The Sunken City🔊

Once upon a time, in a world not unlike ours but touched by magic and mystery, there existed a grand city known as Trevelyan. This city was said to have been built by an ancient civilization, whose knowledge and skills surpassed the present generation. However, Trevelyan was not above the ground in the span of mountains or in the lush green fields as any other metropolis would be, rather it was deep beneath the sapphire waters of the Asmara Sea.

The tales of this sunken city were widespread. It was said that the city sparkled with the soft glow of bioluminescent fishes, with buildings made from jade and mother-of-pearl, and streets paved with corals of all shapes and colors. The city of Trevelyan was bewitching, sacred, and full of enchantment that beckoned explorers, archeologists, and curious hearts seeking answers or treasure.

One such curious heart, was our protagonist, Cedric. He wouldn't have described himself as an adventurer or treasure hunter. He was, by all means, a fisherman. But he was captivated by the enchanting tales of the sunken city that his grandmother narrated by the fireside, tales passed down from generation after generation. The descriptions were so vivid that Cedric felt an unexplainable bond, a yearning that had turned into an obsession.

Armed with little more than hope and the tales of his grandmother, Cedric embarked on a quest to locate the sunken city. He would fish by day, and by night pour over parchments and maps, seeking clues and coordinates, tracing the likely paths to Trevelyan. With each sun that set, his dreams of the fabled city deepened, as did the laughter of his fellow fishermen who found his search humorous.

One day, while combing through the net for the day's catch, Cedric's hand grazed something hard. He pulled it out to find an artifact, a small jade statue of what seemed to be a mermaid. Astounded, he remembered a similar story from his grandmother where the guardians of Trevelyan were depicted as merfolk, a hybrid of humans and fish. It was a sign, a confirmation he thought, that he was not chasing mere fables.

With renewed vigor, Cedric decided to put his fishing duties aside for a while. He arranged a deep-sea diving suit and started his pursuit in the uncharted territories of Asmara. Many days passed, but he didn't give up. The world beneath the sea was mesmerizing, but he was there for one sight, Trevelyan.

One day, during a magical dive under a full moon night, he spotted a radiant glow emanating from the depths. Getting closer, his heart pounded in his chest as he caught sight of the brilliant city beneath him, adorned in luminescent aquatic life, just as his grandmother had described.

In the silent, luminous alleys of the city, Cedric felt a sense of tranquillity. His journey had not been easy. He had been ridiculed and faced numerous challenges, but he had finally found what he set out for – his personal El Dorado. He roamed the deserted city streets, admired the architecture, and reveled in the unimaginable beauty below the surface of the sea.

However, Cedric knew not to disrupt the harmony of the place. He observed, marveled, and cherished the sight but did not claim anything as his own. He returned to the surface, with the most beautiful memory in his heart.

Back at his village, he narrated his underwater experiences. Some laughed, wondering if Cedric had finally lost his mind, but most listened, enraptured by the tales of the sunken city. With his quest fulfilled, Cedric would not be silenced; he stitched words together, forming a vivid tapestry of his experiences to share with his fellow villagers.

Trevelyan remained a shimmer in the depths, magnificent and unexplored. Its existence crossed between the lines of myth and reality. Though Cedric passed away many years later, his tales continued weaving through the fishing villages, passing from generation to generation, igniting curiosity in young hearts, just like his was once aroused by his grandmother's tales.

And so, beneath the tranquil Asmara Sea, the city of Trevelyan remains a testament to the human spirit of exploration, of curiosity, and of dreams - solid as the ancient jade structures, eternal as the undying glow of its luminescent inhabitants, enigmatic as the sea itself.