She sat on the ceiling with her eyes closed, allowing her hair to fall out of her own personal gravitational field and hang out straight towards the ground. Her arms were resting on her sword which was on her knees. She let herself relax a little, trying to fight the annoying urges to get up and do something. She didn't like waiting, especially not for The Grand Mage. She always thought that China didn't really like her, so Tanith had a reason to think that she was doing it just to frustrate her. That was the only thing that kept her sitting happily on the ceiling with her eyes closed. It was a matter of pride.
She sighed to herself and opened her eyes. Perhaps once she might have had a wave of vertigo at the sight, but not now. The ceiling she was sat on was high and people did not see her there. People walked beneath her, and it was a strange sensation because it was them that looked upside down to her. She could not feel the pull of the earth's gravity, she could only feel her own, and in a way it was a very peculiar sensation. Her hair seemed to float above her, rather than hang down. She could feel no blood rushing to her head. It just felt natural.
She sat there for a few more minutes until a face looked up at her. Tipstaff looked slightly nervous as he stood right beneath her. She gave him a smile.
"Miss Low, The Grand Mage will see you now." he said.
"Oh goodie." said Tanith, standing. Tipstaff took a step back, started. She grinned down at him. Her long blonde hair was about a metre from the top of his head. Holding her sword still, she flipped off the ceiling, her gravity changing, and landed softly just in front of Tipstaff. He made a little noise of surprise as her feet skimmed past his nose. She straightened up, smiled, and walked towards China's room of mirrors.
Tipstaff half ran to overtake her. He had a thing for leading people places, even of they already knew where they were going. She let him. Just to let him feel good.
They reached the room of mirrors, and Tipstaff held the door open for her. She thanked him and he blushed. Tanith resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was greeted by her reflection displayed in various angles all over the room. She had almost forgotten how good her legs looked in her new clothes. They were comfortablebbut still managed to look great, which was magical in itself. They were also pretty much impenetrable, which was a bonus.
She saw her friends reflections before she actually saw them. Skulduggery, Ghastly, and Valkyrie were all standing there, along with a tall girl with bright blue eyes and blonde hair. Valkyrie caught her eye in a mirror and waved. Tanith waved back. Ghastly smiled slightly and Tanith grinned. China was sat on her throne and she did not acknowledge Tanith's entrance. Tanith wasn't surprised.
"Hey." she said, slipping her slightly cold hands into her warm pockets.
"Hey." said Ghastly and Valkyrie.
"Tanith." said China and Skulduggery in greeting. The girl said nothing but smiled timidly. Tanith looked at her curiously.
"Oh," said Valkyrie, as if remembering, "Tanith, this is..." she paused and turned to the girl, "What do you want to be called again?"
"Lex or Elise." said the girl to Tanith, "I respond to both. Hi, by the way."
"Hi." said Tanith, smiling at her.
"I like your waistcoat." said Lex, also smiling.
"Thank you." said Ghastly.
Lex frowned, confused. "Er..."
"I made Tanith's." explained Ghastly.
"Oh- oh right, sorry." said Lex. Ghastly shrugged as if to say ',dont worry abou it'.
"Elise...er Lex...or whatever, this is Tanith Low." said Valkyrie.
"Nice to meet you." said Tanith, shaking her hand. Lex seemed surprised that Tanith did that, so she panicked and fumbled for a second before grasping it.
"Nice to meet you too. I'm glad I'm not the only English person here." said Lex easily.
Tanith laughed, "You'll get used to it."
Lex smiled.
China cleared her throat and stood. She was wearing a delicate white blouse with a navy skirt. Her hair was plaited plainly down her back.
"Sorry to interupt." said China, catching Lex's gaze and holding it. Lex only just seemed to notice China was there. Lex smiled nervously and clasped her hands in front of her. China stared at her for a long moment, her ice blue eyes hiding any emotions. China's eyes narrowed slightly and Lex swallowed. Then suddenly she broke out into a beautiful smile. Valkyrie's eyebrows shot up and even Tanith was surprised. Lex's eyes widened and she took a step backwards. China's smile disappeared as suddenly as it came and she watched Lex's reaction.
"China, please control yourself." said Skulduggery.
"I was simply testing her resilience." she said, "Most people swoon when I do that. And it's Grand Mage Sorrows, Skulduggery, don't set a bad example to our new friend." China walked to stand near them all. "Do you have anything to say?" said China to Lex.
"Err...sorry for not swooning?" she said, confused.
China exhaled, "About yourself, your story, etcetera etcetera..."
"I was told that you would be asking the questions, Chin- I mean Grand Mage Sorrows."
China sighed and glared at Skulduggery. "Its already started. I hope you're proud."
Valkyrie and Tanith caught each others eye and grinned.
"But fine, I will ask the questions." continued China, "What is your name?"
"Which one?" asked Lex.
"Both. All."
"Elise Longden is the only given name I know but Lex Avalon is my taken name."
"Do you remember taking a name?" asked Ghastly.
"Not really," said Elise quietly, "Some things are still fuzzy. Sorry."
"I see." said Ghastly, "No need to apologize."
"Who has been taking care of you?"
"My family."
"They can't be your real family." said China cooly. Valkyrie glared at China as if to scold her but of course China pretended not to notice. Tanith swallowed. Ghastly gave Tanith a look of discomfort and Skulduggery tilted his head. Lex's eyes narrowed, the innocent look on her face disappearing as it was replaced by a cold one.
"Family isn't blood." Lex shot back.
China did not reply, and turned away. Her plait whirled as she spun on her heel. "What are your powers?" she questioned, "I have heard stories but I was wondering how...er, reliable they are."
"Excuse me." said Valkyrie, "I told you those stories."
"My point exactly." said China smoothly. Valkyrie glowered at her.
"I've come to think of it as shapeshifting." said Lex, "Knowledge of my powers is coming back very quickly."
"Could you give a demonstration?" asked China.
Lex closed her eyes in reply and clenched her fists at her sides. Before all of their eyes, Lex began to shrink until she was a foot shorter than what she was before. Her long golden blonde hair retreated into her skull and as it travelled it became copper red and curly. A soft spray of freckles appeared across her cheeks and when she opened her eyes they were lime green. Her face was still the same, but you could only tell if you really looked. Tanith whistled.
"That's...different to what I heard." said China.
"Well, I'm jealous." said Ghastly, raising his eyebrows. Tanith gave him a fierce look and he smiled.
"I can do other things too." Her hair suddenly shot back out of her head and turned back to blonde. Her eyes, height, and face returned back to what it originally was. There was a peculiar noise and Tanith looked down at Lex's hands to see that long and harderned nails were growing there. "Is that more like the story?" she said.
"Yes." said China. Lex's nails retracted. The was a brief moment of silence.
"Did you know Erskine Ravel?" said Skulduggery.
"I-" began Lex, but then she paused and frowned. A look of discomfort flickered across her face and her eyes smaller shut. "I...don't know. It sounds familiar but...it's like something is shielding it." Lex's fists clenched, her nails digging into her palms. She swayed and cried out. Ghastly managed to steady her.
"Ouch." said Lex, rubbing her temples.
"Probably best not to try and force your way through." said Skulduggery casually.
"You could of told me that before I tried it." said Lex, frowning.
"Where's the fun in that?" murmured Skulduggery. "We'll take you to see a sensitive, dont worry."
"You will?" said China, "I dont believe I gave you my permission."
Skulduggery looked at China. Valkyrie looked confused, "But you want us to go, right?" said Valkyrie.
