Gates of Neptune Read online

  When the meal was over, King Cosmos nodded at them and said, “It would please us to hear your histories.”

  All the group looked at Joshua, who stood to his feet. “Your Majesty, I am not sure exactly what you mean.”

  “Our daughter has told us somewhat of your story, but we must know more, for we are in a time of trouble here in Atlantis. Begin at the beginning, if you will.”

  So Josh began back at the time when he was on the old earth, which seemed long, long ago. He told how the Sleepers had been put in time capsules, how he had been awakened first, and then how he'd found the others, who were scattered over the earth. Finally he related how he had to fight the armies of the Sanhedrin, and especially Elmas, the Chief Interrogator.

  Josh ended by saying, “We barely escaped death before we found the underground river. But we have been led, I'm bound to say, Your Majesty, by Goel.”

  At the name of Goel, the king and queen both smiled.

  Queen Mab said, “I am glad that you have been in such capable hands.”

  King Cosmos said, “Yes, when the Princess Jere told us of her vision and how she had been instructed by Goel to find you, I was not certain about it. But now we are glad that you have been brought to us.”

  “Father,” Jere said, “perhaps it might be well if you explained what is happening in our kingdom.”

  “Of course.” A gloomy look crossed the king's face. “As you know, the dark powers of Elmas, and others even worse, are striving to overcome the earth. There is a house that is rising called the House of Goel. Do you know of this?”

  “Yes, sire,” Josh said instantly. “We know of it and of the legends that concern the Seven Sleepers and that at one time the House of Goel will be filled.”

  “Very true, very true,” King Cosmos said, “but we have had a revolution here in our kingdom of Atlantis.”

  “A revolution?” Josh asked.

  “Yes.”

  The king and queen both looked downcast, and Jere was so disturbed that she rose and walked away to look out a porthole.

  Sarah's sharp eyes saw this and knew there was more to come. “What sort of revolution, Your Majesty?” she asked.

  “Enough for now to say that we are under siege and that one very close and dear to us has led our kingdom into rebellion. But tomorrow you will meet with the elders of Atlantis, and then you will know all. Now I assign to our nephew Valar the keeping of all of you. Valar,” he said, “see that our guests are well-treated and bring them to the meeting of the elders in the morning.”

  The king rose with the queen and walked out of the room. All the Sleepers stood and bowed as they passed by. As soon as they were gone, Valar said, “Well, I am your host, it seems, and I will do my best to make you feel at home.” He moved to put his hands on the arms of Sarah and Abbey. “If you will come this way, I will show you around the castle.”

  “He sure knows how to make a move on the ladies, don't he now?” Reb grinned. “He made straight for those girls like a hog for slop.”

  Despite his flash of jealousy, Josh had to grin at the way Reb put it. “Well, he's got good taste—you can say that much for him. Come on now, I don't want to miss any of this.”

  5

  Council of War

  Josh, I can't believe you talked to me like that!” Sarah glared.

  Josh had come to her room and, finding her alone, had immediately said, “Sarah, I'm ashamed of the way you're behaving.” He knew there was anger and disappointment in his face.

  “Behaving about what?”

  “About that Valar fellow.”

  And it was clear all at once that Sarah thought Josh was jealous. She had snapped back angrily, and now she stared at him, her face rather pale.

  Josh calmed himself. “Look, Sarah, you know we've been good friends, not just here but in Oldworld. You and I have been together longer than any of the others, and I hate to see you making such a spectacle out of yourself.”

  “Spectacle? Is that what you call it?” Her mouth grew tight, and she drew her shoulders up. “I would call it behaving politely.” And then she added spitefully, “Something I think you might study, Joshua Adams.”

  “Politely? That's a hot one,” Josh shot back. He shook his head angrily. “You're no better than Abbey. You've always been critical of her because she hung on Dave and me, and now you're doing the very same thing with this fellow.”

  “Jealous, that's what you are. Jealous,” Sarah lashed out. “And as for hanging onto you, as you call it, I don't think you'll have to worry about that anymore.”

