Shadows of Atlantis: Emergence of the Engi (5 page)

By the end of the first period Aran already had an assist and two goals. But Spike was playing much angrier than usual, checking his opposing teammates mercilessly on every play. As Eiris watched on, he got that strange feeling again and this time immediately saw where it was coming from.

Seated on the other side of the arena was a hooded figure with his eyes fixed directly on him. Eiris began to stare back at him when suddenly a flurry of ice hit him directly in the face. Spike pushed off the ice with a mocking laugh when Eiris realized what he just did. Many people in the stands began laughing and jeering at Eiris, prompting Aran to return to the bench early.

“You alright broski?” asked Aran as he gave Eiris a towel.

“I don’t know. I feel like something’s going on with my body. I feel less and less in control every second that passes. I’m kind of afraid something bad might happen.” whispered Eiris.

“Sounds like an emotion called anger. Don’t worry, before this game is over I’ll make sure he pays for that.” laughed Aran.

“It’s cool man…….” started Eiris before Aran hastily jumped back into the game.

Nearing the middle of the second period, Spike continued to punish his teammates with violent checks. After a particularly brutal hit on one guy, a fed up Aran began speeding face to face in Spike’s direction. Seeing the challenge, Spike pushed off the ice towards Aran. Until something horrible happened.

“BANG!!!”

Brock came from Aran’s blindside with a dangerously hard check into the Plexiglas. Aran’s limp body slid off of the Plexiglas and everyone jumped out of their seats in fear. As the medical crew rushed onto the ice to tend to the unconscious Aran, Eiris was overcome with an intense rage he couldn’t control. As he felt his body become filled with heat, the ice in the rink began to sizzle, resulting in scattered, steaming ice particles in the rink.

Eiris then stood up as a few people began to notice what was happening to the ice. Watching Spike and Brock as they looked on without remorse at Aran’s limp figure, Eiris’ eyes began to glow purple. He noticed the hooded figure was now gone as this uncontrollable power flowed through him. Then something terribly frightening happened.

A blast of powerful shadow came from Eiris’ hands and filled the arena, knocking Spike and Brock through the Plexiglas and into the stands! Everyone began running out of the arena and screaming in a fearful panic at the sight of Eiris with his glowing purple eyes. Realizing in shock what he had just done, he looked down at his hands in fearful disbelief.

“Hey! Don’t move!” ordered the local security.

“He’s ova thea, get em!” yelled Mr. Greavesly.

Unsure of what to do, Eiris turned and ran out of the arena into the crowded parking lot full of people panicking and running to their cars. With a much elevated heartbeat, Eiris ran towards the city as sirens sounded off in the distance. He knew he could hide in the alleys of Seattle and evade the police, at least until he could figure out what just happened. His mind was in turmoil-what kind of power was this? Where did it come from?? He had no idea how he had thrown those two bullies through that wall, yet somehow he knew the strange shadow power had emanated from within him. He desperately wanted to stop running, to think about what was happening to him.

As he got closer to the city, two nearby cops spotted him and began to chase him.

“You there! Stop!” yelled one of them.

Afraid of what already happened and what might happen again, Eiris just kept running. He passed by CenturyLink Field and ran into a nearby alley, but then, this bad dream got even worse.

“FREEZE FREAK!” yelled an overzealous cop as he aimed his weapon at Eiris.

“Move one muscle and we’ll shoot!” yelled the other.

Before Eiris could turn around and give up, he heard the officers get eerily quiet. As he turned around, he saw something unbelievable. The hooded figure had both of his palms raised making both cops levitate unconsciously. He brought his palms down, gently lowering the unconscious officers to the ground. He then removed his hood, revealing glowing blue eyes and long, jet black hair.

“Are you okay?” he asked in a gentle tone.

“Um…...yeah. I think so.” said Eiris as he gravely looked down at the unconscious cops.

“They are alive. I simply put them to sleep. But we must go now, you are in…………” he said before trailing off and glaring sharply at a nearby rooftop.