"Yes." said China, "But I'm trying to display my authority in front of Lex."
"Oh." said Valkyrie.
"Um," said Lex, nervously, "What's a sensitive?"
"They have visions and can see possible futures. They can also help people forget things, or in your case, remember Pharos is one of the best, and she may be able to get past the block in your mind." said Skulduggery.
"Right. Okay."
"Its probably best if we take Ragnor Omen." said Ghastly. "We being Tanith and myself."
China's lips pursed slightly as her eyes travelled between Ghastly and Tanith. Tanith refused to blush or act sheepish and stared at the Grand Mage. "Very well." said China at last. "He does know you two already."
"Well that's settled then." said Tanith.
"Actually, not quite." said Skulduggery, stepping forwards. "We need more people to look for these sorcerers."
"I have given you unlimited acess to the Cleavers, Skulduggery, what else would you ask of me?"
"Cleavers can't deal with people." said Skulduggery. "They have no sympathy and cannot read out the taken names of the people we are searching for."
"That is true." said China slowly, "But we cannot have many people knowing about this. You told me about the little group going around searching for the sorcerers, and god knows how they know. The less people that know, the better."
"What about people we can trust? Dexter and Saracen?" asked Valkyrie.
"Well," said China, "from what I've heard they are...otherwise occupied."
"Please." said Valkyrie, rolling her eyes, "You could easily convince them."
"Threaten to have them flogged." suggested Tanith with a joking grin.
"At least I'd see Dexter without his shirt on..." muttered Valkyrie from beside Tanith. Tanith stifled her giggles and Valkyrie began to cough loudly. The others looked at them strangely; none of them had heard.
"We could bring in Gracious and Donegan." said Ghastly. " And Fletcher. "
"No." said Valkyrie hastily. Everyone stared. "Me and Skulduggery said that Lex...or Elise would never meet Gracious."
"Why?" asked Lex.
"Because you're both huge nerds and would spend the entire time geeking out and would get nothing done." said Valkyrie.
"Thanks..." muttered Lex.
"I'm right though, aren't I?" said Valkyrie, smiling.
Lex was quiet for a moment. "That's not the point." she said finally. She gave Valkyrie a sheepish smile.
"I'm sure the Monster Hunters and Fletcher would help." said Skulduggery, "It may be the best option."
China nodded slightly. "Alright. I'll get in contact with them soon. Will Cassandra be willing to help?"
"She will." said Skulduggery.
"Good. I hope to see you soon then. Excuse me, I believe I have some calls to make." China gestured to Tipstaff and he nearly fell over himself as he stumbled to follow her. China swept out of her room of mirrors and the last thing they saw of her was a flick of her navy skirt as she went around the door.
They decided to travel in two vehicles. Ghastly, Skulduggery, Ragnor, and Lex were all to travel in the Bentley, while Valkyrie was to accompany Tanith on her motorbike. Valkyrie acted as of it was no big deal, but Tanith could tell from her face that she was more excited than she was letting on. Tanith tossed her a spare helmet and Valkyrie caught it, trying to suppress her grin. Tanith pulled on her own helmet after pushing her hair back and looked at Valkyrie. With her fully black outfit and black helmet, she looked like she was meant to ride a motorcycle. Skulduggery would probably never let her own one though. Besides, she had her Oompa Lumpa now. And despite its strange appearance, Valkyrie loved it. She was adorable.
Tanith climbed onto her motorbike and settled into her most comfortable position. She adjusted her sword so it wasn't in the way. The leather of the seat was starting to shape to her behind, which made riding it all the more comfortable. Tanith watched Skulduggery give clear instructions on what not to do in his precious Bentley. Lex took him reasonably seriously, which surprised Tanith, but Ragnor just stared until Skulduggery had finished. Lex and Ragnor carefully stepped into the back seats while Skulduggery watched, and when they were safely inside Skulduggery climbed into the drivers seat with practiced grace. Ghastly got into the passengers seat and gave Tanith a smile before closing the door. Even though she knew that he couldn't see her face, Tanith smiled back anyway.
Valkyrie climbed onto the back of Tanith's motorcycle and placed her hands either side of her waist.
"How's things between you two?" asked Valkyrie, a smile present in her tone.
"Er..." murmured Tanith. Was it really that obvious? "We're...good."
"Just good?" said Valkyrie mischievously.
No, thought Tanith, much better than good. "Yes." she said out loud.
"Have you kissed him?" teased Val, not being serious.
Tanith was silent until she thought of an adequate reply. "Shut up." she said.
"That's a yes then." said Val, giggling like a little girl. The Bentley's engine started, and Tanith happily started her motorbikes. The roar and the smell of it made her fingertips tingle with anticipation.
"How was that?" continued Valkyrie as she tried to hide her amusement. Val shifted in her seat, her hands still on Tanith's waist. The Bentley began to move.
"Come on, give me the details." pressed Valkyrie.
"Val, shut up." said Tanith, only aware of how pathetic she sounded after she had said it. Tanith felt her cheeks colouring.
"I won't stop until you tell me-eeeeeee!"
Tanith had taken the opportunity to send her motorbike zooming forwards. Val had cried out in surprise and had thrown her hands around Tanith's waist in surprise. The wind began to whistle in her ears as they caught up with the Bentley.
"You'll tell me eventually!" shouted Val over the engine's howl.
"I'm sorry!" yelled Tanith, "I cannot seem to hear you over the sound of my motorbike!"
Val playfully punched Tanith's shoulder and she grinned. She bent down low and pressed herself down to the motorcycle and increased their speed. Valkyrie's laugh was lost behind them as they passed the Bentley. Tanith slowed down a little so Valkyrie could give Skulduggery and Ghastly a wave. Skulduggery looked at them, and Tanith had never seen a skull look so patronizing.
Tanith poured on the speed again and Valkyrie buried her head between Tanith's shoulder blades. Tanith had only been to Cassandra's once, but her brain had miraculously remembered the way. It was a long country road that had a lot of nice turns in it. That was probably why Tanith remembered it.
They went around bend after bend, Valkyrie stiffening slightly each time they leaned. Tanith slowed a little so Val could hear her voice.
"Listen," she said, "Just relax. You freezing at every corner makes it harder to turn."
"Sorry," replied Valkyrie, "It feels like we're going to fall over."
"We won't." assured Tanith.
"I know." said Val.
Again they started and Val began to get more and more relaxed as the journey continued. Tanith could never ride with Val everyday. It wasn't that Tanith didn't enjoy her company, but the more times they rode together, the more likely it was for them to have an accident. Even though Valkyrie's clothes and helmet would protect her from serious injury, she dont think that she could live with herself. Besides, Skulduggery would never shut up about it.
They arrived at Cassandra's in good time. They pulled over and Tanith turned the engine off. The rumble faded, and it was silent. When Tanith looked down the road, she could not see the Bentley.
Val pulled off her helmet and turned to Tanith. She posed ridiculously and pouted.
"How do I look?" asked Valkyrie with a smile, waving a hand to her tangled hair. When Tanith rode, her curly hair became what you might call "windswept", but Val's became knotted and twisted.
"You look great." said Tanith, pulling off her own helmet. "And me?"
Valkyrie considered. "Annoyingly normal." she announced. Val sighed. "How?"
Tanith grinned at her irritation, "It comes naturally."
Valkyrie rolled her eyes.
