Secrets at Sea

Chapter 25

"We're not going to win this are we?" I ask as I force myself back onto my feet. I quickly realize that was a mistake as I start to waver and drop down to one knee to keep from falling over completely.

Kepner lands next to me with a hard thud. "Goddesses, that guy can throw." He grunts and holds his side. "We'll get through this. He can't last forever, plus its three on one."

I tear my eyes away from the beast of a man in front of me to look at Kepner. "Even if it is three to one he's still kicking our asses."

"Well a little magickal help would be much appreciated." Kepner huffs as he stands up again. His weapon is long gone, the baby having thrown it over the edge of the roof the first chance he got. I look back over at the creepy baby-doll mask this grown man is wear and I shutter.

Could he be any creepier? I think as I follow Kepner's lead up to my feet. Somehow Mason has made his way to the other side for the roof and is now trapped with the edge on one side and the man baby on the other. Mason makes eye contact with me and I can see the fear welling up in his eyes.

"Hey!" I scream and the baby slowly turns his abnormally small head towards me.

"Oh does dolly miss baby?" He giggles and turns his enormous body my direction. Mason sneaks away from the distracted psycho and bolts for the stairwell door. The baby starts making his way slowly towards me, but my eyes are glued to Mason. Mason reaches the doorway and stares at the man baby before doing the last thing I'd ever think Mason would do. He steps into the stairwell and closes the door. I hear a loud clang and I know he's just locked Kepner and me on this roof with a crazed killer.

"Mason!" I shout, but I know he's already halfway down the stairs.

"Fucking coward." Kepner growls and crouches into a fighting stance. I do the same, but my mind isn't ready to fight. I just want to curl up in a ball and cry. My best friend, or at least the person I thought was my best friend, just left me to die at the hands of a man who's killed so many women, including Chloe.

"We're going to die." I mutter defeated. I weakly put my fist up, not having anymore energy to even think about fighting.

"Don't you quit on my Chelsea!" Kepner yells and it startles me. I look over at him quickly and I can see the will to survive radiating off of him. He wants this so badly that he'd do anything. I shake off all the negative feelings I have towards Mason, the baby, and this stupid boat and focus on the task at hand. Survival.

"Okay, let's do this." I say, confidence dripping from my voice. The man baby is just a few feet from us now. He cracks his fingers and shakes out his arms before charging at us.

When his fist is just about to make contact with the left side of my face he stops. He stops so abruptly that he trips over himself and crumples to a pile on the floor. He looks up at me, just as stunned as I am. His confusion soon turns to rage as he hops back up on his feet and sets up for another swing at me. His arm freezes in place and he stares at it confusion. He starts pulling on his right arm with his free hand, but his left arm freezes into place as well. His body begins to wriggle against the stationary arms, but slowly his chest, legs, and feet become frozen. His head is the only thing left moving around, frantically trying to get free from his new prison. With a sharp movement his head is snapped to the side and he stops moving altogether.

"What just happened?" I ask, poking his arm. It's cold to the touch and hard as stone. It's as if Medusa herself turned this man into a statue. I turn my head to look over at Kepner expecting him to be standing next to me, but instead he's on his knees, bowing. "What are you doing?" I ask and lean down to lift him off his feet.

"She saved us." His eyes are still closed and he folds deeper into a bow, his hands holding his weight up as he touches his head to the floor. I look around and see a beautiful woman standing before me.

"Viella." My voice is soft as I say her name.

"Hello sister." She smiles, her joy radiating off her. She strides towards Kepner and me and reaches her arms out, embracing me in a hug. Her black hair falling over my shoulders as she deeps the hug and whispers into my ear. "Befreist anata no poder. Ti do volle Kraft."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand." I pull away from her, but I can feel her power rushing into my veins through our connected arms. It's golden. It's running up my arms like water runs down a rapid creek. It's warm. The energy surges and pulses as it reaches my chest and fills my heart and soul full of gold. It's calming. I feel lighter as the energy fully envelops my body, coursing through my veins, muscles, and tendons from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head. It's a connection. I feel the love from all of my past incarnations overwhelm me, bringing me to tears, as they surround me with their bright, beautiful power.

Viella lets my arms go and I crumple to my knees. My body is unable to move from all the information entering my mind. Spells, lore, potions, and infinite other pieces of knowledge that I never could have dreamt of. My mind feels like it's expanding as I lay there on the ground, neither Kepner nor Viella make any movement to help me up. I can feel my core, which was unnoticeable before, begin to warm up to an almost uncomfortable burning sensation.

"What did you do?" I breath out, my voice soft and ragged as I try to suck more air into my burning body.

"I released your untapped power that has been stored up for so many years. I granted you a gift that not many Goddesses ever receive, which is full, unrestricted access to your powers. Most Goddesses have to go through training, as I had to, so that they could slowly unlock their powers when their bodies were ready, but due to these dire circumstances I thought it only right to give the only Goddess able to save the world her full strength." Viella smiles at me and I sit there, reeling as I try to take in all the information that she's giving me, both verbally and mentally.

"How can I use this power if I have no idea how to control it? I can't even begin to understand everything that I've been given." I exclaim, exasperated.

Viella knees down in front of me and places her hand on my shoulder. "Just trust your soul, your core, and your heart. You are the only one who can do this Chelsea." And just as suddenly as she appeared she has now vanished from the roof.