Gelland gaped as she clutched the wall, knuckles whitening. She glanced back at the couple, the woman shrieking and being battered into the building by the man. What's happening? A split second to choose. The sure to drown child or fear? No time to look for anyone else to help. I can help! Gelland shouted in her thoughts.
Pulling herself over the railing, she started the terrifying drop, straining to straighten out so that she ended up face to the bottom. I've seen Lixo do this, I bet I can too! Concentrating, she made the image in her mind's eye. The massive ship's wheel of translucent magenta, fixed by an invisible point behind her back, formed. She estimated that the canal's water could be about five feet deep- not nearly enough for a safe dive. The wheel was taller and wider than she, just enough. This is my best shot!
She twisted, grabbing a spoke in both hands and willing the wheel into a splayed out hand, she braced herself. And she hit hard. The hand exploded in pinkish particles once it hit the bottom, forearm cracking, and Gelland was under- the cold water slamming into her. She fought against the current, forced to swallow water. Swimming up as fast as possible, she choked out for her breath, and wiped her eyes. She could see the child. They were both stuck, Gelland fighting the stream on a diverted path and the little one stuck on vertical bars that the water flowed through. Grasping a hold on the side, she willed that the hand reform. It started to reconstruct itself, and before it was through she had the wrist over the lip of the divider to pull her over, making a clanking sound as it cracked the stone.
But once she could see the child, they were slipping through the bars. She made sure with her eyes- they were still alive, the red heat still radiating from the face. But she couldn't tell if they were breathing. The arm was invisible to her with her heat senses active. She threw herself over the divider, not touching it with her feet, yet the baby had passed through. Quickly Gel! She stuck the now whole arm through the bars and twisted, the width and strength making them give way completely. The shaft wasn't going to be big enough for both her and the giant arm. Once she dismissed one of these abilities, of which she'd discovered 3 now, she couldn't use it again that day, but could use a different one once more. My own arms will have to be enough. She had a tendril grip her waist as the four other spokes grabbed the lip. They threw her forward, and she immediately dismissed it. It disintegrated into shrinking fragments before disappearing entirely.
The powerful pull sent her sliding down the sloshing, musty slide of metal so fast that she had to fight to keep her eyes open. Then she remembered to shut her eyes and reach out. A dark blue glow covered her sight. The dark slide didn't last long and she saw what they were heading into, a depository. The baby was in sight and as they both raced out of the tunnel they were flung out over a rocky twenty foot drop. Gelland reached out her hand in a burst and caught the child by the wrapping. She fixed her eyes on the saved baby, feeling awed by the sense of relief and accomplishment. She just had to land safely, which she could manage. Then the wrapping unraveled.
Gelland was horrified. The baby slipped out of her grasp. There was nothing else she could do. She continued to watch the falling, naked child. Everything slowed for her, and a wave of emotion poured through her. I thought! I thought I could help? Who am I!? I even took the baby's last covering, and now they'll die completely exposed! I'm as helpless as they are! I-I'm sorry! I can't help you-I can't help anyone! She called aloud, "You're the only one! Leave me! Help them instead!"
The same voice she had heard before called back in her mind:
BEHOLD, I AM THE HELPER;
YOUR MASTER IS THE UPHOLDER OF LIFE!
She felt a pulse in her eyes, followed by a slight ripple in her sight around the baby. Gelland's stomach lurched. They continued their plummet, and she fell on the other side of the rocks. Though more water was on this side, she still knocked and skidded against the stone, feeling ribs crack. She rolled over slowly, wheezing, inspecting the place where the baby had fallen. The child was there. But something was very wrong about this sight to her. "They're alive!" she sputtered. The body's heat signature burned hotter than before, yellow light more intense than the ring's. They were crying loudly and wriggling wildly. "Yes, very alive!" she laughed, with tears in her eyes. She had her eyes adjust normally as she took her up, as she now could tell it was a her, and wrapped her in her favorite black cloak that she had called from one of her chips.
Gelland's eyes looked into her's. "Is this what You did?! That's not even possible!" she exclaimed. The baby's eyes glowed magenta. The baby's body was pulsing strongly with her heartbeat. "You did it!" she cheered. "Voice, You gave her my power- I mean, what You gave me!"
When she'd used this ability, she had come back from the dead and regenerated when hit with Lixo's attacks. She'd resisted the sarcophilus attack, barely feeling their gnawing teeth. The child hadn't felt much pain, she was sure, and there were no traces of any wounds. Does that mean that you can't die with this, at least while it's active? she wondered. She had heard of Metamorphs coming back from being decapitated, passing through flames, and being crushed. Now it was confirmed.
The magenta glow in her irises faded, and she smiled and cooed at Gelland.
"All right, little one, we know Master is looking out for the both of us. Let's be there for your mom, too! I'll put down that beast."
BETA READER: Excellent description with the slow-paced action of Gelland crashing into the water; I could feel the pain. What three abilities? Why can't the other two be used? I want to know more about this. Readers with an understanding of theology or strong church background will be identify with the Voice. Make sure not to mislead though if it does not have any association with the Holy Spirit; it comes off that way. Much more exposition or dialog about the resurrection power and metamorphs--too skimpy; I want to know a great deal more to satisfy my curiosity as I'm reading. Pace very fast for the metamorph section.