Chapter Thirty-Six

I swam on my own for a long time, skirting the deeper parts of Madagascar's coast. I ran into the occasional fish or creepy eel, but nothing really tried to hurt me. Which surprised me, considering Nightshade and my dad knew we were looking for our Elemental Secrets. This was almost too easy. I say almost easy because of two reasons: One, I had no idea where my Secret was. Two, I had no idea what the Secret was. And this was a slight problem, considering we needed the Secrets to win the Final Battle. Excuse me, I meant "stand even a slight chance" in the Final Battle. I sighed. This was exhausting, and it sure was stressful. I found myself turning around whenever I heard something, expecting to see Nightshade, only to find out it was just rustling seaweed.

I took a few rights and some lefts before I felt different somehow, like I was being guided somewhere. I trusted my internal compass and followed my instinct until I was in front of a large cave. It glowed red, orange and yellow all at the same time. The light coming from the cave mouth was like a Northern Lights of warm colors in a dark blue sky. I stood there for about maybe two minutes just staring and wishing I had a waterproof camera of any kind. But nope! Of course I see the most beautiful thing ever and I can't take a video or even a picture.

When the two minutes passed, I took a deep breath and swam into the cave. After the white spots faded because of the bright light, I saw what was in front of me and I blinked in disbelief. Oh, and horror.

There was the hugest most unbelievably scary giant squid in front of me you could ever imagine. Like really, Google 'giant squid'. It was worse than that. It's one large yet beady eye stared at me like I was dinner and it's long tentacles and arms thrashed as if it had an energy burst from too many Monster drinks. Somehow the squid monster glared at me with it's one eye, and without warning, lunged at me.

Now, some strange things have happened to me. I've talked to a dolphin. I'm a princess's friend. I have a magical tiger as a pet. I've led people underwater while we were encased in a bubble. I think it's safe to say my life is far from "normal."

But I never expected to be attacked by a squid in a glowing cave while I searched for a flame under an ocean. I mean, has anyone, magic or not, expected that to happen to them?

I barely shot myself out of the way in time, using jet propulsion to move like the squid did. I slammed into the wall, but whatever, it was better than being torn apart.

Squids are very interesting creatures. They kill their prey first with the stickers on their tentacles, which have little hooks around them. The beak has hooks too, and that sounds like a slightly painful and unappealing way to die to me. That squid could shred me like a brisket if it wanted to. And I was pretty sure it did.

I started throwing disks of water at it, but the giant squid kept dodging them. The thing was surprisingly agile and it's weight didn't seem to slow it down at all.

I spent most of my time swimming frantically away from my predator. Usually I would have looked at my options, but that's kind of hard when you're being pursued by a psycho sea creature that wants to kill you. It didn't seem to wear out either. When I was far enough away, I looked around for a split second. I saw an orange, red and yellow ball in the middle of the cave, hissing and spitting and spewing ash onto the cave floor.

My Elemental Secret!

I figured it was in here, but now that I knew where it was and why this stupid squid was chasing me, I felt better. Well, as much better as I could feel at that point. After I was done thinking, which was like a second or maybe two, the squid tried attacking me again. This time, it succeeded.

I cried out as he wrapped a hooked tentacle around my leg, ripping painfully into my skin. I yelled, hoping someone or something helpful would hear me, but it was all in vain. The squid dug his spiked squid arm into me, and, because I'm just so smart, I tried ripping my leg away. It worked, but it tore gashes all up and down my leg from about my knee to my ankle. I was bleeding into the ocean, like a lot, but the water wasn't turning red. I turned quickly on the squid, my legs still feeling as if it was on fire, and shot huge and powerful jets of water right at it's one eye.

Both of the jets hit my target, which made me feel very accomplished, and the squid shrieked the loudest I've ever heard anything be. Compared to the squid, the school's dining hall at its fullest was a mouse's whisper. Which is saying a LOT.

The squid started lashing out, grabbing at whatever it could. I probably blinded the monster, whether it was permanent or temporary. I quickly swam to my Elemental Secret, and without thinking, I grabbed it. It was hot, but it didn't burn me. I swam back out faster than before, dodging the squid's rogue tentacles. As soon as I was outside the cave's mouth, a tentacle brushed my arm, leaving scratches. I bit my lip hard so I wouldn't scream and alert the squid where I was. Even though it hit me, it was still going, shrieking and slapping the walls.

I started to swim away, but I turned around. I formed a huge ball of water and hurled it at a huge rock hanging at the top of the cave. It cracked and fell, taking the whole cave down with it. I turned away as it collapsed, rocks and dust shooting out behind me. It probably looked really epic, a girl holding fire while a cave exploded behind her.

I should be an action actress. Ha, just kidding.

I started swimming again, but then the burning pain in my limbs stopped me. I was tired anyway, and I wasn't in any danger of drowning, so I took some seaweed, wrapped it around my still-bleeding wounds, found a soft patch of silt, and fell asleep with my Elemental Secret tucked under my arm.