AN: Okay, first off I would like to apologise for the very long wait on this chapter. There have been several reasons, writer's block, getting started again with work, life in general and plot changes and alterations. However, there are going to be more regular updates from now on as we are nearing the end if I stick to plan, which hasn't happened so far as this was meant to be a fifteen chapter length story. Anyway, sorry, and I hope you enjoy this latest chapter of The Fifth Champion.

Chapter Twenty: Aftermath

It took a few hours for the Cleavers to re-take the Sanctuary. The majority of Mist's forces had fled when Skulduggery had made them aware, thanks to Mist's phone, of her capture. Some had stayed to fight but the superior training, numbers and downright ruthlessness of the Cleavers dealt with them.

Valkyrie and Skulduggery, along with Mist, Narcissa and the various other people that Valkyrie had beaten up in the other room, were escorted to a safe location by the Cleavers. The invading forces, what was left of them, were sent to holding cells, while Skulduggery and Valkyrie each had an appointment with the one of the many doctors in the main hall of the Sanctuary. Nye's lab had yet to be re-taken and Skulduggery wanted to avoid the creature as much as he physically could.

Valkyrie was sitting on a make-shift hospital bed, though it was more like two old and very battered storage containers that had been in one of the rooms off the main hall. The red-haired doctor with the cold blue eyes was tending to Valkyrie's wound. Her face appeared, to Valkyrie, completely incapable of smiling, even if it had wanted to.

"There," she said, cutting the magical threat that she had been using to sow up Valkyrie's now closed wound. "That should be sufficient, providing that you do not engage in any strenuous activities. If you do, I will not be responsible for the consequences, do I make myself clear?"

Valkyrie nodded, though when the doctor had turned instantly glared. She didn't like this new doctor. But it wasn't exactly as if the Sanctuary didn't need to talented doctors. War was coming. Nye wouldn't be able to cope on its own. No matter how much it told everyone that it could. The plain truth was that there were going to be casualties. It wasn't going to be pretty. They needed someone. Valkyrie had just hoped they might have picked someone capable of being a bit more cheerful.

Ghastly had head-hunted the new doctor, Anastasia Wise, from America, having worked with her during the war. She had briefly worked for the American Sanctuary but had resigned after a few years as leading doctor. No-one knew why. After that she had worked for a wide-range of private companies. She still would have been if Ghastly hadn't called her. Apparently Dr Wise had worked with the Dead Men quite closely and had patched them up, from what Valkyrie had heard, more than a few times.

"Then you are free to go," the doctor told Valkyrie, setting down her needle on the silver tray. It sat on a moveable trolley and was wheeled around by the red-haired woman before she turned to Valkyrie once more. "Detective Pleasant is awaiting your arrival in Interrogation Room One. Elder Bespoke informed me that you are required to assist in the interviewing of the suspects that you and Detective Pleasant apprehended."

She didn't wait for a response and strode off before Valkyrie could say anything. Her glare back on her face, Valkyrie slid off the make-shift bed, her coat in hand. She slipped it back on as she passed a bearded man that she didn't know. There were a lot of people that Valkyrie didn't know bustling about the Sanctuary. They had all been cleared by either Ravel or Ghastly but that still didn't stop her feeling uneasy. They had, after all, just been attacked. Strangers were not what she wanted to see.

Skulduggery and Ghastly were indeed waiting for her when she arrived at the interrogation rooms five minutes later. Ghastly was flanked by two Cleavers and flicking through a heavy file with Madam Mist's name in dark ink written on the front. Skulduggery was leaning against one of the walls, his phone in his hand, his head cocked at an angle.

"How're you feeling?" Ghastly asked when she had passed his Cleaver protection detail. They really didn't have knack for blending in. But that, Valkyrie supposed, was probably the point. They had to show the Elders were protected, especially now.

"I'm fine," Valkyrie said. "Although, I don't really like that new doctor much."

"Ana?"

