𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗟
❁𖣘❁
''COME, I WANT TO SHOW YOU BOTH SOMETHING.'' Turning her head away from the fireflies, (Name) watches as Kida approaches the lake. The water looked amazing, clear enough to see to the bottom, and it reflected the sunset.
Milo watched Kida too, but from the corner of his eyes, he also kept an eye on (Name), finally catching on that something wasn't right.
Kida turned back to glance at the two of them, frowning deeply. ''We are not thriving. True, our people live, but our culture is dying. We are like a stone the ocean bats against. With each year, a little more of us is worn away.''
''I wish there was something that we could do,'' (Name) whispered, looking down as her arms moved to hug herself.
''I have brought you here, to this place, to ask for help. There is a mural here, with writing all around its pictures.''
Suddenly excited, Milo scooped up the lantern and turned around, planting it firmly in the ground as he began to examine a large rock. ''Yeah, well, you came to the right guy!''
As Milo babbled on, (Name) turned around to see Kida walking towards the water, watching carefully (Name) waited to see what she was doing. Kida began undressing before stepping into the water, making an 'oh' sound, (Name) turned and nudged Milo. ''Milo, I don't think the mural she's talking about is on the surface.''
Kida waited patiently, now up to her chest in water as Milo and (Name) exchanged a look.
Shrugging, (Name) grabbed her shirt. ''I'm freezing anyway.''
''Uh, (Na - (Name)? What are you doing?'' Milo asked, red in the face as he bashfully avoided eye-contact with her.
(Name) turned to him, eyebrows furrowed. ''You can swim, can't you, Milo?''
''Oh, I swim, pretty girl. Pretty good! Pr-pretty good, I swim pretty good,'' Milo awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.
Kida nodded. ''Good, it is a fair distance to where we are going.''
''You're talking to the belly-flop champ at camp Ramah,'' Milo shrugged as he got into the water. His underwear blew up from the air pockets and he laughed sheepishly, deflating them. Laughing, (Name) happily entered the water, following after the two of them,
After what felt like forever, they resurfaced at a tiny air pocket. ''Are you alright?'' Kida asked the two of them. Milo sprung out of the water, hitting his head on a metal plate. Quickly checking his head for any injuries, (Name) answered the question.
''Well, we haven't drowned yet, so yeah.''
''Good!'' Taking another breath of air, Kida re-entered the water, leaving them to do the same.
Once they reached their destination. (Name) stayed back and observed as Milo read the engravings with the help of Kida's crystal supplying light for him to see.
Eventually, Milo and Kida swam back towards her and they headed towards the air pocket again. ''It's amazing!'' Milo exclaimed. ''A complete history of Atlantis! I-It's just like how Plato described. Well, I mean he was off on a few details, but-''
''-The light that I saw. The star in the middle of the city, what does the writing say about that?''
''I don't know yet, but we're gonna find out... C'mon!''
This time (Name) swam closer to the other two, trying to help them look for it. Gently grabbing Kida's arm, she pulled the light towards the left, causing Milo to follow, and they found different engravings that didn't match the overall aesthetic of the mural. Once Milo seemed to be finished reading, they headed up for the air again.
Taking heavy breaths, (Name) waited for Milo to begin explaining. ''It's the heart of Atlantis...''
''What?''
''It's the heart of Atlantis! That's what the Shepard was talking about. It wasn't a star, it was a crystal! Like these,'' Milo pulled Kida's necklace out from under the water. ''Don't you get it? The power source I've been looking for, the bright light you remember, they're the same thing!''
''That cannot be...''
''It's what's keeping all of these things - you! - all of Atlantis, alive.''
''Then where is it now?''
Milo frowned. ''I don't know, you think something as important as this would've been in the journal but-''
''Milo,'' (Name) spoke up, interrupting him and both turned to her. ''The missing page.''