Valkyrie and Xena left the hut to see Skulduggery standing there. Hands behind his back, his fake face looking very serious.
Skulduggery: (sternly) Valkyrie Cain
Valkyrie: (sternly) Skulduggery Pleasant
Both smiled and ran at each other and hugged, Skulduggery picked her up and spun her around. After a few spins, he put her down
Skulduggery: I've missed you, partner
Valkyrie: right back at ya
Skulduggery then turned his attention to Xena and knelled down
Skulduggery: and who is this?
Valkyrie: that's Xena
Skulduggery: (patting Xena's head) hello Xena
Xena: *bark, bark*
Skulduggery got back on his feet and he gestured down the road, Valkyrie nodded and smiled, the three started to walk down the path to the gate. There stood two men. One was Fletcher, his still as stupid as ever and he had a huge smile on his face. The other was about twenty years old. He wore what looked like steel toed boots, black trousers and a black top (armoured clothing, obviously) and he had a gauntlet on his right arm, it wasn't the Deathtouch Gauntlet as it only went from his wrist to his elbow and it was too thin, like it was made of leather but then Valkyrie noticed shadows around it. He was a Necromancer?
Fletcher: hi, val
Valkyrie: hi, Fletcher
The two hugged and then parted, then Valkyrie turned to the Necromancer
Valkyrie: and you are?
Blake: (Scottish accent) Blake Knight. I've been working with Skulduggery
Valkyrie: what? (turned to Skulduggery) you replaced me?
Skulduggery: if it makes you feel any better. I only hired him 18 months ago
Valkyrie: that's still not ok (turns to Blake) I'm watching you
Blake: why? I've done nothing
Valkyrie: well I'm still watching you
Blake: *sigh* fine (turns to Fletcher) ready to get this lot home?
Fletcher: (smiling) you betcha
Valkyrie does her best to pick up Xena and the four humans link arms and then in a blink of an eye, all five of them are in the Room of Prisms. Valkyrie sees Tanith and smiles, Tanith smiles back and when Xena riggled out of Valkyries grip and onto the floor, the two hugged. When they parted Valkyrie saw who was there but wasn't at the gate. Tanith, China, Bane and Rue were all there.
Valkyrie: where's Dexter and Gracious?
Rue: (sadly) dead. The Remnant being pulled out without healing killed Dexter and Gracious was killed in the crossfire
Valkyrie: oh god. I didn't know
China: yeah, you ran out too quickly, didn't you
Skulduggery: It wasn't her fault
China: apologies, but it's true
Valkyrie: well I guess we're equal then
Bane: what's she on about
Blake: me
Bane: oh. Well if it makes you feel any better he was only chosen to replace you because Skulduggery was being to irresponsible on his own
Valkyrie: (turning to Skulduggery) he was on his own
Rue: yeah, for three and a half years
Tanith: guys back off, she's been through a lot and I think I know the first think she wants to do
Bane: and that would be what?
Blake: you really are an idiot aren't you
Bane: no I'm not
Fletcher: then figure out what Valkyrie wants to do now
Bane: don't want to
Valkyrie: I want to go home
Bane: ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
China: look everyone, we can talk but I've grown tied of that. Fletcher, get Valkyrie home. The rest of you, back to your duties. I want you all back here by morning
Skulduggery: ok then (turns to Fletcher) I'm going with you
Fletcher: fine, anyone else?
Blake: yeah. I need a ride home
Valkyrie pulled Xena away from Bane and the five teleported to Valkyries home, it was night and Valkyrie saw the lights in her parents home were on. She looked nervous, she turned to Skulduggery.
Valkyrie: will you come with me?
Skulduggery: why?
Valkyrie: I don't want to be alone
Skulduggery: *sigh* fine (turns to Fletcher) go fetch my can
Fletcher: (imitates Terminator) I'll be back (teleports)
Blake: well I guess I can walk home (turns and starts walking)
Valkyrie: hold on you
Blake: (turns back) yes
Valkyrie then walks up to Blake and hugs him
Valkyrie: thanks for looking after Skulduggery
Blake: it wasn't easy ya'know
The two parted and then Valkyrie slaps him
Blake: owwwwww, what the hell?
Valkyrie: that's for replacing me
Blake: well I'm going now before she kills me. See you guys in the morning
Skulduggery: night
Valkyrie: yeah, night
Blake then clicks his fingers on the hand with the gauntlet and then he shadow-walked away. Valkyrie then turned to Skulduggery like she was gonna kill him
Skulduggery: what?
