A CITY LOST TO THE WORLD

Cities fall. Cities burn. Cities are lost. Cities are never meant to last. Cities are remembered. There is one city that has been forgotten. A city so grand it was made of gold. A city so beautiful it was meant to last generations.

The city didn't last for generations. The beautiful city of gold disappeared. The beautiful city of gold is lost to history and the world.

Many people believed the city of gold is a legend, nothing more than a myth. The city never existed. But I believe otherwise.

I believe the city of gold did exist. I believe the city of gold is one of the greatest ancient cities to ever have existed.

Emmeria, the ancient name of the city of gold. A beautiful name for a city of wonder. I read so many stories about Emmeria. Stores of wonders things like the great temples and the gold pyramids. I even dreamed of the city.

I dreamed I was standing in the middle of the ancient city watching the temples being built. I dreamed of the ancient people of Emmeria.

I dreamed the ancient people of Emmeria were just as beautiful as the people of today. The woman of Emmeria are tall with bronze skin, long dark hair with a hint of blonde and the most beautiful green eyes.

The men were just as tall as the women with dark brown hair and the most beautiful green eyes.

I've studied every piece of work about Emmeria. I even read about expeditions that went in search of the ancient city. I was surprised by these readings but I was most shocked by the reasons for these expeditions.

It wasn't about the history or the legacy but about finding gold. For me unearthing long dead civilizations is my life. I love learning about civilizations that existed before my time.

I'm looking out at one of my newest digs. Sometimes I forget which country I'm in and today is no different. I get lost in my work. I forget the world around me.

The temple me and my team discovered is bigger than the other temples that have been unearthed. I go inside following my team. I see writing and pictures showing the peoples that once lived here.

My team stays in the outside corridor of the temple. I walk further in and come across a long passageway. I go down the passage. I find a door. I point my flashlight down the passage. It doesn't look like anything is down there. I open the door.

Surprisingly the door is easy to open. I point my flashlight inside the room. I see nothing. I decide to go in further. The room is cold and damp. I search the room. I walk in some more. The room is huge. I keep walking in.

Something catches my eye. A lone object sits in the middle of the room. I walk to the object. It's a map. I pick it up and look at it.

Oh my! The map says mapa de oro, translates to map of gold. Could this map lead to Emmeria? I take the map and hide it in my jacket. I leave the room and the temple. I need to look at the map more carefully.

I go to my tent and study the map. The words are faded. Some words I can make out. The translation is going to be hard. I do see faded numbers but it's hard to make out.

I can't take my eyes off of the map. It's mesmerizing. My eyes are getting tired. I hide the map in my bag. I go to my bed and close my eyes.

Peace at last. Sleep is coming to me. Where am I? It's cold. I can't tell where I am. I hear a sound behind me. I turn around. A woman is standing in front of me.

"The map leads to the 5 doors of Emmeria. Look for the five keys that will open the doors. Search the temple. Find the keys. One key will lead you to the true door of Emmeria."

I wake-up in a sweating heap. That dreamed seemed all too real. It's the middle of the night. I put my boots on. I grab my bag and flashlight and go back to the temple.

I go back to the passage where I found the door. I turn my flashlight on and go deeper down the passage. I find more writings and drawings.

I'm beginning to see a pattern. In each picture is a drawing of a man and woman in a city that looks to be made of gold.

The man and woman look like they don't belong. I'm guessing the man and woman are outsiders who found the ancient city of Emmeria. The pictures go on for miles until it stops.

There is no door. I point my flashlight up and down the passage. Nothing, I reach out and begin to touch the wall to see if I can find a hidden door, anything out of the ordinary.

I bang on the wall until I hit a hollow part of the wall. I find a latch and pull it, It's a trap door. It's small. The door opens. I reach inside and pull out a bag. I open the bag and reach inside. I pull out a key.

"The keys of Emmeria."

I put the key back in the bag. I put the bag in my bag. I leave the temple and go back to my tent. I think about the dream. I close my eyes.

I wonder about the dream of the ancient Emmerian woman and if the dream holds anymore clues. I fall asleep dreaming of the ancient woman.

The ancient woman comes back into my dream. I listen to her with a calm, steady breath.

