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Shadows of Atlantis: Awakening by Mara Powers Genre: Fantasy
Shadows of Atlantis: Awakening
by Mara Powers
Genre: Fantasy
“…had
me turning the pages obsessively from the very beginning.” Readers
Favorite.
Enter the legacy of the legend…
Brigitte has been chosen to renew the treaty
between Atlantis and the ancient bloodline of Lemuria. As an emissary of
nature, her betrothal would ensure the continued function of the Crystal Grid,
the life source of the ten kingdoms of Atlantis. But as Brigitte prepares to
leave from her home in the magical Dreamvale, her people are attacked by a
storm of shadows. Now she is running for her life.
Upon her arrival in the ruling city of Atlantis,
she meets D’Vinid, a dejected musician who lives the quintessential Atlantean
lifestyle of revelry, escapism and apathy. Under the eclipse of a sacred
festival, they are swept into an attraction they cannot resist. Their union may
protect humanity from its worst enemy – the shadows of Atlantis. But there is
one problem, this man is not her betrothed.
Brigitte soon discovers that the corruption of the
Grid could very well be the Grid itself. Citizens have neglected to attend the
rituals required to charge the crystals with their psychic emanations. Some
have fallen prey to an epidemic called “the madness”, caused by shadowy
parasites that feed off human suffering. But as nature always strives toward
balance, the crystals have activated a genetic upgrade among the people. The
youth have begun to express supernatural powers. Could it be that D’Vinid and
Brigitte are meant to be leaders among the awakened? And if so, why does it
seem impossible for them to be together?
A mysterious tale of romance, seduction and
betrayal that reaches just enough into the modern mind to ask – will we learn
the lessons of Atlantis?
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Leaving
the Dreamvale would mean Brigitte would gradually forget growing up on
the rocky shores of the mystical islands. She stood in her favorite
place high above the dreamclan village watching the ocean dance with the
cliffs. It would be her last chance to behold the glory of sunset
before boarding the galleon bobbing in the cove below.
Evenings
were always a masterpiece of color, the best time to behold the
splendor of nature’s art. Clouds of rainbow prisms had the look of
creatures billowing in the sky. But in the distance, a wall of storm
opened like the jaws of a predator, drifting ever closer to the
peaceful, green island.
“Brigitte.”
A male voice echoed through her contemplation. She felt a pang of
disappointment. Leaving would mean the beginning of a journey she had
feared all her life. With one last lingering view of the panorama, she
held her breath, reached out her arms and leapt from the cliff. As a
mass of dancing particles, she bounced down the ragged rocks toward the
village, one with the wind. Taking her time would be rude, so she kept
moving until she filled the inside of her room.
Her
brother Lukias was a dreamseer, finely tuned to the invisible. As
usual, his hair was a shock of chaos that pointed in every direction.
The amber of his eyes sparkled with gold flecks as he stood over her
body with arms crossed. He looked right at her dream form. “The council
has called us,” he said with a hint of impatience.
Brigitte sank back into her body and opened her eyes.
“I
warned you not to dreamwalk too much.” He turned his back as she
reached for her travel clothes. “You could separate from your body and
forget how to return. Especially here in the Dreamvale.”
“It
hardly matters anymore.” She watched the sun’s rays shoot dusty light
through holes in the walls. She thought about the pattern it made every
day at this time, the royal symbol of Atlantis. “In Atlantis we will be
bound to our bodies.”
Lukias
reached out a caring hand and patted her shoulder. “There will be ways
to dreamwalk in the realms of matter. It will just be more…
challenging.”
She
smirked, knowing he always loved a challenge. He could always find
humor even in the grimmest of circumstances. They exchanged a few
moments of unfolding memories until, with the final boot in place, she
stamped her feet and started for the door. “You coming?”
Together
they walked to the center of the village where the council was gathered
in a semi-circle facing a woman. She wore the leather of seafarers, her
face shaded by a wide-brimmed hat. With one hip thrust to the side, her
demeanor was unruffled with a twist of amusement.
Their father Denikon raised his booming voice for all to hear. “Captain Ofira Pazit of the Dreamship Vex Voyager,
I give you my daughter Brigitte, emissary to Atlantis. She is the first
true Moirae born into our dreamclan for seven generations.”
The
captain wrinkled her chin. “Impressive. Embodied Watchers are rare,
even among dreamclans.” Her chameleon eyes shifted in the fading light.
