The Halfbreeds of Atlantis
by Sunny Ghauri

Copyright © 2019 Sunny Ghauri. All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

This is Book 1 of 3 in the Third World Universe.

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Chapter 1: The Northern Mountains of Atlantis

Before the Great Flood, ancient Atlantis stretched across what is now the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, icy mountains rose, their misty peaks lost in the clouds. At their base lay Cupta, a small, remote town and the home of Kaya Kahkati Imenti. Isolated from the continent's chaos, Cupta remained a timeless haven, its quiet, snowy charm preserved.

The town's stone shops and homes shimmered under the pale autumn sun. Copper leaves mixed with snow on the cobblestone streets, while frost clung to rooftops and trees. Despite the chill, the autumn hues brought a touch of warmth to the wintry scene.

Kaya woke to the soft glow of dawn streaming through her window, highlighting her copper-bronze skin and long, untamed auburn waves. The crisp air carried the earthy scent of leaves, pine, and faint woodsmoke. Her piercing eyes, a sharp mix of pale green and silvery gray, held a wolf's intensity—predatory and untamed. After all, she was part wolf.

It was the last day of her life as she knew it, though she had no idea what was coming.

Kaya lived on the outskirts of Cupta, in a modest stone cottage with a thatched roof, shared with her mother and uncle. The cottage's walls were adorned with vibrant tapestries woven by her mother, Aiyana of the Kahkati people, who shared a deep connection to nature and the mountains. Kaya took deep pride in her heritage, rooted in ancient wisdom and traditions.

Her mother had grown up hearing tales of great warriors who fought alongside wolves, which perhaps explained why she had married Kaya's father, Dariq Imenti—a halfbreed of both wolf and human genetics. Dariq was not from Atlantis. He had come from the east, speaking of a homeland filled with sand and heat. Her mother often told Kaya stories of her father's homeland, describing it like a fairytale from another world.

Unlike her father, who had the unmistakable features of a wolf—pointed ears, silver hair, wolf like facial features—Kaya did not resemble a wolf much at all. She appeared mostly human, with only the heightened senses and sharp sight of her father. Her human appearance allowed her to live among her tribespeople without drawing unwanted attention. Over the years, Kaya had learned that being a halfbreed in Atlantis was dangerous, though it never occurred to her to ask why.

Today, she lingered in bed for a moment, gathering her courage before facing her mother. She wanted to go into town to meet her odd, new friend Zorin, but her mother disliked when Kaya went to town. Most of all, her mother did not like strangers.

As she stepped into the warm kitchen, Kaya spotted her mother, stirring a pot over the fire. Aiyana wore a flowing, tribal brown dress that complemented her dark honey skin, accented by her soft turquoise jewelry. Her long black hair, interwoven with strands of gray, reflected her age and wisdom. When she looked up, her deep brown, almond-shaped eyes radiated a blend of strength and warmth.

"Good morning, Kaya," Aiyana greeted with a gentle smile. "The autumn sun rises strong today, just as you do."

Kaya hesitated, her heart racing with excitement. "I was thinking of going to town. I want to see if they have those Alemurian gooseberries again." Although Kaya had heard the word "Alemurian" a thousand times, she had no idea where Alemuria was. Someday, she wondered if she might see it for herself. They certainly had great fruit and teas.

A frown replaced Aiyana's smile. "Why don't you come with us to the tribe's fall gathering today?"

Kaya's heart sank. "We just went to one two days ago!"

Aiyana remained firm. "Kaya, this gathering is important. It's a chance to honor the ancestors."

Kaya crossed her arms, her frustration rising. "I am going to the market."

Her uncle Yoshua entered the kitchen, immediately sensing the tension. A halfbreed himself, he looked a great deal like his brother, Dariq, but taller, with striking blue-silver eyes that seemed to reflect the light.

