Requiem: Chapter Twenty One...Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed and favourited this fic, I appreciate it so much! Here's the next chapter :)
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"Funny," Skulduggery said, cocking his head. "You're the last person I wanted to see."
"Is it really a good idea to taunt the man that can force you to open that box?"
"It's about as good an idea as you taunting the person that's going to arrest you and throw you back in the Gaol." Requiem threw back his head and laughed as Argent and Maylen grinned. Ghastly groaned and rolled onto his back, blinking up at the ceiling for a moment before struggling to his feet. He stumbled to Tanith's side and she gripped his shoulder to steady him.
"I'm not going back in a cell. In fact, you're going to walk over there and open that box for me. If you don't I'll kill your friends and make you. How does that sound?"
"Honestly? That sounds terrible. I much prefer my idea. Now be a good boy and put your shackles on." Requiem grinned and Maylen launched herself forwards, a curved knife in each hand. She slashed at Skulduggery and he skipped back a step, narrowly avoiding the wicked blades slicing his suit open. He responded with and elbow to her ribs and a palm shot to her face as Valkyrie faced off against Argent. He snarled at her, his steps lithe and measured as they circled one another. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tanith and Ghastly engage the Infected while Vex went for Argent.
"We have a score to settle, you and I," Argent warned. "You didn't die when I wanted you to. You need to pay for that."
"You attacked my mother and sister and then you tried to kill me." Valkyrie spun her scythe carefully. "If anybody will be paying for it today, it's you." Argent lunged and Valkyrie feinted left then skipped to the right and jumped, slamming a boot across his jaw. He staggered and recovered quickly, and his Vampire speed kept him away from her attacks after that. He stepped around her feints and slipped out of holds before they were even complete, evading her with ease. Every so often his hand would snake out to slap her across the face, inciting her anger. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to goad her into making a stupid decision and then he planned to kill her. She snarled as his palm cracked across her face again, her cheek stinging hard enough to bring tears to her eyes, but she kept her training with Tanith in mind. She waited and she watched and she endured the slapping twice more. On the third attempt at a slap she swung the wicked blade and took off his hand. He howled and screamed and clutched his bleeding stump in horror, stumbling away. Valkyrie followed him. She twirled and went low, sweeping his legs from beneath him with the scythe and continuing her spin as his back hit the floor. Her boot connected with his jaw and then she smacked him between the eyes with the end of the staff. He went still and she turned away from his unconscious body.
Skulduggery and Maylen were locked in a deadly dance. She'd lost her knives and he'd lost his gun and they were kicking the hell out of each other. Tanith and Ghastly were back to back, turning slowly as they beat down Infected, protecting each other where they could. Vex was sticking close to Requiem, stopping him from using his ability by distracting him with quick jabs against his ribs. Valkyrie jumped in to help him, striking Requiem between the shoulder blades with her boot. She didn't see the Infected coming after Vex until it was too late. It grabbed at him and dragged him back as Requiem gave himself enough room to manoeuvre. He glared at Valkyrie and suddenly her body wasn't hers anymore. He moved her limbs like a puppet master. She raised the scythe above her head as Vex kicked and struggled, but he couldn't break the Infected's grip. She was going to gut him against her will. As the scythe reached its peak she felt the Neceomancy ring on her finger. She dragged the blackness up from inside her and let it explode outwards, catching Requiem and staggering him enough to break his hold. She adjusted her stance as the scythe came down and slashed the Infected, opening a deep cut across its face. It shrieked and wheeled away and Vex punched it so hard it hit the ground and stopped moving.
"Nice," he grinned. Valkyrie shrugged and ducked under Requiem's swinging fist before slamming her shoulder into his chest. He staggered so she spun and bounced the staff of the scythe off of his knee cap. Requiem howled and ducked under the counter swing, avoiding the woven razor whizzing towards his head. Vex went to help Ghastly and Tanith as Skulduggery kicked Maylen away and launched himself at Requiem. The other Vampire snarled and snatched her knives off the ground as Skulduggery snapped his palm and took Requiem off his feet. Valkyrie intercepted the female Vampire as she attempted to attack Skulduggery, raising the staff of her scythe to deflect the deadly curved blades.
