Daelek was now standing in the middle of the training grounds, then he walked up to me. "what?"

"do you know the kings most prized possesion?" He asked me.

"an amulet.." i sighed.

"What's so bloody special about a stupid amulet?" Tayrius whined.

"That 'stupid' amulet contains the whereabouts of the angel of time." I muttered, which shut Tayrius up immediately. "i've been wondering.. perhaps i could find the immortal who changed me.." Daelek wondered.

"and why would you do that?" i muttered as i kicked a pebble.

"Out of curiousity." Daelek sighed.

"Gee you seriously must have nothing to do." i mumbled.

Jarred flung his fist at me but i dodged and threw him to the ground. "Manners children." Daelek scolded as Jarred spat out a mouth full of dust. I smirked and walked to the boundary of the bonding. I got out a small blade and tried to cut the bracelet off while Jarred walked over. "Don't you like your present?" he asked

"No, who would?" i replied coldly.

He snickered and watched me fail again and again at trying to break the bracelet.

I concentrated so hard on destroying it that i didnt notice that we had a visitor. "Delilah.." Daelek called in a shaky voice. I sighed and stood up then took a few steps in his direction. "What?" i snapped.

"Could come over here please?" he replied, i detected a trace of fear in his voice. He was facing away from me and looked rather stiff, everyone actually looked stiff. As i walked closer i saw a glimpse of the strangers cloak. It was the darkest black i had ever seen. I shrugged and stood by Daelek and stared at him in question. "You have a visitor." He whimpered as he remained stiff as ever. Even every strand of his hair was frozen in midair. I turned to face the stranger.

His black cloak was frayed at the hems, and the cloak's hood sat heavily on his head, He carried a staff which was a greyish color It glowed the lightest color of white. His face was covered by the shadow from his hood. As i looked down and saw his skeletal hand holding the staff .. i knew who it was.

Death.

He tilted his head a bit and stared at me silently. After a moment he broke the silence. "So nice to see you Delilah."

"What do you want?" i coldly replied. "I simply wanted to visit, thats all." He replied softly.

"The angel of death does not just show up for a vist." i snapped.

"True, true.' he sighed' The real reason i came is that i havent been able to watch you lately."

"Excuse me?"

"I am able to read one's soul, and watch what you are doing, thinking and feeling at that very moment." He explained.

"I have no soul."

"That would explain.' he muttered' who took it? may i ask?"

I turned and pointed at Daelek.

Sweat broke over his forehead as Death stared at him. "What made you think of changing her?"

Daelek flinched as Death spoke to him. "She was still mortal, and she had royal blood in her veins." he replied in a small whiny voice. "And so you fell for temptation, and now have immortal power.... Nigel wont be to pleased." Death muttered. "WHAT!?!" i spat as i spun to look at Death. "oops. me and my loud jawbone." Death chuckled. "Where is he!" i demanded. "Relaaax, he's fine." Death replied in a smooth tone that made my insides curl. "What did you do to him?" i shouted.

"The question is, what did he do?" Death sighed. I stared at him until he continued. "The night your parents were murdered, Nigel made a deal with me. I would let him live, if he left you until you turned 16. He agreed, but the stupid fool had no idea what he was in for. He couldn't bare to leave you not even for a second. One day he saw you running through the streets and he reached out to you. He had broken his promise, and so i punished him.."

"what did you do!" i yelled.

"I banished him to another dimension." Death shrugged.

My mouth dropped open as he finished the sentence. I pulled out my bade and was in mid strike when my blade shuttered to a million pieces. Death looked down and my shattered blade, then up at me. "You cannot kill something that is already dead" he simply replied. I stomped off angrily, Death then re-appeared in front of me once i stopped. "What!" i yelled. "I do understand now why the angels think it amusing to whatch you." he chuckled.

"Other... angels?"

"Oh yes! theres 7 others." Death replied.

"bunch of stalkers much.." i muttered. "Actually i would call Carius a stalker.. in that term." Death chortled.

"What?! Carius left with the others ages ago..." i spat.

"No, actually he is close. But he can't hear you." Death replied. "You said what you wanted to, so leave." i muttered as i walked off in another direction, to have Death appear in front of me once again. "WHAT!" i shrieked. Death found this rather amusing as he was chuckling."I have a gift, for you." he chortled. "What?"

"Hold out your hand Delilah." he instructed. He placed a sphereical item in my hand. As his index finger touched my palm, i felt a shiver run down my spine and i was cold all of a sudden.

