Chapter Seven: Memories
In the end we all must choose.
In the end we must all play apart.
In the end, one will die, and someone will have to decide.
Will he pick the sidekick, or the daughter?
Will he embrace the dark of the night, or the brink of day?
Come with me, and we shall see, this story as it begins to draw to its end.
Skulduggery Pleasant keeled on the hard ground, staring at the spot where Valkyrie had been standing moments before. His empty sockets completely focused, picking up all the details around him. He studied the world around him for any clues for his new case: saving Valkyrie Cain.
Luny keeled down beside her twin brother, feeling anger vibrating off of him like it would a power drill. She stared at the place where her new friend had just disappeared, along with her niece. Keeping her eyes ahead of her she asked, "What's the plan Skully?"
The Skeleton Detective was silent; ignoring the question he had just been asked. He didn't trust himself to speak just yet.
"We have to find Celina and get Valkyrie back." Alanna said stepping out of her place in the shadows. She had heard the whole conversation that had taken place moments before, and her heart leaped for joy. Her daughter was alive, and well. Her light green eyes blurred by tears as she approached Skulduggery and Luny Bird.
Skulduggery got up from the ground, and stalked away without another word, heading for the Bentley parked a few feet to his right.
"Alanna," He called of his shoulder as he stood by his beloved car, and pulled out his keys. "Where would Celina take Valkyrie?"
"I don't know. . ." The red haired mage said shrugging hopelessly.
"She went back to the prison, Lann." Luny said suddenly, jumping up from the ground as well.
"Why would she go back," Ghastly asked as he walked towards the Bentley.
"To make Valkyrie suffer what she suffered." Alanna answered quietly, her voice shaking as she began to cry again.
"Yep," Luny agreed.
Skulduggery made no comment, he merely nodded, and got into the car. Alanna got into the passenger side, followed shortly by Ghastly, who got in on the left back side.
"Luna," Skulduggery asked, "You coming?"
Luny danced over to the car and slid into the back seat with Ghastly. She grinned at him, and laughed hysterically.
"You bet your sweet buns I'm coming!" She exclaimed pumping her fists in the air. "I wanna see Cainey in action!"
Skulduggery shook his head, but smiled for the first time since his partner had been taken. "Thanks Luny."
Luny's head snapped up and she smiled even wider than before. "You called me by my taken name."
"Yes, I did." Skulduggery said matter-of-factly before he turned the key and the motor of the Bentley sprung to life with a low purr.
The living Skeleton turned to the woman who he had once called wife, and looked at her questioningly. "Where is the prison?"
Alanna looked out across the town that lay before them, and sighed deeply, pinching the top of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. She gestured with her hand, directly in front of her, a trace of fear clearly running across her face.
Skulduggery followed her hand, and the space where his eyebrows should have been lifted.
"The lake," Ghastly asked incredulously.
Luny laughed at his expression, "That's right Ghast. It's at the bottom of the lake." She snapped her fingers randomly to a song only she knew.
Skulduggery pulled out of the shadows and took the nearest exit to the lake shore. Besides Luny's snapping, the car's inhabitants were silent. All wondering what would happen when they got to their destination; but more importantly, how would they get in?
Valkyrie couldn't feel her legs, as she hung upside down from them. Celina Pleasant had left her not long ago, to get the 'knife.' Valkyrie tried to summon flames in her tied palms but could get it the fire to strike. Something was blocking her magic, and making her helpless.
She focused her energy and manipulated the air around her. Good, she thought, as she swung back and forth with the air currents. At least I can use air, which means I might be able to free myself.
She closed her eyes and strained commanding the wind surrounding her to take the pocket knife out of her hip-holster. It was very tiring, but after a couple of minutes the knife had sawed the ropes that bound her hands; and had begun working on the ones that held her legs.
Hurry up! She thought frantically struggling against the now loosening ropes. She fell abruptly to the soft sand that covered the ground. She scrambled to her feet and looked around briefly, getting her bearings.
The room was mostly empty besides the sand, and a table filled with torture devices. The young mage shuddered as she thought of what types of pain the strange instruments could inflict. She pushed the horrible images from her head and ran to the door.
"What an idiot," Valkyrie whispered to herself. "She left the door unlocked!"
She wasted no more time in entering the corridor outside of the small room. Running cautiously down the hall she stopped as suddenly as she had started. In front of her was a horrific sight. A man with stunning long black hair that came down to his shoulders, and big blue eyes with the longest fingers she had ever seen. His suit would have been exquisite if it hadn't been torn in places, and stained with blood and dirt. He looked around, his wide blue eyes looking right through her.
Valkyrie gasped and tried to hide; surely he had seen her. He walked in her direction, but passed her and began running the way she had come.
Valkyrie sighed and was about to start down the hall again when she heard footsteps. She cursed under her breath and ran back towards the room full of sand, hoping that maybe she could find a different way out.
As she passed the room, she glanced into the room. She did a double take, and stopped staring at the scene taking place in the small room.
The man with the stunning blue eyes was on his knees desperately shaking something. Only when the form shifted towards her did Valkyrie see that it was a little girl. The girl was Celina Pleasant.
A few feet away, laying flat on her back was Alanna Memoria, her eyes staring at the ceiling; lifeless.
"Celina! Celina open your eyes!" The man cried shaking her even harder sobbing when she didn't stir. He grabbed her small hands and placed them to his face, "Open your eyes for me love. Please. . . Don't leave me alone!"
He continued to try to bring her back from the death that had claimed her; but the Celina Pleasant didn't move.
Valkyrie knew that voice. She had heard it countless times, though less stressed. Valkyrie walked towards the stricken man and sat on the ground next to him, looking at his face, searching for a sign that she was wrong. But she wasn't wrong. The man morning over the death of his little girl, was Skulduggery Pleasant; when he was alive.
Valkyrie cried along with her best friend, and wished she could help him. Her heart broke as she watched him kiss Celina's forehead tenderly before laying her next to her mother. He stood up his eyes ablaze, and stalked from the room, flame coming from the tips of his fingers.
Valkyrie stayed where she was not wishing to see any more. She covered eyes with her hands crying.
"Sad isn't it Ms. Cain?" Celina's voice said to her side.
Valkyrie looked up to see Celina Pleasant as she was now, a teenager with a long scar running down the length of her face.
"Why did you show me this?" Valkyrie whispered in agony.
"I thought that your torture should be extra special my dear. I see how you look at my father, and I see how he looks at you. I know that you love him. I knew that seeing him in his darkest hour would make you squirm better than any torture device ever could."
Valkyrie wished that Skulduggery would come and tell her that everything was going to be alright. She screamed as Celina grabbed her by her hair.
"Enough of the Mental torture; let's move onto the fun part."
Valkyrie watched in terror as Celina brought out a large silver blade, and brought it down on her cheek. Valkyrie Cain's screams echoed through the facility, but no one cared. Because no one was there.
I think maybe one more chapter. Or maybe two. But this fic is drawing to it's close, as I said in the beginning. Please leave me a review and tell me what you think.