  “Fine with me!” Josh's voice trembled slightly, for, although he was angry with Sarah, he had a very special feeling for her. Now he realized that he had handled things awkwardly and said to himself, Why can't I ever do anything right? I should have gotten Dave or Reb or somebody else to talk to her. Now she'll hate me forever!

  He hoped he let none of this show in his face and turned to go. Just as he reached the door, there was a knock. He opened it.

  And there stood Valar. “Oh, hello, Joshua. I've come to escort all of you to the Council meeting.”

  “I'm glad you came for all of us,” Josh said pointedly. “I'll call the others, and you can take all of us to the Council meeting right away.”

  Sarah glared again. Stepping forward she took Valar's arm and smiled up at him. “I'm ready, Valar.”

  “Well, come along, then,” he said. “You bring the others, Josh.”

  “All right,” Josh snapped and quickly moved down the hall knocking on the other doors.

  When they were all in the hall, Dave looked down the passageway and saw Valar and Sarah walking along, engaged in deep conversation. “Well—” he grinned “—I guess we know who's important around here. At least to Valar.”

  “He came down to show all of us to the council,” Josh growled, “but I guess we'll have to get there the best way we can.”

  They followed Valar and Sarah along the corridor, which made several turns, and passed through several large rooms. Finally, they came to a door.

  Valar said, “They are expecting you.”

  Sarah smiled. “Thank you, Valar.”

  “Why, you're welcome, Sarah. Now, I think you'd better go in.”

  * * *

  When they entered, Sarah looked around quickly. Aware that Josh was furious with her, she did not meet his eyes. The room, she saw, was not particularly large. There was a table shaped like a half moon, and around the outer edge sat six men dressed in green robes. All wore the sign of the dolphin on medallions around their necks. Across from them, ten feet away on a low dais, King Cosmos sat, Queen Mab to his right and Princess Jere to his left.

  The king said at once, “I wanted my brethren to ask these young people to our Council, for it is clear that somehow they are tied in with the destiny of our poor country. They are the servants of Goel.”

  He waved to the right, and the Seven Sleepers moved in the direction of the gesture, where seven chairs waited for them. Valar moved with them and took his stance behind Sarah, watching the proceedings.

  Sarah looked up at him, thinking of what he had told her. She was not sure the others knew that Valar was the son of the king's only brother. She thought suddenly, It seems to me—if things work here like they do in some countries—some day Valar might be king of Atlantis.

  But she had no time to think further about that for King Cosmos said, “I have called this council because our country is in a critical hour. I ask you, Womar, Chief of the Council, to speak to these young people and then to all of us concerning the situation.”

  A tall man, strong but pale and past his first youth, rose. He had a closely trimmed beard, shot through with silver, piercing black eyes, and a mouth like a steel trap. There was a sternness in him that one saw in men from time to time, but not cruelty.

  Sarah overheard Josh murmur to Dave, “Not a man I'd like to cross.”

  Dave nodded, and the two of them began to listen carefully.

 
; “For generations,” Womar said, “our nation has been ruled by monarchs and by the Council of Elders. Throughout all of our history, we have had one goal—to keep our honor bright.” He frowned suddenly and let his words fall slowly. “Those who are dishonorable are given the choice of leaving—or death.”

  He turned his head suddenly and, Sarah thought, somehow seemed to look directly into the eyes of each Sleeper. “It is highly painful for me to speak of this matter. For many months we have been aware that the Dark Power desires to rule our kingdom under the sea. He wants to control the ocean, but he cannot unless he controls Atlantis. He tried force, but we easily drove the servants of the Dark Lord away.”

  He paused, and there was a hollow silence. Sarah watched intently the workings of his face. Then Womar shook his head sadly and lowered his voice. “We were betrayed by one trusted by us all.”

  A breeze seemed to sway the Council. Glancing upward, Sarah saw that the king and the queen—and especially Jere—were disturbed.

