(From Aurian’s point of view)

I watched the water around our island rise. Another earthquake rumbled beneath my feet.

“Father, I believe the ocean is rising higher than usual,”

“Aurian, the ocean is not rising much. It is just the tide, the same as every day,” My father replied as he led me through the maze that was the market.

The smell of salt, spices, and seafood was overwhelming.

“But father, if you would just look…”

“Hush. No more of your paranoia.”

I followed him out of the market and onto the path leading home without a word. We lived in a small house, big enough for my father, mother, and myself to live in comfortably. Our home was set just above the beach, only the rocky cliff separated us from the sandy parts of the island down below.

As we neared our destination, I watched the waves crash onto the shore, and swore every few minutes they climbed higher up on the sand.

I tugged on my father’s shirt and pointed to the sea.

“What is it now, son?”

“The water–”

“Aurian, please. Not that again. There is nothing wrong,” My father pleaded with a low frustrated grone, shutting me down again. I still had a bad feeling about this, despite his assurances. But, I had to trust my father. After all, he knew more than me.

Soon, we reached our home. The setting sun cast warm glows on the glass windows and painted the pristine white walls with soft tones of orange and crimson. Long shadows reached across the ground, the shade making me shiver when my father and I passed through it.

I spotted my mother on our back patio when we walked through the front door. I could see her working on the hoverbike I had accidentally crashed into the sea and broken yesterday.

“Did you hear the news?” My mother asked my father when she heard us enter. “Did you hear about the reports from the front lines?”

“What news?” My father asked.

“The army failed. They didn’t conquer Athens.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. The king is not pleased,” My mother said, and grunted when her tool slipped while trying to tighten a gear. “Did you feel the earthquakes? And look, the water has been rising awfully high today.”

I shot my father a glare.

“I told you! I told you the water was rising more than usual!”

My father looked down at me, exasperatedly. “I know you did, son. But both of you, please, It’s probably nothing. Perhaps the moon’s pull is a bit stronger today.”

My father was an astronomer. He had a well paying position as one of our king’s scientists too. Of course what he said was logical, I suppose. However, it still didn’t feel right to me. But, again, I decided not to argue against it.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. Tucked under my blankets, I tensed and curled into myself every time an earthquake would shake the island, and rattle everything inside my house loudly. They felt like they were getting more frequent and more powerful…

At some point, I must have fallen asleep because I jolted awake to the sensation of someone shaking me violently. The moment I came to my senses, I could hear the house shaking, and could feel the vibrations of the earth quaking under me.

“Son! Son! Get up, get up! The house is going to fall. Get outside,” My father’s frantic voice reached me. I immediately shot out of bed, and was running out of my room, following him, the moment my feet hit the floor.

My mother met us at the door and assured me out first. We made it outside without a second to lose. Our house crumbled to the ground like a mere castle of cards behind us.

“Look! Look at the water!” I screamed when I looked over the cliff’s ledge. The sea had crept up during the night. There was no sand, no beach anymore.

My father raced to stand beside me, his eyes widening. “Helen,” he called my mother over. “When was the last time we had a flood like this?”

My mother shook her head. “I don’t know. Aurian, get away from the edge.”

Obediently, I took a few steps back, away from the edge.

A siren began to blare, the source coming from the island's center, waking all of Atlantis…

✨{this isn’t what the prompt wanted, but it’s what you’re getting from me, sorry. This is my take on the Lost City of Atlantis, but from a civilian’s point of view. I wouldn’t say it’s my best writing, but I wouldn’t say it’s my worst.}

(Should I continue???)✨