Chapter 1

Delia awakens, but what's going on?

I woke up screaming, sitting up in a cold sweat. I stopped screaming and started breathing heavily, staring at nothing in particular. All that happened was just a nightmare, and I was relieved, the thought of actually having those powers was a frightening thought. 

Then I remembered the end of the nightmare and instinctively touched my neck, I traced down my neck with my middle and index finger until I felt it, a small bump on the right side curve of my neck which seemed to spread out in a line and go down my front and back.

I threw off the covers and that's when I finally noticed, I wasn't in my room back at school. Looking around I saw that the room was practically bare, save for the bed I awoke in, a thick, flickering candle which stood upon a table in the centre of the room and a full length mirror. I made my way to the mirror where I noticed that I was still in my school uniform and it didn't even seem to be ripped or torn in any way, pushing the thought aside for the moment I took off my jumper and my tie, dropping them by my feet, then proceeded to unbutton my shirt, hoping beyond hope that my nightmare was untrue. 

But it was real. It actually happened. I stared, horrified, at my reflection in the mirror, from my neck down to my left hip was a long diagonal scar, ending just before reaching my hip. It was misshapen and hideous, I couldn't stand the sight of it, I buttoned up my shirt again but when I was finished I found myself unable to stand and collapsed to my knees. I removed my glasses as tears began to fall down my cheeks and placed them down beside me, my hands resting on my knees, and supporting me up, I cried, looking down so as not to catch my reflection in the mirror. 

None of this made sense, I developed powers out of nowhere, I killed three girls from my school, unintentionally hurt the other students and a terrifying monster killed me and gave me this scar. This entire situation was overwhelming. 

Wait a second. 

I'm supposed to be dead. Why the hell am I still alive? Or am I in some kind of Limbo? 

At that moment I heard a door open, I picked up my glasses and put them on before I turned around to face the direction the noise came from, though the room was too dark to make out anything away from the candle light, there was a man walking in wearing a black suit, white shirt and a black tie. 

He walked into the candlelight and I could make out his face, he looked to be in his thirties, a light amount of facial hair covered his face, his hair was pitch black and overall he had a kind and handsome face but the irises in his eyes were red, as red as blood. 

"Do not cry, Miss Reynolds," He said, speaking in a calming voice, which actually seemed to calm the sudden panic I felt. He knelt down before me, resting an arm on his raised knee. "You are safe here." 

I didn't know how to respond to him, I just continued stare into his red eyes. 

And that's when I realised. 

"It was you," I spoke softly in a hoarse voice, almost like I hadn't spoken for a while. "You're that monster who killed me back at school." My voice was meek, this man terrified me.

The man stood up and looked down at me with a grin. He put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. 

"It was the eyes, wasn't it?" He asked in a friendly voice as he blew some smoke into the air. "They always seem to give me away." He smiled as he took another puff of his cigarette. 

He waited for me to reply but I couldn't, fear had practically paralysed me, I shook unnoticeably to him as tears continued to trickle down my cheeks. 

He nodded slightly as he took another puff. "I bet you're wondering what happened to the girls at your school, the ones throwing stones at you?" He blew more smoke into the air. 

I actually wasn't thinking that, I hadn't thought about them at all since waking up here, call me selfish but I was a bit preoccupied about what was happening to me. 

"The short story is that I wiped their memories of what happened, they just think you got hit by a car and died." He revealed when I didn't respond.

I stared at him, what he said was unbelievable. "How?" It was all I could manage to say. 

The man's smile grew slightly. "She speaks," He finished off his cigarette and flicked it over his shoulder, which seemed to vanish as soon as it passed his shoulder. "It was pretty simple, I linked together all the minds of everyone in the school, allowing me to manipulate the memories of everyone at once." 

"So, magic?" I asked with shaky voice. 

"Well, yes, but do you know how many people hate that as an answer?" He asked rhetorically as a response. "It's too ambiguous, they can't get their heads around it." 

"What about the girls I..." I couldn't finish my question, saying it out loud felt strange, almost uncaring. 

"They never existed." He said it like it didn't even matter. "The magic that you unleashed was so powerful that you erased them from existance and even the memories of them for  everyone who didn't see it, the people who did see it forgot about them as soon as I took your life." 

