Chapter 11

"Left a message?" Jeff asked, wondering how anyone could have gotten on board or left without him seeing a craft.

"Yes, he told me to tell you that you had passed the test," Demetrius told him.

"A test? What do you mean passed the test?" Jeff queried, a cold shiver running up his spine. Jeff knew it would have to be someone connected to the game they had been telling him about. He knew that, whoever it was, must be somebody special to have been able to get on board the craft in the middle of the ocean.

"It was Poseidon's test," Diana answered, joining the pair. Jeff gaped at her, knowing she could only be talking about the Greek god of the sea. Understanding dawned on him as he realized what was facing him. Jeff shuddered thinking of the possible events that might be awaiting him.

"Why would he want to test me?" Jeff asked, wondering what he had done to deserve being tested by an ancient god.

"It is all part of the game," Diana replied, finally able to reveal a few more things. She had been told not to give Jeff any details unless it was absolutely necessary, and she was enjoying her time on earth. Zeus had promised to allow her to stay in the mortal world if she followed his instructions exactly.

"Are there going to be any more surprises?" Jeff asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Yes, the game has begun. You must stay on your guard at all times," Diana told him. Jeff hesitated before he asked his next question, but he had to know.

"Will I have to fight any gods?" he asked.

"I can't say, but I can guarantee you that you won't have to face Zeus," she answered. Jeff breathed a sigh of relief when he learned he wouldn't be facing the leader of the gods.

"Eh... I don't mean to interrupt, but that wasn't the complete message. Poseidon said he had a gift to bestow upon you," Demetrius told the stunned boy. Remembering the gifts given to Perseus in ancient times, Jeff knew any gifts given by the gods were endowed with special properties.

"What do you mean a gift? I don't see anything," Jeff said. Quickly glancing around, Jeff could see nothing out of the ordinary on board.

"He said he would be back after we crossed through the Straits of Gibraltar," Demetrius told him, noting the disappointment on the boy's face.

"So this is where you've been hiding," Sara broke in, startling the group. Sara walked to Jeff and put her arms around him, tilting her head slightly to receive his gentle kiss. Jeff kissed her softly, tasting the sweetness of her pouting lips.

"Ahem, don't you think you might want to go somewhere a bit more private?" Diana asked, hiding the smile that threatened to emerge. Blushing, the couple moved to their cabin, locking the door behind them.

"Hi guys. Having fun?" Holly asked from her position on the bed.

"Hi sis. We are going to be going through the Straits of Gibraltar soon, then it won't be long until we are in Greece," Jeff told her. Jeff didn't pass along the message he had been given. He knew Holly would never believe it.

"What are we supposed to do when we get there?" Holly asked, looking worriedly at her brother.

"I'm not sure, but I promise when I find out something for sure, I will tell you," Jeff told her. He would have said more, but he suddenly began to feel a strange lethargy overtaking him.

"I feel strange," Sara said, visibly wobbling on her feet. Walking to the bed, she suddenly collapsed upon it, asleep as she hit the mattress. Jeff looked at her, concern written plainly on his face. Looking at Holly, he noticed she was asleep, too. Worried about Holly and Sara, Jeff hurried to the door, hoping to find Leandra or Diana. As his hand grasped the doorknob, he felt himself slide to the floor and into oblivion.

When Jeff woke up, he knew he wasn't on the boat anymore. Looking around at the strange surroundings, he could see Sara lying beside him, still asleep. He noticed unusual sculptures and paintings all around the room.

"We're glad to see you finally wake up," Diana told him, rousing Jeff from his reverie. Jeff stood up, standing on still shaky legs.

"Where are we?" he asked, trying to shake the cobwebs from his mind.

"We're in Atlantis. Poseidon doesn't want anyone finding it, so he will only bring someone here if they pass his test. If they pass, he will bring them here, but only after he renders them unconscious," she told him.

"Where are Holly and the others?" he asked, remembering Holly had been unconscious when he passed out.

