The Fools of Amphidor

Cities and Seafaring

The sun was setting and the ocean's horizon was bright with violent shades of purple, red, and orange, all clashing and contrasting and creating an almost breathtaking scene. As the waves gently rolled onto the shore I could hear the crowing and cawing of seagulls as I examined the sandy, golden shore. The lighthouse in the distance loomed over the ocean hauntingly. I couldn't believe that just an hour earlier, I was standing in a hidden city underneath it with my team of explorers. Excellent, intelligent folks that hadn't made it back out to tell the tale I'm about to recite for them.

My name is Roger S. Larken. The S stands for Seecrest. Where that name once held a position of power, it holds one of shame. I was one of the most well-known geologists in the world until the lighthouse search.

It all started with a letter. That morning, the post arrived like it normally did. The letters slipped through the slot and I went over to check for any news about my application to the National Exploration and Remarkable Discoveries Society. Or the NERDS, for short. I excitedly sifted through the fan letters and junk mail till I found a yellowed envelope that seemed to be worn to near shreds. I stared at it for a moment and then flipped it over, squinting to read the curly writing on the other side. The name on the back was "Reuben O'Cyrus" and it was written in a deep, green ink that seemed to jump right off the tattered paper. I opened the letter with utmost care and read it over.
"To Whom It May Concern:

Congratulations! You have been Chosen!

If you're reading this, that means I'm already dead and gone. Enclosed inside this letter is one fourth of a map. The map goes to a little lighthouse in the middle of the ocean. This lighthouse contains the entire contents of my wealth. You and three other contestants have all been carefully selected for the same game. A game of skill, intelligence, and, most importantly, survival. The map is only a small piece of the puzzle that you need to get through alive. To win this game, you must find and retrieve my most prized possession while collecting my other riches. After you find this item, you must put it in my favorite place. You do not know, yet, what these things are. Good Luck!"

Beneath the paragraph was a set of coordinates, a time, and a date. The date was in two days. I was, of course, bewildered. Who wouldn't be? I read the note over and over again, staring at the map enclosed, trying to make sense of the jumbled words on the paper. After about 20 minutes, I realized I was just staring. However long it was, it was enough time for the oatmeal on the stove to boil over and hiss against the hot burners as it made contact.

"Ach--" I murmured a silent thanks to whatever deity made sure that the stove didn't catch my house on fire. I thought about it as I cleaned up my mess and simply made toast for my breakfast instead. I quickly walked into the bathroom to comb back my messy, bright red hair and trim the peach fuzz that was barely visible on my face. I pulled on my uniform, a beige, cuffed polo shirt adorned with many patches which was then carefully tucked into a pair of normal jeans, and I stepped out of the house into the bright, morning sun.

After that, I walked to my office, a top-class environmental center for documenting any discoveries we might make, which I owned. It also doubled as an almost national park information center for the area surrounding. My office was the nicest in the building. Of course I'd give myself the office with the best view and its own bathroom. You wouldn't?

Though it seemed luxurious, I often wondered if the environmental center was the only thing worth value in my life. After all, my fame was only due to my work at the center. Children and adults alike only looked up to me because of the work my grandfather, Ulysses S Larken, had started and I was simply finishing. I sometimes wished to make a legacy for myself instead of having one handed to me.

Soonafter, I forgot about the letter and just enjoyed my day. I took a hike with some tourists who were passing through the area, signed a couple autographs, and answered a couple rounds of fanmail. My life was going great, but still, I wondered if there was more to life than this.