Atlantis Born

By Mary Ford

Lani is a young girl returning home to a land she does not remember—the fabled Atlantis. She has to learn to fit in with her family and other girls her age, then take her place as the heir of a powerful clan. As she starts school, what she does not know is that she also inherited powerful enemies who consider her a foreigner and who will try to discredit or destroy her before she comes into her magic and prove that she is Atlantis-born.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781648014901

Book preview

Chapter 1

The breeze quickened in the early morning light. Thirteen-year-old Lani looked up at the billowing mainsail with the giant two-headed serpent of their hosts upon it and sighed.

A slender pale adolescent, she was dressed in a yellow silk shift covered with a darker yellow tunic top. Her single braid of dark hair was held by a matching ribbon.

It is the longest day of the year and the reason we are on this Seti ship instead of one of our own peoples, Lani thought. But no! she bitterly corrected herself. That wasn’t really true.

It was her own doing. She was the reason they were aboard this ship leaving everything she had ever known. She was the reason they were returning to a place she did not remember. She was the reason they were going to Atlantis.

It really wasn’t my fault, she thought glumly. The goddess had started her woman’s cycle, and her parents were taking her home to start school. She had no choice about it as it was decreed by the conclave charter of their people.

On the first full moon after the summer solstice, she was required to be at the Scholara of the Goddess. There she would join all the other girls who had begun puberty in the past year, and she would begin her formal education. It was training she had to have to be considered an adult in Atlantian society.

The fact that she did not know anyone at the school and would not even get to see her parents except at holidays made no difference. Lani put her head in her hands with a moan. She knew she would be miserable.

Lyndon of the High Mountain Clan, ambassador to the Indus Empire for Atlantis, came out on deck. The breeze caught strands of his dark hair and blew it across his eyes as he checked on his unhappy daughter. He considered mind-speaking to her as she was precocious with that gift but decided there was nothing he could say to lessen her sadness.

A familiar mind-touch made him turn back to the doorway as his wife, Mave, stepped out onto the deck. The wind immediately tried to pull her red gold hair from its net.

She shook her head at him and said, I knew you were still worrying. That frown on your face and the way you are blocking me gives you away.

Placing her hand on his, Mave gently said, No, I do not regret living in a strange land against our traditions, nor has it hurt Lani. We have given our daughter a rare education and appreciation of other cultures. Now the time has come for her to learn about her own culture and to make friends among her own people. She will adjust well with a little time.

Lyndon raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Softly he said, Thank you, my love. I really needed to hear that.

Hearing footsteps they turned to see the Seti captain approaching them. He smiled and bowed with a flourish. Good morning, Ambassador Lyndon, Lady Mave. We are making excellent time and should see land by the sun’s zenith. That will put us in Aurora harbor before sunset.

Lyndon said, Excellent. It looks like you and your crew will earn that bonus we offered for swift passage.

The captain inclined his head in acknowledgment and smoothly said, That is the reputation of my people, Mr. Ambassador. To give superior quality and service to all who do business with us.

Regarding him thoughtfully for a few moments, Lyndon said dryly, Captain, your people do have an enviable reputation for excellent, honest service. It is matched only by their reputation for dealing overt or covert death to anyone who tries to cheat them in that business.

The captain’s smile widened as he said blandly, So it is said. Just like it’s said that all Atlantians are wizards. There are always rumors with success. You must admit, it encourages sound business practices.

I’ll admit that it puts a premium on ethics.

Shrugging, the captain said, As you say. But let’s speak of more practical things like the normal weather patterns for this time of year. That is much more important than rumors.

The beauty of the day and watching the endless changing colors of the sea made Lani start feeling better in spite of her somber mood. After mulling it over, she decided it would be better to have some forewarning and learn more about the school. She thought, The best person to ask will be Mother. She would know the most about it.

Turning from the bow to mind-speak to her, Lani saw that both her parents were busy with the captain. She sighed again; her questions would have to wait. Feeling greatly put upon, she turned back to the bow. That’s when she heard the hail.

"Landfish! Landfish! Do you have any of our friends aboard you? This is Della’s group that calls you, Landfish. Do you hear us, Landfish?"