"What's this about town?" He asked, in his deep husky voice. A decade younger than his brother, Yoshua had stepped in after Dariq's death to care for Aiyana and a ten-year-old Kaya, carrying on the quiet strength that had defined his brother. He had always been a protector, shielding his brother's family from the harsh realities of Atlantis.

Kaya knew Yoshua was no stranger to the whispers and mistreatment of the townsfolk, but she was tired of being kept inside all season.

"You're dressed up today, uncle," Kaya changed the subject, noticing Yoshua's tribal green tunic and khaki trousers.

"Well, yes. I thought we were all going to the tribe's gathering." Yoshua said, looking from Kaya to Aiyana.

"But Kaya wants to go into town," Aiyana said, her voice sharp with irritation.

Yoshua turned to Kaya, shaking his head. "No, no, Kaya. There are new folk in town right now. It's best to stay away for a while."

Kaya bit her lip, she did not want to share her reasons for wanting to go. "Why must we always be so afraid of new folk?"

Aiyana shook her head. "I understand your curiosity, but listen to Yoshua."

Kaya sighed. "Fine. You two suffocate me. I need fresh air."

As Kaya nearly stomped out of the kitchen, she heard her mother say "she doesn't listen to me anymore."

Yoshua's reply came with a note of resignation. "She's a woman now. We won't be able to tell her what to do for long."

Kaya grabbed an emerald green cloak and draped it over her brown and yellow dress. The dress, made from warm fabric for cold weather, had full sleeves and was adorned with a delicate floral print. Without a second thought, she bolted out the door, the cloak billowing behind her.

Kaya was determined to see Zorin again. He was a strange man, unlike anyone she had ever met.

Zorin was one of the new folk her uncle had warned her about, but Kaya couldn't imagine him being dangerous. They had met by accident in the woods yesterday, as snowflakes swirled gently through the air, settling on the ground and on Zorin's shaved head. His rich brown and orange robes, draped elegantly over his shoulders and cinched at the waist with a matching fabric belt, stood out against the snowy backdrop—so foreign, so unlike anything Kaya had seen before.

But he had a sincere face and warm, dark brown eyes. His flat nose and full lips broke into a smile, releasing visible puffs of breath into the cold air. He had asked her, "Have you seen a blonde pregnant woman pass by here?"

Kaya remembered the way his eyes had searched hers for a positive response. Even then, she could sense the weight of a secret he carried, and it intrigued her.

"She's in great danger," he had said, concern etched on his face. "My brothers and I are searching for her. We come from the Southern Mountain Order of Dawa, and we have been tracking her, but now it's become nearly impossible with this snow."

Southern Mountain Order of Dawa. Kaya had never heard of such a place. Kaya noticed that Zorin seemed unfamiliar with Cupta's autumn landscape. "The snow can be deceptive," she nodded. "During this time of the year, you have to look for tracks in the trees and watch for broken branches. It's easier to follow paths where the snow is less deep, like near the streams or under the shelter of the pines."

Zorin listened closely, then responded with a simple, "Hm."

Don't do it, Kaya. Don't do it, she told herself. Her mother had always warned her never to reveal that she was part wolf, but this felt different. Her tracking skills could really help this man.

"Thank you for your help," Zorin said, bowing deeply before he turned to walk away.

Kaya furrowed her brow, a swirl of confusion and intrigue washing over her. Why would he travel across Atlantis to find this woman? The question nagged at her as she watched him, sensing that there was more to his story than he had revealed.

"Wait," Kaya said, despite her mother's warning ringing in her head. "If you have something of this woman's, I may be able help you. I'm part wolf, you see, and I can track by scent."

Zorin was taken aback but quickly nodded, hope flickering in his eyes. "I'd welcome any help you can offer." He reached into the folds of his robes and pulled out a delicate pink ribbon, its color vibrant against the white backdrop of the snow. "This belonged to her."

Kaya took the ribbon and brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply. "Yes, her scent is here," she confirmed. "It's faint, but it leads to the north, towards the mountains."

