The Mirage Unveiled

As the spires began to topple, the ground was split by gaping fissures, revealing the frothing sea. Mist and steam poured out of them like blood from a gaping wound as the shell of a gigantic, coral and rock encrusted bivalve emerged from below. At last everyone could see the island for what it truly was. The golden city, the people, the jungle, even the white sand beaches were all gone–all this time they had been trapped in an elaborate illusion. What was left of the ground finally gave way as the morning glories were now the only thing holding everything together. The lattice network of vines bought those who had come to Kavala just enough time to escape the mirage's final destruction. And when the last piece crumbled, great waves swelled through the Luna Sea as the bivalve descended back into the ocean depths. The last they saw of it was its massive shadow growing smaller and smaller beneath the water, until it vanished.

With Kavala's final downfall, fleets of airships were flying overhead as a small armada of sea-worthy vessels were coming in to rescue the survivors. There were no casualties, and all the people who had gone missing were recovered. The quick response was attributed to the tireless efforts of the staff of Antikythera who had been mobilizing rescue operations from the very beginning. There was no word on account of the goddess of Luck's disappearance, but rumors began to spread that a war airship bearing the lightning wheel was seen flying away after the last of the survivors were brought ashore. 

A few weeks after the mirage was dispelled, the truth of what had transpired was released to all academic institutions. Long ago, there was a kingdom known as Kavala. Its original location has been lost to time, but it was a wealthy and influential island nation that measured everything according to material value. The people prided themselves in the beauty of their citadel, and spared no efforts to display their material possessions. However, unlike the utopian image presented by the mirage–Kavala was anything but a paradise. It was heaven for the rich, but for the poor it was hell. The royal court was riddled with intrigue, and the nobles were more interested in personal pursuits of power. It was a perfect storm for a political and social upheaval. But then…disaster struck. 

Whether it was a divine punishment meted by the gods or a simple natural disaster, nobody knows. But one fateful day, the entire island collapsed into the sea without warning. In a cruel twist of irony, the Kavalans were so busy fighting among themselves only to be destroyed by something they couldn't control. Their beloved golden city sank beneath the waves, and there were no known survivors. As if to twist the knife even further, its existence was completely wiped from all records of history. A fitting punishment for a kingdom founded on hubris. 

And what of the great sea creature that was seen in the mirage's last moments? Folklorists claim it to be one of the many unexplainable phenomena of the sea. The mirage's bewitching influence has ended. The northern waters of Abed are safe to sail through again, without the risk of encountering strange dreams of a city that once was.