The Lost City of Zerzura🔊

In a land far away, surrounded by the golden sands of the Sahara, existed an ancient rumour about a lost city named Zerzura; a city of colossal wealth and inestimable wisdom. The city was believed to be veiled from human eyes by an enchanting illusion, leading many to think it was a myth, a fairy tale for children. Yet there were many who craved its treasures, seduced by the tales of streams flowing with golden sand and buildings glistening with precious gemstones.

One such man was Hassan, an ambitious young adventurer. Having heard tales throughout his childhood, he was resolute to unravel the mystical city's absolute reality. Filled with courage and aspirations, he started his journey, as an unceasing hope sparkled in his heart. The desert was treacherous, an immense sheet of burning sand, infested with venomous creatures and haunted by phantom winds, yet he was unyielding.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, Hassan's endurance showed no signs of exhaustion. Parched and famished, he trudged through the blinding sandstorms, with each step bearing pain and resilient determination. One sultry afternoon, a distant glitter caught his attention. A flicker of hope sparked his weary eyes. Rushing ahead, the surreal sight left him awestruck. Walls of alabaster stood, aglitter with rare gems and precious stones, and a crystal clear river flowed with a golden hue. Zerzura, the lost city, was before his eyes.

The city was hauntingly quiet, void of inhabitants. Hassan wandered through the empty corridors, stairways leading to grand halls decorated with art, scripts, and machines the likes of which he had never seen before. Exploring the city, he stumbled upon a library. The library was brimming with hundreds of ancient scrolls and books, waiting to reveal their age-old wisdom. Intrigued, he began to read. Days blurred into nights as he descended deeper into the ocean of wisdom.

Yet with each passing day, an unsettling realization settled in his heart. The wealth around him was hollow, the silence echoed with a sadness. It dawned on him that the wealth was bound with a curse—anyone who sought the treasures of Zerzura would be trapped forever, confined within these awe-inspiring yet desolate walls. The same fate had befallen the previous inhabitants, who had been transformed into the very sand that composed the desert.

With this realization, his dreams of wealth and power crumbled. He found himself entrapped in the illusion he'd uncovered. However, the wisdom he gained from the scrolls blessed him with a sense of purpose. He began to wield it, not for power, but towards freeing himself. Training himself in ancient arts and sciences contained in the scripts, his mind sharpened, and he grew wise.

One day, harnessing his acquired wisdom, he confronted the illusion that held the city. He uttered an ancient breaking spell and the illusion shattered, unleashing a sandstorm that transformed the city into nothingness. Hassan, unhurt and free, stood amidst swirling sands, unburdened with the regret that once gripped him.

Alone in the desert, he had lost the unseen city but found a treasure far greater - the wisdom that he carried within. With it, he returned to his homeland, not as a wealthy man, but as a beacon of knowledge, spreading wisdom and love among his people, shaping a legacy that would live on forever, much like the story of the lost city of Zerzura.