“If you are ready, I think it wise that we set sail before that shadow
storm arrives, don’t you?” Her eyes slid toward the horizon. “This storm
has struck more than one dreamclan. All of them were to send emissaries
for the renewal of the Telluric Treaty. None of them have been heard
from.” She turned back to the council. “Are you certain you want to risk
staying? It would be a tight fit, but we can evacuate the rest of you.”
Brigitte
glanced at the grim face of her tutor Indrius. The mysterious Atlantean
woman had always been a curiosity to the clan. Though she had spent
many years among them, she was never one of them. She was riddled with
tragedy from a past she never spoke of, a past born in Atlantis.
Denikon
answered, “Those who remain have chosen to face the shadows.” His voice
was steadfast though regret lingered in his eyes. He exchanged a nod
with Indrius. “I am sending Lukias, my son and heir, to accompany his
sister. If we fall, he will be the future of our clan. But trust me, we
will not go down without a fight.”
The
council had argued for many moon cycles, trying to decide the fate of
their people. It was important for Brigitte to escape. Her path was
evident. The first ships had already departed, taking women and children
to places of refuge. The rest stayed, devising a strategy. Though they
were hopeful, they worked with the solemnity of people who faced their
demise.
She
squinted at Lukias as he and Indrius said their goodbyes. Theirs was
always a close relationship. But everyone liked Lukias. Her time spent
with Indrius was always strained at best. She offered him a gift. The
sun flashed off a crystal dangling from a silver chain. Brigitte could
feel the telluric consciousness radiating from the multi-faceted quartz.
It pulsed with a longing that made her fidget.
After
a whispered message to Lukias, the white-haired woman turned to look at
Brigitte. Her green eyes were gray with emotion. She brushed Brigitte’s
cheek with her fingertips. “You know your task,” she began. “Remember
your Watcher powers. It has become exceedingly difficult to travel
between realms on this planet. I fear this shadow storm will make it
even more difficult. Atlantis is suffering from a disease. It will try
and take you, too. Do not be attached to your human wishes and emotions.
For humans, attachment can turn to weakness and suffering. This only
serves to feed the shadows. Your path will not be easy.”
“I will do what it takes to find a cause and a cure for Atlantis. I will be mindful of your warnings.”
“Therein
lies the trick. As you descend deeper into the Meridian Realm, you will
forget my warnings. Take steps to hold them in your heart.” She
lingered in Brigitte’s eyes for a few awkward moments. “I have prepared
you as best I could, my child. I regret how I’ve treated you.” She faced
Brigitte and held her shoulders. “Know that I loved you like my own
daughter. My treatment toward you was an attempt to prepare you for the
task you face. Atlantis will not be kind to you.”
“I understand, Indrius. You had no choice.” Brigitte wanted to cry. But her tears had long since dried up.
Mara Powers is
a rebel of the written word who has tackled the monumental task of recreating
Atlantis. When she was 16 in Fort Collins, Colorado, she began visiting the
library in search of things she couldn’t learn in school. Her goal was to
re-define her religion. She studied theology voraciously until she discovered
the concept of reincarnation though Hinduism. It was the answer to a lifelong
existential crisis that had plagued her for many sleepless nights. The study of
reincarnation led her to the channel Edgar Cayce. In his many books, she found
his past life readings of lifetimes spent in Atlantis. This was the beginning
of a lifelong quest to unravel the secrets of this mystery. She has spent
upwards of 30 years exploring the labyrinth of ancient civilizations. Her
decision to turn it all into a high concept, visionary fantasy series stems
from her study of the esoteric depiction of Atlantis. With the other half of
her research rooted in the secular, it was the best way to illustrate both
aspects of this fascinating legend. Her work is the legacy of the legend.
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I like the imagery in the excerpt. Cool character names, too.
I love anything to do with Atlantis.
Me too! 🙂 I’m so glad you like. I would love your feedback.
Thank you! It’s been very well received, and I’m so very excited to release book two soon too. The story is getting really thick.
What a gorgeous cover!
I agree with you Barb.
I agree, the cover is beautiful.
Atlantis always gets my attention. This looks awesome.
I love that I got your attention. 🙂
I love anything Atlantis and this cover is stunning! Looks really interesting.
It’s so great to find some Atlantis lovers! I spend so much time thinking about it that I think I live in Atlantis 🙂
I enjoyed the excerpt and like the cover.
This sounds great and I love the colors on the cover. Thanks for sharing the excerpt!
You know I want to try this one. LOL The excerpt hooked me quickly and I love the cover art.
Thanks everyone for your fabulous comments and thanks Mara for dropping in!
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