Tamith heard the purr of the Bentley and turned to see it driving leisurely down the road. Its every movement was graceful and luxurious. It could do more if Skulduggery pushed it, which he never did if he could help it. Tanith's bike was what she affectionately called "a beast" and roared and snarled at the slightest of touches.
The Bentley parked smoothly and Ghastly, Skulduggery, Lex, and Ragnor got out. Lex smiled at the motorbike and came over to them.
"Nice bike." she said.
"Thanks." said Tanith, giving it a loving pat. "Are you into bikes?"
"My dad is...was...is..." said Lex, smiling slightly despite her confusion. "He loved them. He used to take me with him sometimes. He laughed when I screamed." Lex looked down at her hands.
Tanith smiled at her.
"That wasn't a race you know." said Skulduggery as he came up to stand by them.
"We know." said Tanith.
"But we still beat you." said Val.
"But it wasn't a race." said Ghastly.
"You're just jealous because we won." said Tanith.
"But you just said it wasn't a race?" said Ghastly.
Tanith smiled. "I changed my mind."
"We could of beat you." said Ghastly slowly. "We just chose not to. The Bentley is...delicate-"
Skulduggery rounded on him. "The Bentley is perfectly capable."
"Of course, I apologize." said Ghastly, holding his hands in the air with a smile on his face.
"The Bentley is just too superior to even bother racing against that two wheeled-"
"Hey, leave my bike out of this." said Tanith, patting it again.
"I like Tanith's bike." said Valkyrie.
"No." said Skulduggery.
"What?" said Valkyrie.
"You're not having one."
"I wasn't going to even ask-"
"Yes, you were."
Val glared at him and Tanith grinned at the look on her face. Lex looked amused, in a nice way. She looked as if she wanted to join in the conversation, but didn't know how. Ragnor looked bored.
"How old are you all?" said Ragnor, "Four hundred or four?"
"Twenty two." said Valkyrie.
"Eighty...eighty something." said Tanith. "I may have to check."
"Do I count when I was living too?" said Skulduggery.
"I'm not actually sure anymore." said Lex.
"Mentally or physically?" said Ghastly.
Ragnor scowled and turned away.
Ignoring this, Skulduggery strode up towards Cassandra's door. The others followed and so did Ragnor, his curiosity wiping out his stubbornness. Skulduggery raised his hand but before he could, Cassandra opened the door. She smiled warmly when she saw them all. She was wearing a long floral dress that fluttered in the ever so slight breeze.
"Hello." said Cassandra, "Do come in." She opened the door and the six of them filed into her home. Her house smelled sickly sweet like flowers but underneath that there was a musty smell like old books which smelled of age.
"Thank you for letting us see you, Cassandra." said Skulduggery.
Cassandra waved a hand, "Hush, I have nothing better to do." She turned to Tanith and smiled, "Ah, hello Miss Low. How long has it been?"
"I'm not quite sure, I lost some years." replied Tanith.
"Of course, that must of been dreadful." said Cassandra, sounding genuine. She whirled on Valkyrie. "Hello, my dear, did you forget about me in all the time you've been away?"
"No," said Valkyrie, "but I had some stuff to figure out."
"Understandable. Where did you go for all that time?"
"America." said Valkyrie. She shifted nervously.
"What brought you back?"
Valkyrie shrugged. Cassandra turned.
"Hello, Ghastly." said Cassandra.
"Hello, Cassandra." said Ghastly.
Now that what you might call the pleasantries were out of the way, Cassandra turned to Lex and Ragnor. "Hello, I assume you are the two I am dealing with?"
"Yes." said Lex. Ragnor gave a curt nod.
"I'll see what I can do. Please," she said to everyone, "Come and sit down."
Cassandra's living room was not large but had two plump sofas , an armchair, and a big fireplace. It was alight and flickering merrily. The room was very warm and the sweet fumes made Tanith quite sleepy. Tanith sat between Ghastly and Val. The couch was not huge, so they all had to squish in. Tanith didn't mind. Skulduggery sat in the armchair and Lex and Ragnor both sat by Cassandra on the other couch.
"The whole process of what we're about to do is supposed to be painless-" began Cassandra.
"What is this process?" interrupted Ragnor.
"Its quite simple-"
"I've tried to get through the block in my mind but I can't, and I'm a version of a sensitive myself. How are you going to do it when I can't?" said Ragnor.
Ever polite, Cassandra forced a smile. "Sometimes its easier if someone else does it." she said.
"Well, maybe-"
"Ragnor," said Skulduggery sharply, "Cassandra is trying to help you."
"I just dont see how she can do it when I-"
"Ragnor," said Tanith, "Shut up." Ragnor fell silent and Cassandra continued explaining the process to Lex, who was actually listening.
"He likes you." murmured Ghastly in Tanith's ear. When she looked at him, he looked amused.
"Oh, dont be ridiculous." she said. Ghastly smiled.
"It's obvious." he whispered.
Tanith rolled her eyes. "It's obvious it's no competition." she whispered back.
"Weak arms...glasses...you might like that sort of thing."
"Shut up. Now." she hissed.
He laughed quietly.
"So," said Cassandra, brining back Tanith's attention. "Who wants to go first?"
Ragnor scoffed. Lex shrugged and said "I guess I will."
"Thank you, if you would follow me." Cassandra beckoned and lead Lex to a different room. The others followed.
The door was white and had symbols carved into it in the deepest purple Tanith had ever seen. It was so close to black that the only way you could actually tell that it was purple was by catching the light on it in exactly the right way. Around the doorway were figures made of various things; twigs, fabric, leaves, and what looked like to be human hair. They seemed to whisper at Lex and Cassandra as they passed through but their voices were soft and kind rather than harsh and fierce like Tanith was expecting. As Tanith approached the doorway herself however, their voices began to hiss in fear. Tanith froze.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, bewildered.
"They do not like your sword." said Cassandra from the room. "You would do well to leave it."
Tanith hesitated slightly before depositing her sword in a umbrella holder underneath a coat rack by the door. The figures were tiny but creepy, so Tanith did not want to get on their bad side. She smiled apologetically at them, not sure if they could see it. Skulduggery came up behind her and placed his hat on a hook. After a pause, he placed his revolver down on the floor by the umbrella stand.
"Probably best to put your stick down, Valkyrie." he said.
Valkyrie frowned but followed his advice. Val came to the umbrella stand and placed her stick in it. She smiled at Tanith. Tanith smiled back, their two weapons in the umbrella stand looked ridiculous. Skulduggery and Ghastly went inside the room, followed by a reluctant Ragnor.
"Great." said Valkyrie as she gazed longingly at her stick. "Now I feel naked."
"So do I." sighed Tanith, looking at her sword.
"Hmm," said Valkyrie quietly, a grin spreading across her face. "Ghastly wouldn't complain."
Tanith mockingly swung for her and Valkyrie ducked out of the way, grinning impishly as Tanith's fist clipped the top of her head.
"Owww." Val said, trying to stifle her laugh.
"You deserved it." said Tanith. She stuck her tongue out at Val as she walked through the doorway. The figures voices this time seemed calm and welcoming, with filled Tanith with relief. God, they were freaky.
The room itself was very warm. Just like Cassandra's steam room, it had vents in the floor, but this room was smaller and more alien looking. The vents lined all of the walls and were about half a metre wide. This left a square of space in the middle of the room where Cassandra and Lex sat facing each other. They were sat on an exquisite caroert, which held may complicated swirls and designs. Skulduggery, Ghastly, and Ragnor were all standing on the vents. They looked uncomfortable, with the exception of Skulduggery of course, and had beads of seat rolling down their faces. Ragnor looked ruffled and haughty, as I'd he'd rather be anywhere but here. The walls of the room were like the door; pure white with deep purple symbols. There was no light in the room except the faint glow which came from the small fires that heated the vents. The room smelt fresh and clean. Not like hospitals which smelled of soap and hand sanitizer, but just clean and crisp and cold.
