The Discovery of Aegaeon Isles

The children roamed the town, knocking on every door and window they saw, but no one answered. The children continued to explore the town bewildered by how well-kept it was despite the absence of caretakers. For hours they walked through the town, shouting and beckoning for help, but their cries went unanswered. Fatigued by their search for someone to help them, the children sat down near a fountain to rest their feet.

"There have to be people here, if it was truly deserted it wouldn't look this nice" Hadiza said, and then all the children murmured in agreement. "But where is everyone? We looked all over and found no one." Hibo chimed "Maybe they are away" Diallo suggested, "everyone?" Hibo blurted in disbelief. "We've looked everywhere" Chima groaned. "We haven't looked in there yet," Nnamdi said wearily as he pointed into a mountainous cavern. "That wasn't there before," Masego said alarmed as she jumped to her feet. "I didn't notice that cavern either," Chima said as he stared into the cavern's darkness. "Maybe, we just missed it, we are all a bit out of sorts," Hadiza said as she shook her head, sure herself that the mountain was not there before, but unwillingly to believe it just appeared. "Well come on, let's go in," Nnamdi said as he stood up. "Wait!" Masego shouted, "No! no more waiting. I want to go home. We did your plan, no one is here and if they are they don't want to help us, so come on" Nnamdi said, and then reluctantly Chima, Diallo, Hadiza, Hibo, and Masego followed Nnamdi into the cavern.

The entrance of the cavern was nearly 500 feet in length and pitch black. Slowly, hand in hand the children walked through the cavern. In the distance, they could hear water, but the ground beneath them and the walls surrounding them were as dry as the desert. The quietness of the cavern caused the children to whisper as they spoke to each other, all wishing the bright light was there to guide them through the thick darkness and all wondering where the bright light had gone. Hadiza and Hibo held tightly to Chima and Diallo's hands as they were not only scared of the dark but claustrophobic. Masego, held Nnamdi's hand tightly, fearful he may wander off.

The children entered the belly of the cavern and the view before them took their breath away. There were glowing lights like the one they had seen before lighting up the belly of the cavern. The lights revealed stone architecture, unlike anything they had seen before within a cavern. There was also a water passageway, a ship dock, and a ship hitched to the dock. The water passageway steadily flowed in one direction. "What in God's name is this?" Hadiza said utterly bemused. "Come," Nnamdi said, and then all the children looked up and saw Nnamdi on the dock prepping the ship. "Do you even know how to steer a ship?" Masego asked as she and the rest of the children joined Nnamdi on the dock. "No, but Diallo does, his uncles are merchants," Nnamdi said, as he boarded the ship. "Diallo, you can steer the ship?" Hibo asked curiously, as they all followed behind Nnamdi and boarded the ship. "I've never steered a ship like this before, but maybe it's all the same," Diallo said nervously as he ran his fingers across the helm of the ship. Chima and Nnamdi let down the ship sails as Diallo familiarized himself with the ship. "Let's be off captain" Nnamdi cried out and then a big gust of wind entered the cavern, filled the sails, and sent the ship with the children in tow spiraling out of control down the water passageway. Diallo tried with all his might to steer the ship, but the wind in the sails had a mind of its own.

~ To Be Continued