Dark Days – Possible Interpretation

Chapter 1

Tricks Blaisé had been alone for a very long time. So long, in fact, she had almost forgotten what her own voice sounded like. Well, almost. It seemed that shouting at the Faceless Ones whilst fighting upped her spirits, so she did. In whatever language she could remember, not quite sure if it was Elvish, Irish or English anymore. She had always assumed that her existence was to stop the Faceless Ones, but after the first five centuries stuck in that god forsaken dimension, she had started to have her doubts. They told her it wasn't permanent, and even to this day, she could not recall who this 'they' were or whether it was a promise or an estimate. Or, maybe she did know, but they had left her so long in the drought wrought dimension she had begun to fuddle with her own mind and had simply forgotten.

It wasn't until the thousand year mark that things began to get interesting. She began to notice a change in the Faceless ones, a restlessness, and whisper from their inhumane throats, gathering strength through the wind that whipped around Tricks' half shaven violet hair. Darquesse. Tricks had no idea what it meant, of course. It was just another word. Still, she was wary. The Faceless Ones…well, they weren't exactly the talkative type. Soon after the whispering began, the event happened. The unthinkable occurred and the portal to the real world opened.

Sadly, after all that time of waiting and fighting and surviving, Tricks was on the other side of the dimension, fighting a hoard of Faceless Ones when it opened. The ground shook, the dust rose into racing clouds, and the next thing she knew, the hoard she was fighting had completely forgotten about the Electromancer at their feet, and had stomped off towards the other side of the plain, leaving Tricks in a coughing fir, trying to catch up with the giants. She watched as three climbed through the portal, and glared. No. This was her ticket out of hell. No way were they going to steal it without her doing anything about it.

She banged her still-shiny metal shaft on the ground, making the amethyst at it's head glow a blinding white-pink. Whipping it around by her side, she collected herself, gathering energy, and let it blow at the nearest Faceless One. It turned away from the portal, blocking the way for the others, and let loose an earth shaking roar that reverberated around the wrecked imitation of a desert. The other Faceless Ones, followed the direction of the roar from the first, and let loose similar noises. Tricks paled; there were more Faceless Ones advancing on her than she had ever fought before. She held her staff even more tightly, her charms attached to her leather belt clinking in the wind created by the Faceless Ones' roar. This was going to be messy.

The fight was messy, and she was right. How long it lasted, Tricks wasn't quite sure, but long enough to exhaust an Electromancer who didn't even require sleep. Cuts, bruises, three splits in her lip and her arm almost getting crushed later, the Faceless Ones lost interest, and turned back to the portal. Tricks staggered to her feet from where she had been lying in the dirt. She had seen, out of the corner of her eye, one of the three escaped Faceless Ones returning through the portal, but the other two? She had to stall…if only she wasn't so tired and her legs didn't feel like jelly and – that's when another Faceless One staggered through the portal, clutching in it's organs/tentacles something. Tricks scrambled up. Wait…was that? No. That could not be…but it was. The Faceless One had dragged Skulduggery Pleasant through the portal. And that was when the portal decided to close.

The Faceless ones were immediately drawn to Skulduggery like moths to a flame; the first new prey in millennia. Tricks stood, gawping like a fish at the skeleton detective. Impossible, she thought, just impossible. The shock of another human being – or something similar – had frozen her, legs attached to the ground it seemed. And suddenly, Skulduggery was off, running for his parody of a life, with the major Faceless One population pelting after him , their footsteps echoing all around. Tricks slapped herself; winced, and popped her arm socket back into place. Her cuts had already healed themselves, but bruises would form and ache later. Taking and deep breath, she started to run/limp towards where Skulduggery had escaped to. If he was going to survive in this dimension, he would need her help.

Tricks protected Skulduggery for a year, without him knowing of her existence. A helpful sun ray cast on a certain sharp stone, a path of large footprints leading away from a wrecked imitation of a farmhouse, she tried to assist him in whatever way she could. Skulduggery was suspicious, of course, but all these hints had been nothing but good fortune for him, so he took them with gratefulness.

Tricks was sitting down in another rubble reduced building, attempting to relax when it happened again. The shaking; the dust flying into the air; the sky seemingly brightening for a few seconds and a peculiar popping in her ears. The portal had opened again, and this time, Tricks was NOT going to miss her chance of escape. Her feet pounding the dusty ground, and staff clutched in her sweaty right palm, she was heading for where she felt was most disturbed in the desert prison. Wiping her dust-laden hair out of her face, Tricks reached the portal, but skidded to a halt. What about Skulduggery? She reasoned whoever opened the portal had come to rescue him, so they would close it and everything would be alright. Right? She had guarded the Faceless Ones too long, and she wanted her freedom.

The air smelt like…life. It was green and blue the colours blinded Tricks. No yellow, just azure and emerald and that smell. The smell that promised freedom and normality and everything poor, lonely Tricks had longed for during her imprisonment, as, that was how she came to see it. Her own humility and self-sacrifice had been taken advantage of. Her willingness to protect and her undying belief that her status as a 'Pure' one, with her eyes, she could've been immortalized in memories forever. Tricks assumed that was the complete opposite. She spied a small forest at the corner of what she remember to be a field. Strange, she thought dryly to herself, they choose to come back for Skulduggery, yet not me.

Tricks met the thicket of trees, and climbed in, enjoying the feeling of the dey-moist leaves on her skin, reminding her of her mother's herbal tea recipes from when she was a child. There was a crack from the portal behind her, causing her to snap her head around and get into a fighting stance behind the bush, her staff in hand, looking ready to slice someone to bits. It was Skulduggery, and a girl that Tricks did not recognise, tumbling through the portal, that slammed shut behind them.

