The Fallen of Atlantis (A Short Story)

In the dark, dystopian Underworld City of ancient Atlantis, Bumera is a feline halfbreed woman trapped by a debt she can never repay. For years, she's been Gorgaius's enforcer--the merciless gangster and debt collector who controls her every move. He owns her--body, mind, and soul.

But everything changes when she crosses paths with two mysterious boys, Mazi and Esa. The boys, orphaned and on the run, have secrets that could shatter the fragile balance of power in the city. Esa-quiet, powerful, and seemingly otherworldly-holds the key to an ancient text called the Gab Nori. A sacred artifact only the elite aristocracy are allowed to possess, it hints that Esa may be more than just a runaway. He could be nobility.

As Bumera grows closer to the boys, her world is turned upside down. Gorgaius, intent on claiming the boys for himself and seizing the power of the Gab Nori, is closing in-and this time, he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. Now, Bumera must make a desperate choice: protect the boys and risk everything she's worked for, or betray them to stay alive.

In The Fallen of Atlantis, betrayal, power, and impossible choices collide in a heart-pounding race for freedom. Can Bumera escape her past and save the boys from the merciless Gorgaius, or will she be crushed by the very forces she's spent her life serving?

"The Fallen of Atlantis" is a prelude to "The Halfbreeds of Atlantis" (A Novel). It is a science fantasy short story, set in the "Third World Universe" created by author Sunny Ghauri, offering a fantastical retelling of the stories of Atlantis.