  “The Lord High Admiral Aramis, the favorite of the elders—and of the royal family—fell under the sway of the Dark Lord. He was the best of us all, the brightest star in our sky. But he led a revolt against the crown, and now, at any moment, we look for him to come with his powerful navy to storm Atlantis.”

  One of the elders, a tall, thin man, asked, “Have our scouts reported anything new, Chief Elder Womar?”

  “Only that Aramis has built for himself a mighty structure—or rather I should say he has taken over that which King Cosmos built.”

  Cosmos stared at him. “You mean he has taken the Citadel of Neptune?”

  “I fear so, Your Majesty. I grieve to make this report, for I know that this is not pleasant for you to hear.”

  The king looked toward the Seven Sleepers and said slowly, “The Citadel of Neptune has been the dream of my heart. I love Atlantis, but it grows crowded, and we need more room for our people. So it has been my delight to build a new city, a more modern one, that will house many of our people. It is the finest thing that we in Atlantis have ever built.”

  He went on to describe the Citadel of Neptune, which sounded very modern to Sarah. It sounds like something out of a comic strip—a city built under the sea. But after seeing this place, I don't doubt anything.

  Womar continued. “He has established a powerful base at the Citadel and is even now, our scouts have told us, training a huge navy.” He shrugged. “Well, perhaps not huge, but well-trained.”

  As Womar spoke of Aramis, Sarah noticed that Jere had become highly upset. Her face grew tense, and finally she dropped her head and stared at the floor.

  Womar said, “I have asked Lord Deneor, our War Admiral, to speak.”

  Lord Deneor was an elderly man indeed. He was not tall and did not appear strong, and he certainly was past his prime. Of all the elders, he was not the man Sarah would have chosen to be War Admiral, for he was past the days of leading men into battle.

  Elder Lord Deneor stood and began to speak, his voice clear but not strong. “Your Majesties, and my fellow elders of the Council, none here grieves more than I at the revolt of the Lord High Admiral, as he was once called—Aramis. We all loved him and trusted him.”

  He lowered his eyes and seemed unable to speak for a moment. “I poured into him all the lore that I have learned over many years—from all of the battles that have taken place in the past. All of the strategy, all of the wisdom, such as I had, I poured into his young mind. And it had been my joy to see him one day take his place as Lord High Admiral.” Here he glanced at the royalty, hesitated, and said, “Or even higher, perhaps.”

  Sarah noticed that, at this last statement, Jere suddenly turned her head away and stared out the window, so that none could see her face.

  Deneor went on to speak for several minutes about his loss of Aramis. Sarah found herself curious about this man who had risen so high and yet had led a revolt against the very people who seemed to love him the most.

  The king suddenly asked point blank, “Lord Deneor, I ask you, can the kingdom survive? Can we hold off the forces of Aramis?”

  Lord Deneor lifted his head, and tears glistened in his eyes. “Your Majesty, I must in all honesty tell you that the only way we can survive is if some kind of miracle takes place.”

  A hush came over the room, and Deneor let it run on for several moments. Then he said, “I must tell you this, for I would not raise false hopes. Many of our best sailors have joined in the revolt with Aramis. He is a mariner beyond compare, as you all know. Brave beyond any of the men that followed him, strong, and above all a strategist and a sailor of utmost ability. When he leads his navy here against us, we will do our best, but we are weak, and he is strong.”

  For almost an hour the talk went back and forth across the table, as the Sleepers listened, saying nothing. It was obvious that Aramis, who had been the Lord High Admiral, was high in the favor of the king and queen—and Jere as well, Sarah saw. He had been the pride of the royal kingdom, and somehow he had fallen.

  Lord Deneor explained his plans for defending the kingdom, and they sounded weak, even to Sarah.

  Finally, Womar rose again. “Let us hear from the Sleepers.”

  At first, none of the Sleepers responded, and then Dave dug his elbow into Josh's ribs. “Get up, Josh. It's up to you.”

  * * *

  Feeling very weak, Joshua Adams stood before the elders of Atlantis, the king, the queen, and the princess. He had no idea what to say and finally began by confessing, “Of all those qualified to speak, surely I would be the last. We are all mere youths. We have been brought to this world from an older world that is now gone. All we know is that we are the servants of Goel, and we have been told, according to many legends and many old songs, that when the Seven Sleepers awake, the House of Goel will be filled.”

