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FOREVER II - ATLANTIS
by Eloisa

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Disclaimer: Assuming anyone actually bothers to read this... I did not
invent these people. I think we all know who did. Don't bother suing me. It
isn't worth your while.

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If I made any bloopers, history-wise, it's because I don't know much about
the Atlantis myth either. Please email me at ***eagles@surf.metro.net.au***
if you have any comments. Be kind.

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__Neros, capital city of Atlantis, circa 2700 BC__

Kela Sunrise watched the public play with some amusement. Teran Darkhair,
her betrothed, was a marvellous comic actor, and the play was wonderfully
crafted, even though Teran did falter a bit on the gymnastics at times. She
smiled. Teran was gorgeous.

The play was ending. Teran cartwheeled magnificently out of the arena, and
the audience applauded. They then heard a crash and a yell and a tinkle of
broken crystal from just inside the doorway to the arena, and everyone
laughed, assuming it was part of the play's silly antics. The fact was that
Teran had lost control of his arm and fallen over, kicking his foot into a
niche in the wall and consequently breaking the decorative vase therein,
which happened to be one of Queen Melia Skyblue's favourites.
Teran sat up and groaned. "Oh, no..." He would be punished severely for
this. Melia took a lot of pride in her crystalwork collection. They
decorated the palace, and most of Neros as well. A life-sized crystal
statue of a unicorn stood in the palace's entrance hall.

He picked up a piece of what had once been delicate crystal vase, carved
with roses.

"What have you done?!" An imperious shout echoed down the corridor. "You've
broken one of my favourite pieces of crystalwork!"
Queen Melia herself descended upon him. "You stupid great oaf!"

Teran leaped to his feet and bowed. "Your Majesty," he squeaked. "It was an
accident!"

"I know, I saw. But that does not make it any less broken!" She gazed sadly
at it. "My poor vase!"

"I am sorry. My arm gave way. I will do a penance..."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous." Melia was a fair queen who didn't believe in
punishing people for what could not be helped. "It *was* an accident - not
your fault. I will see if the city's crystalworker cannot do something with
it. Salis - " here she turned to her maid, who was standing behind her " -
Salis, please fetch some servants to clean this mess up."

Salis bobbed her head and scuttled away.

"Now," Melia began, "Teran is your name?"

"Yes. Teran Darkhair, your Majesty."

"Teran Darkhair."  She smiled at him. She really did have the most
beautiful blue eyes, Teran thought.

"I didn't have a chance to see the play today, but I have seen you in other
public plays, and you are wonderful."

Teran grinned. "Thank you, your Majesty."

"How would you like to become Neros' official Royal Entertainer? We need
one now, since poor Nalan died." Melia looked hopefully at him. "My
husband, King Oalion, and I have discussed this and we both believe that
you, Teran Darkhair, are perfect for the position."

Teran's grin split his face from ear to ear, but he tried to look casual
all the same. It didn't work.

"May I think about this, Your Majesty?"

"Certainly." Queen Melia graced him with another smile. "May I remind you
that the pay is excellent, and you will naturally visit other cities and
towns and villages all throughout Atlantis. Perhaps we will even be able to
arrange ships to take you across the ocean, to other lands. It has been
done for the really excellent Entertainers - Nerine performed in Athens."

Teran stopped bothering trying to hide his grin. He took on a formal tone,
addressing her by her full name and titles. "Your Majesty, Queen Melia
Skyblue, Empress of Atlantis, Defender of the Realm, and daughter of the
Lady Allis Nightflower, I am honoured to accept your most gracious
invitation."

Melia's face lit up in a great smile. "Oh, you accept! How marvellous! My
son, Elios - he is just about your age, perhaps a couple of years older -
will be delighted. He thinks you are wonderful."

Teran frowned suddenly. "But my betrothed, Kela! May she come with me on
these trips, if she wishes?"

"Kela?" Melia said blankly.

"Kela Sunrise, daughter of Savis Emerald."

Melia smiled. "Oh, yes. I knew Savis when we were girls." She smiled
nostalgically. "Of course Kela may accompany you."

"Thank you very much, your Majesty."