I remained silent for a moment trying to take in everything he said. It wasn't really working so well. 

"Why did you have to kill me?" I finally asked. "And how is it I'm... alive, again?" 

"The magic you were unleashing was too powerful for you to control, if it had been left then you would have destroyed the school, killed the students and even yourself," He breathed out a heavy sigh. "Killing you was the only way to stop that from happening," He started pacing a little bit and put another cigarette in his mouth. "Bringing you back," He sparked up his cigarette. "That was easier than you'd think." He blew a puff of smoke into the air. "I managed to repair your clothes with a simple spell, and with you I used a spell to knit your flesh and organs back together, to restore your soul, which had been absorbed by the scythe, it was a fairly  simple act to manipulate your soul's energy and merging it with your body again," He took a drag of his cigarette. "In total the entire process took a couple of weeks." 

I was out for two weeks? Talk about a lie-in! 

"My soul was absorbed by your scythe?" I was unable to hold back my confusion as I asked the question. 

He nodded. "Happens to everyone I kill with it." 

His answer didn't satisfy my confusion about the weapon but that could wait for now. 

"If you used magic to heal me then why do I have this scar? Wouldn't magic heal that too?" I wanted to know why I still had this unsightly thing, in my mind, magic should have healed it. 

"Usually yes, but unfortunately, because of the scythe I used to kill you, it left you with that scar which cannot be healed." 

I fell silent again, I put my hand under my shirt and fingered the magical scar that I would have for the rest of my life, the hideous reminder which would never allow me to escape the horror of that day. I took my hand out of my shirt and looked back up at the man who had both taken my life and given it back. 

"This isn't your true form, is it?" I asked quietly, thinking back to that day. 

He blew another puff of smoke into the air whilst shaking his head. "Can't go around looking like that all the time, can you imagine the looks I'll get when I pop out to the shops?" He said with a slight chuckle, 

I smiled briefly at that, it was a pretty amusing thought, that monstrous appearance going out for milk. 

"Who are you?" I asked, rather timidly and slightly awestruck. "You have so much power..."

"I've gone by many names," He replied, flicking his now finished cigarette behind his shoulder. "Thanatos, Azrael, Shinigami, Aragrim..., Death," He lowered himself down to my level again as I realised who he was. "But the one I like the most is, The Grim Reaper, has a daunting essence to it, don't you think?" 

I didn't answer him, I just stared at him in fear and awe. 

"But how about you call me," He paused and looked away from me for a moment as he thought about it. After a moment's thought he turned back to me with a smile. "Grim." 

I couldn't stop staring into eyes, I was almost mesmerised by them. Eventually I nodded, Grim stood up again. 

"Now then, Miss Reynolds, now that your eyes a finally dry, why don't you put your shoes on and come with me for a walk?" He asked, the friendly tone accompanying his voice once again. 

I touched my eyes instinctively and found that they were indeed dry. I then looked around the room briefly before seeing my school shoes at the foot of the bed. I stood up, as Grim offered his hand out to help me up, and walked over to the bed. 

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously. 

"Well, I thought I'd show you around my castle," Grim replied as I put my shoes on and stood up. "And let you know the reason I brought you back to life," He paused. "Well, un-life, technically you're undead." He finished by walking out the door. 

I quickly followed him, eager to find out what he was talking about. 

When I left the room I was treated to an unbelievable sight. The entire castle seemed to be made entirely of black stone, which glimmered in the light of a pure white sun, the sky was also different, it was a dark shade of purple, it was like this entire place was in a state of perpetual midnight. There were no clouds, as far as I could see, but I could see lights in the sky that seemed to resemble stars, except, they were moving, every one of them, like they were dancing, twirling and spinning around each other, some in couples, others in larger groups whilst some moved freely on their own, it was beautiful, the most beautiful sight I had ever witnessed. I couldn't stop myself from breathing out a soft 'wow' as I stared up in complete awe at the wondrous spectacle. 

"As you may have guessed, they're not stars," Grim said, drawing me out of my awe struck state and towards him. He was standing next to me and watching the lights as they danced. "They're the souls of the dead, enjoying the peace found within the afterlife." 

I looked back at the souls as they flew across the sky with beauty and grace. "We're in the afterlife?" I asked curiously, not really wanting to take my eyes away but turning to Grim anyway.