"Apologies." Death muttered as he withdrew his skeletal hand. I looked down and saw a blue orb sitting lightly in my hand. Death watched silenlty while the blue orb floated up and zoomed around me twice, then shot straight through my chest and remained there. I blinked a few times as my sight started blurring. "Why...are ..there two- i started, but then collapsed and blacked out. Once i woke up, i was lying stiffly on the ground. As i got up i noticed that Tayrius was walking around freely. "Get me out of this grip!" Daelek shrieked at Tayrius. "I can't." he whined as he did all he could to tug at the grip.

I stood up and noticed that Death had left. "No, i haven't left Delilah." Death whispered from behind me. I jumped and spun around. "Would you please! not read my mind!" i yelled. Death chuckled and then waited for me to calm down. "And anyway what the hell just happened."

"Well Delilah. I have given you a gift."

"What does it do?" i asked.

"Well it gives you the ability to shift into any animal you choose. Although i must warn you, while you are a animal. You are also mortal."

I nodded and stared out into the distance. "The more you shift into animals. The more markings will appear on your skin. I am not sure what they do. But once you find out. It would probably benefit you in some way or the other." Death shrugged. "how do i shift into-

"an animal?' Death guessed' Easy. just think of the animal you wish to be and then poof! and for changing back its vice versa.."

I nodded and stared at the bracelet.

"Is that a bonding bracelet?" Death asked.

"Can you break it?"

"Unfortunately, Delilah. I cannot." Death sighed. Then Deaths image faded out as he left. I looked around as everyone fell to the floor. As everyone stood up i noticed there was still a body on the floor. I walked over and lifted the body's hood.

It was Jarred.

"Death took Jarred as he tried to stop Death from seeing you." Daelek muttered. I nodded then stood up and walked off. Daelek hurried up too my side. "What did Death give you?" Daelek asked eagerly like an excited puppy.

"Nothing." i muttered.

"Oh." Daelek sighed, disappointed.

That night Daelek planned on sneaking into the castle to steal the kings amulet. Once we reached his bedroom. The king was snoring away with the amulet around his neck. "I'll do this." I muttered as Daelek seemed confused at what to do. I sighed and looked at the positioning. I knew that the kings cat was called Muffin. so i though of muffin and successfully morphed into a replica. As i leapt onto the bed and sat on his shoulders the king mumbled and then reached up for me, and hugged me against his chest. Tayrius snickered silently while i wrestled against the fat man's grip. "A little help here?" i moaned. Daelek walked forward and gently unloosened his grip. I wriggled out and snuck behind his head. I then morphed into a baboon, as it was the only animal i could think of that had opposable thumbs at the time. I slowly unclasped the lock and morphed back into muffins. Picked up the amulet and jumped off the bed.

Once we reached the training grounds once more. It was midnight and the full moon was straight up in the sky. I pulled the amulet out of my pocket and stared at it. It was made of a dark amethyst and had a golden chain dangling from it. "Delilah please hand it over." Daelek asked. I stared at the amulet. "i could find Nigel with it.." i muttered.

"No, Delilah! give. it .to .me." Daelek warned.

"My purpose is worth more than yours.." i said softly.

"Delilah." Daelek warned, as if i was a misbehaving child.

"Listen to Daelek."

I looked up and saw Carius. "Don't open the locket.." Carius begged as i took a step back. "Why are you here?" i asked.

"Delilah, drop the locket." Carius replied, ignoring my question.

I looked down at the amulet and saw the opening. "Don't. You. Dare!" Daelek spat. With a simple click the amulet opened. "No!" Carius yelled as light surrounded the locket and i, The light got brighter and brighter until i couldn't see. Then after a few seconds i fell to the ground and my sight returned.

I looked next to me and saw Carius. "A-hole." i muttered as i stood up. He chuckled with relief and followed me up the transparent stairs. It looked like we were standing in a cloud, every thing was different shades of white and light blue. I walked along until i saw a small bird bath. I walked to it and looked down. As i looked in, i saw my dead parents splayed on the floor, the image changed to my parents standing by Death and laughing, i could see in the menace in their eyes. "What do you see?" A voice asked from behind me.

I turned to the voice. The voice turned out to be a boy. His robes ran down to his toes, it was the lightest shade of baby blue, around his belt there were lots of clocks, all in different sizes and shapes, ticking softly in synchronization. The boy's eyes sparkled like emeralds. His feathered wings shifted in the gentle breeze as did his long light brown hair.

