Chapter 5: Goddess of Youth
The ship sailed underwater, the glowing still around it, for three days. The group assumed that the blue glowing around the ship was what was keeping them stuck to the deck as they walked and what kept them breathing. Xenos never left the helm and he never told them where they were going. When any one of them asked, he just said, "You'll see."
Miguel never left Esperanza alone with him. It wasn't only that he didn't like him, he didn't trust him. He had a look to him that Miguel didn't like, and Tulio saw it too. It wasn't quite as sinister as Tzekal Kahn's look, but it was close enough. He assumed Esperanza saw it as well, because she always stuck close to him, but Xenos still flirted with her, making Miguel dislike him even more.
Now, Esperanza stood at the bow, getting away from everyone for a moment alone. She stared out at the void of the ocean. She still found it odd. Her eyes didn't sting from the salt water, and her lungs didn't feel heavy with water. It was as if she had an invisible force field around her, letting her breath air and keeping her from…water damage.
"I never thought I'd sail beneath the ocean."
Esperanza jumped with a start and turned to see Miguel coming up next to her.
"Oh, yes," she smiled, turning to face ahead. "I don't think any of us have."
Miguel glanced at her as she still stared ahead then stood behind her and leaned his arms on either side of her on the railing. He'd been doing this a lot more often since Xenos had come on board, and Esperanza quite liked the attention.
"Where do you think he's taking us, Miguel?" she wondered, moving her arms to align with his and touching her pinky fingers to his thumbs on the rail.
"Somewhere we probably don't want to be," he blurted and Esperanza looked up at him over her shoulder.
"I'm surprised you're not by shocked by the fact that we're actually sailing underwater," she smiled and he only shrugged.
"Tulio and I were chased by a huge cat made of stone that Tzekal Kahn was controlling, remember?" he reminded her and she nodded. She looked ahead again but couldn't keep in a question that had been bugging her since they began their new journey.
"You really don't like Xenos, do you?" she wondered and felt Miguel stiffen behind her making her look up at him again.
"No," he replied simply.
"Why?" Esperanza frowned.
"I don't trust him," Miguel explained.
"But why?" she insisted and Miguel sighed in exasperation.
"Something just tells me to stay on my guard around him," he replied. "And he hit me, Esperanza!"
"Oh, I know," she groaned, turning to face him. "I should have slapped him for that."
Miguel looked at her in shock but shook it off a bit and said, "Tulio and I took care of it. Why would you slap him?"
"Because, he shouldn't have hit you!" Esperanza cried then slid her arms around his chest to hug him, her cheek on his chest. "Next time, I'll wallop him good for you."
"N-No," Miguel sputtered, wondering why she was doing this. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
"But I don't like not doing anything when someone I care about is hurt," she mumbled and Miguel shoved her at arms length to stare his wide, emerald eyes into her shy, golden ones.
"Someone you care about?" he echoed and she gave a small smile with an equally small nod. Miguel couldn't help the grin that burst onto his lips when he pulled her back to hug her and she giggled. "I care about you, too."
Esperanza snuggled into his chest when he said that. They stayed that way for a moment before Miguel looked ahead of the bow and noticed something in the distance on the ocean floor glowing white. The ship was nearing a drop off which from which the glow was coming from and it made Miguel frown in wonder.
"What is it, Miguel?" Esperanza wondered, looking up at him. He looked back at her, speechless. She frowned and looked to the bow as well and saw what he did. "What is that?"
"That's a good question," Miguel breathed and grabbed her hand to drag her toward the helm where Xenos still stood. Tulio and Chel were leaning over the port railing, seeing the strange glowing as well.
"Hey, Miguel," Tulio tried. "What---?"
"You will find out soon," Xenos cut in, making Miguel and Esperanza freeze and look at him from going up the stairs. All eyes went to him as he stepped down the stairs and stood in front of Esperanza.
"It's time to start believing your bedtime stories, my dear," he murmured, stroking the back of his fingers over her cheek. She pulled her head away from his hand making him scowl and Miguel smirked in triumph as she shuffled closer to him.
"Bedtime stories?" Chel echoed with a frown and Xenos nodded, still staring at Miguel and Esperanza.
"She'll understand when we reach the city," he said, heading toward the bow as the group looked at each other in confusion. Altivo suddenly came trotting toward them from a hatch leading below and stood with them. They all noticed that the glow was right beneath them and the rays shot up around the ship.
Esperanza was the first to lean over the railing to see what they were floating over. She gasped in realization, causing everyone to lean over the railing as well and their eyes shot wide.
