Just beneath the surface

Illusion

Once again, the next morning, they searched all around the campsite. Jahmil was nowhere in sight.

"Jahmil too?" Fernando shouted as he kicked a bucket with all his frustration. His head began to go heavy again, but this time, there was a different urge; it was the urge to sleep.

"Captain, we must think things rationally", Pedro said. "If we act rashly, we might end up-"

"Silence! We've lost the only two people who can decipher the trinity map! How do you expect us to find Atlantis then? This journey will be all for naught!" Fernando exclaimed.

"My lord, calm down! Ranting is not going to be of any good use. Let's think this through", Pedro said.

"How could I- never mind!" Fernando sighed, got to his knees, and panted. " This damn poison, it's getting the best of me now of all times!" Fernando shouted.

"My lord, I too feel the lingering effects of this foul poison, but being frustrated just worsens the effects!" Pedro said. "Calm down, we can find a way, we always do", he continued. Fernando squatted, and breathed in and out, trying his best to stay firm.

"I agree, but, it's just- nevermind", Fernando said as he stood up and went to the tent where Andres and Jahmil's things were. He took the books, and sighed. If they would never be found, it would be his fault. He was the one who dragged Andres into all this, and he promised Santiago that Andres would return safe and sound. What would he do if they were both gone forever? He asked himself.

"I must find them", he said to himself.

They rowed further upstream, with their consciousness hanging by the thread. They estimated that by now they should have already reached the fort, but now it felt like they had moved into an even more remote location. There was no one, not even tribal locals in sight. In the coattails of the bristling air, there was a new scent. This one smelled like incense and roses combined. More and more of the crew began to feel dizzy and disoriented. Some of them began to doze off and stop rowing, some nearly falling off the side of their boats.

"Pull yourselves together!" Pedro shouted as he forcefully shook one of the sailors.

"Fight it! It's just a faint scent! Snap out of it!" He shouted again.

"Sir... I-" The sailor murmured.

"I had a strange dream sir, it wasn't like anything before. I vividly remember the dream, like I was physically in it. What's worse is that it lasted a whole day", the sailor said.

"I returned home after we found Atlantis, and then I met my family, and then, it ended", he continued.

"Hold yourself together, we won't make that dream a reality if we fall asleep", Pedro replied. Soon, more and more sailors began to fall asleep, each waking up saying they had long dreams. Fernando heard of this, and tried his best to stay awake.

"Slap me in the face", Fernando said to the sailor behind him, but then he realised that the sailor had already fallen asleep. As he continued to row, everything seemed to be an odd melody in his ear. The chirping of the birds, the splashing of the water, and the rustling of the leaves, they all became a symphony in his ear. As the hours went on, he grew weaker and weaker. He looked to the rear, and noticed how nearly everyone had been knocked out.

"This is the sorcery of whatever's guarding the heart of the river, it's repelling is from it", he thought. They rowed until noon, yet there was still no sign of habitation. No matter how far they rowed, they couldn't reach the fort. One by one the men fell asleep, and their pace became slower. Fernando's heart tightened; maybe it was about time he realised that the whole journey was just impossible. There was no hope, if all of them fell asleep there was no defence against an attack. He just wanted to see Atlantis, to reap its bounty, but it seemed like this was the journey's end. He stopped resisting the dizziness, and put the oars down. He leaned back, and fell asleep.

Fernando woke up to an impact that rocked the boat. He got up, realising he had hit the river bank. What was he doing? Did he actually fall asleep? Were the men alright?

"Well, it took you long enough", a voice said, a very familiar voice. It was Jahmil, standing beside Andres.

"We found the spring, wake everyone up!" Andres shouted.

Fernando immediately went to the rest of the boats. It was rather strange. Though everyone was asleep, the boats were all intact. Not one boat was dragged away by the current. No one was hurt either.

"Sir, where exactly are we?" Pedro asked.

"We've arrived, now get up and help me wake everyone else, we'll need every man on high alert", Fernando replied.

Immediately they woke the entire crew up,and pegged the boats to the coast. The marines took their weapons, and prepare to push inland.

"Twelve men will stay behind to guard the boats. Guard them with your lives. Make sure none of the supplies get stolen", Fernando instructed. The rest then followed Jahmil and Andres' lead towards the spring.

"Where have you two been? And how did you even find the spring?" Fernando asked.

"A group of treants, or so they called themselves dragged us because we were both in a very critical situation. They nursed us back to health and asked us what we were here for", Jahmil replied.

"They scared me at first, saying they would kill anyone who knew of their existence", Andres said.

"I see, So where is the spring?" Fernando asked. He felt a strange sensation, like something was wrong.

"It's quite far, but if we continue walking down this path, we will eventually reach it", Jahmil replied.

"Did you bring the books?" Andres asked.

"Yes, here, take them", Fernando said as he handed over the books to Jahmil and Andres. They walked on for an hour. The way there was quite decent, as it had plain footing. There was no mud, no obstacles, no animals; nothing.

"We're here", Jahmil said.

Up ahead was a large spring. It's banks were adorned with a crown of Lilies and flowers. The spring glistened in the sunlight as it's rays penetrated it's crystal clear water.

"To think there was a place a beautiful as this in these parts", Fernando said.

In the middle of the spring, there was a strange rock. It was perfectly rectangular in shape, like a pillar. Above it, was a massive flower.

"So that's the chorus flower?" Fernando asked.

"Yes, and to obtain the poison stored inside the stone, the emerald embedded on eiverngoule must be inserted on the hole on the side of the stone slab. What happens after, I don't know", Jahmil replied.

They headed to the rock, and gave Andres the honors of placing the emerald into the socket. Suddenly, the rock shook, breaking the dust that hardened over the years, revealing a door. Inside were cells arranged in a neat order, like a honeycomb. In each cell was a spire, probably where the poison was. They took dozens of spores, and rowed back to the ship victorious.