Jamie took a frightened step back, but his eyes remained captive to the faceless void beneath the beings hood. "D-D-Death?" He asked shakily. The hooded figure nodded, then put his hand behind his back. As he did, Jamie caught sight of his hand beneath his cloak. It was made of bones, without a hint of flesh. His hand reemerged holding a simple wooden staff. "It…is time." Death said in his raspy voice as he tapped the bottom of the staff on the ground three times. A sliver crescent, a razor sharp sickle blade, grew from the side of the top, becoming almost as long as the staff itself.

Death raised his weapon high into the air, then swung it downward, speeding towards Jamie's throat. He screamed and clenched his eyes shut, then everything faded away…

SHING! The scythes blade made a metallic scraping sound as a hand shot up and caught it. There was no sign of surprise, save a small rising in the hood of the cloak, as fur broke out over Jamie's hand and his fingernails lengthened into claws. He narrowed his slitted pupils, while he felt his muscles bulge and expand under his skin. He growled as his vocal cords morphed and his teeth lengthened into fangs. The Beast threw the blade back and leapt at the cloaked figure, claws outstretched. He was halted in midair, however, as Death held out a hand, freezing him in place. He flicked a bony finger, blasting the Beast back and into an outcropping of obsidian. "INSOLENT CHILD!!!" The cloaked being roared as he ghosted over to where the Beast lay, growling as lay sprawled on the invisible ground, punctuating the steady hum coming from his vocal cords with an occasional whimper. It stared at Death with hateful, glowing yellow eyes as the hooded god pointed his scythe at the Beasts head.

HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO STRIKE I, THE ONE WHO CONTROLS THE FATE OF ALL?!!!" He raised his weapon over his head, prepared to swing it down onto the Beasts neck. It whimpered and closed it eyes, awaiting the blow that would engulf him in eternal darkness.

STOP!

A royal purple circle of energy materialized in front of the Beast, halting Deaths scythe in its path. Feeling no pain, the Beast opened it eyes and looked over, but slowly started shrinking. The fur disappeared, the claws shortened and became fingers and his eyes changed back to their former icy blue. Jamie lay on the black ground, the f$#ing Grim Reapers scythe a foot from his head, in the tattered and ripped clothes that accompanied his growing about five clothes sizes, with only a vague idea of what the hell had just happened.

Death turned his hood to the left, where a neon-blue strip of energy formed, then spun in a circle, making a hole in mid-air filled with a swirling purple and blue vortex. A tall figure floated out, the portal sealing itself behind him.

He had blue skin, which was wrinkled from age and marred on his face by a jagged pink scar. The scar trailed over on of his glowing red eyes, which were shrouded in the shade of the hood of his purple cloak, which dragged on the ground. A long, salt-and-pepper beard trailed down from his chin to his waist, and he carried a black staff in his hand topped with a tiny clock with a glowing blue face.

He floated over to the two fighters, while the hooded figure of Death stood up straight, his scythe pulling from the shield and flying into his waiting hand. "Oh, it's you." The Grim Reaper deadpanned, looking at the new arrival with no emotion. The new being nodded. "Yes, it is me. I've come to stop you from making a mistake." The new arrival stated, gesturing to where Jamie lay, looking around groggily.

"And, what business do you have with this one, Clockwork?" Death asked, and Clockwork simply shook his head. "All shall know, in time." He said, but Death interrupted him. "I don't care for your time metaphors, (Hell knows I've gotten tired of them over the past ten thousand years), but I must ask, why this insignificant little one?" He asked in his raspy voice while gesturing to Jamie with one hand of his cloak.

"Because, this one will instrumental for the future. You must let him go." Clockwork said, and Death was silent for a long while. Then, he sighed and slowly nodded. "Very well, old friend. I shall give him back. Once." Clockwork nodded, and they both pointed their tools at Jamie, who was engulfed in a bright sphere of purple light and then, he vanished.

Damn, I've been gone a while. What can I say? Stuff happens. Since I know you don't care about my personal troubles, I'll just say that I'll update again this weekend.