"My pleasure." She and Teran moved out of the way as servants turned up to
sweep up the broken vase.

"I want this vase taken to Gelos Stormcloud the crystalworker to see if he
can salvage it at all," Melia commanded.

Salis curtsied. "Yes, your Majesty."

Melia nodded. "I am leaving now," she announced. "Be on your way, Teran
Darkhair. I will see you at the palace tomorrow at noon." And she strode
off, nodding at Kela Sunrise when Kela curtsied to her.

Teran blinked in surprise to see his Kela waiting at the end of the hall.
"Kela!" he called. "Kela, you will never believe what the Queen was just
saying to me!"

***

Kela and Teran were married and Teran spent many years entertaining for the
Royal family and also entertaining in an official capacity in other parts
of the Realm of Atlantis.

They encountered many joys and many dangers - there were always people
willing to get at the Royal power, perhaps through those close to their
Majesties, and there were also those willing to do anything to *be* the
next Royal Entertainer, and anything often included getting rid of the
present one.

But most of their time spent as the Royal Entertainer and his wife was
happy times, even if living in the Royal Palace meant living near Elios,
and Elios made Teran uneasy.

One day Teran was asked to perform in a coastal city called Maravis. Kela
hugged him hard when she heard this.

"Oh, Teran!" she exclaimed, "this means you are *really* respected, all
through the land. You know what a contemptuous attitude Maravinians usually
take towards all but the very best of Entertainers. When are we going?"

Teran smiled happily at her. "In two days. Elios is coming with us," he
added, suddenly scowling. "He is making a visit of State to Maravis's Lord
Halias and Lady Ellatis. Or that is what he said. I think he wants to be
near you. I can certainly understand the attraction, but why can he not
leave it alone? You are married. And he is 31 years old - soon he will be
King himself and it is high time he took his own wife." He folded his arms
sullenly. "It is a shame he is not one of those irritating people who we
can ask their Majesties to keep away from us."

"If you are going to say something like that, you might at least say it in
the privacy of your chambers and not in the Grand Entrance Hall where
anybody might walk past," said a new voice from behind Teran.

Teran jumped a mile. It was Elios, of course.

"Uh -," he stammered.

Elios looked amused. "Your face seems to have turned an astonishing shade
of white, Teran. Are you ill?"

"Er -," he tried to say.

Elios threw back his head and laughed. "You should know by now that my
family does not believe in punishing people unnecessarily. I am not going
to put your head on the block." He turned to Kela. "Your husband appears to
be suffering from chronic jealousy, Kela Sunrise," he said. "Please inform
him that he has nothing to fear. There is no doubt that you are a very
attractive lady, but I am a man of honour." He bowed. "I look forward to
our trip to Maravis together." He gave Teran a final amused glance, and
went on his way.

Kela laughed. Teran's face had gone from white to red. He was incredibly
embarrassed.

She giggled. "You're so sweet, Teran," she murmured, "but, *really*!"

***

Maravis welcomed them with open arms.

"I do not think they would be so enthusiastic about us if we weren't with
Prince Elios the oh-so-irritating," Kela whispered to her husband, unable
to resist a slight dig about his performance the other day in the Grand
Entrance Hall. "To a Maravinian, the Royal Entertainer is just a trumped up
court jester."

"Yes," admitted Teran, refusing to rise to her bait. "Maravinians are so
judgmental. And they do get so touchy at times."

Elios turned around in the front seat of the chariot that bore them through
the city to the Lord Halias's palace.

"That's right!" he shouted over the noise of cheering Maravinians. ("Long
live Prince Elios, future Emperor of the Realm!" There was even the
occasional, "Hooray for the Great Entertainer!")

Elios cleared his throat. "I once saw a man stab another man because Man
Number Two *smiled* at his wife!"

Teran blushed and Kela laughed. Elios looked apologetic. "I am sorry, I
didn't mean that!"

"It does not matter!" Teran shouted. "I know what these people are like! I
have heard stories about people kidnapping and torturing their neighbour's
children, in the name of revenge!"