"You can't help him," Maylen hissed. "Requiem will make him open the box. And when he does the armour will be unleashed and Requiem will be in control of one of the most powerful objects in existence."
"Skulduggery won't let that happen."
"He'll be powerless when Requiem dons the armour. Nobody will be able to stop him." Maylen lunged and Valkyrie ducked and kicked and Maylen fell. She scrambled to her feet and Valkyrie turned as the Vampire ran at her. Maylen hit Valkyrie's hips. Val twisted and Maylen flipped, but before she could hit the ground she managed to reverse the hold and threw Valkyrie across the room. The scythe clattered to the floor and she hit the wall hard, feeling her ribs splinter. She gasped and dragged herself to her feet as the Vampire advanced.
"You think Requiem is going to wear the armour?" Valkyrie asked, spitting blood. "He really didn't tell you anything did he?"
"Shut it, meat bag," Maylen snarled. She whirled and her knife barely missed Valkyrie's cheek as she twisted out of the way. The Vampire grabbed the back of Valkyrie's jacket, intending to pull her in and slit her throat, so Valkyrie shrugged out of it and kicked at Maylen's knee. She went down with a pained yelp and Val managed to get to her feet, lashing three hard kicks into the fallen woman's ribs. Maylen grabbed her ankle and twisted and Valkyrie cried out as the ligaments screamed and wrenched. She staggered back, unable to put her full weight on her newly injured foot. Maylen leapt and slashed and swung and sliced and Valkyrie covered up, sustaining many cuts on her arms without her jacket to protect her. Blood ran down the back of her hands as she continued to step around Maylen's advances, barely managing to stay ahead of the onslaught. One of the knives opened a slit across her collar, and it was only the quick step back she took that stopped her head from being separated from her shoulders. She ran and rolled, her ribs and ankle screaming as her hands found her scythe. In a desperate move she swung and turned and the scythe hit something solid and stopped. Maylen looked down at the woven razor buried in her stomach and protruding from her back. Valkyrie yanked it free, swallowing the bile rising in her throat as she kicked the woman to the ground with her good foot. Maylen Dark died a moment later.
Before she could dwell on the fact that she'd killed someone else she turned back to the fight. Vex was battling alongside Skulduggery to try and contain Requiem, but even as she watched, Vex was compromised and he turned on Skulduggery. Ghastly and Tanith were doing well, and Cleavers had joined them to protect their Elder. She decided to help Skulduggery, gritting her teeth against the pain. She smacked Requiem in the face with the flat of the scythe blade and Vex staggered as he regained control of himself. Val swung again and Requiem grabbed her weapon and twisted it, forcing her to her knees before slamming a fist into her jaw and a boot into her side. Her ribs screamed and she cried out as another one broke. Skulduggery was flung back as the staff arced and took him off his feet, continuing its swing to shatter Vex's eye socket. He dropped to the ground in a heap and Skulduggery cursed. Requiem kicked Valkyrie in the head before she could recover and turned his dangerous gaze on the skeleton detective, tossing the scythe away.
"No," Valkyrie whispered, spitting blood.
"Run," Skulduggery answered. She tried to grab Requiem's legs but he growled and kicked her again, the tip of his boot catching her on the chin and snapping her head back. She thudded against the floor, white lights bursting in front of her eyes. She watched as the scene played out in slow motion. Skulduggery's hand raised and he snapped at the air, sending a wall of it rushing towards his companions and the Infected against his will, flattening all of them. Valkyrie tried to move but her body failed her. Another wall of air sent the fallen bodies rolling across the room, ensuring they wouldn't get back up to interrupt.
"Where's your arrogance now, Skulduggery? Where's your cocky wit?"
"I'm sure it's around here somewhere."
"Silence!" Skulduggery grunted but stopped speaking. "Good boy. Now fetch." Valkyrie's heart thundered and her vision swam as Skulduggery began walking. She could see him fighting it every step of the way, and yet still he walked. He knelt before the wooden box. "Open it."
"...No." Skulduggery's voice was warped as he fought against Requiem's control. The yellow eyed man stalked forwards and gripped Skulduggery's shoulder and the skeleton grunted and slumped.