He shed his cloak, revealing what looked to be some sort of form fitting fighter’s uniform although the insignia did not seem to be from any country Eiris could recognize. He then began tensely scanning the area. Sharply looking at a specific area above them, he reached behind him and slowly drew a shiny metal blade that immediately shifted into some type of magnetic sword.

“What is it?” asked Eiris, also beginning to sense the threatening energy nearby.

Just then dozens of glowing red eyes began to emerge from the nearby alleys and rooftops, leaving Eiris stunned. The figure’s clothing then changed from silver to black, as if it were alive.

“RUN!!!” yelled the figure.

Eiris began running further down the alley, but looked back in time to see the figure spike the butt of his sword into the ground, triggering a large electromagnetic pulse in the form of a half-sphere. The power went out in the surrounding area and the creatures with red eyes began screeching. As the figure began running behind Eiris, he started discharging a plasma-based weapon at the creatures as he ran.

“Turn left up ahead!” informed the figure as he skillfully fended off the aggressive creatures.

Eiris then turned onto the street and began running. He noticed a faint light up ahead coming in their direction at a ridiculously fast speed. All of a sudden three of the creatures jumped down from a rooftop directly in front of Eiris. The giant robotic-looking creatures began screeching and charging at Eiris before the heroic stranger dove in front of him and began skillfully firing and slicing them down. More began to appear as he fought and one came up on his blindside. Eiris reflexively waved his palm and shadow swept into the creature, knocking it back several meters. Before Eiris could make another move, a sleek sports car drifted into a half-turn with the doors open right in front of him.

“Hop in!” yelled a beautiful woman with glowing blue eyes and dark blue hair.

Taking the glowing blue eyes as a friendly sign, Eiris hopped in the back seat as the figure protecting him jumped in the passenger seat. The creatures then began firing red beams at the car as it sped through the city.

“Is this him Captain?” asked the woman.

“It is. And I am no longer captain of the
Leviathan
. You are.” Marz said calmly.

“Ok, hold on tight!” she said as she pushed the car to unimaginable speeds down a narrow street.

Eiris’ eyes got wider once he realized where she was driving. She then glanced at him through the rearview mirror and smiled as the car sped off of the ledge, headfirst into Elliott Bay. Submerged in the bay, the back of the car began slightly changing as some sort of propulsion system began to power it underwater.

Eiris marveled agape through the window at the many types of fish they passed as the car navigated underwater. He had so many questions for these two strangers who had so suddenly saved his life. He wanted so badly to stand up and shout-Who are you? What were those creatures? Where are we going?? But, the effects of shock and the sudden loss of adrenaline quickly overcame him. Eiris began to slowly drift asleep in the backseat, exhausted from the unexpected battle and the miles of running.

He woke up some time later in a huge bed inside of an amazing room. Sumptuous pillows and a silky soft comforter enveloped him as he stared around the room in awe. Beautiful silk drapes surrounded the bed which was made of rich dark colored wood and embellished with intricate carvings. Curtains of deep royal purple decorated large windows that reached up to a vaulted ceiling high above. He also noted that one entire wall seemed to be made of some sort of advanced holographic technology. It displayed in stark detail a dazzling view of a rainforest canopy with every shade of green imaginable glistening in the light of the morning sun. As he sat up to get a better view, he began to realize that this wasn’t a dream.

“Ah, you are awake your majesty. It’s truly an honor to finally meet you.” said a friendly voice in the doorway.

“What’d you call me?” asked Eiris groggily.

“I called you majesty.” he replied.

“Yeah, but why?” asked Eiris with a dumbfounded expression.

“Because that is what you are. Royalty.” he said. “Forgive me your majesty, I should have introduced myself. My name is Jannis. I’m one of the Turans chosen to escort you safely back to your home planet. Atlantis.” informed Jannis.

“Atlantis? A planet? asked Eiris.

