A new start (A Percy Jackson story)

Atlantis

Chapter 5: Atlantis
DISCLAIMER: I'm pretty sure I'm not Rick Riordan!

Percy thought it was like shadow-traveling, only without the feeling of your skin being pulled of by freezing shadows. The world slowly came back into focus, only a bit... bluer? He was at Atlantis! This was it! It was amazing! They had appeared right in front of a huge blue gate in some kind of shiny blue stone, it was made like the top of his fathers trident, just with more spears. There were patterns engraved in the stone, and they were embellished in tiny white crystals.

Poseidon walked up to the gate and it opened automatically, walking through, Percy saw that the city of Atlantis was surrounded by a chain of underwater mountains, reaching towards the surface.

The city itself was built around what must be the palace, in four different rings. Each ring had their own kind of buildings, the third was the biggest, with hundreds of houses, the fourth was the longest, but it was thinner. Percy and his father were standing between the mountains and the fourth ring, on a path that lead straight from the gate in the mountain, down through a beautiful field of corals and sea-flowers in all colors, and in through the fourth ring.

Here on top of the hill he could see that there were five more gates in the mountains, all of them had their own path that lead straight in towards the palace. Poseidon chuckled at Percys expression, "Do you like it?" He said hopefully, "If I like it? It's amazing! I've been here before, but I didn't get to see much.." Percy sighed, his father just smiled at him "Good thing I'm giving you a personal tour then" the Sea God said, the smile just as bright. "Really?" Percy laughed, he'd wanted to see his fathers home for so long.

Walking on the path toward the city, Percy studied the beautiful tiles it was made of, it was marble, with golden paintings on it; The first defeat of Kronos, but also the mermen fighting monsters unknown to him. Several fish swam by chatting excitedly "Son of the Sea God!" "Sea Prince" "Son of the Sea God!" "Little lord with big lord here?" Percy laughed while Poseidon just rolled his eyes. They were walking in silence, comfortable silence really. Until they reached the gate that lead to the fourth ring, where Poseidon pulled him to the side "They are all very excited to finally see you, just smile and wave, tell me if they get to close for your liking, okay?" He explained, "Who..Wha.." Percy started but Poseidon was already on his way through the gate, giving him no other option than to follow him to not fall behind.

The second he stepped through the gate into the fourth ring, he realized exactly who and what his dad had talked about. There was a huge market, and when he walked in all the talking and dealing stopped. Everyone looked at him with...awe...? The silence felt like hours until someone called out "Hail, Perseus, son of Poseidon!" Everyone replied "Hail!" and knelt, at least as well as they could kneel with tails, which he noticed first now. All the Atlanteans had tails in different colors, and their skin was also colored, there was various shades of red, orange, grey, brown and a few green. Their ears was also slightly pointed, giving them elf-like features. As the Atlanteans rose they started applauding, smiling and greeting him from all directions.

Poseidon slowly guided him thru the crowd "That was the fourth ring, usually there are more people there, but I thought I would be nice and not suffocate you on your first day. The fourth ring is where all the markets and stores are, few people live here." He explained,

Percy just nodded and continued to stare at all the buildings, which were mostly made out of a white kind of sandstone, they looked new but in an old way, probably very well maintained. They where built so that the only ways out of fourth ring where the huge gates. There were stores on both sides of the market, which probably ran all the way around fourth.

Walking thru a new gate, similar to the first ones, they walked into third, which was, at least Percy thought so, very quite. Poseidon must've seen his wondering expression, cause he said "This is the time when they eat dinner, the ones at the market were probably just running late" The buildings in third were built in different colors and shapes, but built with the same stone. Some had flowers hanging out the windows, big windows and tiny gardens with seaweed in front. He could hear chatting inside, people laughing and eating.

His dad interrupted his thinking "That reminds me, you must be hungry, come on! What do you want to eat?" Poseidon said, obviously displeased with the fact that he might be starving his son. "Not really, but I'd like something to drink, something blue?" Percy replied unsurely.

Poseidon chuckled fondly of his sons love for blue food "Anything you want Percy" He said while ruffling his sons hair, laughing when Percy swatted it away with a playful scowl.

Poseidon put on a serious mask, "But you will eat" He said, still kindly, but it was obvious he wouldn't take no as an answer. Percy just whined "Daaaad! I'm not hungry!" Poseidon stopped and just looked at his son "Perseus..?" Percy thought 'Oh no! Full name! Surrender! Surrender! He looked up at his dad "Yes dad.." All seriousness disappeared from Poseidons face "Good!" He said cheerfully and continued walking. Percy just looked at his dad before hurrying to catch up, thinking 'Do I have mood-swings like that?'

Walking thru the next gate, they walked along the path of second, which was full of training arenas and barracks, also it had what looked like an university, a huge white university with marble columns and a huge fountain in the front. There was a smaller building in the same style further down, probably a school. "This is the barracks where we train our soldiers, in strategy as well as battle, and here, you get the best education in my realm" Poseidon told him.

They continued walking until they reached first, the last ring before they reached the palace. The first ring was different, the houses, still in the same style, where bigger. With fountains and columns out front. Some had golden details on the windows, all the houses were different shades of white. There were statues and flowerbeds along the path. "The nobles and rich live here, thats why it has bigger houses" His father said as they walked. "They like nice things" he continued "especially nice things that show off their status and wealth."

They walked thru the rest of first in silence, until they reached the last gate, it was like the rest, except bigger, and it looked as if it was made of pure gold! There were guards on both sides of the gate, bowing as they passed. "Welcome home, Perseus" Poseidon said proudly. As the gate opened, Percy understood why he was proud, the palace was amazing! It looked like one of those fairytale castles, with one big, main dome, and many towers. Surrounding the castle was a gigantic garden, with trees and beautiful sea-flowers in all colors.

There was what looked like a small seaweed field, closer to the castle. Stepping closer, Percy realized that some of the flowers was made out of gems, silver and gold, like Persephone's garden.

The entire garden and the palace was surrounded by a tall wall made of marble, separating it from first. On the other side of the seaweed field, there was what must be the royal stables, right next to it, a big training arena. It was at that moment Percy realized that he might survive the stay.

"If it isn't Perseus Jackson..." a cold female voice said from behind him in the garden.

Or maybe he won't survive after all...

Haha! Cliffhanger!

This chapter was mostly just to explain how I picture Atlantis, as it will make a few parts of the story easier to understand later...

THANK YOU FOR READING! Virtual cookies for all who review! (::)(::)