Chapter 10- The Lost City of Elyntis

The two of them started off down the hill again as Kagome started asking endless questions about Ariellica. Like the kind of people who lived here—more about the different places—who Sango and Miroku were—and everything else that came into her mind.

"Hey, Kagome?" asked Shippo cautiously when Kagome was trying to catch her breath. "Do you mind if I ride on your shoulder?"

Kagome smiled warmly down at Shippo as she hefted him up onto her shoulders. "Sure, Shippo!" she said, her smile widening slightly as he grinned and looked around, his meekness and shyness disappearing in an instant.

The little kit had attached himself to Kagome like an extremely adorable, furry tailed leech. Truth be told, Kagome didn't really mind. He could help her here, and she could act like a surrogate mother for as long as he needed, or as long as she stayed there. She had learned a lot about Shippo in a very short time; he's really hot-tempered, but with the innocent mind of a child, she could tell already that he was the kind of person who likes to help out whenever possible. He's very observant of other people's feelings, even if, like a kid, he blurts things out a bit too much.

They talked for a long time; about anything that came to mind—except about the one person that she really wanted to know about… she opened her mouth to ask Shippo how Inuyasha was doing when—all of a sudden—she saw it!

She saw the city that Shippo had talked about—it was Elyntis! It had to be…

The city was all made of circular belts of sea and land closing one another alternately, some greater, some smaller, two being of land and three of sea, which was carved as it were out of the midst of the island; and these belts were it even distances on all sides. In the middle of these rings was the center of the original island. She could see two springs on the central island, with water so clear and clean that it was completely new shade of blue. Out beyond the third water ring was a plain that covered most of the island. A red, white, and black stone wall plated with metal was built on each land ring and on the central island. The metals used for the walls were made of a strange crystal that Kagome had never seen before. She could also see tin was used for the wall on the middle ring and brass for the outer ring's wall. There was also an outer stone wall that circled around the outermost ring. The city of Elyntis had buildings of red, black, and white marble of dazzling splendor, that it looked like it was formed of some kind of crystallized light.

In the center of the city was, what looked like a large temple with a pinnacled roof that was so high that clouds drifted around its spires, and it contained an enormous image sea nymphs and dolphins. The unique beauty of the city, on its circles of land linked by great bridges across the circles of water, was further enhanced by brilliant gardens, groves of flowering trees, and innumerable sparkling fountains.
Great universities, observatories, libraries, laboratories and academies for all the people who lived there.

Kagome could see the forms of the skilled craftsmen who wrought in base and precious metals, and of fresh sea breezes which cleared the smoke of their foundries from the air; of the busy markets where people sold the rich and colorful produce of their farms; and of the frequent festivals which brought crowds of people singing and dancing in the streets.

To be able to sail to and from the central island, there was a large canal through the outer island to the central island wide enough for large ships to pass through. The islands were all connected by bridges to the land rings from the city. Next to the bridges, were the covered channels that were built for the ships to pass through. The plain on the island outside the rings looked like it was used for farming. There were vineyards, orchards and cornfields, among other types of large gardens of trees and fruit; while giant towers of what looked like water and light woven together, and had fountains of water falling down its sides.

Kagome couldn't help it. Her mouth was dropped open as she stared at Elyntis. She could never have imagined such a large and beautiful city as this—no one could.

Shippo pulled on a small strand of her hair and asked, "You like it?"

For a moment Kagome was speechless at the question. "Like it? Who wouldn't? I'd never seen a place like this before."

"No one outside Ariellica has. Like I said—this whole world is made up of the combined dreams of children from earth. No one other than children could create a city like this."

"You know—it just hit me," said Kagome smiling at her friend. "We're sure not in Kansas anymore Toto."

Kagome and Shippo walked their way towards the city. It was even more beautiful up close as she and Shippo crossed the first bridge. She could feel the spray from the water that fell from the towers to the entrance. She could see every stone in the stone road and walls of the surrounding city, she could smell the scent of the gardens, fruit, and everything else as she walked forward, and she could hear the sound of hundreds, if not thousands, of people shopping, eating, playing, dancing, laughing, talking, and singing. It was all pretty overwhelming.

She felt another tug on her hair, "Hey," said Shippo. "Look down. Below the bridge."