Valkyrie: you replaced me
Skulduggery: under China's orders
Valkyrie: you still replaced me
Skulduggery: Blake was top of the class at the Sanctuary, he mastered Shadow-walking AND levitation and he was the only student to not support Ravel. He was the perfect candidate
Valkyrie: if I replaced you would you be ok
Skulduggery: (pointing at Xena) you did
Valkyrie: I was on my own, I'm allowed to, you were surrounded by what was left of our friends
Skulduggery: he was as much against it as I was
Valkyrie: he was against working with you
Skulduggery: yeah he said it was about the fact and these are his words (Scottish accent) "the people who work with you often end up dead, evil or disappeared" (normal) look do you want to see your family or stand here arguing all night
Valkyrie: *sigh* sorry. Let's go. He really said that (Skulduggery nodes) wow
Skulduggery: I know right. It's nice to see you again
Valkyrie: (smiling) likewise
The three then walk to the door and knock on it. A few moments later Valkyries mom opened the door and she stood there for a few moments then hugged her daughter and welcomed them both in.
Elsewhere
A faceless creature walked through the park watching a young couple walk along the path. The creature wanted nothing more than to rip them apart but then a hand on its shoulder stopped it
Figure: not now, old friend. We still have a lot of work to do
Faceless creature: which we must do now. There are still only a few of us, we need more
Figure: don't worry, the website is being rigged as we speak, we shall have our army soon (smiles)
Next day
Valkyrie and Skulduggery drove to Blake's penthouse in Central Dublin, Valkyrie had left Xena with her family. Blake's penthouse was big and basic, it had a training area in the middle and row among row of books, a TV on the wall and a camp bed. Blake was still in his armoured clothing except he was now also wearing a black trench coat.
Valkyrie: nice... Place
Blake: yeah... It's not that good. But it's affordable and I make it work
Skulduggery: ready to go
Blake: (smiling) ready as I'll ever be
Valkyrie, Skulduggery and Blake drove into Roarhaven. Blake sat in the back and Valkyrie sat in the passenger seat next to the driver. The last five had been good to it. Communities from all over were living there: Vampires, Trolls even Orgers. The building had been restored to their original beauty and the Sanctuary stood as tall as it had done ever since Ravel had it shunted into this dimension.
Valkyrie: things have changed, haven't they?
Skulduggery: a lot happens in five years
Blake: agreed
Valkyrie: no one asked you
Skulduggery: no fighting, you two
Blake: I wasn't doing anything
Valkyrie: shut up
Blake: how about you
Skulduggery: guys
Blake: sorry
Valkyrie: soz
Skulduggery: thank you
Inside the Sanctuary
The three walked into the Room of Prisms to see everyone was already there, Tanith and Fletcher were looking at some files, Rue and Bane were talking about something. China sat at her thrown with a Cleaver standing right next to her.
China: we have a case for you
To be continued
Skulduggery: (sternly) Valkyrie Cain
Valkyrie: (sternly) Skulduggery Pleasant
Both smiled and ran at each other and hugged, Skulduggery picked her up and spun her around. After a few spins, he put her down
Skulduggery: I've missed you, partner
Valkyrie: right back at ya
Skulduggery then turned his attention to Xena and knelled down
Skulduggery: and who is this?
Valkyrie: that's Xena
Skulduggery: (patting Xena's head) hello Xena
Xena: *bark, bark*
Skulduggery got back on his feet and he gestured down the road, Valkyrie nodded and smiled, the three started to walk down the path to the gate. There stood two men. One was Fletcher, his still as stupid as ever and he had a huge smile on his face. The other was about twenty years old. He wore what looked like steel toed boots, black trousers and a black top (armoured clothing, obviously) and he had a gauntlet on his right arm, it wasn't the Deathtouch Gauntlet as it only went from his wrist to his elbow and it was too thin, like it was made of leather but then Valkyrie noticed shadows around it. He was a Necromancer?
Fletcher: hi, val
Valkyrie: hi, Fletcher
The two hugged and then parted, then Valkyrie turned to the Necromancer
Valkyrie: and you are?
Blake: (Scottish accent) Blake Knight. I've been working with Skulduggery
Valkyrie: what? (turned to Skulduggery) you replaced me?
Skulduggery: if it makes you feel any better. I only hired him 18 months ago
Valkyrie: that's still not ok (turns to Blake) I'm watching you
Blake: why? I've done nothing
Valkyrie: well I'm still watching you
Blake: *sigh* fine (turns to Fletcher) ready to get this lot home?
Fletcher: (smiling) you betcha
Valkyrie does her best to pick up Xena and the four humans link arms and then in a blink of an eye, all five of them are in the Room of Prisms. Valkyrie sees Tanith and smiles, Tanith smiles back and when Xena riggled out of Valkyries grip and onto the floor, the two hugged. When they parted Valkyrie saw who was there but wasn't at the gate. Tanith, China, Bane and Rue were all there.
Valkyrie: where's Dexter and Gracious?
