"Seriously, though, a ball?" Odette asked, wondering if Fiera was merely kidding about the idea of a royal ball to be held just because she accepted her title of queen.

They were all sitting at one of the many tables in the dining hall. It was the same one they had eaten lunch in the day before. Fiera grinned.

"Of course! Guardians love to celebrate, and you should be no exception."

"You just like any excuse to dance," Angel chimed in, looking accusingly at Fiera.

"Why do you think I accepted your marriage proposal?" She asked slyly, grinning at Angel. "The reception of course!"

"Why?" Odette asked. "They're not really that much fun."

Fiera rolled her eyes dramatically. "Come on, Odette, after everything you've seen here, do you honestly think any kind of celebration here is the same as the ones you've already been to?"

"No," Odette admitted.

"Well okay then. We're having a ball for you," Fiera resolved, closing the subject. She closed her eyes and went right back to eating the eggs and bacon she had chosen from the communal table. Odette nibbled on a piece of bread, pondering what other things Fiera would doubtlessly have in store for her. Angel and Derek were also silent until Derek whispered something that made everyone look up.

"We've got company."

Sure enough, Leda was headed over to their table, still carrying a look of resentment for Odette, but trying to hide it with a slimy smile. Fiera fought a grimace, but made no attempt to smile, nor did anyone else at the table as Leda slinked over.

"I thought you might like to start training today," she offered falsely. "If you don't unlock your power, you can't start learning how to fight properly."

Odette glanced over at Fiera, who subtly nodded her approval. "Of course, Leda," Odette accepted, trying sound friendly.

"Good," Leda replied. "Meet me in the weapons room when you're finished and we'll get started."

Fiera watched as Leda walked away. She grimaced so much that it seemed the expression would be forever tattooed on her face.

"What did she mean when she was talking about unlocking Odette's powers?" Derek asked.

"She meant Odette needs to activate her Guardian powers before she even has a chance at beating a demon," Angel answered. "And I'm not sure how to do it, and Fiera can't because she's not totally Guardian."

"That reminds me," Odette cut in. "What about Derek?"Everyone at the table looked at her, their full attention given as she went on. "This society is kept secret from humans, and humans are in danger from demons, et cetera. Can Derek be changed?"

"Well…," Angel hesitated, "yes. It's not hard to do, and he'd have to be pure evil for the Guardianship to reject him. But then again, if his body doesn't accept the change, he could be killed. It's a minute possibility, but it is a possibility. However, you are right. If he is not transformed he could be in grave danger from demons who want to harm you, and as you've seen, they often go for the weakest link in a Guardian's life."

Odette pondered that for a moment. Even if Derek wasn't evil – and he certainly wasn't – there was a chance of his body rejecting whatever change may occur that would go along with converting to a Guardian. However, if he remained human, he would be in constant danger of attacks from demons that would be after her. There were two options, and in both, there was a possibility of death. It was hard to think about, really. She couldn't imagine losing Derek, and if she did, she had no idea as to how she would go on without him.

"I'll do it," Derek declared, his voice solid. "If there's a chance I can stay by your side, Odette, I want to take it, no matter what the dangers and risks might be."

"You'll always be by my side, Derek," she countered, not trying to really discourage him, but more to get him to think about the chance that he could die. She didn't want to tell him 'no', but at the same time, 'yes' wasn't much of a better option either.

"You know it wouldn't be the same, Odette."

She nodded in understanding. Yes, he was right. If she was a stronger being than he was, it would put them back in the position of one of them getting saved all the time and the other being put in danger while trying to be the savior. They had agreed before that the hero/victim relationship wasn't fair for either one of them. It made Odette look weak and it made Derek look like a fool because somehow it could always be seen as his fault she was in danger. No, it was not working. As much as they loved each other, it simply wasn't working.

"Alright," she reluctantly agreed. Whether or not their relationship was perfect didn't take her mind off the danger of the transformation. But then again, she didn't even know what he would be transformed into. She'd really heard nothing of a Guardian's powers. "Let's go."

Everyone at the table consented. Leaving the dishes for one of the servants to clear, they walked toward what Odette remembered to be the practice field. This time, instead of going all the way to the end of the hall, Fiera opened the last door before the double doors that opened to the field. As she walked inside, Odette saw an assortment of weapons she'd never even seen before.