"She gives me the creeps," Valkyrie told him, ignoring the fact that Ghastly was on first name terms with the woman who looked incapable of having friends. "I mean, people thought Kenspeckle had a bad bedside manner but she's something else."

"She's the best."

"She's creepy."

"Sometimes the two can go hand in hand." Ghastly said with a small shrug. "I'm sure you'll like her when you get to know her."

"Maybe."

"She did a good job patching you up," Ghastly pointed out. "I doubt if Nye could have done any better. Wounds caused by those scythes are notoriously difficult to heal. You really should be more careful, you know."

"We were under attack at the time," Valkyrie countered, scowling. "Besides, I didn't exactly plan on getting attacked by the White Cleaver. It wasn't the sort of thing I planned on doing when we came here."

"People rarely do plan on being attacked by a Cleaver, Valkyrie." Skulduggery interjected, joining them as he slipped away his phone. "Speaking of your new found friend, Ravel wants to know what you plan on doing with it. So far it seems docile enough but we all know how dangerous it can be."

"You think we should lock it up?" Valkyrie asked, arching an eyebrow. She hadn't given the White Cleaver much thought. There had been other things at the forefront of her mind. Mist for one and Tanith's condition for another. The White Cleaver hadn't entered her thoughts since she and Skulduggery had talked about it. But now, as her thoughts focused on the Cleaver that had once been her enemy, she was conflicted.

Part of her wanted to see it suffer for what it had done, to her, to Tanith and Skulduggery and all those other people while Serpine and the Necromancers had controlled it. But she knew that it hadn't been the Cleaver's choice. It was a soldier, under orders. It hadn't chosen to hurt her. It had been ordered, controlled, and now she was holding the leash.

"I'm not opposed to the idea." Skulduggery answered, his voice a little cold. "But it's your choice. You could order it to stay here. Join the other Cleavers. You can't take it to Hogwarts, though, it'd be too dangerous. But you could lose the link if it stays. It'd be safer in a cell."

"But with the Sanctuary in the state that it is," Ghastly began passing the folder he had been holding back to the Cleaver behind him. "We could use someone like the White Cleaver. It was one of our best, it could be again."

Valkyrie didn't say anything, her thoughts falling over each other in her mind. Skulduggery had a point, the Cleaver was dangerous. It had killed Sanctuary agents, almost killed Tanith more than once and had left Valkyrie with her fair share of wounds. The feelings of anger and hatred that had built up inside her after every conflict with the Cleaver told her to lock it up and throw away the key. But something else, deeper inside, that remembered when it had been on their side. It had saved Tanith from Murder Rose all those years ago. It was as lethal an ally as it was an enemy. Ghastly was right. They needed all the help they could get. But that didn't stop her feeling uneasy and uncomfortable. It went against everything she felt when she looked at that Cleaver and remembered all the horrors it had committed, under orders, but it had still done the acts.

"We keep it," Valkyrie said after a long moment. She may not like it but Ghastly was right. "It can guard Mist while we're gone, make sure no-one gets to her like they did with Nocturnal. She's not going to be alone in this."

"No," Skulduggery agreed. "Whoever her co-conspirators are they're going want to make sure she can't tell us anything. Not that she's been co-operative so far."

"We're trying everything we can," Ghastly continued. "But either she won't give up who she worked with or she can't. It's too ealy to tell whether she's been dazzled but we're calling in Cassandra, just to make sure. If there's been any tampering then Cassandra will know. But whether she tells us anything or not we were able to get some promising leads off the evidence China gave you."

"Mist underestimated how far China was willing to dig," Skulduggery said. "We've got the names of three other sorcerers, we're tracking them down now."

"So what do you want me for?" Valkyrie asked, leaning against the wall, her arms folded. "Mist's not going to talk unless we can pressure her and without those witnesses we've got barely anything."

"Malfoy." Ghastly answered. "You're going to be running point."

"Why me?"

"You're more than qualified and you've seen others do it. In fact you're probably in a better position to do it than any other Detective, apart from myself, to do it. I'd say it's about time." Skulduggery told her.

