This fanfic is set just after Mortal Coil, so it may contain, or probably will contain, spoilers. For the Eragon part of it, Galbatorix has been overthrown and the Varden rule Alagaesia

Chapter 1

Valkyrie Cain and Skulduggery Pleasant were driving through the darkened streets of Dublin. Skulduggery drove the Bentley with precision and they quickly arrived at Valkyries home in Haggard.
"Tomorrow we've got a meeting with Ravel about some new portal that one of the sensitive's found," Skulduggery said as Valkyrie got out of the car.
"You mean like the one to the Faceless Ones world?" Valkyrie asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Something like that, I suppose. But we'll find out about it tomorrow. I'll pick you up at about eleven. I have something I have to do first," Skulduggery replied, starting the Bentleys engine.
"Anything I can help with?" Valkyrie asked.
"Not really. Unless you want to come see the mechanic,"
"Oh, well, not really. See you tomorrow," Valkyrie said as the car pulled out of the driveway. She ran to the back of the house. She pushed at the air and rose up to the window and she pulled herself through. The reflection stood up and Valkyrie, too tired to talk to herself, just nodded at the mirror. The reflection stepped into the mirror and Valkyrie brushed her fingers against it lightly. A days' worth of memories flooded into her mind as she climbed into bed. Within five minutes she was asleep.

"Ah, Skulduggery. Valkyrie. Glad you could make it," Erskine Ravel said as Valkyrie and Skulduggery walked into the Roarhaven Sanctuary.
"So what's all this about, Erskine?" Skulduggery said, shaking the man's hand.
"Good to see you too, Skulduggery. And what has he been dragging you into this time, Valkyrie?" Ravel said, ignoring Skulduggery's comment.
"Not much lately. Just the usual," Valkyrie said, smiling at him.
Skulduggery made a sound like he was clearing his throat, something Valkyrie rarely heard him do. "Not that this isn't fun, but I thought you had something important to tell us,"
"Well, back to the point I suppose. One of the Sanctuary Sensitives has found a similar rift to the one Finbar Wrong found when the Faceless Ones came through a few years ago," Ravel said, picking up some paper and leafing through them.
"Yes, we had firsthand knowledge of those particular days," Skulduggery mused, taking the papers when Ravel held them out to him.
"Is it in the same place as last time?" Valkyrie asked, looking over Skulduggerys shoulder at the papers. She couldn't see much from her point.
"Yes, it is. I was hoping you could head over there with Mr. Renn and see if you can make a bit of sense out of it," Ravel said, taking the papers back and placing them in a drawer.
"We'll head over there straight away then. Do you mind if we take Ghastly with us? I think he'd appreciate being away from the desk for a while." Skulduggery replied.
"Be my guest. Let me know if you find anything of interest," Ravel said, "I'd come myself, but the Roarhaven mages are being very... disruptive again,"
"When aren't they? We'll let you know as soon as we find anything out," Skulduggery said, flipping out his phone and walking out of the room as he dialled Ghastlys number.
"Well, see you," Valkyrie said, waving as she followed Skulduggery outside. When she caught up to him he was putting his phone back into his pocket.
"Ghastly will meet us there. Call Fletcher and ask him if he can meet us there in half an hour," He said as he hopped into the Bentley. Valkyrie nodded and pulled out her phone. The instant the phone started ringing Fletcher appeared beside her.
"Or he can just come in the car with us," Skulduggery said, starting the engine and tapping his collar bones. As the skin flowed up over his skull Fletcher gave Valkyrie a quick kiss.
"Can we meet you there?" Fletcher asked, "Or would you like to teleport with us?"
Skulduggery looked at them and said "No, I still quite enjoy driving. And I think I can survive without your company for a few minutes,"
"Well, alright. See you there," Valkyrie said with a wave as the Bentley pulled away and disappeared around the corner.
"You sure you don't mind being away from him for a few minutes?" Fletcher teased, and she punched him in the arm. As soon as her fist touched his arm they disappeared and within a blink.

