Atlantis 7

          The huge iron doors swung open. “Proceed!”  the guard, covered in metal armor from head to toe, said. Hokum walked past the portal and stepped into the great hall. He marveled in awe at all the splendor and grandeur. Everywhere he looked, he could see the wealth of Atlantis. The floors were made of marble. Large banners, made of fine silk, decorated the walls. There were portals of solid gold, ivory and..........
          “Do not waste our time!”  an irritated voice shouted. The members of the Council, seated around an oval table, were waiting for Hokum to speak.
          “I have come to warn you of a great disaster,”  Hokum said. Hokum informed the council that Kano and Akula had secretly combined their forces to attack Atlantis. Akula had ordered him to lead the attack. He handed over the secret plans, describing in detail how the assault would be carried out.
          “So they have the nerve to attack us?”  a member of the Council said. “Very well, we shall crush them like flies and teach them a lesson once and for all!”
          “You have truly done us a great service, commander, and for that you shall be rewarded,”  another member of the Council said. “But tell me, why did you betray your master, Akula?”
          “I am sick and tired of being a lowly servant to an arrogant fool,”  Hokum answered. “I have served Akula faithfully for all these years, but he has never bothered to reward me for my loyalty.” “What will happen to me when I get injured in battle?”  Hokum asked. “It is time for me to switch sides and start taking care of myself. Its time to get rich!”
          “And you will!”  a third member of the Council said pleased.
          The council was glad to inform the people of the invasion plans, because it would divert attention away from internal problems. The council had been under attack as of late, because of its corruption. But the anger of the citizens was now diverted away from them and toward the would be invaders. The Atlanteans were told that the armies of the Southern Kingdom would plunder Atlantis and destroy its cities. According to the plans, the men were to be killed immediately and the women used as slaves. The impending invasion would be genocide on a colossal scale. Atlantis had to be wiped from the face of the planet. When the Atlanteans heard this brutal information, they demanded that the army of Atlantis attack the Southern Kingdom and punish the would be invaders.
          The soldiers of Atlantis landed on the west coast of Africa, the spot closest to their own continent. The invasion completely surprised the Southern Kingdom. It had not expected an attack and therefore was not prepared. Nobody could stop the relentless advance of the Atlanteans. The unsuspecting army of the Southern Kingdom seemed impotent and paralyzed. The Southern soldiers fled in panic. Everywhere the invaders went, they thoroughly demolished the land. The soldiers of Atlantis had heard what the Southerners had been planning and were outraged. “Revenge!”  they cried. Only blood would now ease their anger. Like savages they butchered the people. Men and children were promptly beheaded with no exception. The women were spared, but they soon wished that they too had been killed. The Atlanteans had a much worse fate in store for them. They were to be used as slaves and to satisfy the sadistic pleasures of the soldiers. After the carnage, the ground was soaked with the blood of the fallen. Sunder, the commander of Atlantis’ army saw the tremendous destruction and slaughter his army had brought about and said proudly: “Let it be known to all. There where I set foot, there grows no more grass.”
          Further inland, the helpless population fled in panic after hearing the crimes of war committed by the Atlanteans. The few lucky people, who had managed to escape the initial onslaught of the Atlanteans, told absolutely abominable stories of the massacre that had taken place. “Everywhere you go,”  they said in horror, “you can smell the odor of burning flesh.” Countless numbers of people, and whatever they were able to take with them, filled the roads in disarray. Anarchy soon took over. Parents and their children became separated in the chaos. Everybody was desperate to escape the wrath of the merciless Atlanteans and wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Friends and familymembers turned against one another. Selfishness was at an all-time high. The rich, who could bribe their way through, were more successful in escaping, but the poor, the sick, and especially the elderly, were expendable. They were the ones who felt the brunt of the attack. They had to be sacrificed and were simply left out to die.

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 Click on Part 8 for what happens next in this series.