17

Early in the morning, I arrived at a small island lost among the sea. With the first rays of the rising sun, I stepped onto the wet sand and looked around, searching for any signs of life. But I was met only by deafening silence: not a single movement, not a shadow of a living creature. The sandy beach seemed completely empty — at least at first glance.

"Looks like I've arrived too early," I thought. "The Princess of Atlantis isn't here yet. If, of course, she shows up at all... But she must, because I think I managed to pique her interest. And women are curious creatures."

After scanning the island with a keen eye, I decided I needed to prepare. I hurried back to our villa and grabbed a couple of comfortable sun loungers, a small table and a basket of fresh fruit. Then I quickly set everything up in the middle of the deserted sandy shore. Taking a few deep breaths, I collapsed with pleasure onto one of the sun loungers and gazed at the horizon, where the sun was slowly rising above the waterline, painting the sky in delicate shades of pink and yellow.

Thoughts crowded my head: practically every day, this world reveals itself to me in a new way. I constantly learn about wonders and incredible mysteries that seem to be just waiting for me to discover them. The scientific itch that had been dormant in me for a long time began to wake up more and more strongly over the last few days, demanding research, experiments, answers to questions. And now I found myself in a situation where I could learn something completely new: representatives of the ancient race of Atlanteans, who have been the subject of legends since time immemorial. They say they possess advanced technologies, and some even attribute magical abilities to them. Of course, I knew in theory that the Atlanteans existed somewhere, but meeting one of them in person was a real revelation for me. I was eager to continue our acquaintance from yesterday, anticipating the moment when I would see the mysterious mermaid with the magical voice and slightly haughty gaze again.

Suddenly, I was distracted by a melodious gurgling sound coming from the sea. I got up from my deckchair and, seeing two rapidly moving silhouettes, hurried into the water — two large dolphins were gliding towards me.

"Coral, Shell, hello!" I called out cheerfully to my old friends, dipping my hands into the water and gently touching them. "Where did you lose your beautiful friend?"

At that moment, a disgruntled female voice rang out above the sea:

"They didn't lose me, human. I'm here too!"

I turned around: behind me, waist-deep in the azure water, stood Kamara, the very same princess of the Atlanteans whom I had met the day before. Water trickled down her body in thin transparent streams, and the sight involuntarily caught my eye. Kamara was slender, with a thin waist and soft curves that were barely hidden by the wet, transparent seaweed wrapped around her hips. The sea maiden's hair, dark as the depths of the night ocean, fell freely to her shoulders like a silk wave. Her lips, slightly parted, evoked a vague desire to touch them. But it was Kamara's eyes that attracted me most: bright blue, with an elusive twinkle in her pupils, they looked at me searchingly and a little reproachfully.

"You disappeared yesterday without explaining anything," Kamara said, narrowing her eyes. "Don't you want to tell me what happened?"

"Well," I smiled conciliatorily, "I suggest a mutually beneficial exchange: I'll reveal a couple of my secrets, and you tell me something about yourself. Of course, I won't pry into your secrets. You decide what you can tell me and what you can't."

Kamara ran her fingertips over her lower lip, thinking for a moment:

"All right... But I want to go first.

"Agreed," I readily agreed. "Let's just get out of the water. I've got everything ready for us."

She nodded, and we got out of the water. The dolphins, as if delighted by our conversation, swam alongside us for a while and then smoothly disappeared beneath the surface, diving into the depths. Kamara walked barefoot on the sand, curiously looking around. Seeing the sun loungers, the table with fruit and everything I had brought with me, she raised her eyebrows slightly:

"How did you manage to bring all this here?

"Mmm... Is that your first question?" I asked with a hint of a smile.

"No, not yet," she snorted. "Although you're clearly a man of surprises."

Kamara casually sat down on the deck chair, easily crossing her legs, and took a grape from the basket. With her delicate fingers, she put it in her mouth, as if teasing me with her unhurried grace. I sat down on the deck chair next to her.

"Tell me," I asked first, giving in to my curiosity, "is it harmful for you to be on land? I thought Atlanteans were sea creatures."

