The Underwater City and Two Quests

The Underwater City and Two Quests

It was the last evening of summer holidays and Sam, Stephen and George were enjoying their last swim before school next day.

There was a full moon shining over the lake. A mother duck was escorting her little family of ducklings paddling across the lake to the other side while morning doves were pecking nearby in the grass looking for a last meal before night fall when they would return to their nests. Families started to pack up and return to their homes.

Thomas and Stephen had been diving in and out of the water, and Thomas had managed 3 belly flops. Now they were resting on the surface of the lake.

"Sam's been a long time down in the lake''. Thomas declared as he peered into the water. "Do you think we should swim down and see if she's ok?'

Stephen looked down into the water sighed and said, "Well we know she loves to float down to the bottom and sit for awhile, and she is able to hold her breath for ages. Still she has been there a bit longer this time.

'Ok Thomas we'll swim down and have a look, do you think you can jump in without a belly flop?'

'Very funny,' said Thomas jumping into the water as he waited for Stephen who jumped closely behind him splashing him as he hit the water.

Down, down they went into the water which had suddenly become darker.

They found Sam and were motioning to her to swim back up. She nodded and gave them thumbs up. As the three friends started

their swim upwards they were suddenly caught up in what seemed like a whirlpool which carried them further downwards into the water.

They couldn't do anything but go with the flow as they were carried along the bottom of the ocean. Then as suddenly as it had started the whirlpool stopped and the children were left on a sandy platform gasping.

George was coughing and needing his puffer. Stephen was looking around in amazement trying to understand what had just happened. Sam, for the first time had no words to say.

Then to their surprise Alette appeared. "Don't be frightened" she urged them. "I needed you three. There is something you can do to help us." Alette was the fairy who had take the children on an amazing trip to the moon.

"What could we do?" asked Sam hesitantly.

Stephen and George just stood there awaiting Alette's response.

"There is a girl here who took a wrong turn and ended up in this underworld city. I need you to find her and take her home."

"What happened?" asked George.

Alette looked at the three friends. "She is somewhere in this city. I need you to rescue her and take back to earth. Humans have never been seen here." She explained. Then she touched George on his lips, and announced, "that cough will go away now and you'll feel better".

The children were very happy to see Alette again and knew they could trust her.

"Ooh, is this a Quest?" exclaimed Sam clapping her hands loudly.

"What do we do now Alette?". Asked Stephen as George nodded happily, realizing he could breathe perfectly now.

The ever practical Stephen asked, "How is it possible we can still stand up and breathe underwater?"

"You can only do that if you stay close to me at all times" Alette responded. "Now if you are sure you want to help I'll explain everything".

The three children agreed together.

Suddenly they were swept up by Alette and carried inside the Underwater City.

"I'd forgotten how she can carry us all at once like that." Stephen declared.

Suddenly Thomas and Sam couldn't believe what they were seeing as they peeked into a room nearby.

A mermaid dressed in purple and green and smelling of the ocean approached and smiled at Alette as she led them to a place where they could all sit and talk, well mainly for the children it was just listening and discovering their quest.

They were overawed by everything they had seen. Alette smiled and thought to herself this is the first time I have seen all three children with nothing to say.

Tifara whose name meant splendour and beauty began to explain the reason the children had been brought to the Underwater City. "There is a young girl named Marley who Sea Turtle met and asked her if she would like to come with him on a Quest. They have been gone a long time and Sea Turtle sometimes gets lost or has long sleeps and forgets what he is supposed to be doing.

The children were very sleepy by this time so Tifara led them upstairs where they fell sound asleep.

Next day after having honey cakes and honeysuckle drinks for breakfast Tifara suggested that the children begin their Tour around the City.

Tifara smiled, "You are now far down in the very deepest part of the Ocean" she explained. "Please be careful and stay close to Alette."

Outside the City Gates they passed a huge statue.

"Look at the size of that" exclaimed Sam. "What is it?" asked George.

"I think it's King Neptune. I've seen a photo of him in Dad's study." Stephen replied.

"That's right". Alette agreed.

"In the old days the Romans called him King of freshwater and the sea. Do you see that thing in his hand it looks like a 3 pronged spear doesn't it? It's called a Trident and they say he used it to catch fish. Some say he even rode on a chariot under the sea".

"I heard about King Neptune in school. My Teacher said there is a statue of him in Perth in Western Australia." Sam informed them

The children followed Alette. As they wandered in and out of the twisting and turning paths they saw lots of coral and dark rocks and glimpsed different kinds of fish wandering in and out of canals.

"Look! Those are Caves, can we go and explore'' George asked Alette.

"Later". Alette agreed.