To Lani’s astonishment there were dolphins leaping about where moments ago there had been an empty sea. Without thinking, she sent, Oh! You are so beautiful! Where did you come from?

Instantly she heard a voice in her head say in excited tones, "One calls from the Landfish!"

Another voice said, It’s a calf.

A third voice added, A female calf.

Then a forth voice said, It’s a female calf that can already talk!

Lani was becoming indignant. She sent, I’m not a calf. I’m a girl.

Dolphin laughter filled the air in answer, and Lani began to feel angry and hurt.

Suddenly a new voice sent, "I’m Mave of the High Mountain Clan. We are of the family that once looked to Adrienne’s group to teach them the ways of the sea in the before times. Greetings, Della’s group. My mate Lyndon, my calf Lani, and I are ever friend to you."

"Greetings, Mave, this is Della speaking. We enjoy hearing from our friends. We thank your calf for calling us beautiful, and it pleases us to tell you we come from Atlantis."

"We have long been away from Atlantis, Della. Tell me, is it well in our homeland?"

It is well in Atlantis, Mave.

Multiple voices then began calling out to come swim and play with them. Lani heard her mother regretfully say that they could not stop as they had to be in Atlantis that day. She also told them that the Landfish was filled with strangers.

We hunt then, Della sent, cutting across the others. Welcome home and good hunting until we meet again, Mave’s group.

"Farewell and good hunting, Della’s group. May the blessings of the One be with you until we meet once more."

As swiftly as they had appeared, the dolphins seemed to disappear. Lani drew a deep breath as her mother put her arm around her shoulders and hugged her. Troubled she said, I do not understand, Mother. Did I say something wrong?

Smiling, Mave said, Not wrong so much as inexperienced. You did not give formal greeting to a strange dolphin group or tell them how you were related. That is the reason they teased you a little even though they were pleased to hear from you.

Lani felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. In a small voice she said, I still do not understand. How are we related to dolphins and why did you say I was a calf?

Mave went very still. Carefully she said, Lani, I called you a calf to show respect and oneness with our friends. When you said you were a girl, you were saying you were a female calf. The words are interchangeable when speaking to dolphins. They thought you were telling them a fine joke when they laughed.

Lani nodded. Watching her closely her mother continued, You do know about the before times? The times when dolphins taught people to swim and hunt in the sea? When our clans looked to groups of dolphins and they to us to help each other survive?

Lani noticed her father come up behind them as she nervously said, I remember a passage in my primer about how we came to Atlantis that mentions it. It said the god told our people to journey there and they were afraid they would starve. The goddess reassured them by saying, ‘Your brother and sister the dolphin will teach you to survive, swim and hunt in the sea.’ My tutor did not say anything else about it.

Her mother glanced swiftly to her father at her answer. He did not look pleased. Carefully Mave said, You do have the basic information. Our ancestral clan counts Adrienne’s group as the first group of dolphins we lived and hunted with. They were considered members of our clan. The dolphins considered our ancestors part of their family pod and count them as such in the dolphin songs of kinship. That’s how we are related to dolphins.

Lani said, I understand now. But she felt apprehensive as she could tell her father was angry.

Seeing her anxiety, Lyndon drew a deep breath and said, Lani, I am not angry with you. I’m angry with your tutor for not doing a better job on your basic education. I’m also angry with myself for not overseeing it better. I know you have been well taught, and it could be that dolphin history was the only thing your tutor skipped over. It would please me, however, if you would do some basic drills in rapport with me.

Lani grimaced. Basic drills were baby stuff. Yet if it pleased her father, she would do some. Besides, she had never been in rapport with anyone and it was supposed to be wonderful. She said, Father, where should I start?

I believe the beginning would be appropriate. Repeat the first chapter in the Book of Life.

Surprised but obedient, Lani said, In the beginning there was only the One. The One was everything and everything was part of the One.

A strange sensation engulfed her as she spoke. Suddenly she felt she was no longer on the ship but watching the events she was speaking about.

"The One spoke and said, ‘I am the Creator. Let there be light.’ And light spread across what was. With the creation of light, the One decreed time and space and sundered in two. Half of what was the One permeated matter and the other half permeated ether. What was spread across the void.

"Thus the universe began and they that were the One brought all into being according to plan. Where they joined together again they brought forth life and decreed it to be their third aspect.