This was the angel of time.

"I been wondering when you would show up." He smiled. I gave a small smile and looked towards Carius, who was standing by my side silently, like a guard dog, ready to protect me from any attacker that may show up. "Delilah whats that on your neck?" the angel asked. I flinched as he touched my wound. "These are bite marks.." He commented. "Nice joke.." i chuckled nervously. "Its was from Daelek." Carius replied.

"I see." the boy said softly as he took as step back. "Umm angel?"

"Its Aaren" He chuckled.

"Oh."

"We would like to go home." Carius replied before i could say anything.

Aaren smiled and nodded. Suddenly the blinding light died down, and we were back in the training grounds."Sorry Delilah but,-

"Yeah, whatever." i muttered as i walked off. Daelek spoke to Carius while i stood on the edge of the boundary. As Daelek approached i walked further away, until i reached the pond. "Delilah!" Daelek called.

As i took that last step away it my body froze in a grip similar to Zalien's but only stronger. I watched in confusion as the pond slowly started to freeze up, and the smell changed to a horrible stench that smelt like a thousand rotting corpses, right under my nose. Death appeared in front of me. "Delilah.. i saw you go to the angel of time.' he noted 'Perhaps to find your father?"

"Let me go!" i yelled as i tried to wrestle my way out. "Oh i see your stalker has returned, no matter he wont need to stalk you much longer."

"You're not an angel!" i retorted as i failed again at getting out of the grip. "Well done Delilah, i must say it took you some time."

"The amulet is not here" i choked as the grip tightened around my throat. "It's not the Amulet i want." Death replied.

"All these years I've been trying to find you in the perfect time, date and year."

"What?"

"Don't you know the date?"

"He going to kill you" Daelek warned from further behind."Thanks i feel heaps better knowing that!"

"You've always been so amusing to watch, every thing any of the angel's predict will happen, never does."

Death chuckled. "So I've decided to do the same." He continued.

"Starting with the crowd..."

"Leave them out of this' i snapped 'You never showed up for the pleasure of killing them."

"Once again Delilah, you are correct... mind you ,don't take that lightly, you'll be regretting your words later.."

"So, get this over with." i spat.

"First, i would like two things from you. agreed?"

I glared at Death as he waited for my reply. "I'll take that as a yes.." He chuckled.

Suddenly the blue orb floated back to Death. As i waited for him to take my life he chuckled. "Your life Delilah? What is the point of having your life when you are much more worth to me alive rather than dead.? No, what i want is your immortality."

My eyes blurred as pain suddenly struck me.. the grip was stronger, because it inflicted pain. Death walked forward and lifted his arm towards me. Out of his sleeve fell a large, thick snake. The snake slithered up my frozen body and climbed up my shoulders. Then i saw its face in front of mine. As the snake was about to bite me. Its head fell to the ground and its body tumbled after.

Standing there was Tayrius with a blade. "Only i get the pleasure of tormenting Delilah, if you lay a finger on her then you'll get it." He growled.

"Such courage.. for a fool." Death sighed as he faced Tayrius, His body lifted up and flew backwards. He hit the back of his head against the wall and fell on the frozen pond, unconscious. Death returned to me and chuckled. "You are no match for me Delilah, nor are any of your pathetic friends. But of course, the original angel of death wasn't either. Now i am the new and improved angel!"

"I don't see anything improved about you... more like unimproved."

"Really? How so?" Death sneered

"The original angel of death had one thing that you don't. One thing that could have destroyed you, and still can now."

"And what would that be?"

"a birthstone."

"A birthstone?' Death roared with laughter 'how would a birthstone ever destroy me?"

"It contains one thing you don't have."

"And that is love, i presume." Death muttered. I nodded silently and watched death walk closer. "Love, never conquers." Death spat.

"Love never fails." i replied.

"Perhaps, you are right. Love may have been able to kill me before. Although it doesn't seem so possible any more; But before i take you life. How about a riddle?"

"Excuse me?"

"Tell me a riddle."

"Fine, if you give up. You leave, if you get it-

"You die."

"very well."

I sighed and thought while Death stood silently and stared at Tayrius' crumpled body, his left arm was bent in an awkward angle.

"A riddle a riddle i suppose, a thousand eyes, but never a nose."

"Hmm very good.." Death mumbled as he turned his attention to me.

I concentrated on not thinking of the answer. "You have two minutes." i replied. Death didn't answer. I stood silently and tried to push away the pain that seemed to increase slowly every second.