Valkyrie came in to stand beside Tanith. "Woah." she said as the heat hit her.
The door closed and they were inveloped in a blanket of warmth. The room was lit very dully now. Valkyrie removed her jacket and folded it over her arm. Tanith tied her hair back.
"If you two would stand to the sides, please?" said Cassandra.
"Of course." said Tanith, moving. "Sorry."
"I shall begin." said Cassandra to Lex, who exhaled nervously. Cassandra placed her fingertips on Lex's forehead. Cassandra closed her eyes and her body relaxed. The symbols on the walls lit up, sending shards of vivid purple light to dance on the floor. Lex looked nervously around as the symbols lit up. They pulsed once and Lex's eyes snapped shut and her head fell back. Cassandras fingertips seemed to be glued to Lex's forehead, and they seemed to hold up Lex's entire limp body. The pulsing got faster and faster as time went on.
Cassandra's hands never shook or wavered while they were connected to Lex's temple. Lex herself however shook from head to toe and Tanith could see her eyes moving frantically beneath her eyelids. Tanith found herself compelled to watch the scene; it looked like something out of a bad horror movie. Valkyrie was staring too, but she looked more apprehensive than curious.
The symbols on the walls got brighter and brighter until Tanith could barely force her eyes to stay open. She tried to shield her eyes with her palm, but the light was coming from all around and from all angles, so it didn't really do much. The violet light flickered across the faces of her friends, distorting them until they were unrecognisable. Valkyries face looked thin and gaunt, the dark shadows that were usually around her eyes becoming more prominent and deep. Skulduggery's skull looked scarier in the light. Dark shapes formed from the shadow cast by his high cheekbones and made the lines of his jaw look sharper and harsher. Ragnor's usually unimpressed face had changed into a look of suppressed curiosity. He was wearing his thin framed glasses, and the purple light reflected off them and shone in Tanith's eyes when she looked his was. Ghastly's scars were emphasised by the light and made them look like fresh gashes rather than ancient scars.
The symbols pulsed once more and got so bright that it looked like they were made out of a bizarre purple flame. Tanith couldn't help it; she closed her eyes. Imprints of the patterns on the walls were burned into her eyelids. The world seemed to sway beneath her, which greatly unsettled her. She was so used to being perfectly balanced that any feeling of uncontrollable movement made her stomach squirm and her skin crawl. She bit her lip to hold back her startled gasp.
Quietly at first, the whispering started. It was a seas of hushed voices, that seemed to come from inside her own head rather than by the door. The sound got louder and louder and the voices mingled together until Tanith could not hear single voices anymore; she could only hear one. The world began to spin around her and for a moment she felt lost inside her own head. Everything seemed to melt away, the floor dissolved first and then she was floating, weightless. A noise filled her head and replaced the loud whispers. It was a noise similar to white noise but so much more than that. Nothing seemed to exist, not even Tanith herself, until she was brought violently back to the earth by a long and shrill scream.
Tanith's eyes opened and she went to grab her sword before she remembered it wasn't there. The room was back to normal and looked murky. Tanith's eyes needed a !minute to adjust to the dim light. She blinked hurriedly, trying to clear her head of the fog. Somehow she had ended up on her knees, which surprised her, but she soon dragged herself up again. She saw Val on her knees beside her and wordlessly offered her a hand. Val took it with a grateful smile and Tanith wrenched her to her feet. Looking around, she saw Ghastly on his knees groaning. For a moment, her heart seized and panic flooded her body, but then Ghastly got up and smiled at her. Her heart and muscles relaxed and she took a breath. She smiled tentatively back.
A gasp brought her eyes to Lex, who was on her knees with her hands over her face. Her nails dug into her face and left shallow red marks. Cassandra was speaking softly, her tone soothing. Her ringed hands were on Lex's shoulders in a comforting way. Lex was shaking and her hands moved from her face to wrap around herself. Her eyes were round and disbelieving.
"Disturbing..." murmured Cassandra, "Very disturbing..." she rubbed Lex's shoulders.
"Can we get out of here?" asked Lex, her voice stiff. "Please?" she added.
"Of course." said Cassandra, helping her to her feet. Lex's knees were practically knocking together, like they could not support her weight. She staggered out of the room, assisted by Cassandra. The others followed, not wanting to ask any questions - yet.
Tanith took her sword from the umbrella stand on her way out and returned it to its natural place on her back. Valkyrie took her stick. All of them were wordless. Cassandra led Lex and sat her on the couch, where she put her head in her hands. Her face was ghostly pale. There was a minute of complete silence where everyone, even Skulduggery, was lost for words.
Skulduggery soon found her voice again, as he always did. "What-?"
Cassandra looked at him, and then at Lex. "Maybe it would be best if you didnt-"
"I dont mean to be the insensitive one, but we must know what you saw." said Skulduggery. Tanith pressed her lips together, silencing herself.
"It is not my decision." said Cassandra.
"Go ahead." said Lex in a hoarse voice. "Just dont ask me to watch again."
Cassandra hesitated, but after a brief moment, she stood. "If you dont mind, there's no harm. Follow me."
Everybody followed Cassandra out of the room, leaving Lex on the couch alone.
"Will Lex be okay?" Valkyrie asked Cassandra as soon as they were out of earshot.
"She'll recover I'm sure. I had to push pretty hard to get through to her other memories and it was quite painful, as I'm sure you heard." Cassandra led them to her steam room and picked up an umbrella. "But I dont think she will ever be the same."
"Is it that bad?" asked Tanith.
Cassandra settled in the middle of the room and gestured to Ghastly and Skulduggery. They dropped handfuls of flame through the grates and the room slowly began to get hotter and hotter.
"See for yourself." said Cassandra, opening her umbrella and gesturing to the wheel on the wall. Tanith turned it and water fell into the grates. There was a wild hissing sound and steam blossomed into the air. It got so thick that it obscured the others from her view. Tanith's skin became sticky and uncomfortable, her wet hair from the water not helping. She didn't mind the wet hair though. Ghastly would dry it for her.
The steam swirled in front of Tanith and formed an image. It was a silhouette that got clearer by the second. The person was tall and thin with stick like limbs. As the image came into focus, Tanith recognised Lex. She was obviously younger. She had not quite 'grown into herself' and she was long and lanky. She had large square front teeth. Her hair was darker, more brown than blonde, and she had a block fringe that covered her forehead. Her cheeks were plumper than the rest of her, which made Tanith think that she was only just getting out of childhood. She had several spots on her face.
Suddenly, Lex began to run. Her hair flew out behind her and she kept on looking back. She kept on stumbling. To Tanith, she looked as if she was running on a treadmill, but the pictures background formed and showed what looked like school corridors. The floors were polished and her flimsy shoes squeaked. The sound in the memory became less distorted and laughter floated into Tanith's ears. The laughter got harsher louder. Lex flew up a set of stairs, taking them two at a time and yanking herself up with the banister.
She grabbed the handle of a door on top of the stairs and wrenched. It didn't open. Lex looked despairing for a moment before turning around. The sound of running footsteps was getting closer, and for a second Lex looked as if she was considering the window. She changed her mind and took a deep breath, her hands forming into fists by her sides. A group of girls and boys came up the stairs, giggling as they went. They were breathless from running but they all grinned triumphantly at the sight of her scared face.
