Death's Lullaby

Chapter 19

Death opened his eyes and looked around at his surroundings. He was laying on a hard, cold floor. He lifted his head and his heart began to pound. Death boosted himself up into a sitting position and swung his head around, looking at the room. The dark walls, cold floor, and the black throne in the front of the room all flashed in front of his eyes. He heard something growling on the far side of the wall.

"Show yourself mutt," Death hissed. Hellion, Devil's cerberus, padded out from the darkness. Death glared daggers at the dog. Hellion walked past him growling and sat by the throne.

"Sad when a mindless creature has more loyalty than a Power does to his master,"

Death spun around and saw Devil step from the shadows. Death glared at him. Devil walked to his throne and sat down, grinning at Death. He pet Hellion and sighed.

"Were they worth it Death? Was having a human life worth the risks that came with it?" Devil questioned him.

"What do you want from me?" Death hissed at him. Devil cackled and Hellion looked at him evilly.

"You knew there would be consequences if the List wasn't completed. So, why would you test me? Casting aside your gloves was one thing, but ripping up the List was foolish,"

"Well I couldn't exactly return the List to you directly,"

Devil began to chant but Death stepped out of the circle before it locked him in. Devil continued to chant though. It seemed like he was in some kind of trance. Death looked at him curiously. He felt his heart slow. Death gasped in surprise and his breathing froze. He looked back at Devil who continued to chant. Death dropped to the ground clutching his throat. He wasn't a Power, thats why it affected him so horribly. He was human. Death coughed and noticed blood on the floor.

"Stop," Death croaked. Devil continued chanting though. Death's pleas were ignored. Death gathered his strength and stood up in front of Devil.

"I said stop!" Death yelled. Devil stopped his chant and looked at Death. Hellion rose from his sitting position and began to growl at Death. Devil glared daggers at Death.

"I'm not under your wing anymore Devil. You can't torture me, not anymore," Death hissed.

"Hellion," Devil barked. His cerberus looked up at Devil waiting for his command.

"Kill the human,"

Hellion turned toward Death and began to walk toward Death. Death began to back away from the cerberus. He would turn his head every once in a while to catch a glance at the door. Hellion's patience wore thin though and with a loud, vicious bark the cerberus lunged at him and Death ran for it. He ran through the grand doors and through the castle. He could hear Hellion's heavy steps behind him. Death wasn't use to running this fast. His breath came out in ragged gasps as he ran through the labyrinth of halls. He felt teeth snag his pants and he fell to the ground. Death rolled onto his back and grabbed Hellion's jaws that threatened to close around his neck. Death had never realized how much a cerberus weighed though. He didn't know how long he could keep this up. He closed his eyes and turned away from Hellion. Death heard a yelp and the weight of Hellion was now gone. Death looked up and saw a huge dog fighting with Hellion. Death got up off the floor and looked at the creature. He knew he should've ran while Hellion was distracted but he couldn't help but stare at the other animal. It looked very similar to a dog. Another cerberus maybe? No, it was to thin. Death's eyes slowly began to adjust to the darkness of Devil's castle and saw that it was in fact a dog fighting Hellion. It wasn't just any dog though, it was Wolfie.

"Wolfie!" Death yelled. Wolfie didn't respond but he noticed he had paused for the smallest second. He knew that Wolfie had heard him. Death began to walk back down the hall. He rounded another corner and whistled for Wolfie. He heard the barks and growls stop and paws began to run in his direction. Death took off running again toward the the door. He was almost there. He ran through the doors with Wolfie right behind him. Hellion stopped short at the doors and growled at him. Death knew that Hellion wasn't allowed to leave the castle. The cerberus turned around and began to stalk back to the throne room. Death laughed and watched Hellion leave. Wolfie whined and Death looked at the dog. He was bleeding badly and holding one of his legs up.
"Good dog Wolfie. Good dog," he told him. Wolfie slowly wagged his tail in response to Death's praise. Death knew that he couldn't lift the dog, but he didn't think Wolfie could walk either. Death grabbed Wolfie's leather collar and helped the dog so it could walk beside him. Death walked across several realms before he got to where he wanted to be. He walked to the ivory colored castle and knocked on the oak doors.