Kela gasped. Elios nodded grimly. "And that is likely enough to be true, in
the poorer areas!" he yelled. The din from the crowd was deafening. Elios
turned back around and waved regally. "Lord Halias is interested only in
acquiring wealth for himself!" he called over his shoulder - it really was
galling, having to shout at people sitting barely a foot away. "We have
been trying to place a new lord and lady in Maravis for years, but we have
to obey the laws of inheritence and precedence, and we refuse to murder
them (not that they don't deserve it) so it's terribly complicated! And
Lady Ellatis is no better than her husband! Keep on your toes while in
Maravis!"

***

When they arrived at the palace and met the lord and lady of the city, Kela
and Teran realised that Elios spoke the truth. Halias and Ellatis were
about the same age as King Oalion and Queen Melia, in their fifties, but
they were nothing like their Majesties.

Ellatis, daughter of Falis daughter of Ylenia was beautiful, in a way, with
her dark flashing eyes and long black hair that fell in waves almost to her
waist, with barely any grey in it at all. She bore her age well. But the
set of her face suggested, not cruelty exactly, but a general demeanour
that was not disposed to sympathy if being sympathetic was to her
disadvantage.

Halias, son of Daran son of Halias gazed hard at his three visitors in a
way that said, "Step out of line one inch, princeling, and I will send you
to the headsman, and let Melia do what she will." He did look cruel.

Ellatis smiled at them. It looked to Kela to be painted on. "Friend Elios,
are you not going to introduce us to your companions? I see that the man
must be your famed Entertainer, but who is the woman?"

"She is his wife. She is Kela Sunrise, daughter of Savis Emerald. Our
Entertainer is Teran Darkhair, son of Garion Whirlwind. And of course you
know who I am; Elios Agate, son of King Oalion Darkeyes."

Halias's lip twitched in amusement. Maravis did not hold with the tradition
that the rest of Atlantis upheld, which was that on a child's tenth
birthday, he or she chose a second name to add to their first, personal
name. It was mainly to help identify them, although they could identify
themselves easily enough by describing themselves as the son of their
father or daughter of their mother. Kela Sunrise had chosen the "Sunrise"
because that was what a lot of people said her auburn hair resembled - most
people chose to use their most prominent physical characteristic. Garion
Whirlwind was so named because his hair always looked as though he had just
been through a whirlwind. Teran didn't have any particularly distinguishing
features, so he simply called himself "Darkhair". Elios, on the other hand
had used his most prominent emotion at the time - grief. The agate, being
black, was associated with death by Atlanteans. His little sister, Dalia,
who had only been six at the time, had died unexpectedly not very many days
before his second-name ceremony. At least, it was assumed that she had
died. She had fallen thirty feet down an unused well, but no-one had ever
found the body. There was no way she could have just vanished, but she had.

"You are welcome in our humble abode, Prince Elios, Royal Entertainer
Teran, and most honoured woman, blessed by their Majesties, Kela Sunrise."
Halias said formally. "Please consider it to be your home during your stay
in Maravis."

They smiled in return, although he did not sound as though he meant it at
all. Teran looked into his eyes and felt the hair stand up on the back of
his neck. Something, he thought, was terribly wrong, and it was much more
than cruel lordship.

***

Teran felt odd around Halias. Decidedly uneasy. It was a lot more sinister
than the unease he felt around Elios - he *liked* Elios, even if the man
did seem to pay his wife far too much attention. Teran had to admit that
Elios *was* a man of honour, and would not do anything improper.

But Halias... when Halias looked at him his gaze was cold, calculating...
and somehow hypnotic. When Halias looked him straight in the eye, Teran
found himself doing exactly what he was told, whether he wanted to or not.
No arguments, no questions. Halias seemed to have strange, unearthly
powers.

Kela had laughed in his face when he mentioned it to her. She had admitted
that Halias was far from a likable man - "cold and unfeeling" were her
exact words. She admitted that his stare made her edgy. But the idea of him
being able to control Teran's mind was ludicrous, she said.

"Don't be silly," she berated him. "No-one has that sort of power!"

"The gods do!" Teran shot back. "Poseidon, Zeus..."

Kela snorted derisively. "Gods! The gods aren't real, Teran! If they are
anything more than over-exaggerated legends of ancient heroes, then I am a
horse!"