"What's the matter, Elise?" teased one, a girl with chocolate brown hair.
"Its almost as of you were trying to get away." said a boy.
Elise swallowed but said nothing.
"What's the matter? You were more eager to talk when you were surrounded by teachers." said a girl with several piercings in her ears.
Elise's eyes darted to the window again and Tanith could tell that she was calculating how much it would hurt to jump compared to what they might do to her.
The group didn't see her looking, but stepped towards her.
"What did you say again?" said the girl with the chocolate brown hair.
Elise again said nothing.
"Awwh," said a boy, "she's scared."
"She is." said another with a sickly smile.
"There's no need to be scared." said the girl with the lip piercing. "All you need to do is apologize for what you said."
Elise wasn't stupid, she knew they'd hurt her anyway. At last she found her voice, "And what did I say?" Her voice was quiet and timid.
"Something about Tommy, here."
"Ohhh." said Elise slowly, her eyes narrowed as she considered her options. "Was that that thing where I said that if all guys were like Tommy, I'd be a lesbian?"
"You know it was." said the boy Tanith assumed was Tommy icily.
"Ah, of course. Even the teacher smiled at that one. Maybe they're starting to realise that you're not as innocent as you seem."
"You humiliated me."
Elise laughed hollowly. There was no true humor there. "I told the truth."
The girl with the chocolate brown hair scowled. "I think you should apologize."
Elise raised her eyebrows, an empty gesture. It was obvious that she was more scared then she was trying to show. "I think you should go screw yourself."
Elise bolted to the side as they rushed at her angrily. For a second, it looked like she might get away via the window. Their fingers scraped against her shoulders but she shook them off. She was just opening the window when they grabbed her and dragged her back. She panicked and flailed, lashing out and catching Tommy in the stomach with her fist. He gasped and tossed her onto the floor like a ragdoll.
Tanith was filled with revulsion as she realized that she did not want to see this. They all began laying in kicks to her sides, her legs, her back. She wrapped her arms over her head and cried out when each one hit. She tried to curl up but the kicks didn't let her. She tried to kick them back but that only made them laugh. All of them were laughing, which made Tanith sick to her stomach. They were kids. Normal kids with normal sounding laughter that echoed eerily through the halls. Soon enough, Elise was too winded to even make a noise, so the only sound was their joy and it was a sick and twisted thing. Tanith just couldn't figure out why.
They gave Elise a break and allowed her crawl away. She curled up against the wall and wept, her tears mixing with the blood dribbling from her mouth. Her breathing was rough and ragged, but she managed to gasp out "What did I ever do to you really? Please. Please. Leave me alone "
None of them said anything for a moment, but Tanith didn't dare hope that they might stop. Then the girl with the lip piercing said "Pathetic."
They started forwards to continue their onslaught, and Elise whimpered. Tanith wanted to turn away. She began to crawl away, each movement stiff and sore from the beating she had taken. The boy, Tommy, reached for her so that they could continue their game.
Elise cried out a mangled protest. Her hand whipped out in front of her and a wave of air hit Tommy and sent him flying backwards. He collapsed in a heap. The others were too stunned to speak or move. Elise looked more shocked, and she looked at her hands in pure disbelief.
"What?" she whispered.
The others were helping Tommy up and he was groaning. He wasn't seriously hurt but the look on his face made Elise go paler than before. Seeing her chance, she fled and disappeared down the stairs, the group watching her go in shock and fear.
That was the end of the first memory.
The next memory appeared quickly, out of nowhere. A woman with a blurry face knocked on a door. A black van was parked on the pavement behind her. Elise opened the door and frowned when she saw who it was.
"Um," she said, "Do I know you?"
"No." said the woman. She was English. "I have been sent by your school to talk to you."
"My parents are out." said Elise.
"I know. May I come in?" requested the woman.
"No."
The woman smiled. "I think you'll find our conversation enlightening."
Elise raised her eyebrows, "How so?"
The woman smiled again, showing perfect teeth. Her face came into view. She had warm brown eyes and brown hair. She wordlessly held up her hand. A pound coin was on her palm. Slowly, it rose up into the air and stayed there, suspended. A worried look crossed Elise's face and she bit her lip. She stared at the coin and considered.
"Come in, quickly." she said eventually. She ushered the woman in and led her to the couch. They sat down.
"Explain." said Elise. The woman began to talk, her voice was kind and soft. Her voice faded and the image grew faint. After a few seconds, it came back into view. It was the same place, but a little later, Tanith assumed.
The woman put her arm around Elise's shoulders. "Its okay." she said soothingly. "Its a lot to take in."
"Do I really have to change my name?" asked Elise, her eyes wide.
"Yes." said the woman, squeezing her. "But its worth it."
"I'm not sure if I could do that..."
"You can take your time of course." said the woman gently.
"What name did you choose?" asked Elise interestedly.
The woman's smile flickered for a moment before she replied "Celeste Snare."
"Why?"
Celeste paused. "It suits me."
"I dont know what name would suit me..." said Elise miserably. "Can't I just keep the name I have?"
Tanith noticed that Celeste withheld the fact that you could be influenced by your given name, so Elise was clueless. Tanith pitied her. Elise seemed like a different person to Lex. Elise was gullible and eager but Lex was smart and cautious. Tanith pitied Elise more than Lex at the moment, however she had a feeling that may change.
"You can't keep your name and be a true sorcerer." replied Celeste.
"Oh." murmured Elise softly.
"Dont you want to be stronger, Elise?" asked Celeste, her voice growing stronger when she said her name. She was using her name to influence her. It was cruel and unnecessary but Celeste seemed like the sort of person who liked to get her claws in deep.
Like a fly caught in a spiders web, Elise replied "I do."
The steam swirled around the room and formed the next memory. Tanith caught a glimpse of Valkyrie, Ghastly, and Skulduggery as it changed and they all looked very severe. Or Ghastly and Valkyrie did at least. Skulduggery's skull was always severe.
The next memory was also at a school. Tanith could tell from the sound if chatter and laughter coming from all directions. The scene they were watching however was much more serious. Elise was stood in the corner, surrounded by her tormentors, but she did not look as if she was cowering. The way she leant on the wall was casual and confident, rather than scared. Her tormentors looked more afraid than her, even though they were trying to hide it. Their faces were blank but they did not know to hide the signs of fear in other parts of their bodies. They were trembling slightly, fists clenched, sweat forming on the back of their necks. Their hands were placed at their sides lightly, as if they were ready to move them at any sudden occurrence. Their breathing was too evenly paced to be natural. They hide their fear very badly if you knew what to look for.
Elise smiled slightly as the boy called Tommy said something. Her fingers came up by her face and she wiggled her fingers slowly, as if feeling the air. The group watched apprehensively.
"I dont understand what you're trying to say." said Elise.
"What we're saying," said the girl with the piercing, "is that you're a freak."
"Well," replied Elise viciously, "That's not new."
The brown haired one sneered, "We always new there was something wrong with you. And now we know that you're dangerous. We could ruin you."
Elise laughed and Tanith almost, almost, cracked a smile. Brown hair's attempt at a threat was pretty weak, considering her voice was squeaky and her knees were practically knocking together.
"If that's all..." Elise pushed them apart and strode through. They stumbled and caught themselves before they fell. If Tanith wasn't mistaken, Elise had used a tiny amount of air to assist her shove. The group hadn't noticed.
