The Heartstone of Atlantis (37)

I made them halt the cart before we entered the small fishing village. It was time to warn them about Circe and what they faced once upon her island.

“This is the last chance I have to warn you about our final destination in the outer world.” I said slowly. I had fought internally for most of our trip to find the right words to tell them but it remained a vain effort. “Circe is a misunderstood being which will make it hard to gain passage to her isle.” I explained. They sat looking at me waiting to hear the reason why. “She turns others into beasts if she feels they lack honour.” I blurted out. I watched them stiffen at my words while I prepared for their objections. Silence grew as they glared at me and I resisted peeking into their mind to see their thoughts. As their silence persisted, I finally had to speak in Circe's defence since she was not the monster they now associated her with.

“I know it reminds you of the stories of the Usurper Queen but she is not like that mad creature.” I nearly screamed at them. They still stared at me in absolute silence. “She would be seen as a being a great honour even by Atlantian standards.” I continued harshly. Only silence answered me. “Her and her followers have lived separated from world because all of them are seen unkindly because of their gifts.” I added. Meli looked away for but a moment but as her cold hard eyes returned to face me, it was a mental slap I felt.

“We can wait in the village until you have Balthis retrieve us there.” she stated bluntly. “We will not set foot there!” she added with finality.

“It would be for the best to keep ourselves away from someone with those dark abilities.” Sert commented unemotionally. I heard their words but my anger made me ignore them as I barrel forward with my thoughts.

“And like Atlantis will become again, all will be welcome on her isle as long as you show honour and virtue while there.” I replied calmer. “You can expect the same from her people and herself while there.” I continued ignoring their glares. “Do you lack the honour to walk upon Atlantis?” I added caustically. The insult stung but I do not regret using it. The dark glares I received was answered by nothing but a snide smirk upon my face. The words tumbled from their lips as their anger got the best of them which was my goal at that moment.

“She was a murdering tyrant!”

“She tried forcing her own guards to slaughter the innocent!”

“And when they refused, she turned them into beasts!”

“She cursed them to be more animal than Atlantian which persisted in their bloodline!”

“Which gave Annianka guards that are stronger and smarter than she could have ever hoped for!” I roared back at them. Both sat blinking at my words for a moment. “Do you wish to dishonour the ones that resisted an evil command and accepted the beast that was within them?” I continued without mercy. “What one did in malice turned many into a force of purest honour while Circe uses it to show others the honour that is within them.”

I read in their minds the sudden realization that one evil action had given someone beloved by all Atlantis the strongest force of protection. They glanced at each other to see if the other had came to the same conclusion. They looked sheepishly back at me prompting me to remove their ideas of it being a dark curse placed upon the most honourable of their people.

“Her curse did not place something upon them that was not already in them.” I explained calmly. “It was a dormant gene she activated that day which would have eventually awoken.” I continued. I made sure to remain looking at them as I spoke. “It is just unsure how long it would have taken but consider the reaction of one or two half beasts born suddenly in Atlantis.” I hazarded. Their jaw dropped at my word while I saw in their mind the sudden barrage of thought I had suddenly caused.

“What do you mean?” Sert commented.

“How do you know this?” Meli asked over Sert's words.

“You have studied the genetic patterns of life as a healer?” I returned at Meli. “Their genes have not changed greatly from the moment when those families were originally born on Atlantis, even before taking the positions of Royal Guards.” I explained. “It gave them greater speed and strength needed for their duties long before the Usurper changed them fully.” I remarked. “Look into the genetic history of all those families and you will see the pattern and the sudden spark caused by the Usurper as clear as day.” I added with a soft smile.

“You are telling us that the Usurper's curse was nothing more than forcing a genetic advancement in the Royal Guard families?” Sert replied dumbfounded. Meli remained silent as she looked at me. I spotted it in her mind that she had already came to this conclusion long ago but could not believe it was possible until now.

“Yes.” I answered softly. Meli closed her eyes tightly as she nodded with my words. “But none of the tales explain where that thought came from within the Usurper's twisted evil mind.” I continued. I fearede since my arrival to speak of this to anyone even if I believed Rez already thought the same as I did in part. With one deep breath, I charged forward with my words. “I believe the Heartstone of Atlantis has some form of sentience residing within it.” I told them quietly. “I am just unsure of its purpose or its final goals.” I continued slowly. I placed a shadow tracer on these words in their minds so they could only speak of it when we three were alone together.

“An entity living within the Heartstone forcing events to happen on Atlantis?” Meli asked slowly. I nodded back slowly as I read the pattern that formed in her consciousness. She glanced at Sert as he stared at me blankly.

“An infection lives in the world and you have both seen its effects including those on Atlantis.” I confided to them. Every word spoken was wrapped in the shadowy tracer for us three alone to know about. “It is less direct in Atlantis but spreads much faster in the rest of the world.” I continued. “This is why I am upon Atlantis and travel the world.” I remarked casually. “I am searching for the source to see if it can be removed in time to save everything.” I added. I replayed the scene in Meli's mind of what truly happened in the farm house as we cured the young girl. I made it disappear the second I saw the understanding form in her mind.

“Could it be two entities instead of one?” Sert interjected suddenly. We turned to face him. “One moving Atlantis forward while another corrupting it?” he explained as we stared at him. The flash from his mind showed two entities battling over Atlantis and the world. I dashed the thoughts it formed in my mind even if it gave me vain hope that Elyria was trying to manifest herself through the Heartstone.

“It is possible.” I admitted in a whisper. “But it could simply be one entity doing good to hide itself while corrupting everything.” I retorted louder. “I cannot truly say either way since until I find the source I cannot tell if it is benevolent or harmful least of all if two may exist locked in combat.” I explained. Sert nodded at my words seeing the possibility of one pretending to be two.

“We should speak with Annianka about this upon our return!” Meli stated suddenly. “She would be able to enlighten us being the Living Heart of Atlantis.” she explained.

“We cannot since, as the Heart of Atlantis, she is linked to the Heartstone and the entity or entities within it.” I returned sadly. “All it would accomplish is showing what resides there that we know it exists.” I added quickly. Meli stared at me for a moment before turning to Sert. He looked sadly at her as he nodded his agreement to my words. I could feel he hated himself for having to hide anything from Annianka but realized that tactically it was unsound revealing these thoughts.

“If the entity in the Heartstone is an evil one, then Holy Annianka could be corrupted by it without truly knowing it herself.” he whispered to her. His face verged on tears as he spoke those words. Meli reached out to squeeze his hand once to show her understanding. I could feel the unhappiness that had formed in both of them as they realized that the only other being they believe in could easily be a pawn of evil corruption.

“I hope that as my friends you can be my eyes and ear upon Atlantis as much as you are Annianka's.” I said softly. They turned to face me slowly. “Until I can find and end this corruption, I must rely on many to help spot things I may not be present to witness.” I explained to them softly. “I promise to tell you what I discover when I can.” I added softly.

“Of course we serve you as much as we serve Her Holiness!” they answered in unison. I knew it was only a partial truth since they would die for Annianka but not for me yet. Many more years would be required before this would be reality. I just hoped it would come before the dreaded ending I saw for Atlantis.

I grappled the back of their seat as my body trembled violently as that visions flashed in my mind. The island of Atlantis bursting into bright flames as it was consumed by the power of the Heartstone released. The great shade forming above the destruction and spreading its darkness across the globe until everything became a black nothingness. No future lines passed this in my vision as I realized it was not just Atlantis but all possible futures being destroyed at that moment. Only the darkness was left and the sense of utter failure took me as I collapsed into unconsciousness.