Teran slapped her. "That's blasphemy, Kela Sunrise!"

"You are telling me that you think Halias is a demon or a sorcerer. I am
telling you what I think of that." She rubbed her cheek exaggeratedly.
"That hurt," she added.

"Good!" He sighed. "I have no wish to hurt you, sweetheart, but you must be
careful what you say. How could you think that the gods are not real?"
"I've not seen any proof that they are."

Teran shook his head. He drew her into his arms. "Kela, love," he sighed,
"you are impossible. But promise me that you'll at least keep an eye on
Halias. Be careful."

"I promise," Kela said, hugging him back.

***

But being careful was no help when dealing with a powerful sorcerer like
Halias. Teran was soon proved right.

Halias, Ellatis, Teran, Kela, Elios, and Ellatis's spoiled pet cat Taline
sat around the dining table on the last night of the Royal party's stay in
Maravis. That is to say, the humans sat around the table. Taline sat on the
table, eating the best in feline gourmet from one of her less ostentatious
bowls - this one was not pure silver, and her name was embossed on it only
in the semi-precious garnet and topaz.

Dessert was served - iced sherbet in crystal goblets. The goblets were
carved with elaborate patterns. This palace might look modest from the
outside, Elios thought, because of course they do not want to look as
though they're trying to outdo Royalty. But *inside*... He still wasn't
used to all the grandeur and ornate carvings and decorations, and he had
grown up in the Royal Palace. The long table in the dining hall (which had
windows overlooking the city) was made entirely from sapphire. The
elaborately carved chairs were polished mahogany with white velvet
cushions. It was obscene.

Halias stood when the meal was over. "This is your last night here," he
said, "as you will be leaving in the morning, and I would like to propose a
toast."

"Yes, of course, a toast!" Ellatis exclaimed. "How if - oh, Taline! Get
away from the Prince's goblet! You'll break it!"

Taline started at the sound of her name. "Leave!" Ellatis commanded,
pointing. Taline yowled and fled.

"Have we finished?" Halias demanded impatiently. "The toast. To Prince
Elios and his lovely parents, simply for being a wonderful Royal family!"
He sounded too insincere for Elios's liking. But Elios smiled graciously as
everybody toasted him.

"To Teran Darkhair, one of the rare breed of Royal Entertainer that is
actually worthy of the title!" Teran smiled, but the look in Halias's eyes
was becoming more fevered with every passing moment. There was a disaster
approaching. He could sense it, but he didn't know what to do about it.

"And to Kela Sunrise, one of the most beautiful women ever to have graced
our humble palace!"

Kela smiled as well, but inwardly she was thinking what a hypocrite and a
poser this Halias was. *Humble*?

"And finally to my lovely wife Ellatis, just for being her faultless self!"

Ellatis smiled shyly and blushed. Teran thought to himself that she could
take his place as Entertainer. "Of course we will want to toast you as
well, dear husband," she said. "To Halias!"

[I bet he would have beaten her or something if she hadn't said that,] Kela
thought. [I'm so lucky to have someone like Teran.]

Unexpectedly, Halias flung his arms out, sending his goblet flying across
the room and into the wall. He shouted something unintelligible, and the
Dining Hall vanished.

***

The five of them were suspended in an eternity of blackness. As far as the
eye could see there was nothing. But they could see each other clearly.

"Halias!" Ellatis screamed. "What did you do?"

"Silence, woman!" Halias thundered. "I have brought you here to serve the
purpose you were born for!" He laughed evilly. "That is, the purpose Elios
Agate, Teran Darkhair and Kela Sunrise were born for! You, Ellatis, were
put on earth simply to make me look good. But you will benefit me as an
energy source."

Ellatis stared at him in horror. "What -?"

Elios moved to hit him but found that couldn't move any part of him except
his head. "What have you done? I can't move!"

"That's right! None of you can!"

"I told you he was evil!" Teran hollered. "I remember now!"

Kela tried not to hyperventilate. "Remember what?" she gasped.

"We have all lived before," Teran explained. "A long time ago, in another land."