"The others are in Themiskyra. Leandra went with them to introduce them and help them get settled until you arrive," she told him. Jeff had heard of Themiskyra, it was the famed home of the Amazons in ancient times. Knowing Holly and his mother would be safe; Jeff kneeled down to wake Sara. When Jeff touched Sara's shoulder, her eyes flew awake, fear evident in them. When she saw Jeff, the fear left her face, the familiarity calming her. Jeff pulled her to him, reassuring her that she was safe.

"What happened? Where are we? Where are the others?" she asked, the questions spilling from her still-trembling lips.

"Whoa, take it easy baby, and we'll tell you," Jeff told her, smiling with relief. Jeff and Diana quickly explained the happenings to Sara, her eyes widening in awe at the events that had transpired. Jeff stood up, and then helped Sara to get to her feet, making sure she could stand on her own before releasing her.

"Okay, what do we do now?" Jeff asked Diana.

"I was told to tell you to explore the city if you wanted to," she told him. Diana figured Jeff would know this was a great honor that Poseidon was granting him. Poseidon hadn't let anyone explore any part of Atlantis in over one thousand years. Diana still remembered when Poseidon had decided to hide the vastly superior civilization that had arisen here. He had wanted to prevent the outside world from advancing too quickly. Diana had always felt like the sea god had gone overboard with his scheme to hide Atlantis, but then again, what god didn't?

"Wow, look at all of these paintings and sculptures everywhere! I don't like art very much, but some of these are really cool," Jeff told Sara, as he pointed out the different objects. Walking out of the building they were in, the couple marveled at the structures around them. They were unlike anything they had ever seen. The spires towered above them, piercing the sky as they arose from the different buildings. Only, it wasn't like any sky Jeff had ever seen. The sun was brighter, and the sky was a bluish green. The sunlight, reflecting from the brightly colored buildings, was a paler version of the sunshine Jeff had grown up with, giving the buildings an eerie glow. Jeff had been expecting to see ancient ruins, but the architecture around them looked futuristic.

"I feel like everyone is watching us," Sara whispered, looking around nervously. Jeff looked around and had to agree with her, it did appear people were staring at them. Jeff could see the inhabitants had pale, almost translucent, skin, with the same blue eyes and red hair that Leandra had. Their clothing was unlike any Jeff had ever seen. It looked like blue aluminum foil with swirling colors adorning their pants, and pants were all they were wearing. The men, as well as the women, wore nothing from the waist up, with only the children completely clothed. Sara watched Jeff, making sure he didn't stare at the bare-breasted women they passed.

"You're loving this, aren't you?" she asked him, noticing his eyes darting from one woman to another.

"I'm sorry, I've just never seen a woman go topless in the middle of a city before," he told her, turning his eyes back to her. Sara could see he hadn't meant to hurt her, which in turn made her feel guilty for the jealousy that had overtaken her. Giving him a hug, Sara began looking for a store, hoping to buy some clothes so she could blend in while they were in this virtual paradise. Finding none, she tried asking one of the girls they passed where she could find a store, but the girl gave her a blank stare, not comprehending the words coming out of this strange girl's mouth.

"I don't think they understand you. Let me try using telepathy," Jeff told her. Quickly establishing a link with one of the Atlantians, Jeff was able to discover they didn't use money in this society, only barter. After finding the nearest bartering market, Jeff thanked the girl before he began leading Sara to the swap meet. When they arrived, Sara rushed to the bins of clothing, hoping to find something in her size.

"Maybe this would suit you better," a voice behind her spoke up.

"Leandra! What are you doing here? Jeff told me everyone was at Themiskyra," Sara exclaimed, happy to see another familiar face.

"That's right, you didn't know. This is my home. I only left here to train Jeff for his upcoming battles," the older woman told her.

"I was wanting to get some clothes so I could look like the rest of the women around here. I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb," Sara told her.

"I'm afraid nothing you can buy will keep you from being different from the people here. Their skin tone and hair color are much different than yours. However I will be happy to help you pick something out," Leandra told the younger girl, leading her to the stacks of glossy clothing. Jeff watched the two, sifting through the mounds of shimmering pants, trying to find a pair that would fit Sara. Finding a pair, Leandra directed Sara to try them on.