Tommy, the boy, grabbed her shoulder and pushed her into the wall. Tanith expected to hear a thud and a cry of pain when Elise hit it, but she never even came into contact with it. The air cushioned her and managed to stop her.
Elise's eyes flashed a starling blue for a second, her face tightening in suppressed anger.
"Don't." she warned, her fingers flexing.
Tommy walked up to her, his eyes met her own and Tanith knew that he had seen her eyes change. "I dont know what kind of this thing you are, but do you think that your entire personality has changed just because you're some freak now? You're still scared and helpless, and nothing will change that."
Elise paused, looking at him. Then her fist moved. She struck Tommy around the face, the air forming a fist around her own and adding to the force of it. The solid air was clearly visible, and that made brown hair and piercings back away in fear. Tommy fell backwards, only managing to catch his balance when he hit the opposite wall. Her moaned, and a trickle of blood ran from his lip.
"Am I still scared?" spat Elise, walking towards Tommy as he shuffled away. Brown Hair and Piercings looked as if they could not comprehend what was happening.
Elise closed in on Tommy. She was shaking, as if all of the rage she must of felt when they hit her was flooding through her body all at once. Tanith grimaced, he deserved it and Tanith would of done the same in Elise's shoes, but it didn't make it anymore pleasant to watch.
Elise hit him again and the crack echoed through the halls. Tommy spat out more blood. "Still helpless?" said Elise. Tommy sniffed. Elise looked at him, disgust in her eyes.
"I wish I could make you feel how I felt." she said, "I wish I could make you hate yourself as I hated myself...I know it's not right, but I wish I could." She turned to go.
Tommy leaped at Elise, his rage clear on his face. His fingers were formed into claws and as he grabbed her his fingers raked over Elise's eyes. She cried out and swung for him, but she missed.
"Get off me!" she snarled. His nails dug into her cheeks and left red marks. He grabbed her hair and dragged her back with it. Elise cried out and her legs flailed to try and keep herself on her feet. Tommy threw her to the ground and kicked her. The wind rushed out of her in a ragged gasp and Tommy launched another kick, aimed at her head. Elise's arms covered her head at the last moment and a shield of air formed. Tommy's foot slammed against the wall of air and he yelled in pain. Elise rolled away from him and clambered up to her feet. She hit him again. His head snapped sideways and droplets of blood were sprayed in Tanith's direction. She recoiled before she realised that it was just a memory. Stop, she found herself thinking, he's had enough.
"You won't hurt me again." shouted Elise as a wall of air pinned Tommy to the wall. She turned and glared at Brown Hair and Piercings. They were cowering and frozen, unsure of what to do.
"Do not come near me again. Dont speak to me. Don't touch me. Dont even look at me." she said. She allowed Tommy to stand. He should of stopped. He should of just stopped.
But he didn't. He was young and arrogant and proud. He struck Elise around the back of the head and Tanith saw something in her eyes snap. Fury clouded her vision.
With a harsh sweep of her hand, Elise let loose a vicious strike that sent Tommy flying. He hit the wall with a tremendous force and there was a sickening crack. He fell in a heap. Her twitched for ten seconds whilst everyone was watching and then he stilled. Tanith felt her own face twist in horror. The only sound now was Elise's ragged breathing. She stared at Tommy, her hands trembling. Blood from her punches trickled lazily from between his lips.
Piercings screamed, the sound startling Tanith out of her wits. Piercings hands went to her face and her painted nails dug into her skin as she despaired. Brown Hair seemed too shocked to react.
Elise stared, her hands moving in front of her face. She gawped at them as if they weren't her own. Tears began to run fluidly from her eyes.
"Noo..." she moaned, "Noooo...I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to, I barely hit you...barely hit...please God no."
"Help!" screamed brown eyes, "Help!" The sound of panicked voices and hurried footsteps fluttered into the scene. People were coming.
"No, please!" cried Elise, backing away. "It was an accident I swear! I didn't mean to...oh god!" She had raised her hands in a gesture of surrender but Brown Eyes and Piercings had screeched in fear. "Please, dont! I won't...please!"
Elise froze as the footsteps grew close. People were shouting, asking what was wrong.
"Help!" cried Brown Hair again, "She's going to kill us!"
"No!" Elise protested, but the approaching people had heard. Elise's horrified face turned to Tommy's broken body once more, before she turned her back and ran down the corridor.
The memory ended, and Tanith's head was reeling from it. Before she had chance to even think it over, the memory changed.
Steam turned into delicate snowflakes as the next scene formed. Fresh snow covered everything, including a small person shaped bundle hudling in a doorway. Her hood was drawn up and her face was buried in the neck hole of her jacket. She shook uncontrollably despite her many layers. The wind tossed her brilliant red hair about but the girl didn't seem to mind. She sat there, motionless except from her shaking. Just the sight of the scene made Tanith get goosebumps.
A man in a good suit strode down the street, his shoes avoiding the worst of the snow. He stopped in front of the girl and waited expectantly. She did not move. He knelt down shook her shoulder gently. She raised her head.
Tanith recognised Elise. Her hair was different and her eyes were a different colour, but her face was the same. Her lips were blue around the edges and her cheeks were crimson with the cold.
"W-w-what?" she said, her teeth clattering together.
"I came to see if you were alright." said the man. He had a sweet, enticing voice.
"Y-you shouldn't of bothered." she said, "If this continues I'll be dead before morning. It was a noble gesture, but wasted. Now go."
The man didn't move. He smiled. "What's your name?"
"Piss off." said Elise.
"I dont believe that's your name." said the man. Elise scowled at went to get up, but she swayed and fell. The man caught her, and she tried to shake him off he didn't go.
"Get the hell off me!" she cried, trying to yank away.
He clutched her and didn't let go. She went to hit him but he avoided it and frowned. "Elise." he scolded.
Elise froze and looked at the man with disbelief. Tanith finally saw his face. His golden eyes glittered and he smiled.
Ravel.
Disgust filled her. She had been a remnant when it happened but he had betrayed them all. When she had heard, she wanted to rip him limb from limb. But he was dead now. Obliterated. That was extremely satisfying.
"That's also not my name." replied Elise after a moment. "Who are you?"
"My name is Erskine Ravel. Who are you?"
"No one. Did Celeste send you?" Her tone was harsh and to the point. She was still trembling with the cold.
"Celeste..?" said Ravel, looking as if he was casting his mind back. "Oh, of course. No she did not. I sent her, actually."
Elise frowned, "Wh-what?" she paused, shivering, "Why?"
"To help you."
Elise laughed coldly. "Help me?" she exclaimed incredulously, "You ruined my life. Why are you back?"
"We lost you-"
"More like you lost interest." scoffed Elise. "Its been three years. Three years of living on the street, cold, wet, tired, starving. I tried begging but nobody cares enough to not ignore me. I tried stealing, but that got the police on my tail and people got hurt. I live my life now eating salvageable food out of bins. I try to sneak remainders of food from plates in restaurants. I'm constantly cold. I haven't had a shower that wasn't rain in months. I tried the gym but they threw me out to. I began to get low, and the only way I though I could eat or rest or be warm was by harming myself and going to the hospital. They caught on though, and sent me away, just like the rest. This is what you did to me."
"I am very sorry." said Ravel.
Elise studied his face, her eyes narrowing. "No you're not." she said finally.
"Its over now. We found you. We have somewhere safe, where you can learn-"
"I am not going with you. I don't want to be stronger or fight. I can't even live on the streets in peace because of my magic. I can't stay in the same place for more than a month because they notice."