"Israel," Halias informed him, "Eight hundred years ago! But I arranged our
rebirth!"

"That's right," Teran said grimly. "Hiram here - I mean, Halias, his name
was Hiram then - he, uh -," Teran trailed off.

"What?" Elios demanded.

"He and I lived in a different part of Israel to you and Kela. He was a
magician and I was his slave. Nobody actually knew he was a sorcerer - in
our part of the land that was considered evil. I don't know about the rest
of Israel, because I never was allowed out of his house." He gave Halias a
bitter look. "He had a mansion on the edge of town. One day he came looking
for servant. I thought that living with this eccentric old man would be a
great adventure. Well, I was right. But he wasn't just eccentric. He was an
evil sorcerer. It was the worst mistake I ever made. I had put myself
completely under his power. He took control of my mind!

"He wanted to live forever. But the spell wouldn't work for him. He said
that it was because his soul had been burnt - he did not have enough of a
soul to tie to his life force forever."

"Your *soul* was burnt?" Elios interrupted, giving Halias an odd look.

Halias shrugged. "I played with a spell that I wasn't ready for."

"So," Teran continued, "when he felt a great surge of the Ancient Power of
the Dark channelled imperfectly in the west, he took out his crystal ball
to spy on you." He frowned. "You, Kela and Elios, were named Rachael and
Adlai, and you were lovers." He glared at Elios. "Which explains some of
the looks you've been giving my wife."

Elios blushed. "I have to admit it, I've loved Kela since the moment I saw
her. I couldn't explain it - it just felt *right*. But I couldn't... being
married..."

"Elios, please," Kela mumbled. She was bright red.

Teran talked over the top of both of them. "Hiram - Halias - was excited by
this," he said loudly, "because he could see your spell, and knew that you
were binding your souls together forever. That is probably all you intended
to do, but you also bound yourselves forever to the earth. Next time you
prepare a spell, Elios, try to research it a little more, alright? You also
dragged your sister Zillah, who is Dalia in this life, into the spell. Evil
magic is full of hidden catches, and because Zillah spied on you and
entered the spell when she was not welcome, all her lives will be cursed."

Elios winced.

"So will yours, Elios, because you instigated this disaster. You will
forever be denied what you truly desire.

"Hiram had soul enough that he could tie himself to another person's soul,
and as your soul will now be upon the earth forever, so will his. Because
he tied himself - and me - to you. To all of you."

"But that was not my full plan!" Halias roared. "I brought Talmai, Teran
that is, with me because I wanted a slave. I placed upon myself a spell
that would cause me to remember myself as Hiram when I turned twenty-one. I
remember the spells and I practice the magic. I have studied sorcery more
in this life! I will draw your souls into mine! My soul will be renewed,
and I will become Immortal!" He raised his arms, and black fire crackled
between his fingers.

"But I remember too!" Teran screamed. "I remember because of the mindlink
you created in order to control me! And I know the spells as well! Your
control has weakened with the rebirth, and I am master of myself enough
that I may use the mindlink - and your own spells - against you!" The same
black fire made itself into a halo around Teran. "Die forever, you vile
monster!"

Both men unleashed the magic at the same time. But Teran had behind him the
force of anger - not to mention a severely wounded ego, how dare the man
invade his mind! - and Halias burst into flames. Black flames.

Ellatis shrieked and fainted, slumped standing up. Kela and Elios both
looked on the verge of doing he same.

Halias was conscious enough to draw the magic back into himself and direct
it outside again. "You will all go with me!" he screamed.

Teran had thrown at him a spell that would rob him of his magical powers
forever, and kill him in the process. Next time he was born, he would not
be a sorcerer, but a normal man without the magic that he had spent years
instilling into his blackened soul.

As the Nothingness erupted in a volcano of black flames, Teran was
screaming, "I will destroy you, Halias'*siqaf*! You will pay for what you
have done!"

The Nothingness split open and the black flames spilled over into the
world, killing not only Teran, Halias, Elios, Kela and Ellatis, but
devouring the nation of Atlantis so completely that the only sign of it's
passing was the raging, boiling sea. And after a time even that subsided.

*****

by Eloisa