Zorin's expression brightened. "Can you help me follow the trail?"

Kaya hesitated, glancing at the dimming sky. "Not today. The sun is setting, and it's not safe to be out in the dark. But I can help you in the morning."

"Thank you," Zorin said, bowing deeply. "My brothers and I are staying at the inn."

As they exchanged a final glance, Kaya hurried home wondering if she had done the right thing...

The morning wind pulled Kaya to the present from her memories, as she brushed her braided hair back, keeping it out of her face. The chill in the air only fueled her adrenaline. With a determined glance back at her cottage, she took off, her movements fluid and swift, almost wolf-like as she raced through the snow-covered woods.

Arriving at the inn, she paused for a moment to catch her breath. The building was modest but inviting, smoke curling from its chimney into the crisp morning air. Inside, the warmth enveloped her, and she spotted Zorin seated at a corner table, his brown and orange robes contrasting against the wooden surroundings. Beside him sat another dressed just like Zorin, his shaved head also glinting in the light.

"Ah, you made it!" Zorin exclaimed, a smile breaking across his face. "This is brother Faramir."

"Pleasure to meet you," Faramir said, his voice steady but more measured than Zorin's. Unlike Zorin, Faramir wore a neatly trimmed brown beard that contrasted sharply with his pale skin. His green eyes, though soft, held a sharpness, and faint freckles dotted his cheeks. Faramir exuded a calm authority. "Zorin speaks highly of your tracking skills," he added. "He says you are part wolf."

"Thank you," Kaya said nervously, hearing part wolf made her body want to run. She shook off the feeling. "What's so important about this pregnant woman?"

Zorin exchanged a dark look with Faramir before answering. "She is in her ninth month of pregnancy, carrying a halfbreed child—a crane halfbreed. Such a child is sacred to our people. Unless we help her, she and the child will die during labor."

Kaya's heart raced at the weight of his words. A halfbreed child! A swirl of excitement stirred within her at the thought of meeting other halfbreeds, yet she could not shake the confusion about the woman's condition. "Is this woman ill? Why would she die?" She asked, confused.

The monks exchanged puzzled looks. "Halfbreed births are dangerous," Zorin said. "The child's unusual nature complicates the birth." It was clear he could not understand why Kaya wasn't already aware of this.

Kaya tilted her head in confusion.

Zorin asked, hesitantly, "Is your mother... alive?"

"Yes, she's alive," Kaya replied, taken aback by the question.

The monks exchanged shocked, bewildered glances again. "How can that be?" Faramir asked with disbelief.

Kaya's heart sank as worry crept in. What if I've put ma in danger? "I... I don't know," she stammered, anxiety tightening in her chest.

Zorin interjected, sensing Kaya's discomfort. "Today we follow the trail you picked up yesterday. With your skills, we might just find her."

Kaya felt her anxiety ease just a little. After all, she was trying to help someone in danger. She brought the pink ribbon to her nose again, inhaling deeply. The faint scent lingered, tugging at her instincts. "Let's go."

The three of them set off from the inn, making their way through the small town and into the woods. The fall air in the Atlantean mountains was crisp and alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant bird calls, the ground beneath their feet crunching with the weight of snow. As they moved deeper into the forest, the towering trees stood like silent sentinels, their branches heavy with frost, creating a mystical canopy overhead.

"Do you think she's close?" Faramir asked, his tone wary, unsure if Kaya truly knew what she was doing.

Kaya glanced at him, frowning. "The scent is getting stronger. We're on the right path."

Zorin nodded at Kaya, then exchanged a nervous glance with Faramir, who appeared irritated but was doing his best to mask it with a serene expression.

As they ventured deeper, Kaya could not shake the feeling of unease creeping over her. They had entered the Kahkati tribe's woods, and she had no interest in running into anyone she knew—especially not with these strange men. "Let's hurry," she said, picking up her pace.

