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"...In a single day and night of misfortune, the island of Atlantis disappeared into the depths of the sea." - Plato
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They arrived at a snow-covered shore after a few hours of swimming. The twins found themselves shivering, the warm water growing icy cold with the change in climate. The four thanked the mermaids once more, saying their goodbyes before deciding to set up camp for the night.

As they sat down on the sand, they couldn't help but notice the subtle aroma of peppermint that wafted from the trees at the edge of the beach or that the snow around them was not cold at all.

"Where exactly are we?" Carolyn asked as the sun set behind them, her eyes fixated on Robin.

"Parthenia," Bailey answered, realizing that her friend wouldn't respond. "Home of the Mouse King and the Nutcracker."

"I'm unaware," Carolyn stated, watching Robin as he tended to the fire, blocking out her voice. "I'm assuming it has to do with the bitter cold?"

Aura chuckled, her smile faltering as she examined her sister's empty expression. "Let's go for a walk," Aura said, pulling Carolyn up from where she sat and into the snowy woods.

Once they were out of earshot of their friends, Aura's face turned serious. "Okay, twintervention. What happened with you and Robin?"

Carolyn sighed, folding her arms over her chest as she recalled last night's events to her sister. "On top of all of that, I still don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do here. I miss Gran, I miss Jewel—hell—I even miss Casey. The girl who cheated with my boyfriend is far more bearable than the weight of saving a world I'm supposed to call home."

Aura nodded, watching a light dusting of snow fall around them. "It'll all be over soon. We'll get the last four items and fix the Stories, and everything will apparently be good again."

"See that's the thing, what if it isn't all sunshine and rainbows? What if the spell doesn't work? We still don't know where this Story Almanac is or what the hell the Letters of Destiny even are!" Carolyn huffed, plopping down on a fallen log.

"We'll figure it out on the way. But I think what you need to focus on is getting back on the right foot with Robin."

Carolyn sighed. "I don't know if I can, Aura."

Her sister rolled her eyes, squatting down to look her in the eye. Aura simply held out her pinky finger. "Promise me you'll at least try?"

Carolyn let out a soft laugh before intertwining her finger with her sister's. "I promise."

The quartet woke up before the sun had begun to rise to a small fairy seemingly made of flowers shaking them frantically. Her face was pale and twisted in concern. "You have to leave!" she warned them. "The Mouse King's spies saw you; he'll be here for you any minute."

"Bloody hell," Bailey stated, scrambling to her feet and throwing her satchel over her shoulder.

"So I guess this rat guy isn't the good guy?" Carolyn asked in an exasperated tone.

Bailey sighed, pulling out her necklace of pixie dust from behind the neckline of her floral dress. "Bingo."

The other three followed her lead, thanking the fairy and quickly pouring the magical powder over themselves.

Carolyn rolled her eyes as she watched Aura float into the air effortlessly. "You've gotta be kidding me."

The four flew into the air as Bailey looked at her map, leading them almost directly south. As they rose further into the air, they glanced back at the shore they had fled from.

They watched in horror as a group of gargantuan mice stumbled out of the wintry forest. They walked on their hind legs like humans and were similar in size with armor covering their bodies but were otherwise entirely different.

One, in particular, led the pack, a bronze crown on its head and a long scepter in its paw. A bright red stone sat on top of the scepter and was pointed at the fairy made from flower petals. Before she could fly to freedom, the Mouse King's scepter glowed gold, sending an icy blast hurtling towards her. The pixie was frozen in place, similar to the icy princess on display in Arendelle's town square.

Tears were quick to fall from Aura's blues, causing her to quiver where she hovered in the air. Carolyn grabbed her sister in an effort to keep her from falling to the frigid waters below.

"C'mon, we gotta keep going," she urged her sister.

"WATCH OUT!" they heard Robin yell before his body collided with theirs, hurling them close to the icy waves just as a bright red blast flew past them, narrowly missing Bailey.

The brunette spun onto her back before sending a red blast back at the shore, scorching the sand, sending the mouse soldiers scurrying back into the snowy forest. The Mouse King remained on the shore, his beady red eyes watching the group's rapidly shrinking figures until they were out of his sight.