She went over to the edge and looked down; wondering was there was to see. What could be more amazing then the city?

Oh…

She gasped. There… underneath the surface of the water… was a whole underwater city! She could see the images of thousands of buildings that looked like it was made of the same material of as Elyntis. There were tens of thousands of shells and colored stones littering the floors of the buildings fish of every size and color, plant life that looked like it came from another planet, whales and dolphins and seals, and…

… ok this was too much.

There were—people—people with fins! Mermaids!

There were actually real live mermaids, mermen, and sea nymphs! The mermaids and mermen, all had long glistening, scaly green tails from the waist down. The women all wore dresses made of seaweed and jewelry made of shells. All the sea nymphs were dazzling beautiful and swam together, through the windows and open doors of the underwater city. Diving through the kelp and plants while racing through the arches and streets side by side with the fish, whales, dolphins, seals…

"Selkies," said Shippo as if he read her mind. "The seals are called Selkies. They turn into seals when they go into the water but… oh look!"

Kagome turned her head to see one of the Selkies lumber his way out of the water and onto the bridge. For a moment nothing had happened, but then to Kagome's amazement, he began to shrink.

He got smaller, and thinner, and started to have limbs growing from its sides until… a young man laid there. He was a very handsome man that looked about 30; he had a very dark tan with brown hair and muscles, and he was dressed in an outfit that looked as if it was woven from strong seaweed and thread. He stood up and walked in towards the city as if nothing happened.

"Kagome?" asked Shippo's voice. "Are you ok? We need to go into the city now." it was then that Kagome realized that her mouth was wide open as she stared after the Selkie. "So…" she said, trying to act calm. "Even the animals here aren't what they appear to be."

"Nothing in this world is what it appears to be," said Shippo laughing. "Elyntis is the second largest city we have here in Ariellica. This whole city is made up of the dreams of children who dream of a legendary city that sank beneath the waves."

Legendary city that sank beneath the waves?

"Shippo," said Kagome slowly. "Could this—is this—is this whole city—Atlantis?"

"Oh, so that's what they call it," said Shippo. "I guess that's where the name came from. This city was made by the children who dreamt of the lost city of Atlantis. They all dreamt what they thought the city would look like—and well—where we are!"

Shippo then jumped down from her shoulder and took a hold of her hand. "Come on! We have to get to the market before the parade starts or we'll be in big trouble!"

"Trouble?" cried Kagome as Shippo dragged her along the bridge and through.

"The parade is here to celebrate the 'king' leaving, and going back home," said Shippo who said king as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. "The King had been staying here in the city for the last few days and he's finally going back to Arachnid. The parade is here to say goodbye and to wish him luck. Of course, everyone knows it's just a way to celebrate him leaving and hoping that he never comes back."

'Wow. This king sure was popular,' though Kagome as she let Shippo drag her into the lost city of Atlantis—I mean Elyntis

Kagome and Shippo wandered around the city for hours taking in its beauty and glory. The many fountains in the city streets, which had both hot and cold running water that looked and felt so clean that it almost was a shame to drink from it. It was the best water that she had ever drunk.

"What is that crystal made of?" asked Kagome as she looked at the wall on the middle ring.

"It's a stone that Miroku calls orichalcum. I don't know how it works but Miroku says that it's very powerful. They are what made these buildings."

It turns out that the many building were made of crystallized light. The orichalcum stones could actually turn light into a substance that was used for building material. They saw the hundreds of statues of sea nymphs, mermaids, mermen, whales, selkies and dolphins. They walked on the circles of land linked by bridges across the circles of water, to see the brilliant gardens, groves of flowering trees, and innumerable sparkling fountains of healing water. They went to the look at universities, observatories, libraries, laboratories and academies for all the people who lived there.

Kagome met some craftsmen who worked with the precious metals, when she and Shippo had finally made their way to the market. The market was busy, it had dozens of stalls full of everything from jewelry that would make any girl flip for, clothes of silk and cloth, books in languages that she never seen before, and food that smelled like a slice of heaven. It was only then did she realize that she wasn't hungry…

How could that be? She hadn't eaten anything since the morning she left… and even then she hardly had breakfast…

"I don't see why they bother," said Shippo looking at a young couple buying fruit that looked so delicious that she longed to bit into. "Don't bother with what, Shippo?" asked Kagome.

