Last chapter didn't really have Zane in it. This one will, I think…

Amarantha rubbed her eyes and squinted at the dawn peeking through the window. She felt like she just had a dream, but she couldn't remember it. She couldn't be sure of the threads she clung to. Alexis stirred in the bed, but did not wake. That's right, Amarantha thought, I still have a mission. But where's my target? With a glance at Alexis's sleeping form, she crept onto the balcony. She welcomed the cool dawn breeze and she let it roll over her skin like water.

Every Angel of Death has one animal with whom they have connected with. The Archangels have two. An Angel can transform into this Spirit Animal, they call it. Amarantha had seen Skye transform into a white beaver and a snowy owl. Amarantha herself could change into a sliver sparrow with black shoulders (kind of like a red-winged blackbird). She did this now, and, after hopping onto the railing, she began to explore the island.

Amarantha searched for her target. She had been told that he was tall, had dark teal hair and eyes, and wore a flowing black jacket. He had been graduated for two years now, so Amarantha believed him to be 19. First, she checked the boy dorms, but to no avail. Then, she checked the guest suites at the main building (There may not be any in the show, but there's GOT to be some, for guests so that they don't have to stay at the Roach Motel)

She still couldn't find her target, but she felt her Communication Orb start to buzz warmly in the pouch she had shrunk. She flew towards the many trees before changing back to humanoid form and taking out her Orb. Skye was calling her.

"Hey, Sweets," Skye cheerfully greeted. Amarantha rolled her eyes at the nickname. "I thought you might need some company while you hunted."

Amarantha rolled her eyes again. "Give me the real reason you called, Skye," she demanded. Skye sighed dramatically.

"Okay, Thanatos told me to tell you that… there's an enemy on the island."

"An enemy? There's no one who opposes the Angels of Death and the Archangels! They shouldn't even know we exist!"

"I know, that's why it's so weird. What's also weird is that right now, you're the only Angel of Death within its range. We can't take you from your mission, so Thanatos is sending me to be a guard."

"What!? Why you? Why not someone older?"

"That's the reason. I'm the closest to your age, Amarantha. Oh and, make sure that your Secret-Keeper is the first person I see. Two people are risky." Amarantha saw that she couldn't escape this.

"This is way too strange. I've been looking around the whole island since dawn, I haven't seen anything wrong."

"This thing is a master of camouflage. Be careful until I get there." Skye winked at her. "Don't forget to practice your power!" Amarantha smacked her head in exasperation. Every Angel and Archangel also had a power. The Archangels' powers had a bigger impact, while the Angels of Death usually have smaller powers, like moving water or air. Skye's power was fire, and everything to do with it. Amarantha's power, for some reason, was bigger than it should be, and she was having some trouble controlling it. Amarantha had power over transfiguration, turning things into other things.

She doesn't use it much. Tampering with the way of things was very harmful. Plus, it drew so much energy from her that she had to be careful. If she was an Archangel, she would be able to do more stuff with it. But she wasn't.

"I'll keep looking for my target," Amarantha told Skye. He nodded his dark green head and ended the conversation. Amarantha pocketed the Orb again, and turned back towards the path. She jumped to find a tall, rather handsome, yet cold being staring down at her. He was towering above her in all his icy glory. His teal eyes were hard, and his dark teal hair was frayed.

"What do you mean, 'my target?'" he asked, his voice a bit husky and deep. Amarantha nearly swooned.

"I'm sorry you had to find me like this," Amarantha apologized. The older teen looked at her curiously. She cupped her hands, palms facing each other, and magic started to flicker. She forced it outwards, and it hit the teen square in the chest. He shouted in surprise as he shrunk and nearly disappeared from sight. Amarantha bent down and picked up a small teal lizard.

"Sorry," she said again. The lizard flicked his tongue at her. Keeping him in her hands, Amarantha headed towards the beach, where she'd be alone. There, Amarantha thought sourly, I'm practicing.

Once she reached the beach, she set the lizard-boy down and changed him back. The use of so much power in one day made her too weary to stand. She plopped down in the sand, and the boy, who was unconscious from changing forms, lay still next to her. Only then did it occur to her that this might be her target.

The boy forced himself onto his elbows, startling Amarantha. She didn't notice him wake.

"What happened?" the boy wondered groggily. "How did I get here?"

Oops, Amarantha thought. "You fell asleep here, remember?" she "reminded" him. He racked his brain before shrugging.

"I guess I did. Who're you? I've never seen you around here, and I've been hanging around for a few months now," he asked.

"I'm Amara. I'm staying here for a few days. Now I deserve to know who you are."

"Zane. Zane Truesdale." Truesdale… that name sounded familiar. She probably just saw it on a duel card somewhere. She recalled looking at a plant-type card Skye had showed her. He had also tried to teach her to duel, but she never got the hang of it.

Seemingly out of the blue, she asked, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Wha—of course!" Zane replied. Amarantha suddenly placed her palm against his chest. He shrank back from her touch, but he had no where to go. His heartbeat sure seemed steady. She put her ear where her hand was, and she felt Zane recoil. Finally, he took her arms and heaved her off of him.

"Stop. Touching. Me," Zane ordered, his voice deadly. Amarantha knew at that moment that this was her target. A bush rustled near the end of the bush. Skye stepped out of it. He was no longer wearing the noble robes the Archangels had to wear, but a loose, emerald tee-shirt and ripped jeans. He had white sneakers with green laces on, and a dark blue baseball cap rested on his head.

"There you are, Amara!" Skye laughed. He winked slyly at her, letting her know that he'd seen her for a bit now, waiting for the right moment. "I've been looking over the whole island for you!" Amarantha glanced at Zane, who had this incredulous look that didn't fit him at all plastered on his face.

"Who are you?" he demanded. Skye grinned.

"I'm Skyler, don't-cha know," he greeted, putting on a fake Irish accent. He held up two fingers in a peace sign.

"Last name," Zane ordered.

"Lucifer," Skye replied automatically. "You?"

"Zane Truesdale." Amarantha saw a flicker of amazement slide across Skye's visage for a split second. It was silent between the two boys for a full minute: Amarantha counted. Skye broke the silence.

"You didn't happen to have a brother, did you?" Skye asked cautiously.

"I have a little brother named Syrus—"

"No, an older one." Zane stopped for another moment.

"He died when I was five." Zane paused again, reliving the agony of losing his best big brother. "He was your age, about to graduate from this same school."

"What happened to him?" Amarantha wondered quietly, looking at Skye.

"He vanished one night, his body appeared the next," Skye replied so softly that only Amarantha could hear him. Zane said the same thing. It hit her. These two used to be brothers! Uh oh… that's very, very bad. The deceased are never supposed to see their living family members again. Amarantha glanced at Zane. His eyes gave away the pain he was feeling in looking at Skye, but he didn't cry. She almost wanted to make him.

Zane shook his head. "I'm sorry, you just remind me of him." Skye nodded in appreciation. Bells tolled, ringing through the still air. Amarantha could hear late Slifer students running as fast as their legs could go, their shouts carrying over the treetops.

Chazz was late. That stupid Jaden made him late. Now Chazz was forced to take a short-cut through the woods to not be more than five minutes late for Crowler's class. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. Chazz sped his pace, running even faster. He ignored the twigs scraping his face and tearing at him. He tripped over a root and was sent sprawling into a clearing. He landed in the soft dirt, a pebble banging into his chin. His teeth clanked together.

Chazz thought he heard footsteps. He didn't stay to find out if there were or not. He clambered up and rushed towards his class again at top speed.

MYSTERY!!

Review please!!