"Well then…" Skulduggery began, "You came back?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Of course. What would the Sanctuary do without you Skulduggery?"

The skeleton gave a chuckle. "Not to mention you?"

"Maybe."

Skulduggery looked around, and cleared his non-existent throat. "Now, my dear Valkyrie, you may enquire unto the nature of my survival, though I am sorry to disappoint, but I am not quite sure of it myself…"

"Really? You have NO idea why you're alive?"

"Well, I didn't say that…" said Skulduggery, drifting off, "I have SOME idea; I always do. But this is a simple hunch, and I am not so sure this theory means anything."

"Shut up, Skulduggery. Just tell me what kept you alive." Tricks began to rise from her hiding place, with the girl named Valkyrie's back to her and made sure Skulduggery saw her.

"Well…I suppose I am now 100% sure of what saved me. And," he cocked his head to Valkyrie, "It is a WHO, my dear Valkyrie, not a what. I do believe we should ask her herself on the grounds of her protection of me."

Tricks began to walk forward from the bushes, staff in hand. It suddenly hit her; it was cold….no, not cold, FREEZING. The heat of the desert prison must have done something to her heat levels, for now she was shivering whilst she walked. Skulduggery gestured for Valkyrie to turn, and when she saw Tricks' face, she had soon whipped a bunch of Necromancy shadows into Tricks, sending her flying backwards into a tree.

English, Tricks thought, rubbing her head from the bang, Must speak in English. "Good morrow, Miss Valkyrie." Tricks got to her feet, and gave a low bow, "Yes, I am the being responsible for your friend Skulduggery's survival. My name is Tricks Blaisé, it my pleasure to make you acquaintance. And to you, Skulduggery, I say it is good to speak to another soul. I rather missed the sound of my own voice."

Skulduggery chuckled. "As you would, Tricks. I must say, I am grateful for your protection of me, but I am surprised you survived in there as long as you did."

"I suppose everyone is. They never sent anyone to rescue ME."

Valkyrie exchanged confused between Skulduggery and Tricks. "Wait…you guys know each other? Wait, lemme guess; war allies?" Tricks nodded. She gave Tricks yet another strange look, "But I thought even if you used magic you aged? You…look like a teenager."

Tricks chuckled, "Valkyrie, that is just whence using average elemental and adept magic. Necromancy and Electromancy have a far more…potent effect on your age." Tricks frowned at the ring on Valkyrie's finger; it radiated Necromancy, "I take it you are a Necromancer? Shame. I am not such a fan of working with Necromancers, as I do control the opposite power." Valkyrie gave Tricks a blank look. "Electromancy? Haven't you ever heard of it?" She shook her head, and Tricks sighed, her shoulders drooping. "I always assumed this day would come. Electromancy was dying out when I was imprisoned in that dimension…I suppose it was inevitable."

Valkyrie looked to Skulduggery. "Imprisoned? Why would anyone even want to do that to someone?"

"As a sacrifice." Tricks butted in, "It was my own fault, and I volunteered. I have these eyes; you see…eyes with the ability to see the best in anything. 'Anything' extending to the Faceless Ones, giving me the ability to gaze upon them with no adverse effects."

Valkyrie frowned. "How long have you been stuck in there?"

"Long enough."

"How long?"

"You really wish to know? At least a millennium. The Sanctuary forgot about me. There were more important things to do than release a self-sacrificing Electromancer."

Suddenly, there was a pop. A boy, about Valkyrie's age, stood next to her, holding her protectively. Tricks cocked her head to the side and stared at him. "What you looking at, freak?" He growled gruffly, as Valkyrie pushed him aside.

Tricks glared at him. "Have you never seen an elf before, insolent young boy?"

"No."

Tricks sighed. "Well, I have never seen someone with such ridiculous looking hair. Quite impractical."

Skulduggery chuckled hoarsely, gazing at Tricks and the boy. "Now children; play nicely. Tricks Blaisé, may I introduce the last Teleporter, Fletcher Renn. And Fletcher Renn, may I introduce Tricks Blaisé, the last Electromancer in existence."

Tricks froze; her heart beating double pace, and Skulduggery realised what he had said. "Do you…" she whispered, "Actually mean that? That I'm all alone?"

"Well," Skulduggery cleared his throat, trying to avoid the subject, "No tests have been taken but it might be possible to believe that -"

Tricks held out her hand to silence him. "Enough. I want to hear the Grand Elder's view on this. I want to find out where the Electromancers are. Take me to the Sanctuary."

Valkyrie handed Skulduggery his hat, and he adjusted it on his head accordingly, sighing. "Very well. Fletcher?"

There was a pop, and the field was empty again, no sign on the elf or her acquaintances. Just a lonely wind blowing across the deep green grass, that seemed to whisper Darquesse as it passed.

A shadowy figured situated in the remains on the burnt down farmhouse in the corner of the field turned on a walkie-talkie.

"This is Blood Rain, repeat, this is Blood Rain, do you read me, Captain? Do you read me? Over."

"Receiving, Blood Rain. Objective? Over."

"Locate Electromancer and destroy. Over."

"Correct, Blood Rain. Good Luck. Over."

The walkie-talkie was stowed in a bag, and the user smiled. I won't be needing luck, they thought, as the darkness engulfed them and their belongings, leaving nothing but a target identification sheet, with an old painting inside it of a young purple haired elfin maid by the name of Tricks Blaisé.