Below them where several structures with rounded, turquoise colored roofs and they were all various sizes. Street like lanes wound between the buildings and as the ship lowered into a huge gap in the center of the city, they all saw that the buildings were made of white marble, the buildings of turquoise green marble.
"It exists," Esperanza breathed as the ship landed gently, hovering above the white sanded lanes in the city. Everyone looked at her and Xenos only smirked as she turned to him with wide eyes. "It's… It's…"
"That's right, Esperanza," he nodded. "It exists. Isn't she beautiful?"
"It is," she nodded in a trance.
"What?" Miguel asked, turning her toward him and looking her in the eyes. "What is this place? Where are we?"
"Atlantis," she breathed, a smile starting to form on her lips. Tulio, Chel and Miguel all stared at her in confused awe and she glanced between all of them. "There's a legend about a city that was filled with technology that wouldn't be created until thousands of years later, and magical properties. The sea swallowed the city, taking its technology and magic with it. The city was Atlantis." She turned back to Xenos with a totally lit up face. "We're in Atlantis!"
"Yes, Esperanza," he nodded again and came up to her, taking her hand and making Miguel glare at him. "And now, you're coming home."
"What?" Esperanza and Miguel breathed.
"What?!" Tulio and Chel cracked. Altivo snorted in disbelief.
"You've always believed in us," Xenos smirked, bringing her hand to his face. "You've always believed this city existed, and there's a reason for that." He brought her hand into both of his and held it as Miguel continued his glare at him. "You are a goddess reborn."
"Huh?!" Esperanza grunted and Tulio rolled his eyes.
"Not again," he groaned, slapping a hand to his face as Chel shook her head.
"Wait, wait," Esperanza laughed nervously and looked Xenos in the eye. "You're telling me that I'm one of your goddesses reborn?"
"Exactly," Xenos nodded. "More specifically Quanda, the Goddess of Youth."
"Wait, so she's a goddess reborn," Tulio repeated. "You don't think she's a goddess currently living."
"It's still the same, Tulio," Miguel said, keeping his eyes on Xenos and Esperanza.
"There must be a mistake," she insisted, trying to back away, but Xenos still held her hand. "I'm from Spain. I was born there, twenty-two years ago, in Madrid. I'm no goddess. I'd know if I was, right?"
"Not necessarily," Xenos replied. "But soon, everything will be clear. We must take you to the Hall of Life. We must give all of you stones that have the power to keep you from drowning and floating to the surface of the sea. Come."
He started to walk to the side of the ship with a rope ladder, her hand still in his but she pulled back. He stopped and frowned at her in confusion.
"I'm not a goddess," she insisted. "I just want to go back home."
"You are home," Xenos replied. "You only need to have your memory jogged a bit. Now, come." He tried again to pull her to the railing but she yanked her hand free of his grasp. He whirled around with a flame in his gray eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Esperanza cried. "I want to go home!" She turned into Miguel who threw his arms around her to protect her. Xenos looked around at the group who seemed like they were agreeing then at Miguel who was glaring at him.
"Very well," Xenos nodded. "Shall I prove you are a goddess?"
Esperanza stared at him in awe then looked up at Miguel, as if to ask for guidance and he looked down at her.
"I'll be right here," he murmured, reluctantly. She swallowed and turned to Xenos and nodded her approval. He lifted a hand to her and she hesitantly placed hers in it as Miguel watched carefully. Xenos pulled Esperanza a bit too closely for Miguel's comfort but Tulio patted his shoulder to keep him calm.
The Atlantian placed the thumb of his free hand on her forehead and she froze. The group stared in awe as she began glowing white like the city itself. Xenos pulled his hand away from her head and she began floating as he let go of her hand. Her hair started changing to a purple color and shortened. She turned to face the group, still floating, and they all saw her eyes were shining white and the same circle tattoo on Xenos's forehead had appeared on hers.
"The Goddess, Quanda," Xenos said, reverently then knelt on one knee, bowing his head. Esperanza floated back down, her hair not changing, her eyes still shining, the glow still around her. She landed in front of Miguel who stared at her in disbelief and her eyes suddenly shut as she fell toward him. He quickly caught her and still stared at her as her head fell back.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Xenos smiled, standing and walking toward them. He ran his hand over her hair line and Miguel pulled her away from him.
"Stop doing that!" he snapped. Esperanza suddenly groaned and stirred in his arms and everyone tuned their attention to her. She lifted her head and looked up at Miguel with water blue eyes.