Aura, Carolyn, Bailey, and Robin continued to fly in silence as they traveled south, their heartbeats returning to a normal rhythm.

Aura gasped in delighted surprise when she saw a pod of whales swimming below them, blowing water out of their blowholes as if to say hello. One leaped out of the waves and turned on its back in the air, waving a flipper at the group before disappearing back into the dark waters.

"How much longer," Carolyn groaned after what seemed like hours.

Bailey hovered as she scanned the map. "It shouldn't be too far."

They continued on until Bailey stopped them again.

"That's strange..." she mumbled as she inspected the waves below them. "The waves suddenly switched direction." She pointed towards a gust of sea mist in the distance. "I think I found our ticket to Atlantis."

They took off toward the cloud, the current growing stronger the farther they flew until they reached a whirlpool that seemed to stretch for miles on all sides. The water swirled deeper and deeper into a dark abyss, almost never-ending.

"Ready for a little dive?" Robin asked before nose-diving into the vortex. The three girls were quick to follow. As they traveled deeper in between the walls of water, the darker their surroundings became. They didn't stop until their vision was completely void of light.

"Now what?" Aura said as she eyed the pin-sized speck of sunlight above them. They could barely hear one another speak over the roaring of the water around them. Strong gusts of wind whipped their hair with the salty water.

A soft glow illuminated the water around them. All eyes instantly snapped to the twins' bracelets where one of the charms came to life. A perfectly crafted geode topped with gold glowed with a bioluminescent sheen.

"I guess that means we're close," Carolyn said before following her sister farther down the sinkhole.

At the bottom, the group was met with a tunnel that led to a vast cavern with stalactites hanging from the roof of the cave. The igneous rock was cool to the touch and blackened with dirt and soot.

The twins' charm bracelets continued to lead the way through the damp shaft.

Occasionally a small creature would scurry across their path, but for the majority of their trek they seemed to be the only beings brave, or stupid, enough to make the journey.

Robin eyed the cavern walls and the pattern of grooves carved out of the cooled magma. "I don't think this was carved naturally."

"You're right. They had to visit the surface somehow," Bailey replied without looking up from her map.

"I know Atlantis is supposed to be all high-tech, but do you think they would use a giant drill and explosives?" Aura asked, following Robin's gaze.

Bailey finally looked up from the map and stopped in her tracks. Her blue-grey eyes traced the marks that circled around them. "This must have been from the Expedition..." She took a step forward when her foot caught on a small piece of metal. It was sent flying forward, ricocheting off the cave's walls before landing back at her feet. A bent, rusted bullet shell gleamed in the pale light coming from the twins' charms.

"Well that's not good," Carolyn said, bending down to get a closer look.

"We're almost there, let's keep moving," Bailey said quietly before continuing down the tunnel.

As they reached the end of the tunnel, the light from the bracelets began to dim until they reached a lofty rock wall. The faint sound of rushing water echoed off of the tunnel's walls. A pale light spouted from the top, illuminating their final obstacle just enough to see the rocks sturdy enough to climb.

Robin quickly took the lead, stepping carefully on protruding stones and hoisting himself farther up the wall. When he finally reached the opening, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hello? Earth to Robin! I may look in shape, but my noodle arms aren't gonna hold me up for much longer," Carolyn grunted as she hung on the last rock, her burned hand stinging in its uncomfortable position.

Robin snapped out of his daze before turning around and helping the three girls up onto the ledge.

They hesitantly stepped farther onto the grassy cliff, pushing back wide, waxy leaves of tropical plants until they were met with waterfalls towering twenty stories above them, feeding into an ocean of molten lava, filling their gaze and lungs with a warm vapor. They craned their heads as far as they could but couldn't see the top of the cavern.

Before Bailey or the twins could react, Robin had already turned on his heel and drawn an arrow, pointing it at the mossy walls surrounding the entrance to the tunnel.