"Notice what?" asked Ravel, sounding genuinely curious.
"This." said Elise. Her eyes began to change. They shifted between a range of colours until it became a continuous flumoxing rainbow. Her hair grew and changed colour. Then it returned t what it already was.
Ravel took a moment to starts before saying, almost to himself, "Shifter."
"What?" asked Elise.
"Nothing..." he said. "We can help you control it, and then you can leave."
"What if it can't be controlled?" Elise said quietly.
"Then we'll help you. But it can be. I know it. You are not the first person we have helped."
"Why should I go with you? All of this is your fault. I'm a wanted criminal...a murderer. My parents hate me. They think I'm a monster."
"You have your reason then. You have no other option." what Ravel said was harsh, but his voice was gentle.
Elise said nothing.
"We could make them forget." said Ravel after a pause.
"What do you mean?" asked Elise, her eyes wide.
"Your parents. We could make them forget that it ever happened. They would love you again. You could help people." said Ravel gently.
Elise bit her lip and hugged herself. For cold or comfort, Tanith could not tell.
"Come on, Elise." said Ravel softly, holding out his hand with a natural smile, "Convince people you're not a monster."
Elise's brows furrowed but she took Ravels hand tentatively. "You are annoyingly persuasive."
"It has been said." replied Ravel.
They walked together down the street for a few minutes. Elise dropped Ravel's hand and shoved her hands in her pockets. Ravel said nothing of it.
Another moment passed, and Elise asked "Why are you doing this?"
If Ravel was truthful, he would of said that he wanted to raise an army, but of course he wasn't so instead he smiled.
"Because you need help." His eyes shone. "Oh, and by the way, Merry Christmas."
The next memories were blurred and fast. Scences flickered in the steam and very occasionally, Tanith caught a glimpse not people. There was the sound of fists hitting leather and Tanith saw Elise with pink hair pummelling the punching bag. She saw Elise holding a training sword as she sliced at a dummy. She saw her being taught were the bodies most vunerable parts were. She saw her fighting, training, learning.
A voice drifted from the blur of memories. "Before you can learn to fight using magic, you must fist learn to fight without magic."
"But I dont want to learn how to fight at all." protested Elise, her voice cautious.
"You must." ordered an anonymous voice.
The scene faded and a similar scene came next.
"Cant I learn other magic? Why do I have to be an elemental?" asked Elise.
"You must lean elemental magic first, and then you can choose to study other branches of magic." said a male shaped figure.
"But-"
A slap cut off her words. The cheek that had been struck reddened. Elise glared at the man. "Do not argue, Elise Longden."
Elise's eyebrows raised when he said her given name. A soft smile came to her lips, although she was still angry in her eyes. The man hit her again, with a fist rather than a palm, and the surprise of it sent Elise sprawling. The crack seemed so loud in the steam room.
Elise rose with her eyes closed and her fists clenched in forced calm. She opened her eyes and Tanith almost gasped when she saw that they were vivid red in anger.
The man made a noise of confusion and shock and whispered "What..?"
The scenes began to flicker again. Tanith saw Elise weeping, her tears making her face swell. A figure stood over her.
"Why did you make me do it?" she sobbed.
"It was necessary...you needed to learn. To be strong." said the figure.
"You said I would be safe here. Please let me go." she begged. "I won't tell anyone, I swear. Just let me-"
The scene changed again.
It was dark, but light enough to see. Tanith squinted and saw Elise jogging barefoot. She was in a simple outfit of a black vest and leggings, and her hair was tied back. She kept close to the wall, pausing occasionally to stop and look back behind her. When she heard voices, she went pale and pressed herself against the wall. She held her breath and closed her eyes. When she realised that the voice weren't getting any closer, she began to creep closer to the end of the corridor. Before she could reavhnit, a door that had once been invisible in the dark opened and sent a dusky light out into the corridor. A woman swept out, and said goodbye to the people inside the room. She let go of the door and it swung closed until it was only a centimetre open.
Elise's mouth hung open in horror and she pressed herself more firmly against the wall. The woman walked towards her in the dark. Elise closed her eyes and then she was gone. The woman swept past the place she was without any hesitation.
She rounded a corner and was gone.
Elise opened her eyes, and Tanith saw her eyes hovering in midair. Tanith smiled. Her skin was black, and it blended in flawlessly with the dark. She sighed softly, and her skin changed back.
Elise held out her hand and splayed it. Tanith assumed that it was to stop the shiftings in the air. She snuck up to the door on her tiptoes, breathing slowly and quietly. She reached the door and leant against the wall again, listening intently.
A male voice drifted out of the gap, "She's becoming...resistant."
A female voice replied, "Resistant? How so?"
"She argues, she protests...it's small things I know but its unusual."
"Unusual? She's a teenager." the woman had a smile in her voice.
"Meaning what?" snapped the man, obviously not liking being challenged.
"I guess she's just hormonal and going through her rebellious teenage faze." tittered the woman.
"I-" began the man, but he was cut off by another male voice.
"That's enough, Victor." said Ravel, "You too, Rea."
The woman sighed.
"Do you think we should wipe her?" asked Ravel. Elise gave the quietest gasp, and covered her mouth with her hand.
Victor hesitated. "Perhaps as a precaution..."
"Why?" demanded Rea, "She's just a girl, what can she do? Let her have her 'rebelliousness'"
"You'd be surprised." said Victor, "And that brings us onto what I had meant to tell you..."
"What is it?" questioned Ravel.
"The girl...she...I hit her and-"
The woman laughed, "Did you hurt your hand?"
"Rea, enough." said Ravel, frustration leaking into his usually calm voice.
"Sorry." she said.
"Well, she..." Victor continued nervously, as if he was concerned that he was going to be interrupted. "Her eyes changed colour."
"What do you mean?" said Ravel.
"One second they were blue as ever, the next they were red."
"Red..." muttered Ravel quietly, obviously thinking. "In anger?"
"Well, she didn't look pleased." said Victor.
"I haven't heard of anything like this before...except..."
"What?" urged Rea.
"Shapeshifter." said Ravel. "I always suspected but part of me thought it was a fluke."
"But that's impossible." said Rea.
"What else could it be?" said Ravel.
"A trick of the light perhaps?" she said lightly.
"I know what I saw." said Victor firmly.
There was a loud sound of a chair scraping backwards and someone getting up. Elise momentarily lost her balance in surprise but she managed to stifle her gasp this time. Her skin turned black once more but the soft light from the door made the shape of her visible. Footsteps started and Elise trembled but the sound got louder and then quieter again. It was the sound of pacing, and Tanith assumed that it was Ravel.
"If she is a shapeshifter...she'd be the first for...what, half a century?" said Victor.
"Not necessarily," said Rea, "Many may have kept their abilities secret."
"Why?"
"Think about it." she said, "Shapeshifters were used in the war against Mevolent because of their abilities, and that's partly the reason they are almost extinct. If you were a shifter, wouldn't you keep it secret so you could live a life away from all of those people trying to recruit you?"
"But they could protect themselves." said Victor.
"Most could...but not against everything." said Rea.
"If she is a Shapeshifter..." said Ravel, "Then this is huge. She could fight for us, be a soldier."
"She won't do it willingly." said Victor.
Ravel paused, his steps stopping. "Then wipe her." he said simply.
Elise gasped. They must of heard her, thought Tanith
"Elise Longden, come in here." said Ravel. Elise did not move.