“Yes, it is.” Jannis laughed. “I’m aware of what the humans believe Atlantis is and I can assure you, it isn’t what you’ve been led to believe. I’ve been sent to fetch you, as Marz is waiting for you on the observation deck.” he smiled.

“Marz?” asked Eiris, who was beginning to feel as if he’d never understand anything ever again.

“Yes. He has been watching over you since you were first sent here to the earth as a child.” replied Jannis.

“Really?” replied Eiris with a hollow laugh. “And what about that crazy bird on your shoulder? Was he watching me too?” he asked sarcastically.

“Ah. This here is Estophin. He is of a species indigenous to my home planet, called Cerebral Falcons. I’ve had him since he was just an egg.” he said.

“Ok. So the bird thing earlier really was you?” Eiris asked in astonishment.

“Yes, that was my doing. I have the ability to see what he sees when I choose it. So I’ve been using him to watch over you and recently to try to communicate with you.” he said as Estophin screeched.

“So you’re telling me that I’m an alien?” laughed Eiris sarcastically.

“Technically yes. But in many ways the humans are aliens to us. I understand this is a lot to process all at once. But Marz will explain things to you far better than I can. There is a wardrobe in your cosmetic chamber, you might want to change into more comfortable clothing.” said Jannis as he exited the room.

Eiris somehow managed to get out of the bed and stumble over to the door he had indicated. He looked inside and was astounded yet again. This wardrobe was bigger than his entire shed room back home! As he was feeling quite overwhelmed, he simply grabbed the first outfit he came to and began to pull it on. When he had changed into the royal looking clothes, he looked into a nearby mirror and could barely recognize himself. As he studied his reflection, he began to think about how poor he had been growing up, but how inside he had always felt like he was meant for something more. Sensing that these people could tell him more about who or what he was, he came out of the wardrobe and followed Jannis to the enclosed observation deck.

“Marz, here is Prince Eirisidae Penatia.” said Jannis humbly as he exited the observation deck.

Slowly walking inside, Eiris knew that the presence he’d always felt since he was a child, was now humbly bowing on one knee, right in front of him.

“Prince Eirisidae Penatia?” asked Eiris.

“Yes. I’m certain you have many questions.” he humbly replied as he rose.

“Yeah. Who are you?” asked Eiris.

“My name is Captain Martin’ de la Puente, but you may refer to me simply as Marz. I am the former Captain of this frigate,
The Leviathan
. I was also a member of the Royal Atlantian Guard entrusted with the protection and defense of our home world, the ocean planet of Atlantis.” he replied.

“You’re Spanish.” noted Eiris.

“Formerly. For the past 494 years I have been Atlantian.” he replied.

“I don’t understand.” said Eiris with a blank expression.

“The people of our species are descendants of humans that were taken from the earth and augmented thousands of years ago by an unknown sentient race. The last of those sentient beings died long ago, leaving our ancestors to fend for themselves. They eventually settled in a beautiful solar system that the greatest of our kind, Edixe Turanii named Undaria. This is also why our species bears the general name of Undarians. There are three main Undarian races; Turans, Darkren, and Slyphs. Turans draw their power from natural elements like water and plasma. Darkren draw their power from dark matter, hence their name. I myself was born of Spain. I set out on an expedition in the year 1521, with a famous Spanish explorer in search of the fabled fountain of youth. We were following the trail of another legend, the legend of the Breathless Beauty. As part of a small boarding party that branched off to follow some leads, my group was attacked by the local natives and I was gravely wounded. As I was preparing for my end, suddenly a beautiful, exotic looking woman with glowing blue eyes came to my aid. She helped me onto a ship and brought me to her home planet. There I underwent a procedure that saved my life. One that is no longer practiced by our kind. Soon after, I realized I was forever changed. Not only was I stronger, but much smarter, and with practice I learned that I could now manipulate water at will. I have since dedicated my life to serving and protecting our people, Atlantians.” said Marz.