Atlantis found

The gang parted early in the morning due to weather conditions - the temperature was much bearable in the early hours, before the sunrise. As it was rising, they left more and more kilometers behind in the sand, and soon majestic, proud, bare hills... and less and less clothes on themselves. Ags was joyriding half-naked... but if this was not enough, Phillie, as a big lion, wore nothing more than his underpants. He kept his bestial form in case dust pollution and sand, so tose tiny piecese at least stuck on his fur instead of bothering the skin. Renato remained in the back of the jeep, his hair tied. He let Casey lean to him, as she was sleeping. She kept good care of them during the night, keeping the campfire burning, and watching out for some scoprions. It seems her ultrasound deterction as a bat is more than useful.

Renato looked at her. He recalled their chithcat will Phillie yesterday, about their relationship. They say people change... the ungly truth is, rarely any of them does, especially after a certain age. Cez was definitely one of them, it was enough to think about the arguement they had at home when they took care of Ags. He looked her a bit more closely... taking a few moments to realize how much this longer hair suits to Casey... then suddenly, he snapped out of it. "It has been too long ago"- he was schoulding himself- "And it didn't work out. They same reason why it wouldn't work out now. Casey is incorrigible, you know that well... and you had been confirmed by it as well." He looked back at her, taking another few moments on staring at her physical changes: beside the longer hair her face did get a few hints of maturation. Didn't seemed so young and boyish anymore... He signed: "Stop fooling yourself with her changes on the outside. Are you willing to take this risk, and do it all over again?"- his inner voice turned into a straight navy captain1s tone- "Let her go already, this is an order!"

This appeared to be surprisingly affective - he silently thanked to all these years serving for the navy - he caught himself keeping his eyes on the road with the other two on the front seats.
-Where are we?- asked as they passed at the bald and grim hills, and a small resort which was laying on their feet. Phillie pointed at the resort:
-That's Ouadane, the last place before our destination - then he poined to the edge of the hill, which was not far from the resort- behind the hill, and we are there. Suddenly, something kicked in for Renato: his eyes glow in amber yellow. He saw the exact same place where they were at that very moment - the only differen was that it was thousands of years ago: this was not a dry valley. This was the canal, that lead out to the open sea from the three rings. He grabbed Ags' shoulder in his excitement:
-Step on it!- he shouted. The hippie yanked his head back in the sudden spook:
-What's with you, man? He shut up immediately, as he realized Reno's glowing eyes, and as he trasform into his albatross from, blooming out his feathers, his skin turning pale to match them:
-Step on it, I said!- even his voice became more commanding as usual- we get to get there, fast! Ags frowned:
-Whatever, Captain... not if it would get sunken in the meantime...

They passed by the first hill... the first ring. Phillie shrugged, his fur sticking up in the air, his eyes glowing:
-Dude... I can feel it, too. He raised his air up in the air, as he was looking for a divine sigh... or the building that once stood there. The shiveres intensified on him:
-The palace...- he roared, his lion voice full with pride and glory, but turned somewhere far far away in soul- In the name of the mighty Sekhmet, I shall protect your people! I'm gladly obeying for this powerful task! Casey woke up, cleaning out the sleepiness from her eyes:
-What's going on here?- yawned, she clearly was upset about being woken up by a roaring lion. Renato looked at her - even with his eyes glowing, he was still at his senses:
-We're almost there- his smile widened in excitement- Phillie has already kicked in, we are currently reaching ther seconf ring. They were definitely getting close to the another dune, high and pristine as the previous one. Cez's jaw dropped in amazement, as she saw this massive structure leaning over them. Then... as she looked to the diver's seat, her amazement slowely turned into fear:
-Reno... I don't think that it only had kicked in for Phillie...

She was right. Ags's hands were shaking heavilyon the wheel, as he was fighting against his senses - his eyes started to glow as well. Phillie turned there, grabbing the wheel:
-In the name of all wars, what are you doing? They have just passed the second ring, and somehow managed to stop the jeep, as it took a long and loud drift in the dirt. Ags wasn't paying attention at all. First he just jumped out of the car, and took his dragon form in mid air, making a nice twirl in his flight. Renato looked at him, shouting:
-Ags! What are you doing, man? The hippie looked far in the distance - towards the third ring, right in the middle:
-The pharos.... Then slowly he looked back to Reno, making a firm eye contact with him:
-You've entrusted me with the pharos... With his final words he flew right towards the last ring. The albatross had no time to freak out, or act, because Phillie has lost it as well: he roared gloriously once again, got on all fours, like a full lion would, and started to run wildly to the same direction:
-For Sehkmet!

It ewas a blink of an eye, and they were both gone. Renato shrugged, and the ancient and unknown fear started to get under his skin. What happened here back then? What string insticts took over his friends? He turned to Casey:
-I guess it's just the two of us- said with a short beath- we should go. Then he realized... as the bat was just staring at the structure, her eyes glowing as the starry night. She was affected too... she had a previous life here, like they all did. She slowly turned her head to the albatross, mouth semi-open, her voice so soft the a warm pillow full of fresh feather:
-You gave me the night, my love... Renato's eyes widened as he stunned over this approach:
-Cez... you too? She offered a hand to him, with grace, like a noblewoman:
-Let us go, my love- she turned her head towards the middle ring- our position awaits...  That was the point, when Reno realized, that there is no use to fight his insticts anymore. They are, where they needed to be... hopefully, all of them. And now, it's time, to get to the end of this whole mystery. They both took off the ground, leaving the jeep in its place, heading towards the top of the last structure, where Ags and Phillie were already in their position. The last thing Renato remembered, what spotting those two, in oddly specific spots, and he just knew where to go... then, everything turned black...