The Atlantean Chronicles: Call of the Sea

Prologue

"Asherah, get the boys out of here now!"

A beautiful woman with flowing red hair sat up from where she had been laying in bed. Her husband stood in the doorway to their room, his eyes full of concern. She threw aside the covers and rushed up to him, stumbling as something struck the building, causing the walls to shudder.

She fell into his arms and looked up at him growing concerned. "Archon, what's happening?" she gasped as another impact rocked the palace.

She could see the windows in the hall had been blown in. Guards were rushing around, trying to help those trapped under the rubble, unsure of where the attack was coming from. 

"Asherah, do as I say, there is no time to explain," Archon said firmly, holding his wife back and looking into her eyes.

She felt herself fill with dread as she looked at him. She nodded mutely, beginning to understand. 

"My King," someone appeared behind Archon, drawing the pair's attention.

Archon released Asherah and turned to face a member of the Royal Guard standing in the doorway. "What is it?"

The guard's eyes were round in fear. "It's Meison, your brother, he's attacking the Kingdom," the guard said, their voice trembling.

King Archon's eyes blazed with fury. "Asherah, go now! Find my father, he can take you to the surface, you'll be safe there," Archon said, his face no longer held the concern of a husband and father, but the nobility of a king.

Asherah bit back tears. "You will come with us won't you?" she asked, knowing the answer.

Archon's gaze softened and he kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be right behind you," he said gently.

Asherah's eyes watered as she pulled away from him and rushed out into the hall. "My lady," a maid rushed up to her, holding the hands of two trembling boys.

"Thank you," the Queen gasped, kneeling down and throwing her arms around the boys.

"Mother what is happening?" the older of the two looked up at Asherah with terrified blue eyes.

She gently cupped his face. "Everything is going to be alright. Come we must move quickly," she said, rising to her full elegant height.

She picked up the younger of the two boys, still too small to keep up at a running pace. The maid picked up the other and followed the queen down the grand jade colored halls. 

"Help!" a small voice cried behind them.

The Queen skidded to a halt and turned to see a small girl covered in ash standing alone in the hall with tears streaming down her face. She looked barely old enough to talk. "Come," Asherah ordered, holding a hand out.

The little girl ran up to them, the maid scooping her up in her other arm. "Where are your parents?" the maid asked gently.

The girl replied with a trembling lip and it was all the response Asherah needed. She felt anger flare up in her heart as she rushed down the halls. How could Meison do this to his own family? She thought bitterly as another explosion rocked the city.

Finally they reached a side door where two guards were waiting for them. On the other side would be a long foot bridge, the King's father would be on the other end with a shuttle. "This way my Lady," one of the guards said, as they opened the doors for her.

She nodded her thanks but didn't slow her pace. She was halfway across the bridge when a familiar voice made her freeze. "Asherah!"

She turned to the maid. "Get to the shuttle," she ordered.

"Yes my Queen," the maid said, running up to the shuttle with the little girl and boy.

"Mother." The boy in Asherah's arms squeezed her silky night shirt in his small hands.

She smiled sadly at him. "I need you to be brave for me and for your brother, can you do that?" she asked.

The boy nodded. She kissed him on the forehead and placed him on the ground. "Get to the shuttle," she said, trying to fight back tears. "I'll be right behind you."

The boy nodded, his face determined. Asherah straightened and turned to face the man who had called out her name. Her blood ran cold and she could feel the color rush out of her face. "Meison..." she trailed away as she saw her husband bloody and beaten in the arms of his crazed looking brother.

"Father!"

Asherah gasped as she looked over her shoulder to see both her sons running down the bridge.

The maid stood in the entrance to the shuttle, the little girl peering behind her from inside. "Boys, stop..." the King said through gritted teeth as his brother pressed a dagger to his throat.

Both boys skidded to a halt just behind their mother.

"Give me the boys Asherah and I'll call off my army," Meison bellowed.

Asherah clenched her hands into fists. "Meison, enough of this!" she reasoned.

Meison glared at her with wild purple eyes. "You should have been mine! This all should have been mine!" he yelled, pressing the blade harder against King Archon's throat.

The King lifted his head defiantly. "You'll have to kill me before you get anywhere near my sons," he growled.

Meison looked down at his brother. "That can be arranged..."

"No!" Asherah yelled, her eyes beginning to glow a pale sea green color. Markings in the same color ran down her arms, until the pale glow pulsated from the palms of her hands.

She thrust them forward, a mystic light shooting forward and wrapping around the dagger in Meison's hand. The dagger clattered to the ground and King Archon leapt to his feet.

"You've left me no choice!" Meison yelled before Archon had turned to face him.

Asherah's eyes widened as she saw Meison reach for the blade strapped to his side. "Boys look away," she ordered, her voice catching in her throat.

Archon gasped as his brother thrust the long Atlantean blade through his chest. He collapsed onto his knees as blood pooled on his chest. Asherah turned to her sons. "Run!" she yelled, tears streaming down her face.

The maid rushed up to them, grabbing each one's hand. She looked up at the Queen. "Go," Asherah ordered.

She turned back to Meison, trying not to look at the bloody body of her husband laying in front of him. "They'll never escape," he warned.

Asherah's anger flared in her chest again. Her eyes glowed more bright and brilliant than before. She heard the shuttle beginning to leave behind her. Her entire body glowed in the sea green light and she thrust her arms upward, sending a wall of translucent light upwards and outwards so that a mystic shield separated Meison and his army from the escaping shuttle.

She looked over her shoulder to see the shuttle disappearing upwards. She turned back to Meison and yelled at the effort of holding up such a large mystic shield, tears streaming down her face. Meison looked at her in utter hatred. Finally she collapsed to her knees, blood trickling from her nose.

Meison marched up to her and grabbed her by her hair, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "I will find them Asherah and you're going to be there to watch them die," he spat.

Asherah glared up at him in defiance as two of his men shackled her and dragged her back into the palace. The doors closed with a loud boom and Meison looked up towards the surface, his face filled with malice. "I will find you..."