Chapter 3 Skulduggery Pleasant Fanfiction

Hello! Again apologises for the wait, I've just been super busy with school starting back up again and everything. I would quickly like to thank all of my readers, as an aspiring author this means a great deal to me. So here are a few quick little replies to some reviews I've gotten.

DeadGirl19- Thanks so much for the constant support for this story. I admire you so much and would love some ideas for the continuation of my story.

Skyla- Thank you! I am so glad you liked it.

Berlin- I do love Harry Potter but the reference was completely accidental. Thanks so much for the review!

Lightening Sparks- Thank you! I hope this chapter satisfies.

And with a rush of wind Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Ghastly and Fletcher were all standing mere metres away from the American Sanctuary Gates. Valkyrie gasped and took a step back, it more or less looked like a prison. The fences were topped with rolls of barbed wire and the stark, grey concrete building in front of them seemed to be stripped down to the barest necessities. Skulduggery, guessing her thoughts said, "This isn't actually the Sanctuary where the Grand Mage works. This is their much older headquarters, which is now used for their holding cells."

"Must have a lot of prisoners," muttered Ghastly under his breath.

Fletcher teleported them over the fence, and the retreated to behind the bank on the other side. The walkie talkie crackled to life in Skulduggery's gloved hand, "I'll be waiting right here until I see you again, then I'll be right there to get you out." Skulduggery nodded back and turned to Valkyrie and Ghastly.

"What's the plan?" Valkyrie urged.

"Since when do we ever have a plan?" Replied Skulduggery cheekily.

And with that they turned on their heels and in the dead of night broke into the American Sanctuary prison.

They were immediately met with a pair of Cleavers, standing guard. Skulduggery and Valkyrie working together effortlessly as always, quickly dispatched the sentries. They knew they had to hurry, no doubt there would be back up here in under a minute. The cells reeked of rotting meat and sweat, the three mages searched frantically until finally in the last block of cells, behind rusted bars, looking tired and weak was Tanith. She had lost a considerable amount of weight since she had been here and judging by the cuts and bruises, she looked as though she had been tortured more than once, in a variety of ways. She had only been here a week and she looked broken.

Tanith lifted her head as Ghastly began melting the bars away. She managed a weak smile at him as he scooped her up into his strong arms. Then the inevitable happened; the Cleavers arrived. Skulduggery looked at Ghastly and Tanith. "You need to get her out of here."

"No I can stay and help, Valkyrie should take Tanith and run." Ghastly yelled over the sound of the Cleavers' boots on the floor.

"I can't carry her, I'm not strong enough! You need to get her out of here, find Fletcher and get Tanith to a hospital!" Valkyrie fired back. They stared each other down as a hoard of Cleavers rounded the corner.

"NOW!" Skulduggery screamed at Ghastly. He reluctantly started running in the opposite direction, just as the Cleavers started their attack.

Valkyrie and Skulduggery stood side by side and looked at one another. He reached for her hand and gave it one final squeeze before the onslaught started. They ducked and weaved as one, taking down one after another. Valkyrie had been backed up into a wall, surrounded by 7 Cleavers. She lashed out with her shadows, barely evading a scythe sweeping at her neck. She dropped to the floor and pushed at the air, to throw three of the Cleavers into a hoard that were attacking Skulduggery. Valkyrie jumped into the air to avoid a kick coming into from the side. Her fireballs connected with the remaining 2 Cleavers that surrounded her and set them ablaze.

Valkyrie was caught off guard when a Cleaver swung an unexpected punch, connecting with her nose. She staggered back in pain, feeling blood trickle down her face. She prayed it wasn't broken. The Cleavers saw their chance and Valkyrie was bombarded with kicks and punches. She mentally thanked Ghastly for her clothes, for possibly the 100th time in her life. If it weren't for the clothes she would have many broken bones from the force of the Cleavers.

I'm here, you can let me out. I can help. Stop the pain, kill them all.

She could hear Darquesse threaten to overcome her. The pain of the kicks was almost unbearable. Valkyrie fell to the floor and curled into a ball. She started to scream from the pain. Only stopping to suck in a breath of air, simply for it to be knocked back out of her. Begging for Darquesse not to take over.

Finally, after what seemed like hours she felt bony hands close round her shoulders, and a soft, velvety voice whispered that she was okay. Valkyrie eventually opened her eyes, to Skulduggery's face staring at her. "Let's get out of here." He said as he stroked her hair and picked her up.

"Not so fast." A voice came from the entrance of the prison. There standing, in the doorway, was Argeddion.