"Then they moved across what would be the earth, and it was without form with only darkness and water. Together acting as the One they called the light. Then they divided the night from day and made a lesser light for the night.

"Separating, they called the sky from the waters. This made what was in the heavens of the god and what was in the firmament of the goddess.

"Then the god called to the goddess for dry land to appear. As he blew across the waters she raised dry land and the Mountain of Creation. Standing on the mountain they declared the seasons, the ordering of the tides and the cycles of light and darkness.

"The god then joined with the goddess to bring forth life. First from the waters, then from the land. Plants, animals, then the birds of the air came forth. They were all formed from the goddess and given the fire of life from the god.

"All creatures rejoiced in the gift of life, and they that were the One saw that it was good. Then each species was given a blessing gift unique to it. They were also made dependent upon each other to live. It was a sign that all living things partake of the godhead and connect back to the One.

"Then the god turned to the goddess and said let us make beings in our own image. So they created them male and female in their image and offered each a blessing gift.

"The woman spoke and said, ‘I ask for the gift of knowledge.’

"The goddess said, ‘You ask for a gift that will bring you pain as well as joy in the birth of your children. Just as I felt pain and joy in the birth of the world. For it is one of the great gifts and of the duad, which means it contains suffering as well as joy.’

"The woman said, ‘I accept the pain of the gift so that my children may have the blessings of knowledge. I find joy that I and my daughters will be one with the goddess in giving birth.’

"The goddess smiled and said, ‘So let it be.’

"The man spoke saying, ‘For my gift I would choose to follow the godhead.’

"The god said, ‘To follow the godhead is to accept great responsibility and power. It places the earth into your keeping while giving you an eternal quest to know the transcendent. Know this is of the duad and contains suffering as well as joy.’

"The man said, ‘I embrace the blessing and rejoice that I and my sons will ever seek to know you in following the godhead.’

"The god said, ‘It is good. So shall it be.’

"Then together speaking as the One they said, ‘Know that your gifts are intertwined and need each other to be complete. Alone you can do much, but together you can do anything. Know as a child of the One you should treat yourself with love and respect so that you may love and respect others. Love, as we love you. Know that joining together is a sacred thing and should be entered with joy and love just as we joined in joy and love to create the world. Know also that all living things connect together and are part of the godhead. The bounty of the earth should be taken with respect and thankfulness. To remember this something of all that lives will dwell within you. It will be a sign that you are part of creation and creation is part of you. Know that to abuse it will be to abuse yourself.’

So it is written in the first chapter of the Book of Life.

Lani blinked as she became aware of herself and surroundings once more. She looked at her father with awe and said, I felt like I was there watching it happen. Was it real?

The images came from the minds of some of our people but are real enough. I am pleased that you liked it and did so well linking in rapport for the first time.

Thank you, but why did you choose the creation instead of a school lesson?

I wanted to show you the foundation our laws, customs, and society are based on. Everything we do is built on it including the Scholaras of the God and Goddess.

Mave said, There are more amazing things to learn, Lani. The place to learn them, along with the more mundane knowledge needed for everyday living, is the scholara. You won’t be by yourself in this, and a mentor will be assigned to help you.

Placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it gentle squeeze, Lyndon said, It is necessary for you to learn all these things before initiation into your magic and first age of maturity.

Lani’s face was solemn as she considered all she had been told. She still felt apprehensive about leaving her parents and going to live with strangers. But she had to do it and perhaps it would not be so bad. She said, I will try my best.

Before either of her parents could say anything, the lookout shouted, Land! Approaching land on the horizon. Atlantis in sight.

Lani startled. Regaining her composure, she saw her mother entwine hands with her father. She could feel their great joy and excitement as she slowly joined the crewmen crowding the side to catch sight of her fabled homeland.

At first she didn’t see anything. Then in the distance she saw it. She could just make it out, all blue green and misty. Something inside her jolted. Her heart began pounding. Suddenly she felt more excited than scared.

Yes, she was going home as a stranger to a strange land. But she was Atlantis-born. She was also the daughter of Lyndon and Mave of the High Mountain Clan. That meant she was more than equal to any challenges the future might bring.