Five figures dropped down from the foliage, rolling onto the grass before jumping to their feet. Large, intricate masks with cyan-glowing eyes and mouths covered their heads while simple armor and tattoos adorned their dark bodies. Aura let out a small squeal as they pointed their spears into the friends' faces.

The strangers spoke in dark tones and in a language that none of the four friends could understand.

Carolyn held her hands up and spoke slowly, "We come in peace. We do not wish to harm you."

"Cora they aren't aliens!" Aura whispered.

"It's worth a shot!" she replied.

The stranger in front took off their mask to reveal a face withered by sleepless nights, hidden under bright warrior paint. "How did you get to Atlantis?" he spoke in a gruff voice, not once lowering his spear.

The group was taken aback by the sudden change in dialect.

"We flew through the whirlpool," Carolyn said casually, holding out the small vial of pixie dust around her neck.

The man's ice-blue eyes fixated on the bracelet that jangled around her wrist, his gaze scanning the charms before landing on the blue gem. He muttered something in his original language under his breath before barking an order at his men, his eyes never leaving Carolyn's bracelet.

The other men slowly took off their masks, eyeing the twins, Bailey, and Robin with suspicion. Their grip on their spears tightening.

"I don't think telling him that was the best idea..." Robin muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

"I didn't hear you saying anything!" Carolyn snapped in a huff. You especially haven't said anything to me.

"You are the princesses, no?" the lead warrior asked, waving his finger between the twins.

Aura and Carolyn shot each other a nervous look.

"Depends on what their answer will entail," Robin said, his grip on his bow never loosening.

"Forgive us, Your Highnesses. It has been over a decade since we have had visitors—let alone friendly ones." The lead warrior bowed slightly. "My name is Thoda. Come, I think I know why you've journeyed here and there is much to be discussed." He gestured to a rope bridge a few yards away at the base of the cliff.

The group hesitantly agreed and followed the warriors across the bridge and into the city. Moss-covered stone buildings sat on the water. As they traveled closer to the center of the urban sprawl, the less often structures were half-submerged and didn't look as if they would crumble with one single push. Instead, proud structures carved out of sandstone and alabaster stood tall but cowered under the height of the hundreds of chiseled statues that surrounded the city. As they walked the stone roads, most of the houses and shops were deserted and the marketplace had a solemn aura.

"What's with all the sad faces?" Carolyn asked as they entered a hut close to the towering palace

Thoda sighed as he sat his aching body on a thin cushion. "It's been sixteen years since our city's Heart and queen were stolen from us."

Aura went white, taking a shaking breath. "Wait...please don't tell me that your Heart is the same as the Heart of the Sea."

Thoda's lips drew into a thin line. "I'm afraid it is. We've tried to think of ways to retrieve it, but none of our explorers returned."

"What are we gonna do now?" Aura asked, hiding her face in her hands.

"Fortunately," Thoda began, "Our past king kept a talisman of its essence. It's able to harness our Heart's power, no matter where it is."

"Do you think we could have it?" Aura asked quietly in a polite tone.

The lead warrior let out a throaty laugh. "Yes, Outsider. It'll be yours with the rising of tomorrow's sun. Atlantis is a beautiful place, but not without its monsters. When night falls, ferocious ocean life feeds. Because we no longer under our Heart's protection, it will be safer for you to spend a night before you begin your ascent. We can find you a place to stay?"

Aura gulped at the thought of oceanic monsters hunting them. "Yes that would be very nice, thank you," she rushed out all at once, pushing away images of sharp teeth snapping at them during the night.

A few of Thoda's men led them through the ghost town and towards their living quarters for the night. They admired the city's architecture on the way, with its towering, intricately crafted buildings that emulated that of the ancient Greeks, Mayans, and Cambodians. The group soon reached a large hut, its back to a rocky wall with small waterfalls flowing from it.

Its inside was just as extravagant with an open room of stone walls filled with murals whose colors have muted over the years. Expertly crafted glass lanterns with geometric patterns hung from the ceiling with fireflies providing light with the dimming sun. The main room allowed entry into three private bedrooms, each fitted with a washing basin, a large-cushioned mat with dozens of woven pillows and blankets, a small collection of bioluminescent flowers that began to glow vibrant pinks, greens, and blues, and a large circular window that offered views of the rock wall and waterfalls.

