Strength of a Woman: The destruction of Atlantis
By
Geltab
SMASHWORDS EDITION
* * * * *
PUBLISHED BY:
Geltab on Smashwords
Strength of a Woman: The destruction of Atlantis
Copyright © 2012 by Geltab
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Strength of a Woman: The destruction of Atlantis
“You’re nothing but an Atlantian gutter whore!” Turca yelled as he came down with another slap to Jera’s face knocking her to the ground with a bang and a whimper. Jera was a young woman of nineteen forcibly married to Turca, an abusive politically aspiring man of Atlantis. He seemed to enjoy smacking her around, especially when drunk. She tried to fight back at first but that made it worse, he was a big man and former soldier it was no use fighting back, and she had to take the beatings.
“If I didn’t take you in you’d be walking the red crystal street with the other tramps by now! You’re nothing without me; Atlantis itself is nothing without me!” He grabbed Jera’s chin forcing her to look at him,
“Do me a favor and remember that you Atlantian pig, you’re nothing but a merchant’s daughter.” She jerked her chin away as he stood and slapped the back of her head.
“You’re lucky I have more important things to do and places to be like a real Atlantian male or else I’d put you in your place like I do each night. I have the desire today and think I shall use you tonight so take your filthy, stinky pig of a body to the bathes and get yourself cleansed. I will want to use and abuse you tonight when I return from my proposal on the Forum, especially if it’s rejected.” Turca said as he stood straightening his flowing white robe properly placing a crown of gold leaf atop his balding head.
“Is that clear or are you deaf now too bitch?” He said grabbing her by the hair pulling her up as she instinctively reached backwards for the hand.
“Yes husband,” she managed to meekly reply as he flung her to the floor spitting on her.
“Good girl,” he said stepping over her on his way out of the house. He looked back and laughed, “On the floor right where you belong” and then he was gone for the day. Off to the Forum to play his political games with the other men who seek some false idea of power to no end other than their own temporary glory.
It had been this way for two years since she was initially given to Turca, her family was of a lower class consisting of merchants. For a chance to better his own fortune and that of his sons Jera’s father forced her to marry Turca as he was from a wealthy family and politically motivated hoping his ambitions would pay off in the long run. Such was the lot of women and their status in Atlantian society, nothing but property. The civilization had learned to harness crystals for levitation and light but the thought of a woman doing anything outside of her home besides farming a field was terrifying to the men of Atlantis and therefore women were forbidden to do practically everything. They were treated as less than second class citizens in a first class society. Even the wealthiest of married women were subject to their husbands whims and would often appear in public wearing extra makeup to cover their bruises.
“Can this be all there is to my life?” Jera thought as she lifted herself from the floor wiping the blood from her nose. “Treated worse than a neglected barn animal, cutoff from any friends or contact, I cannot call this living; I simply exist in a forced state of obedience.” Jera said to herself as she left the house to go to the bathes as told. Defiance in her mind or not she had no choice but to obey her husband’s wishes. She had nowhere to go if she tried to leave and Turca would have her killed if her escape attempt was unsuccessful anyway. She lived in a constant state of stress and anxiety, so much so that her long black hair already wore streaks of gray at nineteen which embarrassed her greatly, especially still being childless.
The bathes were only a quick ten minute walk from home and it was sunny outside. Jera wore a “Murac” which is a solid black robe all Atlantian women are required to wear when out of the house unescorted by a male relative. To tell the truth Jera no longer cared what she looked like, she knew her life would be one never ending abuse after another and she could find no meaning in that. She had taken this street dozens of times before while bathing at the command of her husband.
Atlantian culture was completely backwards in terms of technology and humanity. Their treatment of women and anything different that didn’t fit into their world view neatly was discarded. Jera was not the only woman wishing she could make a difference but the idea one woman could change the attitude of all of Atlantis that seemed crazy, if not impossible.
