Chapter Thirty-Six

I studied the Trident for a long time, feeling the pulsations that it gave off. I could feel the power that it contained. The carcass of the man wore a golden crown and a long green cape, his fingers curled tightly around the golden shaft.

"Here goes nothing." I thought. I grabbed the Trident with both hands, gasping as the power rushed through me. My body tightened as my surroundings changed. It was like I was in a trance, the Trident and the man vanishing and changing into a completely different scene. I stood in the middle of a white room and when I turned, I saw the man that had been tightly holding onto the trident. He wasn't a carcass now. He looked very much alive and he floated as he looked down at me with sky blue eyes.

"Blake Vanderweele, age eighteen, daughter of Alice and Aquis." He spoke with a deep voice. He had a gray beard and his gray hair floated around him. "My descendant. The heir to Atlantis." I watched him float down to the floor in front of me.

"I have been watching you. You show promise and you care for everyone. You look for the best in everything and you don't back down. You have come for my trident to keep the world from being thrown into chaos." I nodded as he walked around me. "Your brother, Arlo, is planning to continue a war between the land and sea. He received news of your fiancé's death. With him out of the way, he has the ability to gather an army and march the land."

"I have to stop him." I looked up at the tall man. Poseidon. He gave off a glorious aura as he nodded, his hands behind his back.

"You have proven your worth. You want the land and sea to live in unison and for everyone to be happy. I bestow upon you the trident of Poseidon." The scene changed again and I could see lines connecting every fish, every dolphin, every shark, and every other marine animal connecting to me. I felt a jolt as I was placed back in front of the golden trident and carcass of Poseidon. Full of energy and power, I pulled the trident from his grasp. It leaned back in the chair limply and I turned my back to him, holding the trident. Without stopping to consult the giant creature, I swam to where I had entered.

"Go to the right. You will be able to leave that way." The sluggish voice of the enormous creature stopped me. I swam to the right then up. I stepped onto the land and walked through a waterfall to see my mother waiting. Her eyes lite up at the sight of the trident.

"You got it!" She clasped her hands together. "Now we can go home! Come!"

*~~*~~*~~*

We returned to the area I had waken up in after I was sucked through the storm. We stood in the knee deep water, facing each other. I closed my eyes, breathing slowly. I don't know how I knew what to do. It just came to me. I focused on where I wanted to go and the feeling of water surrounded me. I concentrated on the fluidity of it, seeing the beach and my home on the hill. I pictured my aunt and uncle. Instantaneously, the ground vanished. I opened my eyes, startled. My mother and I were falling, the ocean rapidly approaching. I pointed my toes and crossed my arms over my chest, holding tightly on the trident. The water enclosed my body with a splash, the momentum of the fall bringing me to the sea floor. I blinked with a huff, seeing my mother fall close to me.

"You need to work on that." She waved her arms at her side, trying to steady herself. Without replying, I went to the surface. We were close to a beach and when I looked to a hill close to it, I could see the indistinctive house that I lived in. I plunged forward going to the sandy beach. Mother followed me as I ran home. As I got up the hill, I could see my aunt tending to flowers. Panting, I saw her turn. Her eyes widened with shock and emotion. When I got close to her, I dropped the trident and ran into her open arms, hugging her tightly. She cried out as she hugged me back.

"You've returned! You've returned! Thank the heavens, you've returned!" She wailed. "You've been gone for so long." I pulled away.

"I've only been gone for...." I thought for a moment. It took a day to get to Japan, I spent majority of one day clinging to Jason, and it took one day to get to the trench. Two more days were spent with my mother. "Almost five days." She looked at me almost horrified.

"Blake.... It's been two months. We thought you were dead." She looked mortified and her voice was low. I turned to my mother. "Alice!" My aunt ran to her sister. Two months? I felt confused as I watched my aunt and mother reunite. After a moment, mom looked to me.

"Time on the island is different than time here. Five days there is almost two months here." She explained.

"I... I missed Jason's funeral." I stumbled backwards, instantly feeling weak and nauseous. My body trembled at the thought. I didn't know what to do.

"Come inside, Sweetheart." My aunt took my hand, placing another behind my back as she lead me to the door. She looked sympathetic.

"I... I...." I looked up to her.

"Just come and sit down." She brought me inside, sitting me on the couch. I didn't see uncle and assumed he was out fishing. "I'll make you some tea." When she stepped away, tears began to fall. All the pain I had felt a few days ago returned. I held my head in my hands, sobbing quietly. A hand rubbed my back gently. I abruptly jumped to my feet, looking towards the kitchen.

"Aunt-!" I froze, seeing two people facing me. A gasp shook from me as I studied them. How...?