"No, I know all that." Valkyrie said with a faint grin. She had never led an investigation before. Though she'd been involved in plenty she had never been the only interrorgating detective. Skulduggery had been with her or Ghastly when Skulduggery had been ripped through the portal. She had never been alone. She knew she could do it. Of course she could. She was a detective in her own right after all. That wasn't the problem. It was just that the idea struck as completely alien. "But why aren't you doing it?"

"I've got to co-ordinate the searches." Skulduggery said almost sulkily. He didn't like not being involved and judging by the look on Ghastly's face it hadn't been out of choice. Skulduggery had been pulled off the case. Whether it was because of how he had reacted to Mist Valkyrie didn't know. Although, that was what she suspected. "Besides, you'll be able to get under her skin more than I could. She hates you."

"Glad I made such a good impression." Valkyrie muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"But we use that," Ghastly said, continuing from where Skulduggery had left off. "We need to find out what she knows and who else knows about us. If that Dark Lord of hers had anything to do with it we need to know."

"Make her angry, get her to slip up and then find out what she knows. Simple."

"She's in there." Skulduggery said, nodding towards the closed door to his right. Interview room two. Mist was probably in the other, no doubt still be questioned, not that it would do any good but they had to try. It might work if she was anyone else. But she wasn't. Mist was cunning, selfish and above all believed absolutely in what she was doing.

"Wish me luck." Valkyrie grinned before stepping forwards and opening the door.

Narcissa Malfoy was shackled to the chair with her back to the door. There was a table sitting lengthways before her and against the wall. Her pale hands rested on the edge of the table and she refused to look round, to crane her neck as Valkyrie entered. Valkyrie let the smile fade from her face before she stepped around and into view.

"Cain," Valkyrie's chosen last name escaping the female Malfoy's lips. The hatred and loathing in that voice was clear, almost palpable. Valkyrie took her seat, part of her wishing that she had a file to throw onto the table for effect. Although, that just looked like a trick, part of a game, and Valkyrie was tired of playing games. All the secrets and the lies. All woven in an intricate web designed to trap her in this little game she had been forced to play. But now they were on her terms.

"Mrs Malfoy," Valkyrie said, her dark eyes meeting Narcissa's icy blue ones. "I'm guessing you know why you're here?"

"I do."

"I've got to tell you," Valkyrie continued. "It's not looking good. Breaking and entering, trespassing and assault of a Sanctuary Agent. You're going to be locked away for a very long time for what you did. Did you really think that this was worth it?"

"Yes," Narcissa answered, glaring at Valkyrie from across the table. "You took my husband away from me. My son has lost his father. All because you were looking for someone but your precious little friend to blame."

"Your husband confessed. I can get the statement if you want?" Valkyrie asked, arching an eyebrow. "No? Well, let me give you the edited highlights. Your husband was ordered by one of your Dark Lord's little psycho's to come after me. Did he send you too? Did you come to finish the job your husband couldn't manage?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? I think you do. I think he came knocking on your door in the middle of the night reminding you of the debt your family still owes to Voldemort."

Narcissa flinched but Valkyrie ignored her. She just waited for the response. Her theory did make sense, someone had been sent by Voldemort to kill her last time, Mrs Malfoy was probably picking up from where he left off. Looking for revenge or just out of sheer spite it didn't matter. Someone had given her the opportunity, pushed her in the right direction. This wasn't a plan she would have come up with alone. There were too many unknowns. The Sanctuary, its location, the potential uprising. There was no way Narcissa would have known about them without someone spilling the details.

"Even if that were true, why would I tell you?"

"Because if you don't you're going to be locked up for a very long time." Valkyrie told her. "Is that what you want? To be locked away for all those years with no-one to look out for you. You'll have nothing but four walls to stare at. Unless you help us. If you don't, by the time you come out I doubt even your own son will recognise you."

Narcissa's jaw visibly clenched, her hands balling into fists and that ice cold glare intensifying. There it was. That snap second of reaction at the mention of him before her icy mask fell back on her face was enough for Valkyrie. It was her weak spot, the one thing that, more than anything, would push the woman to her limits. Draco. Precious, spoilt little Draco.