"The five keys will guide you to the door. East, west, north, and south. The coldest and warmest regions and one in the middle. Remember one is the true door."

I wake-up and take out a map of the modern world. I study the map carefully. I can't make out what the dream is telling me to do.

I think back to the dream and the very last part of the dream, one is in the middle. I figure the door must be in the middle of these regions. I think one door must be near where I am.

Suddenly one of the key begins to glow. I pick up the key and set the key down on the map. The key is pointing to a region in Central America.

I pack my bag quickly and leave my dig site in the amazon jungle. Hours later, I board a plane to the Central American island called Isla de Ometepe.

On the way to the island, I have no more dreams. A couple more hours later, I arrive at my destination. I get off the plane and hail a taxi. I go to the nearest hotel and check-in.

I put my bags on the bed and take out the bag with the keys. I reach in and grab the key. Something is happening to the key.

The key is glowing. I still don't know what to make of it. I put the key back in the bag. I close my eyes. Another dreams comes to me.

The ancient woman comes back to me. She tells me "You must continue to follow the key. It will lead you to the door." I quickly get up and leave the hotel.

I take the key out and walk down the quiet road. The key continues to glow. It's a light glow. Then it starts to get brighter. I continue to walk down the road then I turn onto a path that leads to the forest.

The key continues to get brighter the deeper I go into the forest. I see a rough path. The key is telling me to go down the path.

I go down the path. The key is getting brighter and brighter. I'm getting to the bottom of the path. I see a door. The key is taking me to the door.

I'm at the door. I put the key into the lock and turn it. The door opens. I take a couple of deep breaths. I go inside. I can't see a thing. I grab my flashlight and turn it on.

I point my flashlight throughout the room. Oh My God! I can't believe what I'm seeing. The lost treasure of Emmeria. This is the treasure people have been looking for. I'm amazed and wowed by this discovery.

I'm not a greedy person. This treasure does not belong to me but to the world. I leave back through the door. The key stops glowing. The door disappears.

It's time for me to leave the island and go to the next location. I put the key back in the bag. Another key begins to glow. I take out the key and the map.

The next location for the second door is in Northern Europe, Ireland. I fly to Dublin. I rent a car and follow the key. It's glowing.

I follow the second glowing key to the second door. It's just outside of Dublin. I follow the path the key takes me. The door is waiting for me. I put the key in the lock and open the door. I go in and see more gold of Emmeria. I leave. The key stops glowing and the door disappears.

I put the key back in the bag. A third key begins to gold. I take out the map. The key is pointing to the next location.

The location of the next door is in the cold tundra of Antarctica. I don't know how I'm going to get there. Then I remember my good friend Carson is going on an expedition to Antarctica.

I call Carson and ask her if I could join her expedition. Carson is thrill to have me along for the ride. I meet up with Carson and her team and together we go to Antarctic. I hide the truth from Carson.

It is super cold. My hands are practically frozen. I hide from Carson and take out the third glowing key. I follow the key to the third door. I find the door near a cave. I open the door and find more gold of Emmeria. I close the door. The key stops glowing and the door disappears.

I put the key back in the bag. A fourth key begins to glow. I take out the map. The key is pointing to the pacific, New Zealand.

I leave Antarctic the following day and fly to New Zealand. I rent a car and follow the glowing key to the fourth door. I open the door and find more gold of Emmeria. I close the door. The key stops glowing and the door disappears.

I begin to wonder if I will ever find the ancient city of Emmeria. I look in the bag and take out the fifth and final key.

The key begins to glow. I follow the key to the ocean. The key is pointing out to the ocean. I need a boat.

I rush to the marina and rent a boat. Good thing, I know how to drive a boat. I get in the boat and follow the glowing key.

Many, many hours later, the key is glowing brighter and brighter. I stop the boat. I look around the vast ocean. All I see are the stars in the sky.

What is that noise? It sounds like someone is humming. The boat begins to shake. I'm scared.

A door drops from the sky. I take the fifth key, put it in the lock and open the door. I step inside.

Amazement, shock, awe. A beautiful city appears in front of me. I recognize the city as the ancient city of Emmeria.

An ancient woman appears before me "Welcome to Emmeria." I smile. The door disappears. I begin to walk the city.