They appeared at Aranmore Farm to find that the small pieces of man had been reclaimed by nature. The grass has started to grow over the old farmhouse which only had half a wall standing, and the barn could barely seen through the mat of weeds and creepers that had grown over it.
Fletcher whistled through his teeth at it. "Well, they really let this place go didn't they?"

"Yeah. It looks really nice now though. Let's go sit over there until Skulduggery gets here," Valkyrie said, gesturing towards the woods.

"Sure thing," Fletcher replied, and he disappeared.

"Oi! Fletcher!" Valkyrie called, seeing him appear just in front of the barn, "I meant walk!"

"Do you remember how I bet that guy up here when we were saving Skulduggery?" Fletcher boasted, reappearing next to her.

"Yes, I remember that day quite well," Valkyrie said, laughing and pulling him along beside her as she walked towards the trees.

"What do you want to do while we wait?" Fletcher asked as they sat down in the weak sun beside the trees.

Valkyrie laughed again and shook her head. "You're impossible. Just sit down and relax,"

Valkyrie proceeded to laugh at Fletcher having miniature panic attacks every time a leaf or even a piece of dirt land near him until Skulduggery and Ghastly arrived.

"Hi Ghastly," Valkyrie said as they walked up, "How's your new job going?"

"Oh, it's fantastic," Ghastly said sarcastically, "Just so exciting,"

"Well, did you two do anything constructive while you hanging around here waiting?" Skulduggery asked.

"Skulduggery, please don't tell me your trying to sound cool or something!" Valkyrie said, trying not to laugh.

"Me? Never!" Skulduggery denied, sounding quite insulted.

"So what are we actually supposed to be doing here?" Fletcher asked, fiddling with his hair.

"Were, well more you are, going to find the gateway and see if you can tell any difference between this one and the Faceless Ones world," Skulduggery answered.

"Ah, ok then," Fletcher said, and the four of them walked towards the faintly slightly singed patch of grass that marked the place they had opened the gateway last time.

"The gateway won't be able to open unless we, by some not so great miracle, have the Isthmus Anchor with us, so we should all be perfectly safe," Skulduggery said as Fletcher closed his eyes and concentrated on locating the opening.

"You do realise that this is usually where everything goes horribly wrong with us?" Ghastly muttered, but only Valkyrie heard him. She laughed and Skulduggery looked back at the two of them, silencing them both. Valkyrie made a face at the back of his skull, and it was Ghastlys turn to laugh.

"Honestly! You're almost as immature as Fletcher, Valkyrie! And now it's rubbing off on Ghastly," Skulduggery said angrily, turning back to them as Fletcher yelled out "It's definitely different!"

Valkyrie and Ghastly ran up to Fletcher as he opened his eyes. Skulduggery walked up and Fletcher elaborated.

"The Faceless Ones portal felt, I don't know, kind of evil and just creepy, but this one feels kind of peaceful and, well, sort of calming. Do you sort of understand what I'm saying?"

"Not really, but I think we at least know it's not The Faceless Ones trying to get back in," Skulduggery said.

Since they had brought Skulduggery back from the Faceless Ones world, Valkyrie noticed that he went to great measures to be certain there was no reasons to worry about the Faceless Ones. It surprised her, because she realised for the first time that Skulduggery was afraid of something. But who wouldn't be with what he had gone through, she realised.

"I'll call Erskine and let him know what we found out," Ghastly said, walking away and dialling Ravels number. As he walked away there was a strange buzzing coming from behind Fletcher. Valkyrie and Skulduggery turned around to see the portal opening.

"Fletcher! What are you doing!" Valkyrie screamed, her and Skulduggery reaching him as Ghastly sprinted back towards them.

"I'm not doing anything!" He yelled back, trying in vain to be heard over the wind. They all slowly backed away together, watching in horror as the portal opened wider. Then, just as rapidly as it had started to open, the gateway began to close. Relief washed over Valkyrie, but just as the portal was almost closed there was a burst of glittering blue shone through the yellow and there was a pop as it closed. In the place of the portal was a large, blue, shimmering dragon, and on its back was a boy not much older than Fletcher.