Chapter Thirty-Six

I gasped, jolting upright in the water. I wasn't spinning anymore, but it felt like I was. The water I sat in was shallow, only a foot remained above my head as I sat. Looking around, I couldn't see how I had gotten where or where I was. I could see sunlight, though. Stabbing pain entered my side causing me to look. My shirt had been ripped open and in the gap of fabric, I could see that I had three long, deep, claw mark gashes that bled profusely. Holding onto my side with one hand, I stood. Everything spun for a long moment, making me sway in the water. There was a beach a few feet away with a large mountain behind it and lush green trees. I turned to look behind me. Where I stood seemed to be in the center of the island. Large hills stood around me, high above the water. Once the whirling sensation faded, I took a step towards the beach. As I staggered, I looked up from the water to see one of the zombie fish standing on the sand. This one wasn't dark like the other, however. It was a whitish gray color and it wasn't boney. I stopped walking, staring at it. Was it going to attack me? It lifted its hands to its face and to my surprise, it pulled it off. I cringed, feeling the pain in my side as I studied the face under the mask. She had blonde hair and blue eyes that seemed overjoyed. It was the woman from my dreams.

"Blake!" She ran onto the water, placing her hands on my face and smiling. "You made it."

"Mother." I grunted. Her smile faded as she looked to my hand that held my side.

"You're injured! Come!" She pulled me to the beach. "Let me see." I moved my hand, weak from the blood loss. As she looked at the injury, my legs began to shake. After a moment, I collapsed and my vision went black.

*~~*~~*~~*

I awakened to the smell of seasonings and cooked meat. My side ached, but I sat up anyway. To my left was a fire with a stone pan. It held a large, strange looking, fish. I turned my head to see that we were in a cave and the way in was covered with a wall of water. This cave was an air pocket. Placing my feet on the sand, I pushed myself up. There were all kinds of bones on the cave walls and string that had been twisted into art. Behind me was a splash and I rotated on my feet to look.

"You shouldn't be up." A woman studied me. I blinked, remembering it was my mother.

"I'm okay. I heal quickly." I touched my side. It had been bandaged with strips of fabric.

"Where is the True King?" She knelt down to the stone pan. "I didn't see him show up." Sadness crept into my heart.

"Jason... died." I looked down at my bare feet. Where were my shoes?

"He died?"

"Yes.... He got into a fight with someone who wanted him dead. I sent him home to my aunt and uncle." I glanced up at her.

"Your aunt and uncle? What is the True King to you?" She tilted her head as she peered at me.

"He was my best friend and my fiancé." She didn't say anything, just flipped the fish. "I came for the Trident and to bring you home." She jumped up, glaring at me.

"You can't get the Trident. You aren't the True King. You have trapped yourself here and neither of us are ever leaving." She snapped coldly.

"I have to try. I am Ocean Master and heir to Atlantis' throne." I sat down where I had woken up.

"You will fail and now you won't get married. I am sorry that he died, but you will forever be trapped here." She shook her head.

"Then we will be trapped together." She made a scowling sound at me.

"Just... eat. You need your strength." She peeled the skin off the strange fish and began dividing it up. We sat in the cave for a long time, only talking after a long period of silence. I told her about my aunt and uncle, about how my life had been, and Jason. She listened, fully engaged. She was happy to hear her sister was doing well. When the sun began to shine through the wall of water, she stood. "If you are going to try, I will take you to the Trident's location. I won't go with you to battle the beast. I am far too weak." I nodded and followed her out of the cave. Her tail was the same color as her clothing. A whitish gray that was almost silver. We swam to a beach then followed a path to another cave. Water spilled into it, collecting in a little river to the left of the cave.

"Do you have a weapon?" She gazed at me. I reached my hand over the water, forming a trident made of ice. Her eyes widened and she pointed to the very end of the cave where there was a hollowed out circle in the ground. I approached it, looking down. It dropped into darkness and there was no telling if there was water at the bottom. "Be careful. I can't lose you again." I turned to her, contemplating if I was going to jump down.

"You won't lose me again." I faced the hole again and before I could chicken out, I jumped in. I fell for what seemed like forever and fear began to bite at my nerves. My feet pierced the surface of water, breaking the stillness. The water was cold and made me shiver as I sank deeper. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness before moving. The only light sources were from the hole I fell through and something by the far wall of the water filled cave. As I approached it, I realized that it was a tall, golden, trident that was being held by the carcass of a man that had been dead for a very long time. His head was down and his gray hair floated around his head. The golden trident pulsed, the gold reminding me of Jason's eyes. I changed my tail to feet, stepping on the platform that held the man in a chair and trident. When I reached for it, I heard something shift along the ground behind me. Spinning on my heels, I saw a large tentacle with spiked around the suction cups.

"You... are trespassing." The sluggish voice shook the water with its volume. It sounded like the giant creature had just woken up. "I will feed on you for I haven't fed in many long years." I dodged the tentacle as it slammed down.

"I am the guardian of Poseidon's Trident. It will go to no tourist looking for fame." The tentacle slid across the ground, brushing up the sand into the water. The sand clouded the water, making it hard to see. "You are not good enough to receive the trident!"

"Enough!" I lifted a palm to the tentacle as it started coming down towards me. Ripples came from me and the tentacle stopped. "I am not a tourist and I did not come for fame."

"You can communicate with me." The tentacle pulled away. "Who are you?"

"I am Princess Blake of Atlantis. Ocean Master and descendant of Poseidon's daughter." I dropped my hand.

"And where is the True King?" I watched the tentacle move.

"He died in my arms...."

"The True King is not dead. He lives on." The giant creature replied. I guessed it meant that he lied on in my memories. I knew he had died. "If you believe yourself worthy, take the Trident. It will judge you for who you are." It slunk away, letting me turn to the trident again. I stepped up the platform, taking a deep breath as I stared at the Trident. Was I going to be able to take it or would I die trying?