  “Yes, yes,” Womar said. “We have all heard the songs. That is why we have brought you here—or rather, shall I say, Goel has brought you here. Can you tell us, have you any idea of how we can meet this critical hour?”

  Josh hesitated, then asked, “Before I answer, may I ask one question?”

  “Of course,” the king said at once. “What is it, my boy?”

  “Well, from all I hear, Aramis was a man of great ability, and no man could have gained the confidence of the elders and of Your Majesties unless he had good qualities.” He paused again. “How could such a man revolt against his king and his country?”

  Queen Mab answered, “Only through the powers of the Dark Lord could such a thing happen. We do not know what came to pass—all we know is that something happened to Aramis. He is no longer the child or the young man or the strong warrior that we knew and loved. He has become our enemy, and it can only be because the Dark Lord has in some way used his forces to cloud the mind of our former admiral.”

  Joshua nodded, understanding. “We have seen what Elmas, the Chief Interrogator, can do with minds. As a matter of fact, he has used his power on us. Now as to your question, I must say, Your Majesty, and to the council, we have no notion of why we have been brought here.”

  Silence fell, and everyone looked glum. Then Joshua raised his voice. “But Goel has never failed. He has used the men and beasts of Nuworld to save us. And I, for one, believe that he has saved us for a purpose. So I say to the Council and to you, Your Majesties, that the Seven Sleepers are here, and now there is no choice but to wait for Goel to speak.”

  The king slammed his fist on the arm of his throne. “Well spoken, young man.” His face appeared noble and his eyes clear as he looked at the Sleepers. “We will hold our honor dear—and wait for Goel to speak.”

  6

  Sarah's Visitor

  The next day, very early, all seven young people were awakened at what seemed an inordinately early hour. Valar herded them down the corridor to the mess hall, where they were seated at a long table.

  At once, servants brought in food, and Valar sat down across from Sarah with a grin. “I would advise y
ou to eat heartily. You have a hard day in front of you.”

  “A hard day?” Josh demanded, glaring. “What sort of day are you talking about?”

  “Why, the Council and His Royal Majesty have commanded that you be trained in the skills and arts of Atlantis.”

  “We've done fine by ourselves so far,” Josh snapped. He looked at the plate that had been put in front of him. The food smelled delicious, but he said churlishly, “I never eat much breakfast, and I think we've done fine alone!”

  Valar stared at Josh. A smile played around his lips, and he winked at Sarah. “Yes, I'm sure you have. Sarah's told me about some of your adventures, but you will have to admit that our country is different from anything you have ever known. I understand that some of you cannot even swim.” There was wonder in his voice. “We'll remedy that first.”

  Wash had been stuffing food into his mouth, but at these words he looked up and said, “But Mr. Valar, I can't swim a lick. Never could. And I'm afraid of water.”

  Valar laughed, his white teeth flashing, and he looked very sure of himself. “Don't worry about that. I'm a good teacher. All of you will learn to swim. It's not like it is on the surface, I assure you. And there will be some other things that will be—oh, a little more difficult.”

  The Sleepers did eat heartily—though some of the items were not even recognizable—and for the next hour, while they waited for breakfast to settle, Valar gave them a tour of the defenses of the city.

  As they walked along the parapets, he waved at the windows. “Now these are all sealed, of course. There are only four entrances into the castle itself, and these are heavily guarded. But if the enemy throws all of his force against them …” He shrugged, and doubt came into his eyes. Tm not sure that we will be able to hold out.”

  He led them down to a room that had an air lock and fitted them out again with the clear plastic diving suits that they had worn before.

  “You've already become accustomed to these. But before, you were doing nothing but riding. This time you'll be doing the swimming.” He glanced over at Wash and at Abbey, who looked very frightened, and said, “Don't worry. We'll have plenty of help. There's nothing that can happen to you.”