Chapter 2

Lani thought Aurora was the biggest and busiest city she had ever seen. She had seen more people in the hour since they docked than she was used to seeing in a week. Her senses were barraged by the sights, sounds, and smells of all the things people buy, sell, and trade. Walking beside her parents along the crowded wharves, she almost felt overcome by it all.

In silent amazement she thought, All the nations of the world seem gathered on these docks. Wondering if she would know all the nationalities, she began to try and identify them.

On her left were traders from Kement. Their dark curly hair and braided goatees contrasted starkly with their white linen garments. She noted that they were very busy bargaining with an Atlantian guilds man over stacks of paper.

Across from them were some free traders from the Chaldean Confederation. Their short hair and forked beards made them unmistakable. They were opening chests filled with fine woolens for inspection.

The sounds of crashing wood and shattering pottery drew her attention from the Chaldeans to a more familiar sight. With a pang she saw Indus merchants arguing with an Atlantian official over spilled chests of silks and spices. They made a kaleidoscope of color in their bright turbans and robes.

Still, the most prevalent merchants seemed to be the Seti traders. But then, they dealt in most everything that made a profit. So their numbers could not really be surprising.

Lyndon looked down at her and said, It’s exciting, isn’t it? He smiled at her vigorous nod of agreement. We will catch a riding cart at that gate up ahead of us. That is the same gate your mother carried you through as a baby when we left for the Indus Empire. It is the main gate in the wall that divides the harbor crescent with its busy trade and merchant centers from the rest of the city.

Lani looked at the wall thoughtfully, then said, Why does this city have a wall through it? I thought walls were built around cities to protect them.

That is an interesting question. I have heard two answers to it. The first one is the wall is there to protect Atlantians from foreign visitors. The second one is that it is there to protect foreign visitors from Atlantians.

Lani blinked in surprise and said, But which one is the true answer?

Both of them, Lani. I believe both of them are true.

Arriving at the gate, her father announced them along with their clan name to the gatekeeper. He bowed his head and placed a clear stone in her father’s hand. Lani saw a look of annoyance cross her father’s face. To her surprise the stone began to glow a vivid red.

Mave placed her hand over the stone. In chiding tones, she said, The man is only doing his job, Lyndon. She then took the stone from his hand, and Lani saw it turn bright blue. Mave handed it back to the gatekeeper where it promptly became a clear stone again. Opening the gate, he bowed low ushering them through it.

Lani felt curious about the strange stone. Just as she was going to ask about it, a drawling, mocking voice said, Lyndon, how appropriate to find you playing with toys. Dear Mave, he has brought you home too. Does this mean you will no longer live among poor descendants of the exiles and castaways of Atlantis?

Turning, Lani saw a slim muscular man astride a black horse. He looked about her father’s age, and she thought he would have been handsome if he had not appeared so bored and haughty.

Lyndon said, Alston, I believe I am as glad to see you, as you are me. After all this time it would have been nice to find you had recovered your own tongue and given the basilisk back his.

Alston flushed a dark red. He was opening his mouth to reply in kind when Mave cut him off by saying firmly, Cousin Alston, we have indeed returned home for a long stay. Lani is now old enough to start school. She paused, then said very mildly, For a person riding one of my best horses, you are very free in your insults to my family and myself.

Lani watched with interest as Cousin Alston’s color changed from red to white. He gave her mother a pained smile and said, Dear Mave, do forgive me. I am afraid that I could not resist teasing Lyndon like I did in the old days. There was no insult intended.

A proper greeting would do much to assure me of that. Alston climbed stiffly off his horse and knelt on one knee before her. Welcome home is the traveler. The One has blessed me in seeing you and yours again. Be sure you were missed and may only joy come from your return. Rising to his feet he bowed to all of them.

That was very well done, cousin. Now tell me why you are here. I know the clan usually has no business in town this time of year.

The business is personal. I am proud to tell you my eldest son, Favian, today declared before the god and witnesses that he will join in clan and marriage, Deanna of the Striking Hawk Holt. We are here because this is the closest temple of the god for both families.

Congratulations, Alston!

Lyndon said, That is very good news indeed. There is now much more to celebrate. But tell me, is the clan house full?

You could squeeze in, I believe.