He shook his head. "This plain is located between the world of the living and world of the dead," He turned to me and smile. "I've heard people call it Limbo or Purgatory but this is untrue." 

"Then where are we?" It seems like I was right when I thought I was in Limbo. 

"Think of it as a balcony in a theatre where we can watch over the living and the dead," He turned back to the dancing souls. "It's less depressing that way."

I then remembered what he had said before we left the room. "How am I undead?" I asked, unable to stop thinking about other undead creatures like vampires.

"That's not your living body," He replied simply. "In basic terms your soul is residing inside of a ghost body, it's the only reason you're able to walk around in this place, it's the same for every soul here." 

"But I can still touch things?" I asked, confused. "I thought ghosts were incorporeal?" 

Grim nodded. "Everything in this plain is made up of spectral energy, meaning they can be touched by you and other souls." 

"So why do I still have this scar if my body is a ghost?" It still bugged me. 

"It was the only way I could get your soul to accept it, that scar is basically the only thing keeping you here," He began walking again. "Let's get on with the tour, shall we?" 

I nodded, even though he could no longer see, and took a final look at the beautiful sight before following him. 

He lead me across almost the entire castle wall and down a set of black stone steps.

"What's this castle made of?" I asked as I looked around at the glistening black castle. 

"Obsidian," We reached the bottom of the steps and arrived in the castle's courtyard. "The only rock with any magical properties what so ever."

"And what properties are they?"

"Well, magical ones." Grim started to laugh, actual laughter, I'm surprised he didn't try to hold his sides. It wasn't even funny. 

I put my hands on my hips to show my annoyance, for an all powerful entity he sure did joke around a lot. 

Upon seeing my annoyed posture, and, no doubt, expression, he ceased his laughter with a cough. "Obsidian can absorb magic," He said, going back to serious tone, almost like his spontaneous laughter never happened. "It can also use that stored magic to repel demons and, really, any type of monster you can think of." 

I stopped dead in my tracks as he continued to walk. Did he say what I think he said? Demons? In Limbo? If I could even even imagine demons existing I would have imagined that they reside in hell. 

It didn't take long for him to notice that I was no longer following him, to which he turned around.

"Delia?" He asked, standing in place. "Are you alright? You're shaking." He walked closer, his red eyes lingering on my now trembling form. "Does the existence of demons really shock you this much?" 

I couldn't answer him, his voice seemed different, like it was more menacing somehow. 

"You've seen me in my true form, were almost destroyed by your own power, and even died by my hand," He told me like I had already forgotten and he seemed... angry. "You stand in the company of death personified and demons frighten you?" 

I couldn't argue with him, there's no reason why I should be so frightened and yet here I am, shaking like a leaf. I couldn't stop thinking about the demons, or more precisely, if they were to attack, would my magic be strong enough to fight them? Would I even be able to control it if the time came? 

Grim grabbed my shoulders and moved his face closer to mine so our eyes were level, his blood red eyes sending shivers down my spine. 

"Why are you so frightened?" He asked fiercely, his voice deeper than usual. 

"I don't know!" I screamed back. Something else happened when I yelled, Grim was sent flying through the air. He managed to right himself and I could have sworn I saw black feathered wings emerge from his back as he floated back down to the ground. 

As well as Grim being thrown back, I was also affected by the scream, pain engulfed my entire body, it felt like I was drowning in flames. 

I crashed to my knees and gripped my head, which felt the worst of the pain, and screamed wordlessly as the castle shook around us. I had never felt so much pain in my entire life. 

"Delia, you must calm down." I heard Grim say over my screams. I could feel his arms around me, as if he were trying to cradle me like a father would his child. 

"It hurts!" I cried back, my voice muffled by his shoulder, my tears cascading from my eyes. "Make it stop! Please!" 

"This is something you have to do for yourself," He replied calmly, holding the back of my head as a way to try and comfort me. "You need to gain control over your magic." 

"But I can't! It's too much!" I was surprised I hadn't already exploded due to the amount of magic stored within me. "Please! Just stop it" I pleaded, the pain was unbearable, it felt like my head would literally split open at any moment and the burning feeling of flames against my skin only intensified. 

