This is Darquesse POV and inspired by the #darquesseiscoming art stuff if you got the email...also Happy Birthday Cormac (23rd August)

I wait, eyes scanning the room until I see it. The Mirror. The symbol. If I made the reflection come out, would she recognise me straight away? Would she just think I was Valkyrie? I consider this for a few minutes until I hear footsteps on the stairs and I jump. The bedroom door opens and Melissa Edgely walks in.

"Hey, Steph." she says then looks at me with a strange frown. "You look different today." I scowl and panic until she adds, "Have you done something with your hair?"

"No!" I say quickly. "Different clothes. I bought these with some friends today."

"What about school?"

"I...it was after school." I say. Melissa smiles at me and puts my washing down. She says something else then walks out but I don't hear her. I am focused on that mirror. The Reflection has the Sceptre. I deserve that damn weapon. She needs to give it up! I don't care what happens to her family with her disappearance. I need that weapon.

I hear a car pull out of the drive so I assume that Melissa has gone with Alice. I don't hear the usual gurgling that signals Alice's presence so I relax and sit back on the bed.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." I say after a moment's silence. The reflection crawls out from underneath the bed, holding her phone.

"I've texted Skulduggery and he'll be here in five minutes."

"Are you meant to be delaying me?" I raise an eyebrow and Stephanie pauses.

"Yes."

"Oh, Stephanie. Did you not know? I am a murderous psychopath that, sometime in the future, will murder all your family and the world. I don't know why. I like the world. It's fun. Can't torture people if they're dead. Who can I use my powers on?" I say. Stephanie gulps.

I step forward, hoping that I look calm. "Maybe you should tell me one thing before you die. Where is the sceptre, Stephanie?"

Stephanie steps back. "I am not going to die. I am not going to die. I am not-"

I kill her. I don't care how. I don't think about the consequences, about the oncoming cavalry, I just kill her. I laugh and throw her body on the floor. Let her family find it. Let them mourn and weep. Stephanie cannot be revived. The problems of mortality.

I get the phone from her cold dead hand and look at the message she never sent to Skulduggery. It's typed up and finished but never sent. It's kind of sad really. In a pathetic way. I laugh and press send anyway. He will get here and find her body. He'll probably dispose of it, the usual way. In his place.

Darquesse is here! She is coming to get me! Get here now! in house! Stephanie

I wait for it to send then throw the phone on the bed. Let him decide if she sent the message or I did. It's all fun and games. To me, anyway. What do I care about a mortal's last actions or words?

I am not going to die. she said. Well that was a lie. And she died. I grin and shadow-walk to the beach. No one is around and I walk to the water edge. Someone is behind me. They are watching. Good. I am in the mood for a fight.

"I know you are there," I say without turning round. A man comes into my line of view. Another mortal. They are everywhere, really, it's disgusting. They are so vulnerable and weak.

"Who are you? You came here in a shadow."

I laugh and kill him too.

I look at the dead body and smile.

This is why I am destined to destroy the world. It is fun.

I am coming.