"Actually," she reminded me with playful reproach, "according to our agreement, I should ask first. But all right, I'll answer. I'm a quarter human, so being on shore is much easier for me than for pure Atlanteans. I can stay out of the water for several hours, sometimes even longer.

Kamara stretched out her legs and, raising her head, fixed her gaze on me:

"Now it's my turn to ask. How and where did you disappear yesterday? You ran away so fast, it was as if you had vanished into thin air.

"I told you," I shrugged, "I was just going home. It was getting late, and my parents would have been worried if I'd been gone for too long. As for my speed... I'm very, very fast.

Kamara tilted her head to one side, and her eyes flashed with interest:

"How fast? And where did you learn to run so fast?"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted her with a smile, "now it's my turn to ask questions. Why haven't I heard anything about Atlanteans before? You say there's a whole civilisation of you, even if it is underwater.

The girl raised her hand, running her palm through her wet hair:

"We prefer not to advertise our existence. We live in isolation and do not make contact with humans unless absolutely necessary. Our numbers are nowhere near those of humans. A thousand years ago, one of the great sea lords decided to hide us from the outside world, and since then we have lived deep in the abyss, far from prying eyes." — Kamara fell silent for a moment, lost in thought, then suddenly returned to the subject, staring at me intently: — So you possess not only speed, but also... Maybe something else? Where did you come from? Are you a mutant?

I looked at her in amazement:

"How do you know about mutants?"

"Don't take me for a complete savage," Kamara snorted, tilting her head back. "We're not completely isolated; we sometimes observe human life. And mutants already existed when we hadn't yet severed ties with the land dwellers. There are mentions of you in our chronicles. Although there used to be far fewer mutants.

She ran her fingers through her wet hair, brushed it back from her forehead, and shook it so that several crystal droplets fell onto the sand.

"And anyway, stop interrupting me," Kamara narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "You didn't answer my questions."

With that, she leaned forward, still staring at me and waiting for an explanation. Surprised by her serious tone, I opened my mouth to say something, but stopped when I saw the whole range of emotions on her face: curiosity, dissatisfaction, and even a hint of fear. All of these emotions mixed together, giving her gaze a special depth.

I grinned, as if remembering something funny, and replied slowly, trying to speak confidently and clearly:

"Well, I was born this way. My abilities include incredible speed both on land and in water, the ability to breathe underwater, and much greater physical strength than ordinary people. I suppose you could call me a mutant.

Kamara narrowed her eyes slightly, as if trying to see something new in me:

"I've never heard of mutants with so many different abilities. Usually, it's limited to one gift.

I shrugged and smiled, spreading my arms wide:

"Anything can happen in this world. I never thought I'd see a sea princess from ancient legends with my own eyes.We exchanged knowing glances, and the conversation continued: we eagerly asked each other about things that seemed incredible or simply unfamiliar to us. She was interested in my life, habits, and customs. She absorbed everything eagerly and curiously, as if she hadn't met people in a long time or didn't know them personally. I, in turn, tried to answer her questions in detail, explaining the details and sometimes adding funny stories from my everyday life.

After a while, I decided to ask a question that had long interested me:

"Kamara, can you tell me more about your civilisation? At least the main points. And, if it's not a secret, I'd also be interested to hear about your father.

She was silent for a while, as if trying to decide what she could tell a stranger. Finally, she shrugged and said:

"I think I can. But don't expect anything top secret. Just some general facts and a little bit of history so you can better understand who we are.

With that, Kamara settled more comfortably on her lounger, bent one leg under herself and picked up a bunch of grapes, sorting the berries with her slender fingers. Her gaze warmed, but at the same time became slightly distant, as if memories of bygone eras were carrying her back through the centuries.

"Our civilisation is much older than most people can imagine," she began quietly. "Once upon a time, we didn't just live alongside humanity, we shared the same lands and seas until the world split apart and fear and misunderstanding drove us into the depths. People like to call it 'the legends of Atlantis,' but in reality, it's much more complicated than that."

I listened to her, trying not to interrupt so as not to disturb the smooth melody of her words. Kamara spoke softly, without pathos, but her voice betrayed the firmness and quiet confidence of someone who knows the history of her people firsthand.

