Hey Valkyrie.

Valkyrie punched her opponent and spun round, started running.

I think we should have a chat.

She could hear his running footsteps, gaining on her. "Shut up!"

Now, there's no need to be nasty…

"Shut up, or I swear to God I'll…" She took a left, kept going.

What will you do? Valkyrie, what are you going to do to yourself? We're the same person you know, you and I. And those visions, they might not be true. I have so much power. We, have so much power. We could use it to do good. We could save the world Valkyrie. We could be a hero.

"Stop it!"

Think of that power. You love that power, don't you? Of course you do! You love being able to fly. It would take ages for Skulduggery to teach you using elemental magic. But me? I could show you how to do anything. But I'd need control to do it.

"I don't need your power. I don't want it."

You're a terrible liar.

She sprinted along the corridor, came to a dead end. Valkyrie cursed.

He's gaining on you. Turn around. Good girl. No, hit, ah, well done. Now run.

She jumped over the man, lying on the ground, and ran back along the corridor. She looked back. He was up again. Any other opponent would be knocked unconscious. Not him though.

She came to a set of doors, leading to a stairwell. She ran through.

The man was up when she had last seen him, which meant she had slowed him down-

Unlikely.

-or he was coming from a different direction.

The man came from above and landed in front of her.

Before she could even attempt to run, he moved, went low, which turned out to be a faint, and grabbed her. The world tilted.

Ooh! Get up. Come on, get up. He's bending down. Get up now Valkyrie.

Valkyrie moaned. He dragged her to the landing, tried to pull her up by her hair. When that didn't work, he grabbed her, lifted her, and threw her down the stairs.

She hit the stone floor and screamed.

Ouch. That was a sore one, wasn't it? Now get up.

She clambered to her feet, wincing as every movement sent daggers of white hot pain going through her.

Now, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, I was saying how we are such a great team. And that the power that I, we, have is incredible. But we can only use it when I'm in charge, now can't we?

"Stop it." Valkyrie managed to say.

Stop what? Now, we're going to have to work together here. It's obvious you're going to just be stubborn, and I'm okay with that. You'll give in eventually. So, until then, we need to keep you alive. So, you're going to do what I say.

"And why," she grunted "would I do that?"

Because I'm going to save your life. And you know that I will, because I'm you, and you know, I need us to be in good condition.

Valkyrie hesitated. She couldn't trust Darquesse, but she did know she wanted to stay alive. And in order for Darquesse to stay alive, Valkyrie needed The man was walking down the stairs towards her.

Exactly. So listen to me.

"Okay."

Go down the stairs. Quickly now, don't let him hit you.

She started to run again, down the stairs. The man was behind her. Valkyrie jumped, and used the air to cushion her fall.

She landed on her feet and cried out again, but kept going.

Go through the next doors.

She came to the next landing and passed the doors. She was in a corridor.

Straight on.

"How do I know you're not leading me into a trap?"

You said it yourself. I need you alive. And, it's not like you can lead the way. You were too busy trying to find this guy to actually notice where you were going. But I observe these things. I have nothing else to do, do I? I suppose I could to talk to you. But like I said earlier, you have no sense of humour.

Valkyrie came to the end of the corridor. Right or left.

And you just take these things for granted don't you? You have things to do, but I'm just sat in here, watching.

"Where do I go?"

Should I tell you? That's the question. Because, you know, I could let him catch up with you, and beat you to a pulp. Then I could jump in, and save you.

"You promised!"

I did no such thing. But, I'm in a good mood to you. And we've been beat up enough today. It's a left.

She took the left and came to another door. She stopped.

Keep going.

"I can't."

Valkyrie, he will kill us. Think of how devastated mum would be. What about Dad? Alice?

"No! You're going to murder them! No, you won't. You're not going to take me over. That's not going to happen. And you might be helping me , or you might be leading me to a dead end. But you will still be plotting, and planning, and wanting to take me over. But you won't. I won't let you hurt my family."

Okay. Keep thinking that. It's not true, but hold onto that anger. Okay? Just keep going and we can… Discuss this later. Go through the door.

Valkyrie went through the door and came to an open room, with a concrete floor and stone walls. On the far wall, the way out. Next to the way out, the man.

He sauntered forward. "You're stupid to look for me." His accent was german.

Valkyrie just stood there. Her jacket was upstairs, and she was wearing a black t-shirt.

"This could start a war. I'm from Germany. Germany is in the Supreme Council."

She frowned. "You're the stupid one, actually. You don't have anything to do with the Supreme Council, and you've killed lots of people. I'm sure they'd be very happy to see you in shackles."

"I'm afraid, Valkyrie, that won't happen."

He ran at her and she dodged the first punch, blocked the second, and responded with one of her own.

It landed right on his nose and it shattered. He didn't even grunt. He was practically invincible.

Practically. I bet I could break a few of his bones.

"No."

The man looked at her weirdly and then hit her.

Suns exploded. Her cheek had something warm spilling onto it.

She was on the ground again. She got up. He was smiling. Enjoying this.

He needed to not have time to recover.

"Go ahead." He smirked. "Hit me. It won't do much."

She fainted a right cross, but he saw what was coming and caught her leg as it swung up, held it for a moment, twisted. Valkyrie flipped over and landed on her back. Her leg was numb. Her cheek was numb too. Her sibs certainly weren't.

"What," she panted "now?"

Let me out.

"No."

Yes! Valkyrie, you are not going to win this. You can't. You just can't. You're weak, and he is big and strong and invulnerable. Let me out, and you won't die. No one is coming to save you.

The man's head fell from his shoulders.

Tanith stepped out from behind him.

Darquesse shut up.

"Hey Val!"