The Lost City beneath the Sea🔊

Once upon a time, at a time that human memory cannot recall, there thrived a civilization unmet by our time's standards. They had excelled in disciplines of sciences and technologies unbeknownst to us, and harmony was the sole ruler of the realm. This realm, known only as 'Atlantika', was not located amidst mountain highlands or desert expanses, but beneath the tempestuous surface of the ocean. Yes, you heard it right, a city beneath the sea.

Atlantika was mystical, far more magnificent than our wildest imaginations could conjure. It boasted blue-tinted skyscrapers, whose apex brushed the belly of the sea surface, and the roots extended to touch the basins. Metallic thoroughfares threaded through these towering structures, accommodating racing automobiles that befriended the physics of water. Atlantika's architecture was a testament to their scientific prowess. The panoramic view of the city, bedecked in shades of blue, glittering under the aquatic sun rays, was a sight to behold.

Socially, Atlantikans had developed a utopian society where prevalence of peace and justice were not mere words, but a lived reality. No man held power over another, there were no monarchs or presidents, as every Atlantikan was a sage, scholar and citizen rolled into one. Words like poverty, disease, and injustice were foreign to them. They were a symbiotic society, living in harmony with marine fauna, never aiming to exploit but nurture.

The Heart of Atlantika was a crystalline edifice located at the city's center. It housed the Source, the reservoir of the city's knowledge, and technology. It was open to every citizen, for everyone was a scholar, craving wisdom and understanding. The Source was treated with reverence as a sacred relic. Its theft or misuse was considered the gravest sin, the punishment for which was exile from Atlantika.

But as the old saying goes, 'Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.' The harmony and tranquillity of Atlantika were to be shattered by the treachery of an illustrious scientist, Argo. Brilliant but greatly proud, Argo had never been contented with his status. He craved exclusive control over the Source, desiring to harness the untapped depths of its knowledge.

Driven by this dark ambition, he dared the unthinkable, infiltrating the Heart and stealing the Source. The instant he laid his hands on it, alarm bells resonated across the city. Atlantika, regarded as a utopia, was witnessing its first taste of anarchy. Aware of his actions, Argo raced against time, navigating through labyrinthine alleys, heading for the city’s periphery.

Simultaneously, the Atlantikan sages reassured the denizens and gathered their cosmic forces. The chase was arduous, for Argo had commandeered one of Atlantika’s fastest vehicles. Yet, they caught up to him just as he was about to escape into the open sea. A fierce struggle ensued, with the Source’s energy coursing through the ocean, illuminating it eerily as never before.

At the climax, the sages, having no choice, summoned a controlled tsunami, aiming to stop Argo but not harm the city. Unfortunately, in the throes of the battle, they lost control over it. The giant wave, augmented by the Source's unleashed energy, started building, casting malevolent shadows over the beautiful city.

Realizing the dire misjudgment, Argo guiltily returned the Source. Despite the repentance, it was too late, the wave was uncontrollable, and inevitably it crashed down upon Atlantika, immersing it in obscurity. Meanwhile, through a combined effort, Atlantikans moved into a stasis, preserving Atlantikan knowledge for a future era where they could thrive again.

From that day forward, the mystic city of Atlantika disappeared from the face of Earth, waiting for the suitable era where it could rise again. Folklore and myths kept it alive, morphing it into the legendary city of Atlantis. The story of Atlantika and its fate serves as a reminder for humankind, amid our pursuit for knowledge, we should never lose humility and wisdom, or else face dire consequences, just like Atlantika.