"You've probably heard the myth about the sunken city that was once great," she said, glancing at me searchingly, as if testing my reaction. "Of course. We call it Atlantis. According to legend, it was a great civilisation that was destroyed by a catastrophe: they sank and disappeared without a trace.

Kamara lifted the corners of her lips in a semblance of a smile. "People like to think that everything that was covered by water disappeared without a trace. But the real Atlantis did not disappear, although it changed irrevocably. Those who managed to escape founded many colonies in the ocean. Some gradually fell into ruin, while others continued to flourish. And so we became a people without a homeland, until our first Great King appeared on the scene and united us under his trident.

I leaned forward slightly, frowning with interest:

"And what was the name of this king?

"Neptumos," Kamara said with a slight solemnity, "he can be called the founder of the new world under the water. According to legend, he controlled the currents and could calm storms with a single word. It was he who gathered the Atlanteans, the Thalamians, the Lemurians — all peoples once scattered across different corners of the ocean — and turned them into a single civilisation. Neptune taught us how to hide from human eyes and preserved for future generations the ancient knowledge and power inherited from the time of Atlantis. Although now we are divided once again.

Hearing these words, I was surprised: the story she was telling seemed so distant and yet so real that it made me believe in miracles. Meanwhile, Kamara looked into the distance, where the waves rolled slowly onto the golden sand.

"We're not just hiding from people," she continued. "Over the centuries, we've developed our own culture, science, and technology. Imagine cities built from coral structures and black obsidian, sparkling in the light of magical spheres floating in the water. We use the energy of whirlpools, thermal springs, volcanic fissures, and the power of underwater currents. We have our own farms where we grow algae, sea plants, and rare creatures. We create weapons that surpass yours. And all this is in the depths, where the sun's rays rarely penetrate.

I involuntarily held my breath, picturing amazing underwater landscapes: giant transparent domes through which I could see an endless play of light and shadow, schools of fish darting among the algae, and tall stone structures covered with carved patterns and mysterious writings.

"But that's not all," Kamara paused, giving me time to comprehend the magnitude of her words. "We have our own army — elite troops who are not only trained to fight, but also to protect the nature of the ocean, maintain balance in the seas, and defend the depths from anyone who dares to disrupt our way of life. Our army is an elite force, trained not only for combat, but also to protect the very nature of the ocean."

She paused, closing her eyes for a moment, then chuckled as if remembering something important:

"But you will never see any of this. No human being must ever see our cities, our sanctuaries, our secrets.

I frowned involuntarily:

"Why? Are you afraid that humans will pose a threat to you?

Kamara laughed a short, ringing laugh:

"No, we are not afraid of you, humans, specifically. A more accurate word would be 'fearful'. When you encounter something unknown or unfamiliar, you either try to subjugate it or destroy it. We have watched the course of human history and seen many examples that confirm this. We have seen how people have destroyed civilisations for power, money and resources. We do not want to end up in the position of the original Atlantis, to experience another cataclysm and plunge back into chaos. That is why we prefer to keep our distance and hide from human eyes.

I listened to her, and there was a faint sadness in her voice, as if she was personally acquainted with the darkest manifestations of human nature. It made me think. I looked closely at her face, noting her delicate features and slightly pale skin.

"But you're here," I said cautiously. "You're talking to me, showing yourself. So it's not so strict with this 'no one must know' rule?"

Kamara turned her face towards me with a slight, but somewhat sly smile:

"Perhaps we are not as strict with our rules as they may seem. We have laws that strictly regulate contact with humans, but I have a little more freedom. I am the daughter of Nemor, the ruler of Atlantis. This opens up some opportunities that are not available to ordinary citizens.

I smiled back, bowing my head:

"So you're allowed to do things that are forbidden to others? What's good for Jupiter is good for the bull?

"In a sense, yes," Kamara shrugged, a thoughtful shadow crossing her face. "But titles don't mean much in our world. Underwater, the only thing that matters is your strength and your ability to defend your place. If you're weak, you'll quickly lose everything you have, and someone else will take your place. We live by the laws of nature."

