater, just as we can only breathe on land" 
Falco:"Only royal-blooded Atlanteans can breathe freely both in and out of the water" 

We took off our masks and breathed normally, as if we were on land. 
Adzima:"Hmm… Interesting" 
We continued following the guards until we reached the throne room. How surprised we were to see a man and a woman sitting on two thrones. It turned out to be Dwiyan and Dela, two of our friends. Their initial shock turned into smiles when they saw us. Falco, without wasting any time, asked urgently. 
Falco:"Where are Arthur and Mera?" 
As soon as the question was asked, their smiles faded, replaced by solemn expressions. The atmosphere shifted, and an awkward silence filled the room. The guards that brought us here tries to explain something to them but it was too late.