"What happened?" she groaned, standing and laying her head tiredly on his shoulder as her eyes closed again.
"You went mystical on us," Tulio replied.
"She needs rest," Xenos told them. "Follow me. We will take her to the Hall of Life."
The other three looked around at each and Altivo snorted, shaking his head. Xenos began climbing out of the ship and the group exchanged worried glances.
"We should probably go with him," Chel suggested and the two men shot their surprised gazes at her.
"What?!" they asked.
"If we want to get back…above water, it seems like he's the only one who can," she replied. "Or someone else can help us."
Miguel and Tulio looked at each other again then everyone looked at Esperanza when she stirred and groaned. Miguel shifted her so that he could carry her easily and stared at her in concern.
"Maybe someone here can change her back to the way she was?" he hoped out loud and Tulio patted his shoulder to comfort him.
"She can do that herself."
The three jumped and looked to the railing where the unfamiliar voice had come from. They hadn't realized that Xenos had left and another person was now climbing onto the deck and coming towards them. It was a woman this time, with short, chocolate brown hair and gray eyes and wearing a dark brown tunic similar to the one Xenos wore, she had a circular tattoo on her forehead as well and around her neck was a leather cord with some kind of silver gem attached to it.
"Who are you?" Chel wondered.
"My name is Elektra," she smiled, standing in front of Miguel as he still held Esperanza in his arms. Elektra gazed at her in awe as she hesitantly held her hand to her hair line to stroke it as Xenos had earlier.
"By the Gods," she breathed. "I didn't believe it, and I still don't. Yet, here she is, the Goddess of Youth." She looked up at Miguel, still in awe. "She's gorgeous."
"Well, she was prettier the way she was before," Miguel admitted then asked, "You said she could change herself back?"
"Oh, yes," Elektra nodded, putting her hand on her side again. "All the Gods may take any form they wish, whether it is their human form or their heavenly form."
"But, Xenos had changed her into…this," Tulio explained, gesturing to what Esperanza looked like now.
"Yes," Elektra nodded. "That is because he is also a God reborn. Xenos, the God of Leadership."
"He's a God?!" Tulio and Miguel asked at the same time with the same wide eyed disbelief.
"Yes," Elektra nodded again. "He sent me here to convince you to stay. He said that Quanda was having some difficulty adjusting to this."
"We all are," Chel replied. "We just want to go back up there."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Elektra replied, apologetically. "We have been waiting for her for quite some time. When the Goddess awakes, she will remember her life before and take her place here, if she wishes. For now, though, I am to escort you all to the Hall of Life where you will receive your Senteal Stones."
"Senteal Stones?" Tulio echoed with a frown.
"They will keep you from drowning and floating to the surface and also translate what we say into your language," Elektra replied, then lifted the gem around her neck. "They look like this. Everyone has one, except for the Gods."
"How many of them are here?" Miguel asked.
"Xenos is the only one to grace us with his presence," Elektra replied. "And now, Quanda has."
"Her name is Esperanza," Miguel corrected. Elektra frowned at him but nodded in understanding.
"Very well," she smiled. "But you must forgive some of us. We only know the Gods by their heavenly names. Come."
She gestured that the three follow her over the railing and the three looked at each other in uncertainty but soon followed, Altivo trotting behind. They all climbed down the rope ladder, except Altivo who jumped over the railing and once everyone was on the ground, Miguel carefully propped Esperanza onto Altivo's back.
"The magical spear that Xenos used will work for some time after you leave the ship," Elektra explained, leading the troupe through the streets. "But its effect does not last. Soon it will fade if you are away from the ship too long."
They walked for some time before coming to an exceptionally large building and Elektra stopped at them at the door.
"Xenos is inside," she explained. "I'm sorry but, the animal must stay out here. We will have a stone given to him as well, but…" She trailed off and Miguel nodded to keep her from continuing. He slid Esperanza from the horse's back and told him to stay here. Altivo nodded, but he looked rather upset.
"We'll be back, Altivo," Miguel smiled. "I promise."
The group turned to Elektra who nodded and moved to open the door. She stepped inside and the three looked around in awe at the huge structure. On the other side of the room there were two huge statues. One was a man who looked exactly like Xenos and the woman standing next to him looked like Esperanza.
"Welcome, mortals," Xenos's voice echoed from the bottom of the two statues. "to the Hall of Life."
A/N: ooh! ok, i'm totally making a whole bunch of this up. im not exactly sure about the legend of Atlantis, but i no a little bit. and who cares, this is all in fun anyway, right? lol! reviews?