She was lost in her thoughts walking to the bathes as usual wondering whether the continent of Atlantis and all of its hateful men who loved not only subjugating women but their neighbors as well deserves to fall into the ocean. Atlantis is a war hungry society; this is why in the vicinity of the city only Atlantis remains, they exterminated their rival empires, taking prisoners is not a subject which exists in their vocabulary.
Passing the many stalls on the way to the bathes a strong arm reached out and snatched Jera off the street pulling her into a small, dark stone walled corner behind the fruit stall. Jera already being quite broken from her years of abuse coupled with the general status of women in Atlantis didn’t even let out a scream, if some man wanted to rape her in a dark corner she no longer even cared. That was not the purpose,
Instead there was a voice from something with dark blue skin and eyes like a cat looking at her from the darkness,
“Take this dagger Jera,” the voice growled more animal than man, she stood frozen but spoke back.
“What are you? How do you know my name?”
“I am a Yarin, we existed before the current human inhabitants of Atlantis were here and we still exist despite their claims.” He handed her the dagger which was a four inch curved blade, the handle was gold and studded with three red rubies on each side. Jera admired it as the blade and jewels in the hilt glinted off the light beaming in from around the corner.
“It’s a beautiful blade,” she said turning it catching the light.
“It’s made of demon bone, listen and listen to me as you have never listened to anyone in your life Jera,” the Yarin’s yellow cat eyes narrowed and his tone deepened. Jera nodded and stared back as this thing, this Yarin explained,
“That dagger is now bonded to you by your touch and further upon sheathing, through it you are invincible. Also, should you decide it through that dagger you have the power to completely destroy Atlantis.” Jera tried to speak but the Yarin raised its hand as if in anticipation of the question and continued.
“If the dagger is ever taken from you which is now easier said than done with the skills it shall imbue you with it acts as a normal blade and it someone tries to use it against you it will turn the opposite direction and stab your attacker.” The Yarin smiled at Jera its fangs were terrifying to her, still she managed to stammer.
“H…how…how is this possible?”
The Yarin continued smiling and folded its arms, “Now Jera does that really matter, the only things that matters is it is possible and it is the truth.” It never stopped smiling that damned fanged smile, “I think Turca will find it much more difficult to take what he wants from you now,” The Yarin winked.
At the mere mention of the name rage began to boil up in Jera’s chest there seemed to be small senses of newfound confidence, yes a touch of strength. She could feel it flowing from the dagger into her body as the Yarin spoke,
“I see you begin to feel its power, feel deeper and don’t let the doubts own you.”
“Why are you giving this to me and not a great soldier? I’m just a simple Atlantian woman.”
With pity in its catlike eyes the Yarin looked at her disapprovingly and spoke,
“Women are the creators of worlds it is men that enjoy destroying them. You’re culture wasn’t always this way, men and women used to love one another and so it can be again or you can shatter this land into the sea, the choice now lies with you Jera and no one will blame you if you choose the latter. Goodbye.”
In a puff of black and blue smoke the Yarin vanished leaving Jera alone holding the jeweled dagger in her hand.
“How will I conceal this?” She thought feeling her waist when she noticed she was wearing a new belt and it held a scabbard for the dagger. Jera sheathed the blade and then to practice drawing it unsheathed it again to find her vision changed and she began to feel dizzy. When she now held the unsheathed dagger the world and her view of her place in it began to change drastically.
The vision of everyday reality fell away revealing the world hidden underneath. Jera could now see through objects like they weren’t there and read people by the color of their energy; she could anticipate thoughts and reactions. She began to feel she could do this but still there were those doubts. She saw creatures of all sorts both beautiful and grotesque fighting and flying also following humans around doing various things to them. Behind her for the first time she felt a presence and noticed two eight foot tall skeletons, one in a black robe and the other in a red robe with eyes of blood. Strangely with this vision of hers she understood her power better and had no fear beholding them only questions for the two robed figures.