"Time! Open up! I need help!" Death yelled. He heard the door's locks being unlocked and one of the large doors opened. Time looked at the two and noticed both were out of breath and bleeding.

"What happened to you, and why do you have a dog?" Time asked in confusion.

"I'll explain all of that later. Can you help me and my dog?"

Time looked at the them and sighed. He stepped aside and allowed the two to walk inside. His creature was seated on the grand stairs staring intently at the pair that had just walked in.

"Follow me," Time stated. Time's pet helped Wolfie walk and Death followed on Time's heels. They entered the room that Death had sat in when Time had made Death's human disguise. He grabbed a few bottles and began to apply bandages to Wolfie's leg.

"So, what happened?" Time asked again. Death explained about how he tore up the List and passed out, and how he ended up in Devil's castle being chased by Hellion. By the time Death was done explaining everything Time had finished healing the two of them.

"Sounds like you've been to Hell and back," Time said. Death nodded in response.

"Well, you'll have to head back to Earth. I'd let you stay here but you know the rules," Time explained.

"Yea, and thanks for all of your help Time. I really appreciate it,"

Time looked at Death oddly. Being a human really had changed Death. Time studied Death. He didn't look any different, but yet at the same time he wasn't the same Death that he had known. The old Death would've never asked for help, but he did and he thanked Time for helping him. Time smiled at Death.

"The humans have changed you, but don't worry you'll always be the same putrid Dark Power to me," Time stated. Death smiled at Time. Coming from him, that was the best compliment Time could've ever given to him.

"Thanks Time,"

"You better get home Death. Or should I call you Cain?"

Death laughed and headed for the door with Wolfie on his heels. Death made his way back down to Earth, and Time noticed that his silver pocket watch was missing. Time was angry at Death for stealing from him again, but he couldn't help but laugh.

"Maybe they didn't change you," Time stated to himself.

Death appeared back on Earth in the cemetery. Wolfie looked around in a dazed fashion. His leg was healed and there was no signs that he had just fought off a cerberus. Death walked back to Joe's house and quietly entered. It was almost ten o'clock at night. Joe was snoring in his chair and Death snuck into his room and quietly shut the door behind him. Wolfie jumped onto Death's bed and went to sleep. Death noticed that his leather gloves were still on the floor where he had left them. He picked them up and examined them. They seemed like such strange and foreign objects to him now. The List remained shredded on the floor. He picked up the pieces and the List put themselves back together. Death dropped the List in fright. He waited for the List to stop moving before he picked it up again. On the List was a note written in cursive.

The List that was given to you was not a fair one and was never consulted with me. You may have a second chance to regain your post as Death. Except this time if you want your job back you will complete my List. If you can complete this List within the next month you may have your throne back. The List can not be completed early so don't even try Death. I wish you the best of luck in completing this List. Good Luck
-Angel

Death blinked and saw the List had began to write names below Angel's note. All of them were complete strangers to him, but none of them would die close together. One man was due to die within the next few days but the next wasn't supposed to die for weeks. Death rolled the List back up and put it in the back of the drawer. He put his gloves with the List and stared at his hands that slowly began to turn black once more. He sighed and thought about this. He couldn't hide this from Joe or his friends. It would be too hard. He would have to tell them his true identity and soon.

A\N
See what happens when you play with fire, Death? You get burned... Bad. Luckily Wolfie was there to save the day! I love that dog! Looks like Death gets another shot at redemption though thanks to Angel. Image up top is of Hellion *shudders in fright* nice doggie. Thanks for reading! Please vote and comment!

-DragonStar 🐉