The Chronicles of Atlantis: Suspension
The first in a series of stories chronicling the events surrounding the disappearance and re-emergence of Atlantis.
Areneth stood at the pinnacle of the Auranth tower and took one last look across the valley. It would be the last time he would ever see it in its current incarnation. From this point in the tallest tower in Atlantis, he could see past the city walls to the countryside beyond. The grasses to the east were just beginning to green after the past winter's frosting. Sheep and ewes grazed quietly in the sun, having strayed far from the shade of the wide sumacs where the shepherds normally kept watch. There were no longer any shepards there, nor would there be for a very long time. All Atlanteans were summoned back within the city walls this morning, following a plan that had been laid out for some years. To the north and west, the grasses gave way to miles upon miles of flowering heather, resplendent in their shades of purple and pink. Dividing the fields into two banks, the Erinoy River flowed in from the North West, through the center of town, and down to the farms in the south, where it provided more than ample irrigation.
Within the walls, the streets were packed with Atlanteans; most having nothing more to do than sit on the side of the road and wait, their professions requiring them to be elsewhere. The hawkers and shopkeepers were closing up shop, though it was still the middle of the day. Massive crystals were suspended over the city's perimeter wall, spaced roughly a hundred yards apart. Similar, smaller crystals were spaced around the city in a precise grid. The largest crystal of all, however, was suspended directly over Areneth's head.
The spacing of the crystals was critical. If there were any not properly spaced, there could be severe side effects on anyone caught in the so called "dead zones". But the scholars assured Areneth that the spacing was proper and that regardless of the spacing of the inner crystals, the suspension would still be a success.
That is what the scholars were calling it. A suspension. He understood the reasoning behind it, and agreed with most of it, but something in the back of his mind kept nagging at him that something was going to go horribly wrong. He wished there was another way to achieve the same effect in the end, but this was the simplest. "If you could call this simple", Areneth thought as he turned, looking to the south. Squinting, he peered off into the distance, as if trying to see through the Urentara Mountains that ringed the Atlantis valley. Beyond those mountains, there lie the cave villages of the primitives. He had encountered the primitives many times before. Dirty, uncouth beasts that had yet to even acquire a rudimentary language. Atlantean explorers had circumnavigated the world, and the reports were the same; all the other races that showed potential for being an intelligent, capable species were all at the same stage of evolution, more or less. Worshipping fire from a tree struck by lightning and using primitive bone tools. They had yet to even learn how to make fire on their own, or discover the wheel.
Areneth sighed and looked to the sky. The sun hung just past the midday mark. The suspension would begin soon. Suspension. Such a tiny word that really seemed inadequate for what the Atlanteans were about to do. They were going to rip the entire city of Atlantis right out of the fabric of reality, suspending it in time. Naturally the Atlantean people would be suspended too, the entire point would be moot if it were not so.
The crystals around the cities' perimeter were responsible for holding the city outside of the flow of time. The crystals within the city were to ensure that all the Atlantean people were held outside of time in the same way, while the crystal hanging over Areneth would resonate with the subconscious brainwaves of the world, and bring Atlantis back out of its suspension into a time in which the Atlanteans could co-exist with the other races that they should be able to consider equals.
Chimes rang through out the city, their sound waves reverberating off the crystals placed so precisely throughout the city. The crystals began to hum in turn, each sound reverberating off other crystals and reinforcing the growing hum. Slowly the crystals began to glow, Areneth felt time slowing down.
It was beginning.
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