The Atlas - Chapter One

The journey

Melbourne, Australia

"Lucy"

She hurried up packing her books in her bag as the bell rang. There was an excitement at her face that could not be avoided. It was the day she was waiting for about a week now.

"Happy birthday, shorty" said Angela, as she handed a very well wrapped present for her best friend. "For someone who turns eighteen, you are surprisingly upset about it. What is the matter?"

"Thanks a lot Angie, can't explain it right now, got to go. My dad is waiting for me" Lucy said as she hugged her firmly.

"And please don't be gone for too long, because you know, I will miss you" Angela shouted as Lucy was waving at her.

She was already late and could see her dad waiting outside for her, looking right and left. She opened the glass door and made her way through a crowd of students.

"What took you so long honey, you said class was going to be over at eleven?"

"Sorry dad, it was Miss Potts, she kept going and wouldn't let anyone out. If only she knew that I had a flight at three o'clock today..."

"No honey, there is no need to tell everyone that we are heading to Europe, besides it will be very short so no one will notice either" said her dad, as they both sat in the car and put on their seatbelt.

There was a nervousness in Harry Lansdale's face, though he was very good at faking a smile so that his daughter wouldn't know the real deal.

"Daddy you forgot to wish me, and also you promised to tell me why are we heading to Europe after all? Couldn't we just go to the beach for my birthday?"

"Don't worry dear, it's no big deal. It's just that you have an aunt in Budapest, her name is Marlene. Your mother and I promised her to take you back to her once you were, well a grown up..." said Harry while he sped up and faked a smile.

"I have an aunt? Why didn't you tell me this before? And how can you take me back? I have been living my whole life in here in Australia. When was I in Europe?" Lucy replied with a louder tone, confused.

"Later Lucy, I have to concentrate on the road"

Harry was nervous, and so was Lucy now. She knew about the journey but there were hundreds of new questions popping inside her mind. She had an aunt that she didn't know about. She had been to Europe and didn't know about it. She thought about it for almost an hour before they reached the airport.

"Ah there you are you two, come on hurry up we are already late". It was her mother, Amanda.

Amanda Lansdale was a tall woman, even taller than her husband. Lucy had gotten her blonde hair from her, and the height from her father. Amanda was a Historian and Harry was an Archaeologist. They met twenty years ago on a mission to find The Atlas, as they called it. Atlas was an ancient lost sword that had magical properties.

Lucy never cared about history and magical objects her parents often discussed. She didn't believe in magic. She hated them for leaving her behind every time they had to travel, most of their travels being upon tracking down and finding The Nephilim.

"A Nephilim is a breed of an Angel and a Demon" said her mother when she asked about it once. But Lucy denied the existence of demons and angels every time. She never thought of them anything but fairy tales and stories for children.

By this time, they were already inside the plane, it was supposed to be a long journey and Lucy had lots of questions prepared for her parents.

"My dear baby girl, we are sorry we made you upset on your birthday. I promise I will tell you all about your aunt while we fly" Harry said.

"I don't like secrets, you know that. You never talk to me about your work, this missions you go to. You disappear for weeks and I am not allowed to ask where you were, and now this"

"Honey you know we are not allowed to discuss our work with anyone" her mother replied. She was always stricter about these things than her father.

"But I am your daughter, you think if I knew about some ancient magical objects and amulets and demons I will talk about it with my friends? They are boring stories, not even Angela cares about them and she is supposed to care about anything I tell her" she said with a little anger and sarcasm. Harry tried to calm her down.

"Fine, what do you want to know? Harry said with a smile.

"Not now Harry" Amanda interrupted, pointing her eyes and shaking her head.

"She is old enough, it's her right to know about all this" Harry replied.

"You are starting to scare me, both of you. Are we in some kind danger?" Lucy asked.

"Not in here, she will know everything once we reach Budapest. End of discussion." Amanda interrupted again. She did not want other people to know about what was going on. After all, they won't believe will they? If their own daughter thought of all this as a fairy tale, how could they expect anyone else to believe? How would people react if they knew the things the Lansdales know? The angels, demons, lost swords, other worlds, they were hard to believe.

Amanda was sitting next to the window. She watched as the plane took off and made its way through the thick clouds, and she thought about the day she met Harry. She was working with a team of historians and archaeologists, looking for an amulet that was once part of the Atlas. It could be used to find the lost sword. Harry managed to find the amulet after heavy research but before it could reveal the location of the sword, it got destroyed.

The Atlas's origin was unknown. Imbued with powerful dark magic, it was the most powerful devil arm ever existed. It originally belonged to the demon warrior Alcide. He created the devil arm for his master, the demon king, so that they could defeat the angel invaders, but it was still his devil arm. The demon king felt threatened of the day Alcide would use The Atlas to overthrow him, so he betrayed his commander and slayed his wife. Alcide went to battle him and managed to defeat him and his army. He took the Atlas and hid it somewhere in Earth realm. He then sealed the portal that connected Nether realm to the other worlds, and made his way to Earth realm. Alcide died of the heavy wounds he took from the battle before he could seal the hell gates too. Angels took care of most of the hell gates but not all of them. The hell gates connected nether realm and earth.

After a fifteen hours' flight, they reached Budapest and met with the aunt, Marlene, and her son Daniel.