Rue: (sadly) dead. The Remnant being pulled out without healing killed Dexter and Gracious was killed in the crossfire
Valkyrie: oh god. I didn't know
China: yeah, you ran out too quickly, didn't you
Skulduggery: It wasn't her fault
China: apologies, but it's true
Valkyrie: well I guess we're equal then
Bane: what's she on about
Blake: me
Bane: oh. Well if it makes you feel any better he was only chosen to replace you because Skulduggery was being to irresponsible on his own
Valkyrie: (turning to Skulduggery) he was on his own
Rue: yeah, for three and a half years
Tanith: guys back off, she's been through a lot and I think I know the first think she wants to do
Bane: and that would be what?
Blake: you really are an idiot aren't you
Bane: no I'm not
Fletcher: then figure out what Valkyrie wants to do now
Bane: don't want to
Valkyrie: I want to go home
Bane: ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
China: look everyone, we can talk but I've grown tied of that. Fletcher, get Valkyrie home. The rest of you, back to your duties. I want you all back here by morning
Skulduggery: ok then (turns to Fletcher) I'm going with you
Fletcher: fine, anyone else?
Blake: yeah. I need a ride home
Valkyrie pulled Xena away from Bane and the five teleported to Valkyries home, it was night and Valkyrie saw the lights in her parents home were on. She looked nervous, she turned to Skulduggery.
Valkyrie: will you come with me?
Skulduggery: why?
Valkyrie: I don't want to be alone
Skulduggery: *sigh* fine (turns to Fletcher) go fetch my can
Fletcher: (imitates Terminator) I'll be back (teleports)
Blake: well I guess I can walk home (turns and starts walking)
Valkyrie: hold on you
Blake: (turns back) yes
Valkyrie then walks up to Blake and hugs him
Valkyrie: thanks for looking after Skulduggery
Blake: it wasn't easy ya'know
The two parted and then Valkyrie slaps him
Blake: owwwwww, what the hell?
Valkyrie: that's for replacing me
Blake: well I'm going now before she kills me. See you guys in the morning
Skulduggery: night
Valkyrie: yeah, night
Blake then clicks his fingers on the hand with the gauntlet and then he shadow-walked away. Valkyrie then turned to Skulduggery like she was gonna kill him
Skulduggery: what?
Valkyrie: you replaced me
Skulduggery: under China's orders
Valkyrie: you still replaced me
Skulduggery: Blake was top of the class at the Sanctuary, he mastered Shadow-walking AND levitation and he was the only student to not support Ravel. He was the perfect candidate
Valkyrie: if I replaced you would you be ok
Skulduggery: (pointing at Xena) you did
Valkyrie: I was on my own, I'm allowed to, you were surrounded by what was left of our friends
Skulduggery: he was as much against it as I was
Valkyrie: he was against working with you
Skulduggery: yeah he said it was about the fact and these are his words (Scottish accent) "the people who work with you often end up dead, evil or disappeared" (normal) look do you want to see your family or stand here arguing all night
Valkyrie: *sigh* sorry. Let's go. He really said that (Skulduggery nodes) wow
Skulduggery: I know right. It's nice to see you again
Valkyrie: (smiling) likewise
The three then walk to the door and knock on it. A few moments later Valkyries mom opened the door and she stood there for a few moments then hugged her daughter and welcomed them both in.
Elsewhere
A faceless creature walked through the park watching a young couple walk along the path. The creature wanted nothing more than to rip them apart but then a hand on its shoulder stopped it
Figure: not now, old friend. We still have a lot of work to do
Faceless creature: which we must do now. There are still only a few of us, we need more
Figure: don't worry, the website is being rigged as we speak, we shall have our army soon (smiles)
Next day
Valkyrie and Skulduggery drove to Blake's penthouse in Central Dublin, Valkyrie had left Xena with her family. Blake's penthouse was big and basic, it had a training area in the middle and row among row of books, a TV on the wall and a camp bed. Blake was still in his armoured clothing except he was now also wearing a black trench coat.
Valkyrie: nice... Place
Blake: yeah... It's not that good. But it's affordable and I make it work
Skulduggery: ready to go
Blake: (smiling) ready as I'll ever be
Valkyrie, Skulduggery and Blake drove into Roarhaven. Blake sat in the back and Valkyrie sat in the passenger seat next to the driver. The last five had been good to it. Communities from all over were living there: Vampires, Trolls even Orgers. The building had been restored to their original beauty and the Sanctuary stood as tall as it had done ever since Ravel had it shunted into this dimension.
Valkyrie: things have changed, haven't they?
Skulduggery: a lot happens in five years
Blake: agreed
Valkyrie: no one asked you
Skulduggery: no fighting, you two
Blake: I wasn't doing anything
Valkyrie: shut up
Blake: how about you
Skulduggery: guys
Blake: sorry
Valkyrie: soz
Skulduggery: thank you
Inside the Sanctuary
The three walked into the Room of Prisms to see everyone was already there, Tanith and Fletcher were looking at some files, Rue and Bane were talking about something. China sat at her thrown with a Cleaver standing right next to her.
China: we have a case for you
To be continued