"Skulduggery," Valkyrie whimpered. Tears mixed with the blood on her face. It was happening. The vision was happening. She looked down at herself. Her arms were bare and bloodied, her ankle was hurt and her ribs groaned with every breath.
"Open the box," Requiem demanded. Skulduggery reached out, hesitated, and then Requiem's grip tightened and the skeleton pressed the symbol. The energy coursed through him and he grunted in pain. The box clicked open and Requiem's grin grew wide as he lifted the lid and saw the contents. "Now, to ensure I can maintain control there is something I must do." Valkyrie watched helplessly as he rolled back his sleeve to show a tattoo. It looked like another Sigil. He tapped it and it began to glow the same yellow as his eyes, and a second later the same symbol appeared on his palm. He returned his gaze to Skulduggery, pressing his palm against the skeleton's forehead. Skulduggery stiffened and gasped as the symbol transferred and burned itself into his skull. "You will obey me, skeleton."
"Yes," Skulduggery answered, his voice trembling.
"You will put on the armour." Skulduggery stood and reached into the box, lifting a black mask from within. His hands shook as he looked down at it. "At last," Requiem breathed, and Skulduggery put on the mask. He reached in again and pulled put the chest plate, fastening it in place. Blackness writhed around him and sunk into his bones, dragging him back to his knees as Requiem laughed.
Lord Vile stood.
Valkyrie ran. Her ribs screamed and her ankle throbbed and bloodloss made her dizzy but she ran anyway. She skidded round corners and jumped over bodies as she found the Sanctuary exit. She burst into the streets of Roarhaven and turned left, slipping and hitting the concrete hard but getting back up and limping on immediately. She had to get away from people. If Vile found her while still in the city hundreds would die. Over the months she'd spent with Skulduggery she'd learned enough about Roarhaven City to know there was an industrial estate on its border. If she could at least make it there she could draw the fight away from the public. She ignored the curious gazes of passers by and forced herself onwards, sticking to alleys and backstreets where she could.
She could see the industrial estate in the distance when he found her. Her feet were dragged from under her by shadows and she hit the ground heavily, fresh blood welling in her mouth. She'd almost made it, but she wasn't fast enough.
"Run, damn it!" She screamed at a bewildered woman and child as they stared. The noise seemed to snap them out of it because she hurried away, dragging the child with her. Lord Vile stepped out of the shadows in front of Val and she crawled backwards, her aching limbs screaming at her. "I know you're in there," she said. "I know you can regain control of yourself. You've done it before."
"Stand." His voice was rasping and distorted thanks to the mask. His armour seemed to reshape itself to his needs. In the vision it had been scaled and sharp. Now it was smooth and plain, each panel interlocking with the next to move like liquid. Valkyrie stumbled to her feet, almost falling on her injured ankle but managing to remain steady.
"I know you won't hurt me." Lord Vile cocked his head.
"You speak to me as though I am your friend. I am not him, girl."
"I know you aren't. I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to him."
"Requiem has ordered me to kill you. I do not like being controlled."
"But you won't kill me, will you?"
"Perhaps not." His head tilted. "There is someone inside you that calls to me. It is her that I want."
"You can't speak to her. I won't let you." She squared her shoulders and glared at him.
"What makes you think you have a choice? We are the same, you and I. Two halves existing separately. An equal desire to destroy, to maim and conquer."
"I'm not like you."
"I am not talking to you." She could hear the amusement in his voice as he used her own retort on her.
"I won't let her out."
"You don't have a choice." He lunged and grabbed her throat, lifting her from the ground like she weighed nothing. Valkyrie kicked and struggled as she fought for breath. The blackness forced itself inside her, scraping her throat as it pooled in her lungs and turned her insides to ice. He was snuffing her out, cooling the flame that ignited her until it sputtered and died and allowed the darkness through. She could feel her clawing her way to the surface, desperate for freedom. Valkyrie fought with all she had, pushing at the air, throwing fireballs and snapping shadows at him, but he deflected everything without even trying. Valkyrie felt tears begin to escape again as she choked on shadows and the light went out. She was falling, falling in darkness. And then she was gone.
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