"I see my time is up." Death replied after the minutes had ticked by and the pain had intensified.

"And your answer?"

"A spider."

"Wrong."

"and so what is it?"

"A potato."

"Very well done, but if you had thought ahead you would have realized, that i don't keep my promises.”

The grip loosened and i landed on my feet. “Go. Enjoy your mortality while you still can.” Death sighed.

I knew he was lying. I slowly walked past him. He made no effort to turn around, but simply stared at Tayrius' body that had started to freeze a bit from the pond.

I pulled out my birthstone from under my robes and took it off. Holding the pendant in one hand, and the end of the string in the other i took a quick step forward and 'clotheslined' Death. He dropped his scythe and froze. “I don't believe dead men's lies.” i spat.

Suddenly i felt a blade touch my throat gently and pull me back. “Let him go.”

I slowly loosened my grip and took a few steps back. Death turned around and chuckled. “Let me go Carius” i slowly instructed. “No.”

“Carius.”

“I can't let you kill him.”

“And why not? He banished my father, so he deserves it.”

“He might, but you don't”

“What?”

“There must always be an angel of death. I f the one dies there must be another.” Death answered.

“And you don't want me to be an angel of death.” i sighed.
“I want the old Delilah back.” Carius whispered.

"She is long gone, and you know who's fault that was." i snapped.

"How sweet, destined soul mates." Death chuckled.

"Fate has nothing to do with it." i snapped.

"fate did bring you two together. Pity she can't stop me from ruining it." Death replied.

"She?"

"The angel of fate, shes not been herself lately." Death laughed.

"What did you do to her!" i gasped.
Death simply chuckled.

"No!" Carius yelled as death knocked him out of the way and towered above me. He lifted one hand and placed it over my mouth and nose. I started feeling dizzy as every muscle in my body froze. Death chuckled as he combed his bone fingers through my hair. He then removed his hand and lifted my wrist. My heart thumped as i remembered a part of my past. A face, someone I've seen before. Doing the exact same, lifting my wrist to their mouth. My heart stuttered as i saw part of Deaths face. "Nigel!" i gasped. Death chuckled and his eyes flicked up to mine.

He then lifted his free hand as placed his index finger in his mouth. Once he pulled it out, his fingertip was no longer blunt. He placed his finger on my wrist; His bone dug deep into my flesh. Tears flowed down my cheeks. Death scratched into my skin more. Blood spilled out onto the ground. Death stopped after he had etched a word into my skin; Blood covered my wrist completely. Death lent closer and licked over the letters. I screamed at the pain in my wounds.

Death grinned as Carius reached me. "Delilah!" He yelled over my screaming. Death suddenly disappeared. I crumpled to the ground as my muscles loosened. "Delilah!" I looked up and saw a blurry face. "Jax?" i mumbled.

"You Gettin' yourself into all kinds of troubles." Jax sighed in not so well pronounced English.

"She's been bitten."

"Seems Death also did some artwork.' Jax muttered.'Delilah, you'll be out for a while."

I nodded stiffly as i squirmed and shook. "Can we save her?" Was the last thing i heard as my mind blacked out.

Once Death left, Delilah's father appeared. He was unaware that Delilah wasn't herself as he ran to greet her. I slammed my fist against the boundaries. We couldn't get in.

Once Death left the boundaries fell and we reached Delilah. But it was two late, she had killed her own father without knowing it. Carius tried again and again to save her the grief of having a dead father by trying to change him. But after an hour it was confirmed that the transformation had not worked. We took Delilah inside and I was told to look after her since i was the only other girl.

I sat by her unconscious body for two whole days. I found her life reading in her pocket. I opened it i read silently while the clock ticked past. Jax had told everyone to stay away until i confirmed that she was okay. This was like torture to Carius. Having a bit of control freakness in him, he wanted to know everything. His questions eventually got so annoying that i ended up not replying. The brat deserved what she got. Wrong place and wrong time would have fitted so well into this but she should have known this was coming. I was always the useful one in Daelek's eyes. He knew me ever since i was four. He had saved me from my burning village. Like Delilah i was an orphan too as my father was burnt to ash. He took pity on me and changed me once i had turned 17, He was like the father i never had, and now i had been replaced.

But as i read Delilah's story i noticed that there was alot in common between us. Except the way we were brought up.