That won’t do. We will stay at an inn tonight. After being crowded in a ship for so long, we need room to move around and get readjusted to land. Please take our greetings and best wishes to everyone. We will see them at High Mountain Holt.

Lyndon bowed politely in formal leave taking. Alston had no choice but to go. Proper protocol demanded it. Nodding stiffly he said, As you like. Then he mounted his horse and rode away.

They watched him leave silently. Lyndon turned to Mave with laughter dancing in his eyes and swept her a low bow. Dear lady wife, you almost had me shaking as badly as Alston. I thought for a moment that your mother, acting as the matron, was at my side. It gave me an awful start.

Mave blushed and said, Lyndon, shame on you. Lani will think her grandmother is terrible. As for Alston, he misplaced his manners and I merely reminded him to find them again.

Lyndon smiled and took her hand in his. Raising it to his lips, he kissed it and said, I admit that he did manage to find them quickly. Now let’s go get Lani enrolled in school.

Another set of eyes watched the small drama with a different reaction. Carefully contained anger and rage battered the watcher in waves. They were back just in time to ruin everything.

The watcher wanted to scream at the injustice. But then it was nothing new. Mave had always ruined things. Lyndon had done the same after he married her. Their appearance should not have been so unexpected. But it was! No plans had been made to deal with their interference. Anger surged again. Why couldn’t they have stayed away?

Still, the watcher thought striving for calm, Mave, Lyndon, and their brat would not be able to change things in the end. They could be dealt with. It would just take planning and cautious handling, especially with Lyndon.

After all, Lyndon was the one who ruined everything last time. They had not known he could be so dangerous or how overly attached he was to Mave. The fried pawns of their last venture could have attested to that—if they had still been alive.

Seeing the hated Mave and her family board a riding cart to the city, the watcher moved deeper into the shadows. Continuing to observe them, rage rose again. The watcher ruthlessly suppressed it. It was time for calm careful planning, not anger. That was the only way to assure just retribution and balancing of the scales. But no matter what, the watcher silently promised, they would pay dearly for their return.

Chapter 3

It was a beautiful city, Lani thought. The paved roads of white stone seemed to curve around in an upward spiral on the rising land. The roadway was shaded by trees and elaborate gates protected entryway to walled grounds and houses.

Soon the private estates gave way to public buildings of white marble. Her father pointed out places of interest such as the public bathhouses, guildhalls, and the city arbitrators and enforcers building. He was especially proud to show her forum square in front of the government house of the Triumvirate. It was there he had argued the laws of the land on many occasions.

Lani noticed something odd as they rode along. At intervals there were tall free standing marble columns covered with a glass bowl. After the third one, she said, Mother, Father, what are those strange columns?

Mave said, They are wand columns for power stones.

Seeing Lani’s look of confusion, Lyndon said, A power stone is a giant crystal generator of energy. Smaller crystals attuned to the same matrix as the bigger stone are used to bring energy to lights and machinery in the area.

That sounds like magic!

Her father smiled and said, That’s because it is magic. Mages make the stones using both physical and high magic. It may take a mage school several years to make a power stone and its attendant crystals. That makes them very expensive to start with, but they last many years so they are worth the cost. I will show you how to use one when we go to the inn tonight.

I would like that.

They turned left off of forum square. Mave shifted her attention from the road to Lani. Turning in her seat to face her, she said, That reminds me, Lani, temples to the goddess will always be to the left of the god’s temples and facing west. While the gods will be on the right and always facing the east.

Why is that, Mother?

The left side is considered the heart side and honors the female and mother aspect of the goddess as the life-giver. The western facing honors the crone aspect of the goddess in her role of wise woman and receiver of the dead for rebirth.

And the reasons for the God’s?

Lyndon said, The right side is considered the soul side and honors the male and father aspect of the god as the life-bringer. The eastern facing honors the divine aspect of the god as creator and destroyer.

Lani said slowly, It seems complicated.

Gently Lyndon said, No, Lani. It is balanced not complicated. Just as all things are in the duad of the One.

They soon pulled up to a graceful columned building that went into the hillside. After requesting their driver to wait for them, Mave took the lead up the temple’s marble steps to large, open double doors. Lani saw with interest that the doors were elaborately carved with plants and animals from both the sea and the land as they went inside.

The temple was cooler