As they walked, Zorin spoke of the Southern Mountain monastic order. "I grew up in the Southern Mountains," he said. "My village is a place where the peaks touch the sky, and the air is thin and crisp. If you squint, you can see the Atlantean floating islands!"

Faramir chuckled, shaking his shaved head. "You're exaggerating, Zorin. The floating islands are far too distant to be seen from the South."

Kaya frowned, feeling lost. "Floating islands? I've never heard of them," she admitted.

Zorin paused, surprise etched on his face. "They're the Atlantean Capital, Kaya. You really don't know?"

Kaya shrugged. "No one has ever mentioned them."

Zorin stared at Farramir, lost for words.

"And why do you dress like that?" Kaya asked, the question had been weighing on her mind.

Zorin let out a soft laugh. "We are monks."

"Monks?" Kaya asked, uncomfortably. "What is that?"

Zorin spoke first, "As monks, we live in harmony with nature, following the Great Master's teachings."

Faramir added, almost robotically, "We practice meditation and discipline," as if reciting from a book.

"At the inn, you said you were brothers. Do you come from a family of monks?" Kaya asked, her curiosity piqued.

Zorin shook his head and let out a little laugh. "No, monks do not live with biological families. We live with our order in a monastery."

Kaya nodded slowly, trying to grasp the concept. "So you don't have families or live with tribes?"

Zorin shook his head. "Not in the traditional sense. We form a different kind of family, a different kind of tribe—an order of monks."

"Is it lonely?" Kaya asked.

Zorin considered her question. "Sometimes it can be."

Kaya thought about her own life, raised in the warmth of her mother's cottage and surrounded by her uncle's presence. "I can't imagine not having my family and tribe nearby. Ma says wolves always live in packs."

"That is wonderful. Your connection to your family is touching," Faramir said, barely concealing a hint of disgust as he nearly rolled his eyes.

Noticing Faramir's behavior, Zorin quickened his pace to catch up with Kaya and added more positively, "How much further do you think?"

"We're close." Kaya said, looking ahead.

As Kaya led Zorin and Faramir deeper into the mountain woods, the atmosphere shifted ominously. The towering pines, now skeletal and twisted, loomed like dark observers, their branches reaching out like claws. The air grew heavier, tinged with an unsettling silence.

Kaya glanced back at her companions, unease knotting her stomach. "Do you feel that?" She murmured.

Faramir's brow furrowed, a hint of apprehension creeping into his demeanor.

The air was thick with something unsettling.

Zorin nodded, his eyes scanning the shadows that seemed to shift and writhe among the trees. "This must be the place."

Kaya's heart raced as they pushed further into the darkness. The scent of the pregnant woman intensified, twisting through the crisp mountain air, drawing them in like a moth to a flame. "Yes, she's here somewhere," Kaya confirmed, as though a chill gripped her chest.

As they reached a small clearing, Kaya's breath hitched. Before them stood a cabin, its walls covered in green moss and dark vines, like a creature trying to camouflage itself in its surroundings. The air felt even heavier, sending shivers down her spine.

"We shouldn't be here," she whispered.

She heard a scream come from the cabin.

"That must be her, let's go!" Faramir pressed, ignoring Kaya entirely.

Kaya stepped back, a sense of dread flooding her senses. "No, I am not going any further."

"Why not?" Zorin asked, abruptly.

Kaya's eyes widened as she spoke, her voice trembling. "I have a really bad feeling about this. My gut is usually right."

Faramir's gaze darkened. "A feeling? Your gut?" He chuckled, incredulously.

Kaya nodded, her heart pounding. "I'm leaving," she said, finally.

Zorin exchanged a dark, angry glance with Faramir that made Kaya uncomfortable.

"Fine!" Zorin said, curtly, then settled himself. "You can leave, Kaya. We will continue our search."

The hairs on the back of Kaya's neck stood on end.

