No one really knew why the hotel had been detoured to CHB. There were many theories but in the end, no one had any idea what had prompted the gods to do such a thing. Symphony for one was glad that she didn't need to hide her family any longer. A few months later, Symphony was relaxing in the park with Percy and Annabeth when her phone rang. Due to her numerous connections, Symphony had a monster impervious phone, however because she was one of the few demigods who did, her phone was reserved for her contacts in the sorcerer world. She frowned at the unknown number but answered anyway.
"Hello Symphony," China's voice made Symphony furrow her brow.
"How the hell do you have this number?" Symphony asked, her voice as cold as ice. Percy and Annabeth frowned.
"It doesn't matter," China replied with her usual tone.
"So what matters more?" Symphony asked, "Look, we are not friends, I highly doubt you even consider Val or Skul friends. So you have a reason. Spit it out or leave me alone." Symphony didn't even try to hide the malice in her voice.
"Very well, no need to get testy," China purred but then her tone changed. It almost sounded like concern.
"I regret to inform you that the rest of your little detective agency has… vanished," Symphony froze and nearly missed the tell-tale beep, beep, beep of the caller disconnecting. Her hand dropped to her side, her expression blank. Percy and Annabeth walked over and asked what was wrong.
"The Arbiters, they've disappeared," was the only thing Symphony managed.
Billy-Ray Sanguine was having a decent day until Symphony Night dropped water on his head. He didn't know how she found him but clearly, it had something to do with her amazing abilities. And apparently, her idea of getting his attention was dropping water on his head and letting his prey get away.
"Aww, c'mon princess, I was just having some innocent fun!" Symphony raised an eyebrow, "Lucky for you, I'm not here to arrest you. I'm here to cash in on that favour you owe me from Manhattan," it was Sanguine's turn to raise an eyebrow. Then it hit him. The Arbiters. Symphony was searching for her team.
"You came to the right guy, doll," he told her, "I know where your team is,"
"I know you know," Symphony said unimpressed, "I read your mind before I stopped you from killing that poor man," she said this like someone might say: "I borrowed something from a friend," Billy-Ray's face fell.
"Then what on earth do you need my help for?" he asked, exasperated.
"I need you to help me save them," Symphony had started towards the exit. Sanguine sighed and followed. Sometimes he hated being so damn honourable.
A little later they were standing in front of Serpine's old castle.
"Why can't people leave this place alone?" Symphony complained as the two scaled the walls. Billy-Ray didn't answer. The truth is he didn't know. He didn't understand what villains liked about castles either. The fact that the kidnappers had settled in this place had one advantage, however. Sanguine had spent quite a while in this place when his father and he had planned their little revengers club and so he knew the place like the back of his hand. He and Symphony snuck in past the guards undetected but as they travelled deeper into the dungeons they knew they couldn't fight or sneak their way out the way they came. And that meant Sanguine had to burrow the Arbiters out two at a time. They would need a distraction. They were trying to construct a plan in harsh whispers when they heard shouts. Immediately they changed direction towards the commotion. When they arrived, they saw a strongly built man exiting a cell, laughing. Symphony's fists clenched and she took out her daggers.
"Go, I'll distract him," she told Sanguine. He didn't argue and in seconds he was gone. Symphony let her fury build up as she stepped out of the shadows and faced the tall man. Pain, his name was. During the war, he was Malevolent's top torturer. He had tortured many, Erskine Ravel among them. Symphony would know; she was the one who had rescued him. The sight of Ravel beaten and broken would haunt her for the rest of her days. She was shorter than him but she stood tall and proud. He stopped then laughed.
"So, yet again Symphony Night is here to rescue her friends. But you will fail this time. I have learnt from my mistakes,"
"Unlikely," Symphony told him, icy cold. She grinned then lowered into a fighting stance. She took a moment then smirked. Tanith was going to kill her but it felt like the right thing to say:
"Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough," she taunted and Pain lunged.
Hopeless leaned against his friend's shaking form as he tried to reassure Ravel with his hands quite literally tied behind his back. Seeing Pain had not been good for Ravel. He was shaking, with tears falling down his cheeks; clearly reliving those horrible months of physical and mental torture. Hopeless was letting Ravel lean on his body and was whispering words on encouragement while Skulduggery was glaring at the door as if he could beat up Pain by sheer force of will. Then they heard Pain laugh, "So, yet again Symphony Night is here to rescue her friends. But you will fail this time. I have learnt from my mistakes," The arbiters looked at each other in shock. Symphony? There was worry too though; how on earth was Symphony supposed to save them all? It sounded like she was alone. Then they heard her.
"Unlikely," her tone was icy, anger clear in her voice. After a few seconds, they heard her again but her tone had changed. It was mocking and they could tell she was smirking.
"Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough," she taunted and they could hear Pain lunging at her, the sounds of battle. Tanith looked outraged.
"She used my bloody catchphrase!" Tanith tried to sound outraged but her voice betrayed her elation. Just then they saw cracks in the ground and Billy-Ray Sanguine emerged from the floor, sunglasses on his eye-sockets and a smile on his lips.
"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of the Arbiter corps. As much as you want to arrest me and I want to kill some of you," he sent a glare Valkyrie's way, "I come to help you in your current situation," He smiled.
"Why should we trust you?" Skulduggery asked.
"A very good question! You can trust me because I am a man of my word and of honour and I am in debt to that young girl fighting outside. Now if you don't mind we'd better get on with this; Symphony ain't gonna last forever." With that Sanguine kneeled forward to take Skulduggery and Valkyrie but Skulduggery stopped him.
"Take Ravel and Hopeless first," he said, nodding in the direction of the two men. Sanguine nodded and disappeared with the two. Within a few minutes, all the prisons were free outside the castle walls.
"Wait for a second," Sanguine told them, "I'm going back for your princess."
Symphony was holding her own very well but she was getting tired. Thankfully, Pain had stopped his minions from attacking her as well, so assured he was of his victory. Symphony was a demon with her daggers. She twirled and weaved and made non-lethal jabs. She could have ended the fight a long time ago but that was not the point. She was a distraction. Just as she was tiring she saw the telltale cracks beneath her feet. She moved and let Sanguine appear next to her.
"Ready to go?" He asked, grabbing her arm. She gently pushed him off and turned to Pain. She had one more thing to do before she could leave this place. She took a deep breath and let a torrent of her power towards Pain. Then she and Sanguine were gone, leaving to join the rest of the Arbiters outside.
