Welcome to Dead Men's Truth. Read on to find out everything. Read on and enjoy. And don't forget to review. I want to know what all of you think about it...

Disclaimer (for whole story): I do not own any of the characters, such as Skulduggery Pleasant, Valkyrie Cain, Tanith Low, etc. Any similarities to events or people (alive, deceased or fictional) are purely accidental/coincidental. I do, however, get to own any other character that have never before appeared in any of the books written by Derek Landy, unless stated otherwise.

Love: your favourite llama that writes.

1

Dark Secrets

"I know what they aren't telling us." Valkyrie frowned mentally, then struggled awake. Skulduggery Pleasant glanced at her, face white underneath his hat, then back at the man standing in front of her. Her powers were bound, she noted, seeing the shackles around her wrists. Her shoulder hurt. "I know their secrets. I know the dark truths they are keeping from everyone."

Valkyrie's eyes widened when she realised what he was talking about. She looked at Skulduggery, who was watching the man, head tilted.

"You're going to let Valkyrie go." She hadn't noticed Scrutinious, sweating beading his face. And Ravel and Ghastly stood with Skulduggery.

The man shook his head. "No. That's not going to work on me. I need to save everyone." He turned, pointed a gun into her face. "It was too late to save everyone from him, but it's not too late to save us now."

"We don't what you mean, but maybe we can talk this out without anyone getting hurt," Scrutinious suggested.

"I don't want to die," the man said, crying now.

"No one has to die here."

"I couldn't save us when he turned into Vile, but I can stop her from turning in Darquesse." He shifted the gun, then shook his head. "I don't want to die," he repeated, then pressed the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger. Everyone flinched, and Valkyrie looked away, feeling sick. Her head swam, and the silence in the room was starting to get uncomfotable.

She looked up slowly. Ghastly, Ravel and Scrutinious stared at her in shock. "What did he mean, turn into Darquesse?" Ravel asked, face pale.

"I can explain," she started to say. "I'm sorry. We've been trying to change since we found out about it." She was crying now. "I don't want to kill everyone."

Ghastly turned to Skulduggery, and when he spoke, his voice was hollow. "You were Lord Vile?" When Skulduggery didn't answer, he continued. "You were the one that killed my mother?"

Skulduggery looked up slowly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I'm sorry that you found out this way."

"He was telling the truth?" Ravel looked pleadingly at Scrutinious, who nodded unhappily.

"I didn't feel anything strange when he said it."

"I've spent my life trying to make up for the mistakes I made, but I can't. The things I did, they were terrible. Too bad for anyone to make up for. But I still try. And I will continue to try."

"Skulduggery. We may have to arrest you," Ravel said.

"What, no!" Valkyrie shouted, getting to her feet. Skulduggery held his hands out. "You can't. He isn't Vile. Vile is a different person. When he puts the armour on, he isn't Skulduggery anymore." She looked to Ghastly to help, who turned and walked away.

Ravel looked at her. "What do you mean, puts the armour on?" Ravel paled even more. "That's how you defeated Melancholia. You didn't stop her as you. You stopped her as Lord Vile. You tore up O'Connell Street, didn't you?"

"I had to. The only way to defeat Melancholia was too become Vile, and the way to defeat Vile was for me to become-" Valkyrie broke off and swallowed thickly.

Ravel moaned. "But that's the only time you've used them, yes?"

Valkyrie hesitated. "No," she admitted. "We had to use them to defeat Arggedion and Kitana and her friends."

Ravel moaned again.

"I want you to hep Valkyrie, if I can't. Don't let her become Darquesse. Find a way to save her," Skulduggery said to Ravel, ignoring her. "For old times sakes."

"For old times sakes," Ravel repeated, then nodded. "Ok. We'll help her."

Valkyrie felt sick. They had taken the shackles off and let her go home. Nodoubt htey were organising a look out, or a small group of mages to watch her, make sure she didn't become Darquesse.

The house was dark and quiet. Her family was out. She was glad about that, at least. She didn't want them to worry. Her phone sat beside her. She had formed a plan to get Skulduggery back from the Faceless Ones, and she needed another plan. She picked up the phone and dialled. When the person on the other line picked up, she swallowed.

"Tanith, it's me. I need your help."

And there you go. It isn't overly funny, but review and tell me if you liked it, loved it, hated it, meh'd it. The next chapters will hopefully be better.