I could feel as Grim shook his head. "It's your magic, you wouldn't have so much power if there was no way for you to control it!" His hand moved onto my shoulders again. "Look at me." He requested softly, keeping his voice calm as it seemed like the castle would crumble around us at any moment. "Look at me!" He said again when I couldn't raise my head the first time. This time, however, I managed to, lowering my hands onto his shoulders, my screaming had stopped but I was still grunting from the pain. I looked into his eyes and I felt safer somehow. "You are the trigger, you control the magic, not the other way around," He said reassuringly. "Lock your magic away inside your mind, lock it up tight and make sure you're the only one with the key!" 

I nodded as I did what he instructed, creating a prison of obsidian inside my mind, which took a few tries as I kept losing concentration due to the pain, forcing the magic within its black shimmering walls and locking it up tight. Eventually the castle stopped shaking and the pain I felt gradually faded, that's when I knew I was successful. 

I breathed heavily and looked down as Grim pulled me into a hug and in his embrace I felt safer than I have ever felt before. 

"Well done," He said softly as he broke away from the hug and I wiped my eyes dry. "I'm proud of you." 

"Well, I couldn't have done it without your guidance." I looked up at him and smiled softly. 

He smiled back and stood up, helping me stand in the process, my knees felt weak, I almost fell but Grim held me up. 

"You unleashed quite a bit of power just now, that's why you're so weak." He explained, answering a question I never asked. 

I looked around at the castle and noticed it was is still in one piece, not a pile of rubble anywhere to be seen. I attempted to ask him about it but I was too weak to speak right now. 

"Obsidian can take quite a bit of magical punishment," It was like he was reading my thoughts, it was weird. "The castle shook because every stone was trying to absorb your magic at once."

"So it was more than a bit of magic then?" I asked tiredly, already feeling my strength returning little by little. Grim breathed a soft and short laugh. 

"How much magic do I have exactly?" I almost didn't want him to answer, almost. 

"More than the average mage," He replied honestly. "In fact, your power seems to be equal to that of an ancient one, such as myself." 

"What will happen to me if I can't control it?" 

"It will rip you apart from the inside," His honesty was refreshing, at least he didn't hold anything back. "The pain you experienced was but a pin prick compared to what could happen." 

I felt like I was going to vomit, I could even feel the blood rushing from my face. I couldn't even take the pain just now, if I ever lost control again... I couldn't bare the thought. 

"Which means we have to fight your fear," Grim continued, holding me a little bit closer. I guess I slipped down a little bit. "Whatever it may be." 

I thought back to before my magic unleashed itself, Grim mentioned demons, but that wasn't it, it was a surprising revelation but not the cause of my fear. That left only one cause. 

"It's my magic," I spoke softly, like I was ashamed of it. "The power I wield scares me more than anything else." 

"And we will work on that fear," He spoke with a calm voice, I found it very reassuring. "The more you learn to control your magic the less fear you will feel towards it." 

I nodded into his chest as he continued to hold me up. It felt nice to have someone care for me this much, it even softened my armour a little, something I thought was practically impenetrable. 

I felt myself slipping again to which Grim pulled me up again. "Come on, let's sit you down in the hall," He said, leading me across the courtyard. "Some of the others may be there too."

"Others?" I was confused, I thought we were the only ones here. 

He nodded. "The Legion of the Lost."

He opened the two massive oak doors to the hall and we walked inside, where the Legion of the Lost were waiting... 

Author's Note

If you feel like there are any improvements I could make, please fell free to let me know.

Reviews

[Isabelle]

First of all, Grim is an awesome character. I think I'm already shipping him and Delia ;) Secondly, it is an amazing story you have there. At the beginning you have a lot of word repetitions, like neck, room or mirror but besides that I don't really have anything to critize. The world you create there is fascinating and unique and you give a lot of details that let the reader dive into it. Can't wait to read more.
One more thing though. If you have such a long chapter I think it would make sense to upload it as two separate parts. Reading on a computer is, at least to me, very exhausting and I think posting something a little shorter would make it easier.

[Lyrad]

Thank you for the review, I'm glad you like it. I honestly didn't notice the repetition whilst writing so I'll edit it out at some point and look out for it in my other chapters. Originally the chapters where in two parts, and separate chapters all together, as they were written on my iPhone, I'll take that under advisement for future uploads. :)