"So where's the location of the trident?" Arthur asked while looking around.
The three of them were floating in the dark waters of the Trench while thousands of creatures watched from a distance.
Mera checked the map once more before pointing deeper into the abyss. "It should be that way."
Arthur followed her finger. All he could see was darkness. "Then what are we waiting for?"
Daniel glanced at the Trench creatures beginning to gather again around the edge of the light created by his floating orbs. "I agree. The locals are starting to get interested again."
The three swam deeper into the trench. The deeper they descended, the darker the water became.
Eventually Arthur noticed something strange. The Trench creatures had stopped following them. Not a single one crossed a certain point. They simply hovered in the darkness and watched.
Mera noticed it too. "That's not normal."
"For once, I agree with you." The Trench were predators. Predators didn't stop chasing prey without a reason.
A few minutes later the answer revealed itself. The trench suddenly opened into an enormous underwater canyon.
At its center was a gigantic vortex — a massive whirlpool rotating endlessly between towering cliffs, blue lightning crackling throughout the swirling water.
The entire thing looked less like a natural phenomenon and more like a giant blender designed by someone with murderous intentions.
Arthur stared at it. "Umm..." He pointed at the vortex. "That's the way?"
Mera looked at the vortex, then back at the map. "It should be."
Arthur looked horrified. "If we go into that thing it'll tear us apart."
Mera pointed behind them. The Trench creatures were still waiting in the darkness, thousands of glowing eyes watching from afar. "Do you want to go back?"
Arthur looked at the Trench, then at the vortex. Neither option looked appealing. "There really isn't a good choice here."
"There isn't."
Arthur sighed. "I hate this quest."
Without giving him time to change his mind, Daniel grabbed him by the arm.
"What are you—"
Then Daniel threw him directly toward the vortex. Arthur's scream vanished into the whirlpool.
Mera stared at Daniel. He pointed at the vortex. "Ladies first?"
Mera rolled her eyes and dove into it herself. Daniel followed immediately afterward.
The moment he entered the vortex, he regretted it. The currents were violent, the water spinning around him with enough force to disorient even someone with enhanced durability.
For several seconds he completely lost his sense of direction. Up. Down. Left. Right. Everything became meaningless. It felt like being trapped inside an angry washing machine.
The pressure increased. The lightning brightened. Then everything suddenly stopped.
Daniel burst out of the vortex and into calm water. The transition was so abrupt it felt unreal. The violent currents were gone. The storm was gone. The darkness was gone.
He looked around. Mera was floating nearby, unconscious — the vortex had clearly hit her harder than it had hit him. Daniel swam over and caught her before she drifted away.
A few seconds later Arthur emerged from the water, coughing and loudly questioning every decision that had led him here.
Daniel ignored him. His attention was fixed on the world around them. Massive green mountains stretched into the distance. Waterfalls flowed from impossible heights.
Enormous crystals embedded in the cavern ceiling illuminated the entire region with a soft blue glow. Several gigantic rock formations floated in the air as though gravity had simply stopped applying to them.
The water beneath them was calm and crystal clear. The place looked untouched by the outside world.
Daniel surfaced while carrying Mera. The moment he stepped onto the shore, he looked up at the glowing ceiling. "Wow."
Even Arthur stopped complaining, speechless for the first time since entering the Trench.
"This must be the Hidden Sea." The lost kingdom hidden beyond the edge of the world. The final refuge of King Atlan.
***
A few moments later Mera stirred. Her eyes slowly opened. The first thing she noticed was the unfamiliar landscape. The second was that she was currently riding on Daniel's back.
Realizing this, she immediately slid off and landed on her feet.
Daniel glanced over his shoulder. "Well, you're awake."
Mera ignored the comment and looked around. Massive mountains covered in greenery stretched across the horizon.
Giant crystals embedded high above illuminated the region with soft blue light. Waterfalls poured from cliffs suspended impossibly in the air before vanishing into lakes below.
The place looked nothing like Atlantis. It didn't even look like Earth.
"Where are we?"
"This should be the Hidden Sea." Daniel's gaze drifted upward toward the floating rock formations. "At least that's my best guess."
Mera continued studying the landscape. The stories about the Hidden Sea suddenly felt a lot more believable.
Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. A place like this deserved a photograph. He pressed the power button. Nothing happened. He pressed it again. Still nothing. The screen remained black.
The phone had apparently lost its battle against seawater.
"Tch." With complete disappointment he tossed the ruined device into a nearby bush. "Bad luck."
Before anyone could comment, a voice came from behind them. "Who are you?"
The group turned. Standing several meters away was a lone figure holding a spear. The woman wore armor made from Trench materials and scraps of metal shaped into protective plates — crude.
She tightened her grip on the spear while examining the group. Her gaze moved from Daniel to Mera. Then it landed on Arthur.
The moment she saw him, she froze. The cautious expression vanished. Disbelief replaced it.
Arthur frowned.
The woman lowered her spear slightly. "Arthur..."
Hearing his name made him pause. There was something familiar about her voice.
She slowly removed her helmet. Long hair fell around her shoulders.
Arthur's eyes widened. For a moment he simply stared. The years had changed her appearance. The circumstances made no sense. Everything about the situation told him it was impossible.
Yet he recognized her.
"Mother?"
*****
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