"What do you think will happen to him?" Valkyrie asked. "With you and Lucius in prison how long do you think he'll cope? A month? A year? Did you even think about him before you came after me?"

"You don't understand!" Narcissa yelled, hurt filling her voice. Valkyrie almost felt sorry for her. If Narcissa was anyone else then Valkyrie was sure that she would have. As it was all she could think about was the curse that the Death Eater's wife had almost flung her way. An unforgivable. It was called that for a reason. You didn't just forgive someone for it. But that didn't stop a part of her hating the words that fell from her mouth. But she had to say them. Even they weren't true. It pushed Narcissa and she was all they had. The only link. A link that needed to be broken. "I didn't have a choice!"

"Why not, Narcissa? Why risk everything? Why risk losing your son?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why? What's worth sacrificing him?"

"I can't..."

"You don't owe them anything. So why protect them? Your husband tried. Look what happened to him. Help us, Narcissa and we'll help you. But you've got to give us something."

There was silence for a moment. Valkyrie's words hung in the air as Narcissa stared at her, making up her mind. Choosing between her son and her allies. Lucius would have stayed silent, it had taken longer to break him, to paint the picture that he was going to suffer unimaginably if he didn't help. But Narcissa was different. She wasn't entirely selfish. She wasn't a Death Eater. She wasn't her husband.

"Promise me you'll keep him safe." Narcissa said, the words cascading from her mouth. "Please. He's just a boy. Don't let them punish him for my mistakes."

"I won't." Valkyrie told her, staring at Narcissa, the sudden change in her demeanour was almost overwhelming. The mask had vanished. The contempt and loathing gone, abandoned as she faced the realisation that she couldn't protect her son. Not from a jail cell. "I promise. So, what's all this is about, Narcissa? Why did you really come here?"

Narcissa closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath, her chest rising as she opened her eyes to look at Valkyrie. "You. The Dark Lord, he wants you dead. He sent his servant. Kill the girl and wipe away the debt. That's what he told me to do before he started to threaten my son. He would have killed him. So, I agreed and he put in contact with that woman."

"Mist?"

"Yes. She didn't tell me the whole plan. She barely told me anything other than that you would be here. I came in with the others. I knew you and the skeleton would be together. When I couldn't find you I went for him with the others."

"Others? More than the ones I arrested you with?" There was a nod. "Could you identify them?"

"Yes." Narcissa said. That was something at least. There had been more than a few mages and warlocks that had fled the Sanctuary when their leader had fallen. With any luck Narcissa could go a long in helping round up what was left of the fighting force. It was a long shot but it could pay off. It was worth a try.

"Who was the man? The servant who came to see you?" Valkyrie asked going back to what Narcissa had said earlier. Lucius Malfoy had mentioned a servant, just as his wife had. It was probably the same man. There weren't too many active Death Eaters left. From what she and Skulduggery had been able to find out the remaining Death Eaters had fled when Voldemort had died.

"I don't know." Narcissa answered. "He used Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself. But I knew it was him. The one who came for Lucius."

"Was there anything else? Did he say anything, maybe? Something he shouldn't have."

"There was something." Narcissa began, an uncertain undercurrent in her voice as her eyebrows furrowed. "A man. Another man. I can't remember what he looked like but he told me not to come here. He found me in Dublin, told me I was making a mistake."

"You're sure you don't remember anything about what he looked like?" Valkyrie demanded. Their one potential lead about a co-conspirator and Narcissa couldn't even describe him. Valkyrie had to concentrate hard on not losing what remained of her temper. Narcissa was telling them nothing new. Just confirming suspicions and theories. Nothing more. Nothing concrete. "Was he short and fat? Skinny and tall? Pale? Tanned? Brown hair? White hair? Anything."

"His eyes," Narcissa answered after a long moment. "I remember his eyes. They were golden. He was a man with golden eyes."