"There's only two hours until night falls," one of the warriors told them while handing the twins a map of the city. "Please be sure to be inside before then—we wouldn't want you to get eaten!"

Aura and Carolyn laughed uncomfortably as the gild of men made their way back down the path. After some thought, the sisters decided to part from their friends and explore the city. They made their way through stone ruins and over small streams before finding their way to the palace.

It was by far the largest structure in the city. Water cascaded down from its moss-covered towers and vines hung from every surface. Its aged stone walls had empty pockets with miniature fragments of precious stones that seemed to have once resided in them but were snatched from their home.

Aura thought to herself as they walked down the castle's wall-less corridors. As she looked out at the breathtaking view of the city in between the ivy-covered columns, she ran through the list of remaining items in her head when a sign for the palace's library caught her eye. "Let's go check it out," she suggested, pointing to the aged wood. "Maybe one of those books can tell us what the Letters of Destiny are."

An old bookkeeper greeted them at the door, walking up to them with a cane in hand. "Welcome," she said in a shaky, raspy voice. Her aged, dark skin crinkled as she smiled at them, baring few teeth. "Can I help you dears find something?" Like the other Atlanteans, she was quick to recognize them, their charm bracelets catching her eye in a blurry haze.

"Hi! What do you have?" Aura asked cheerfully before she noticed a stack of thick books on a mahogany table. "Are those grimoires?"

The bookkeeper nodded before Carolyn interjected. "First of all—what do you know about the Letters of Destiny?"

"Not much," the elderly woman replied with a one-shoulder shrug. "Our library is extensive, but you'd have much better luck looking elsewhere for that information. From what I heard, they're from Crystia, but that's about the extent of what I know."

Carolyn nodded in understanding and thought for a minute. "What about this chick, Onyx? Do you know anything about her besides the fact that she's a real asshole?"

The woman gave a hearty laugh. "You know you shouldn't talk ill about Her Majesty; she has spies across all of the kingdoms."

The twins exchanged a wide-eyed glance.

The bookkeeper gestured for them to follow her to a nearby shelf. Her unsteady, wrinkly hands reached up to grab a book, the twins quick to help her retrieve it. She flipped through the pages, pointing to various paintings of the Villains and Queen Onyx herself. "She rules with an iron grasp over Fabula. Some say villains as vile as Maleficent fear her, although they don't like to show it."

Carolyn gently ran a hand over a drawing of Onyx sitting on a magnificent throne. "How old is she? I mean, it would make sense that she would be in, like, her thirties but whenever we've seen her, she doesn't look that old."

The bookkeeper sighed. "Unlike the Villains who rely on going back into the Stories to remain youthful, Her Majesty needed to turn to pure magic." She turned the page to a different portrait of Onyx, this time dressed in a gown seemingly made out of pure gold. "For thirteen years she has remained twenty-one, she was only eighteen when she ushered in the Takeover."

"Who was she exactly? Before all this, I mean," Aura questioned. "How did an ordinary girl just rise to power like that?"

The woman's eyes widened momentarily before she regained her composure, racking her brain for the most delicate answer. "Let's just say she was far from ordinary. Before she found the Story Almanac and freed the Villains, she was a princess herself."

"A princess?" Carolyn inquired in disbelief. "From where?"

"That's really all I should tell you," the elderly woman stated nervously, her hands beginning to fidget. She looked out the stained-glass window at the dark sky before grabbing the twins' arms and leading them to the door. "You must leave now. The sun has already set."

As they reached the door to the hallway, a menacing growl shook the stone beneath their feet.

Hello lovelies!
Uh oh...
The group made it to Atlantis  - yay! Although, who knows if they're gonna make it out? For all you guys know, part 2 of this chapter could be the end. Speaking of which, Chapter Nineteen, Part 2 is up now!

See you there!
♡ Melody & Rebekah ♡