"I'm sure that you noticed by now, that you aren't hungry?" he asked her. "Well that just it. See here in Ariellica—you're hardly ever hungry. Most of the time people eat only when they want too—people can go for months without food and still be happy."

"Are you serious?" asked Kagome. 'Oh course, he's serious,' she thought to herself. 'Why would he lie about this?'

"Yeah. You only need to eat once every few weeks to stay healthy. Most people eat only when they want to—the last time I had a meal was about 2 weeks ago."

"Wow, that's one heck of a diet." She didn't say anything else until something caught her eye. She stopped by a stall that had a small hand-held, circular mirror. Kagome picked it up.

It was just a tiny thing that could easy fit into a normal, average size purse. It was a silvery color, with a plan design on the handle, but it did have a circular golden jewel on the back and had several small crystals surrounding it that were in the shape of flower petals. Normally, it was the kind of thing that people would just walk past it without giving it a second glance. But Kagome—it was almost as if she was being drawn to it.

"You like the mirror?" asked the sale person.

That voice startled Kagome for a second. She looked up and saw a smiling old lady with a patch over her right eye. "My name is Kadae," she said. "And I see that ye like that mirror. Ye know; ye are the first person to actually take an interest to it."

Kagome only nodded. She wanted to get it—but she didn't have any money on her and besides, she had no idea what they used for money in this city. She placed the mirror down and was about to walk away when the old lady called her back.

"I'll sell this to ye for free if you can answer one riddle." Kagome turned to look back at the old woman who smiled kindly at her like a grandmother would. "Would ye like to try? And if ye guess it right then I'll sell ye this mirror for free?"

Why not? Kagome came back to the stall and said, "Sounds fair. What's the riddle?"

"You can see me but I can't see you. Everything within me is clear and true. Clear in the front and silvery in the back. If I'm broken I just multiply. And become sharp as a tack. You gaze at me and see the world backwards, you see who you are, but it's what it shows may not always be the truth... a laughing face… a weeping face… when all the masks we hide behind are torn away… what will our truth face show? What am I?"

Kagome only looked at her with a dumbstruck look on her face. What? She had no idea but she had to at least try to guess… let's see…

It's clear and true—clear in the front and silvery in the back—if broken it multiplies—and becomes sharp as a tack—gaze at it and and see the world backwards—suddenly it hit her… she thought of the book that she left behind in the hut… Alice in Wonderland!

"The answer's a mirror!" she said. Kadae only smiled wider. "Here is your prize—free of charge." She handed over the small mirror. "Thank you!" cried Kagome happily as she turned from the stall to show Shippo. "Shippo!" she called. Shippo had been looking at a stall filled with toys and small gadgets when he heard her calling him. "What is it Kagome?"

She showed him the mirror and told him what happened. "Wow!" said Shippo. "You think you can get me a few of those toys that way?" he asked her with a grin as he leapt up to her shoulder again. "Hey what's that?"

"What's what?" Kagome asked him.

"That writing on the edge of the mirror?"

"What writing?" it was then that she noticed writing was engraved on the edge of the mirror surrounding the glass.

'If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Even if you've have not gone the way you intended to go, you end up where you intended to be. If you become lost however, just remember which side you stand on of a two sides of a one-way mirror. When in doubt, retracing your steps is a wise place to begin.'

"That's weird," said Kagome. "What does that all mean?" Shippo merely shrugged. "Who know?"

Suddenly, something bumped into her, almost making Kagome fall. She almost fell on a stall full of silk robes; making things spill off the table they were on. Mutterings apologizes and 'Excuse me's to the startled sale woman as she and Shippo started to pick up the silks.

Kagome was looking around trying to see what had almost knocked her down, until a horse clomped in front of her. Kagome had dropped the silk scarves that she was holding, her eyes had become wide with fear. The horse she was staring at right in front of her was… it had…

Fire danced around the horse's hooves and mane as it whirled around on her, smoke snorting out of its nostrils as ruby eyes glared down at her. There was a man with a heavily bandaged faceriding the giant horse.

"Watch where you're going wench," barked the man riding the giant demon horse. "The parade for King Naraku is starting soon."