Leda stood in the center of the room, holding a strangely shaped knife in her hand. "This," she said, holding up the knife for Odette to see, "is going to be the first weapon you will master." She turned away and began to walk to the other end of the room. Odette was dreading what she might be planning and regretting not finding someone else to do the transformation. Strangely enough, Odette could see her fidgeting with the knife.

"Reveal this girl for what she truly is!"

Suddenly, Leda turned on her heel and in a wide arc, and with perfect accuracy, threw the knife at Odette, who felt time slow around her. Then, a fraction of a second before the knife could pierce the skin of her nose, she caught it between her hands, surprised to see that she was literally within an inch of her life. One more half inch, and she'd be bleeding profusely.

"Just what the hell is your problem?!" Fiera yelled at Leda, breaking the momentary silence that had taken place when Odette caught the knife.

"I was invoking the transformation. It's the only quick way to bring out the Guardian in her," Leda answered in a superior tone.

"I'm sure there were better ways, you know, ones that wouldn't result in her nearly getting killed."

"I don't see you with the knowledge of how to do this, Enyo."

"Call me that one more time, witch," Fiera dared. Her deep burgundy eyes smoldered with anger.

While Leda and Fiera argued, Odette was feeling something she'd never felt before. For a moment, she remained frozen with the knife held between the palms of her two hands. She dropped it, a distant clanging sound on the stone floor. Wrapped around it was a piece of paper with a strange – yet somehow familiar – writing on it. She didn't bother to look at it. She was much to enthralled in the strength she could feel coursing through her veins. It was a strange, yet pleasant feeling.

"It's okay, Fiera," she soothed, speaking for the first time. "I'll be fine. Better than fine."

"Either way, you could have been hurt," Fiera pointed out. She addressed Leda, grimacing again. "And I'm not having that. Leda, you're relieved of all duties concerning with Odette's training. I'll be handling it from here."

With a swagger, Leda left the room, but not before whispering "be careful, princess," to Odette as she passed. Derek and Fiera threw threatening glances in her direction, but Odette let it go. Angel, who had been ignoring Fiera and Leda's little tiff, was the first to talk to Odette about her new powers.

"Odette, you can call forth your wings now. All you have to do is picture yourself with them, and soon, it'll be even easier than that."

"Wings?"

"Yes, you can fly, and no one will have to teach you that. It's instinctual. Now go ahead and try it out."

Thankful for the high ceiling in case of an accident, Odette did her best to picture herself with wings. She closed her eyes and called forth the power of flight. Sure enough, she could hear flapping on her back and wind stirring the air around her. With a little more thought, she was actually floating. Angel, as an example, had done the same. He too was floating right beside her, his great white feathered wings flapping slightly.

"Now that you are a fully fledged Guardian," he explained, "you can fly. Your strength has been increased as well. You're also gifted with the ability to learn very quickly, as all Guardians are." He dropped to the floor and willed his wings away. They disappeared quickly, fading away like fog being lifted. She followed suit, surprised with how easy it was.

"That's amazing," Derek whispered in awe. True, he'd always been in awe of Odette, but now, it seemed he had yet another reason.

"Yes it is," Fiera agreed, her eyes on Angel, who looked, again, like a saint with his wings.

"And now to you, Derek," Angel said. He took out what looked like a piece of chalk and began to draw a white circle, perfectly calculated with Derek in the center. Fiera back out of the way and Odette followed her example. There was a solemn silence as Angel walked over to the wall and grabbed a sword that hung off one of the nails.

He rejoined Derek in the circle and placed the still sheathed sword blade down with Derek's hands on the pommel so that he was holding it. "Bow your head," Angel instructed. "Now, think of something you love unconditionally, think of why you want to be a Guardian, think of things like that." Angel backed out of the circle and began an intonation that echoed around the room.

"I ask in your name, Cassandra, most valiant Guardian to walk this earth, primal enemy of all the demons created by Sabian and Sabian himself, that you take this man to be your soldier, to accept him into the life of a Guardian alongside his love. Your will be done."

There was a strange pressure in the room as what looked like lightning traveled from the ground, up the sword, and through Derek's body. There was a purple light thrown from the lightning. However, no one really noticed this.

All they could really notice was the yells of pain that were ripping out from his vocal cords.

As suddenly as it began, it was over.

Derek fell wordless to the floor, his hands smoking, a look of utter exhaustion on his face.

He landed with a thud on the stone, motionless.

Yeah, I went there. R and R!