As they gazed at the Underwater Caves and the dark rocks which cast shadows across the water they noticed the Coral that had grown over the outside of the caves and seemed to turn the sea pink. It was a magical place filled with many sea urchins, koi fish, turtles and many more that the children had never seen before. "Look at that huge fish sitting on the rocks. I wonder who he is." Said Stephen

"Can we go closer and talk to him" asked Sam.

"He is the Keeper of the City, he sits outside and calls out if he sees something wrong." Alette explained.

Suddenly the seal turned and made a very loud noise that startled the children.

"Ooh I can see now why he is the Keeper. That noise would frighten anybody away." Declared George.

Alette flew over to the seal and asked him if he had seen a girl wandering along the Coral pathways.

"Yes, I saw her with Sea Turtle, she was riding on his back and he pointed in their direction with his flapping paw."

As they walked along the children saw many strange water creatures swimming in and out of the caves, and all around them were ferns and plants with funny mushroom shaped heads.

"What is that strange sound we can hear that sounds a bit like singing?" asked Alette.

"Ah yes, it does sound like music doesn't it?" Alette responded.

"They are whale songs and sometimes there are dolphins playing next to the whales. They jump up and down and also make music."

The children skipped along the coral path and wandered through the caves sometimes needing to duck to avoid hitting their heads on the cave roof.

"Look at the sea urchins watching us" called Sam.

As they went forward the children noticed other sea creatures swimming close by and watching them closely.

"They have never seen people or land dwellers as they call them." Explained Alette.

They came out of the caves and were at the water's edge when George called out.

"I can see something in the water".

Sam and Stephen came running over to see what he was pointing at.

As they peered into the sea Alette flew over the children's heads and into the water.

"It's a very old ship wreck." She told them.

"Can we go down for a look". pleaded Sam.

"Yes, but you must be very careful and don't swim off on your own."

"Imagine this ship must have been here forever." declared Stephen.

"It must have sunk a long long way down to get to the bottom of the ocean. "

"Yes it came so far down I don't suppose it would ever have been found" Sam said.

George chimed in, "At school they told us it's been estimated that there could be three million shipwrecks on the ocean floor".

"Ooh this is going to be an exciting magical mystery tour!"Sam exclaimed excitedly.

The children followed Alette on to the ship wreck where it had been lying in the sand at the bottom of the ocean.

1. As they became closer to the wreck the sea had a bluish hue which cast shadows around them. The railings were rusted and encrusted with small shells, clams, oysters and coral.

It was very quiet and nobody spoke at first until Sam pointed out the tiny coloured fish that were swimming around them.

"Look how pretty those fish are, with their brown and green skin and white spots".

"I've never seen anything like those". George responded.

"They are gropers I think." Informed Stephen".

"Can we have a look inside?" Sam asked Alette.

"We will just walk in a short distance." agreed Alette

"I heard that there is a photo of a ladies shoe in a Museum. It's from the Titanic when it sunk" The ever helpful Stephen informed them.

As they walked they noticed a Cave right in the middle of where the shipwreck had occurred. Tentatively, the children walked into the cave while Alette looked out for any danger.

Suddenly they almost tripped over a large sleeping snoring Sea Turtle. Then to their amazement they saw a girl in the corner close by.

"Hullo" she called out as they came towards her.

"You must be Marley," said Sam as she introduced herself and the boys.

"Yes I am" was the response from Marley.

"I'm from earth and I don't remember how I got here".

"While I was wandering and trying to find out where I was I met sleeping Sea Turtle over there. He invited me on a Quest so I climbed up on his back. We travelled for a long time and we stopped and met a lot of his friends. Then just as we arrived at the Cave by the shipwreck he said he was tired and needed a sleep. We have been here ever since."

Alette flew into the Cave to see how the children were. She was amazed when she heard Marley's tale.

"My what a brave girl you have been." she declared.

"What was the Quest?" inquired Sam.

"I don't know he didn't tell me."

"Silly sea turtle," exclaimed Alette.

"Still we have found you and you're safe and well, now I need to help you all get back home."

Alette led the group back to Tifara the Mermaid.

Tifara listened quietly to the children's stories. When they had finished she clapped with her tail.

"Marley didn't you say you were afraid of the Ocean and you didn't like to go out in the deep"

"Yes". replied Marley. "I talked about that with Sea Turtle and he said he thought he could help me."

Tifara smiled as she responded. "I think that Sea Turtle's quest for you was to be able to overcome your fears of the Ocean. Look how brave you have become, you stayed with Sea Turtle on your own while he slept and you aren't fearful of the water now."

Sam, George and Stephen clapped together as they said, "Yes that's true, Marley has been very brave and went on a Quest of her own. Well done!"

"Yes I have thank you Tifara" sighed Marley.

" Furthermore, you three were able to finish your Quest and help find Marley." Alette said smiling. "Come on children it's time to take you all back home."NU

With that she swooped them up and carried them back to earth.

They were happy to be home and wondered where the next adventure with Alette would lead them.

8