They waited. "Must be someone else." said Rea. Tanith heard two more chairs scraping across the floor.
"No..." said Ravel slowly. He walked out into the corridor, his companions following him. Victor had blonde hair and big eyes, and Rea had dark hair and slightly tilted eyes.
"Elise?" repeated Ravel again.
Elise was pressed firmly against the wall, and you could only see her outline if you looked hard. Even if they could see it, they wouldn't of recognised it for a human shape.
"It might not be her." said Victor, looking around.
"She gasped because she knew that we were referring to her." said Ravel.
They all walked past the spot where she was, not even glan ing in that direction. Tanith could hear no breathing, not even when she strained her ears. She was probably holding her breath. It was working, but how long could that last?
The group prowled up the corridor, moving their gaze around as they looked for her.
"She might of ran." suggested Rea.
"No, we would of heard her footsteps." said Ravel. He clicked his fingers and he caught the spark and turned it into a flame. He cupped it in his palm. The light from it was bright but it barely reached where Elise was. Tanith could see more of Elise's shape now, and someone like Ravel was sure to notice. Elise knew that too. She began to tremble.
The group turned around and started back down the corridor. The closer they got, the more of Elise was revealed. She went to sneak away, but froze when Ravel said,
"There."
She bolted, but the others were too fast for her. Ravel sent a wall of air slamming into her back and it sent her sprawling. Rea and Victor sprinted to her. Elise pulled herself up and tried to run but they got hold of her arms and dragged her away. She cried and weeped, thrashing in their grip. She spat and swore and threatened but still they dragged her away. Her hair was rapidly changing colour and so were her eyes. Ravel moved his hands and used the air to hold her in place, suspended. She couldn't move, but she still cursed all three of them.
"What do you expect to gain from that?" said Ravel, his hands out in front of him casually.
"Go to hell." spat Elise.
"Now, Elis-" Ravel paused. "I assume because you didn't obey me when I called you by your given name means that you now have a new name?"
"I took it years ago." she dismissively.
"Who told you that given names could be used to control you? Somebody obviously did because otherwise you would not told everyone you took a name."
"It doesn't matter. One of the girls. I realised that you must have been using it to control me all these years, so I didn't tell you when I took a name just so I could see how often you controlled me." she snarled the word controlled as if it hurt to say.
"We didn't control you all of the time." said Ravel bluntly. "That desperation that brought you her in the first place? All yours. Not ours."
Elise's face coloured in anger. "I admit I was stupid. I just wanted to be safe. Happy."
"We didn't control you when you killed your first person." stated Ravel as if they were having a normal conversation.
"You forced me to. Me or him, you said." Tears began to fall from her eyes.
Tanith blinked and for a brief, awful, moment she saw the weeping woman she had killed. With her children. With her swollen face. With her pleas and her terror. With Tanith's knife in her belly. The woman had poisioned her husband, but the blood on Tanith's hands would not be washed off. She thought that she had honoured the woman by taking her name as her own, but now to Tanith it was a constant reminder of all the bad things that she had done in her lifetime.
"I said your first man." continued Ravel, his gold eyes glittering.
Elise did not reply, and looked blank.
"Dont you remember Tommy?" asked Ravel.
Elise gasped and her face paled as the blood rushed out of it. Her eyes widened and momentarily went glassy as she relieved the moment. She shook.
"Dont." she warned. "Dont."
Ravel looked at her for a moment. His face was expressionless. After a long while, he said "Wipe her as soon as possible."
"What?" said Elise in fright, "No!" Elise shouted. "No! Please..."
"Everyone who joins us goes through it as some point. It makes certain that you're loyal soldiers."
"I am a person!" she cried, "You can't take away my free will!"
Ravel turned and handed some shackles to Rea. She took them and clipped them onto Elise's wrists. She writhed when Rea and Victor took hold of her arms once more.
"We'll leave nothing except your given name. You won't even remember this encounter." said Ravel matter of factly, ignoring Elise's tears.
"You can't do this!" she yelled.
Ravel didn't even blink. "If you want to keep the given name you have now, tell me now and I'll make sure they leave that."
Elise stilled and she exhaled as she tried to stop weeping. The fight drained out of her and she drooped. "Lex Avalon." she announced.
Ravel smiled slightly and then nodded, "Very well. Goodbye, Elise Longden. I believe I will be seeing Lex Avalon shortly."
Lex said something very rude indeed, and that despite everything made Tanith smile a little. Rea and Victor looked grim as they dragged Lex down the corridor. Her feet scraped uselessly against the floor. Her hair was wild and ragged and her blue eyes were like coins and full of fear. The last thing Tanith heard of Elise Longden were her screams and pleas as she was taken to have everything she was inside removed.
The steam drifted away and Ta with saw the other's faces. Cassandra looked grim. Ghastly looked shocked. Valkyrie looked shocked. Ragnor looked scared. Skulduggery looked stern, but all he had was a skull so Tanith didn't mind.
The looked around at each other, none of them finding words.
Hello! I am author of this fanfiction *waves*. I have something to say.
This chapter, was a bitch.
I don't say that lightly. This chapter was extremely difficult to write and I struggled to find the time to. I didn't want to ramble on and on about Lex's past, but I could of written an entire novella about her and her experiences. Obviously, I had to condense it, do if some of the scenes seem rushed or...(what's the word?) not as intricate as they might usually be, I apologize. In truth I'm really nervous about posting it. I hope you guys like it and I hope you're not angry or upset that I dedicated another chapter (sort of) to Lex. I just felt like she needed it so that you guys could understand her better. I will get back onto the whole Val, Skulduggery, Ghastly, Tanith, plotline. And boy do i have a great idea. Im so looking forward to writing it, aha.
If you dont like this chapter, please let me know, because I won't write anymore about it. Tell me why. Just tell me. It makes it so much easier.
I dont know if I will be dedicating a chapter like this to Ragnor because 1) it took ages, and 2) Unlike Lex's, I dont have his entire story planned in my brain. Sorry if that disappoints people. You will be getting some back story, of course, but his will be simpler and shorter. I just dont have much to say on him. But again let me know how you feel about this.
The next chapter. It could go two ways. Its either going to be in Valkyrie's perspective were she talks to Lex and helps her cope with everything. More information on Lex could be revealed if thats what is wanted. I was thinking about having Valkyrie go visit her parents and sister but im not sure. It may include a kickass fight scene...where Feral n' Co may show up. Maybe.
The other way it could go is where it is told in the perspective of Dexter and Saracen or Gracious and Donegan (and maybe Fletcher). This would just be them hunting down a sorcerer but I thought it'd be fun to write. If you have a preference, let me know because I am only planning on writing one more chapter where they find a sorcerer. I feel as if its getting boring and am going to change from details to "Person A and Person B found another sorcerer." Then I can get down to the nitty gritty stuff. *rubs hands together*
So basically:
1) How was this chapter? Did you enjoy it?
2) Do you like Lex? Is she boring? Should I get rid of her?
3) Next chapter... Valkyrie or one of the boys?
a) If I chose Valkyrie, should Feral turn up?
b) If I chose the boys, should it be Gracious and Donegan (and Fletcher) or Dexter and Saracen?
If you even slightly enjoyed this chapter, please review. You will have my thanks. Every review makes me squeal and genuinely warms my heart. Its amazing to know that people are getting enjoyment from what I enjoy.
I would also like to reinforce that Lex/Elise is not me. All events are fictional...etc etc. NOT ME. Okay?
Bye!