She said this calmly, without any unnecessary drama: her words conveyed the harsh truth of another world, where existence itself is a constant struggle. I understood that she didn't want to scare me. She was just trying to be honest, showing me the reality of her underwater life.

"Tell me more about your people," I asked after a short pause. "Not just about how you hide, but about how you live day to day. About your culture and customs."

Kamara nodded silently, turning her head towards the ocean as if seeking inspiration there. When she spoke again, her voice sounded softer and warmer than before:

"My father, Nemor, known by the nickname The Submariner," she began, "was born of the union between the human explorer Leonard Mackenzie and the Atlantean princess Fen. Their marriage united two elements — the world of land and the world of water — making my father a unique being. He is able to live and breathe fully both underwater and on the surface.

She paused for a moment, allowing me to take in the significance of this story.

"From early childhood, he showed incredible abilities. His strength, speed and endurance far exceeded those of both humans and Atlanteans. But in addition to his physical attributes, he inherited an unyielding will and a strong sense of justice. When World War II engulfed the world, Namor could not remain indifferent and sided with the Allies, defending both the seas and the land from the Nazis. They say he even fought alongside your Captain America.

" However, the battles were not only fought on the surface. Deep underwater, conflicts were also raging. The war with Lemuria, an underwater kingdom with its own interests and ambitions, reached a particularly feverish pitch. At its head stood the cruel ruler Attum, who sought to expand his dominion at the expense of Atlantis.

Kamara's voice became more tense, her well-defined lips tightened as if she were reliving those events.

"The clashes were merciless. The Lemurians possessed their own highly developed technology and formidable military forces. But the Atlanteans, led by my father, showed courage and devotion to their homeland. Namor personally led his soldiers into battle, his presence inspiring everyone around him. Under his command, we defended our independence and protected our underwater cities. But victory came at a high price: many of our warriors fell, and some cities were destroyed.

She sighed heavily, and I felt her sincere pain at the memory of those losses.

"My father always said that the true strength of a leader is not just the ability to defeat the enemy, but also the ability to rebuild what has been destroyed and protect your people in times of peace. He took on a huge responsibility in helping Atlantis heal its wounds after the war and restore its former glory.

Kamara paused, and pride flashed in her eyes:

"I admire my father and love him very much. He is not only a great warrior and ruler, but also an amazingly caring father. Since childhood, he taught me not only to fight, but also to feel compassion and understand the pain of others. What about you?" she asked me unexpectedly. "You love your father too, don't you?

"Of course. We're alike in that way." I smiled and, trying to lighten the mood, leaned slightly towards her. "Listen, would you like to try some ice cream?"

Kamara raised her eyebrows in surprise:

"Ice cream? I've never heard of that. What is it?"

"Oh, then I'll surprise you," I replied mysteriously, getting up from the deckchair. "Just a second."

Before she could blink, I disappeared, and a moment later I returned with two wrapped ice cream cones in my hands. I handed one to Kamara:

"Here, try it. But be careful, it's cold, so be careful when you take a bite.

The girl carefully examined the strange white rectangle, freeing it from its rustling wrapper. Then, hesitantly but curiously, she bit off the top. At that moment, her eyes widened:

"Oh, it really is cold," she muttered, sticking out her tongue to warm it, "but... oh, it's delicious! Sweet and cool at the same time!

Her reaction made me laugh, imagining how unusual this treat must seem to someone who had spent her entire life underwater.

"I'm glad you like it. Ice cream comes in many varieties: with fruit fillings, chocolate coating, cream filling. I'll be sure to treat you to some more someday.

Kamara nodded, savouring every bite, as if getting to know a new and amazing phenomenon:

"I didn't expect that you could enjoy the cold... But I like it.

We sat next to each other, peacefully eating our ice cream, listening to the sound of the waves rolling steadily onto the shore. The conversation suddenly died down because we didn't want to touch on serious topics anymore. We immersed ourselves in quiet contemplation of the ocean, endless and majestic, as if it held thousands of secrets at its bottom.

There was something beautiful and peaceful about it.

***

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