My father was never a successful man, and even though he worked really hard for every penny he got, it never reached home. When he came back from home i would always hide. As he stormed through the house looking for me; I prayed that he wouldn't find me. But he always did. I can still remember his face staring at me from the crack in between the cupboard. Once he found me he would drag me out and complain at how useless i was as a child and how he had so wished i would have been a boy. I tried to please him, i really did. But nothing i could ever do would please him. I always ended up with scars from my efforts. Once when dad was shouting at me, mother tried to stop him but he shoved her out of his way and she fell off the balcony. He blamed it on me for her death and beat me more. Never again would i be able to leave home because of it.

I pushed the memories out of my mind and shifted it to Delilah. I knew that it was rude to read her life story but i figured that it was the only reason i hated her.

Because i didn't know her.

The next few days Delilah remained unresponsive and Carius ... needless to say, Annoying.

Delilah's life story was actually quite interesting. It was good enough to probably pass as a novel.

It had been 5 days in confinement with Delilah when she started to stir. She lifted her hand up to her face and lay still while her body readjusted to it's new conditions. Once again, she had survived.

As the room came into focus i realized there was someone in the room. I sat up and saw Zalien sitting in the corner of the room with a little red and black leather bound book open in her hands. She closed the book and handed it to me, i quietly took it and put it in my pocket.

As i stood up she quickly froze my body as i headed to the door.

“We need to see if you're stable.” she spoke.

I nodded as she opened the door and walked out. I was lifted off my feet and hovered along behind her. Once we were outside in the training grounds everyone else showed up. “Welcome back once again Delilah.” Daelek greeted from a distance.

Zalien was close to Daelek and kept strong eye contact, it was slightly distracting but i shrugged it off and looked around. “We don't know if we can trust you yet Delilah.” Tayrius explained as he limped forward, Jax had patched him up and securely wrapped his arm in a tight sling. I guessed he had broken it. “We are going to see how you react to the things you remember.” Zalien said.

Tayrius limped forward a bit more and then focused on me.

Suddenly my eyes unfocused as the setting around me changed, I was standing by the pond and staring at death. Fury raged inside me as i tried to ignore it.

The image then changed to Aaren, i stood still and watched with curiosity as he spoke, but no words came out of his mouth, there was no sound. The image changed again, this time i saw my father crumpled and broken lying in a large dark puddle of blood. I shook with rage, fear and sadness as i fell to my knees and clenched my fists. The image changed as it returned to the training grounds. Suddenly i felt a shadow over me, i looked up to see Carius was standing close by.

“As Death left Nigel came back from the dimension he was sent to. He didn;t know what was wrong and attempted to comfort you, but you were unaware .. and you killed him.”

I curled into a ball of agony. Carius lifted me up and set me on my feet. “I tried to change him, but he never came around.” He replied.

I clenched my fists and walked to the pond. It was unfrozen and sparkling as if unaware of the past. I looked into the pond and saw my reflection. My hair had grown long and was such a dark brown that it looked black. My eyes were no longer a silver color but dark red, and my skin was paler than Zalien which was extremely pale. I noticed something on my arm. I lifted it up and saw the 'artwork' that Death had created.

Along my wrist in capitals read:

DEMON

I looked away from my wrist and back at the pond. I noticed that Carius was standing behind me. I turned to him and looked into his eyes.

“No matter how many times you change, you always look beautiful in the most brilliant ways.” he smiled. He opened his arms and i hugged him. “Welcome back Delilah.” He sighed.

“Its good to be back.” i chuckled.

“Woah, did your balls drop? i think your voice got deeper!” Carius chuckled. I laughed and shoved him in the pond. Zalien came running as she heard the loud splash, as Carius reached the surface laughing “Idiots”Zalien muttered, turned and walked off.

Carius pulled me in while i was still watching Zalien. As i fell in i saw a light shining on the bottom of the pond. I swam down and picked it up.

As i broke the surface i lifted the item to the sun so i could see it. It was a necklace that had a shell attached t the string. Carius gently took it from me and climbed out of the pond and pulled me out. We took the necklace to Daelek. “Very interesting of you to find this.

It contains the souls of the seven other angles.”

“What?, so you're telling me that they don't even exist yet?”

“Yes.”

“Well what are we supposed to do?”

“Well seeing since you found the necklace, wear it. I suppose they will be released over time. Then they will each be given their own task to complete in order to become an angel.”

I nodded and slipped the pendant on.

Carius and i were sitting in the tower, by the silver bell, when the shell glowed lightly, I held the shell in my hands and watched as a ball of light zoomed out of the shell and off into the distance.

The first angel had arose.