"You've done enough by guiding us here." Zorin's tone softened.

Kaya felt a surge of panic.

"I hope we meet again very soon." Farramir added, his smile was peculiar—menacing, even—and sent another chill through her.

Zorin bowed gracefully, while Faramir, after a moment of hesitation, offered a reluctant bow of his own. His gaze swept over Kaya uncomfortably from head to toe, making her instinctively pull her cloak tighter around herself.

Kaya's pulse quickened as she watched the men disappear into the woods behind the cabin. Her sharp hearing caught Faramir muttering to Zorin, "Why did you let her go? She's a halfbreed."

"She isn't our priority right now," Zorin replied, coldly.

In that instant, Kaya realized her mistake. She turned to run, but suddenly the air crackled with tension. A cacophony of sounds erupted from the cabin—screams, growls, and the violent clash of objects and bodies echoed through the trees, sending a chill down her spine.

Kaya's heart raced as she froze in place, her instincts screaming at her to run. But she stood her ground and growled, fear gripping her tightly. The sounds grew louder, more frantic, a chaotic symphony of violence that sent shivers down her spine.

Then, from the shadows of the cabin, a dark figure emerged, moving with a primal grace. Her breath caught in her throat as recognition hit her like a blow. It was her uncle Yoshua.

He stood before her, a terrifying sight—shirtless, with blood splattered across his bare chest, and his torn slacks barely clinging to him. She could barely recognize his scent. His eyes blazed with fury as he held a pregnant woman in his arms. Her long, golden wavy hair cascaded over his arm, stained with blood that had soaked through the pale pink fabric of her dress. Her skin was ashen, her face slack and lifeless, as though she were on the brink of death. She was unconscious, her breaths shallow and faint.

"Kaya!" Yoshua growled. "I told you to stay away."

"Uncle Yoshua! Are you hurt?" Kaya cried, rushing toward him, her heart pounding. "What happened in there?"

But Yoshua's gaze was dark and angry. "I'm fine. We need to leave. Now." He gestured sharply for her to follow.

Kaya's mind raced as she fell into step beside him, glancing back at the cabin wondering what had happened to the monks.

"We must move faster!" Yoshua snapped, quickening his pace to a run. "There's no time to waste."

As Kaya picked up the pace, she could feel Yoshua's worry.

As they hurried through the snow, Kaya's mind spun with questions about what had happened in the cabin. But she pushed them aside, focusing instead on the unconscious pregnant woman cradled in Yoshua's arms.

Their cottage came into view, its warm glow calming Kaya. Yoshua pushed the door open, and the familiar scent of pine and woodsmoke enveloped them as they entered.

Aiyana looked up from her place by the hearth, her expression shifting from warmth to shock as she took in the sight of the woman in Yoshua's arms. "Is that Jahui?" She gasped, rushing forward."What happened?"

"There's no time," Yoshua said, still holding blood laden pregnant woman.

Aiyana's eyes locked onto the woman stomach. "That's Geshar's baby, isn't it?"

Yoshua nodded.

Kaya stepped closer, her heart pounding. "Ma, do you know her?"

Looking past Kaya, Aiyana asked Yoshua, "How far along is she?"

"She's in labor now," Yoshua answered, catching his breath. "The baby is coming."

Aiyana's hands trembled slightly as she reached out to touch the woman's forehead, her maternal instincts kicking in. "Take her to the bedroom!"

Kaya's heart pounded in her head, as she watched her mother spring into action. Aiyana ushered Yoshua and the unconscious woman into the bedroom, leaving Kaya behind, in shock.

Yoshua shut the door behind him, leaving a smear of blood on the surface. Moments later, he emerged, his jaw clenched and his eyes averted from Kaya's. The anger on his face was palpable, filling the room with a haunting silence. Finally, he turned to her. "Your choices today were reckless. You could have died."

With that, he stormed out of the cottage, leaving Kaya frozen in place.