Chapter 3: The discovery

Jake Carter felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety as he sat in the cockpit of the submarine. He was wearing a special suit that covered his entire body, except for his face. The suit was made of a flexible and durable material that could withstand high pressure and temperature. It also had various sensors and devices that monitored his vital signs and communicated with the submarine.

He was holding a helmet that matched his suit. The helmet had a transparent visor that allowed him to see clearly underwater. It also had a microphone and a speaker that enabled him to talk to the submarine and his team.

He was waiting for the signal to put on his helmet and leave the submarine. He was waiting for the moment to enter the portal and explore what lay beyond.

He looked at the monitor in front of him and saw the image of the portal. It was a huge underwater structure that resembled a circular gate. It was made of metal and stone, with intricate patterns and symbols carved on it. It had a diameter of about 100 meters and a depth of about 10 meters. It was surrounded by a faint blue glow that indicated some kind of energy or force field.

The portal was located at the coordinates indicated by the map that Morgan had found in Morocco. The map was an original Atlantean map that showed the exact location of their city before it sank into the ocean thousands of years ago.

The submarine had reached the coordinates after several hours of diving into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. They had encountered many dangers and challenges along the way, such as sharks, storms and rival explorers who tried to sabotage their mission.

They had also encountered many wonders and mysteries, such as sunken ships, ancient ruins and exotic creatures.

They had finally arrived at their destination and discovered the portal.

They were amazed and astonished by their discovery.

They were also curious and eager to find out what was behind it.

They decided to send one person to enter the portal and explore what lay beyond.

They decided to send Jake.

Jake was the first to volunteer for this task. He was the most qualified and suitable person for this job. He was an expert in Atlantean history, culture and language. He was also an experienced explorer and adventurer. He had spent years searching for Atlantis and collecting clues. He had also inherited some Atlantean traits from his father, who had disappeared during an expedition in search of Atlantis.

Jake wanted to enter the portal for many reasons: he wanted to see Atlantis with his own eyes; he wanted to solve the mystery that had consumed his life; he wanted to find his father.

He also wanted to meet Aria, the princess heir to the throne of Atlantis, who Morgan had mentioned in his letter. He wondered if she was waiting for him on the other side of the portal. He wondered if she would welcome him or reject him. He wondered if she would like him or hate him.

He shook his head and dismissed these thoughts as silly and unrealistic.

He focused on his mission and his goal.

He looked at Morgan, who was sitting next to him in the cockpit. Morgan was his mentor and friend, who had invited him to join him on this expedition. Morgan was also one of the few people who shared his vision and enthusiasm for Atlantis.

Morgan smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up.

"Are you ready, Jake?" Morgan asked.

"Yes, I'm ready," Jake said.

"Good, good. You're doing great, Jake. You're making history," Morgan said.

"Thank you, Professor," Jake said.

"Don't thank me yet, Jake. Thank me when you find Atlantis," Morgan said.

"I will, Professor," Jake said.

They looked at Lisa, who was sitting behind them in the cockpit. Lisa was the scientist and engineer of the team. She was responsible for designing and maintaining the submarine and its systems. She was also monitoring the portal and its activity.

Lisa nodded at them and spoke into her microphone.

"Everything is clear, guys. The portal is stable and safe to enter. The energy readings are normal and consistent. The communication link is strong and secure," Lisa said.

"Good work, Lisa," Morgan said.

"Thanks, Professor," Lisa said.

They looked at Max, who was sitting in front of them in the cockpit. Max was the pilot of the team. He was an expert in flying and maneuvering the submarine. He was also controlling its position and speed near the portal.

Max turned around and winked at them.

"Ready to go, guys? I'll take you as close as possible to the portal, then you'll have to swim through it," Max said.

"Ready as ever, Max," Morgan said.

"Let's do this, Max," Jake said.

Max turned back to his console and pressed some buttons.

The submarine moved forward slowly towards the portal.

Jake felt his heart beating faster as he saw the portal getting bigger on the monitor.

He put on his helmet and secured it to his suit.

He heard a hissing sound as the helmet sealed itself and filled with oxygen.

He heard a voice in his ear.

"Jake, can you hear me?" Morgan asked.

"Yes, I can hear you, Professor," Jake said.

"Good, good. I'll be talking to you through this channel. Lisa and Max will be listening too. We'll guide you and support you along the way," Morgan said.

"Thank you, Professor. Thank you, Lisa. Thank you, Max," Jake said.

"You're welcome, Jake. You're not alone, Jake. We're with you, Jake," Morgan said.

Jake felt reassured and comforted by Morgan's words.

He looked at the monitor and saw that the submarine was almost at the portal.

He saw a hatch opening on the side of the submarine.

He saw a rope ladder hanging from the hatch.

He saw a sign above the hatch that read: "Exit".

He knew what he had to do.

He got up from his seat and walked towards the hatch.

He reached the hatch and looked outside.

He saw the portal in front of him, glowing and pulsing with energy.

He felt a surge of curiosity and courage.

He grabbed the rope ladder and climbed out of the submarine.

He felt the cold water enveloping him as he left the submarine.

He looked back and saw Morgan waving at him from the cockpit window.

He waved back and smiled.

He looked forward and saw the portal waiting for him.

He swam towards it with determination and confidence.

He reached it and touched it with his hand.

He felt a tingling sensation in his fingers as he crossed the threshold of the portal.

He entered the portal and disappeared from sight.