Sparks fly from across the room, where a light had once been on the ceiling now was used as a javelin for a dead body. Daughter was in the middle on the room floating off the ground twirling to some unknown music. I couldn't see Ice which was a worry for me.
What was more worrying was the dark veins that overran Daughter's skin.
Meaning that Daughter was either trying to kill herself or Darquesse was just starting the party.

I mentally shrugged, neither one was wanted.

I looked over to the other side of the room and found Ice suspended by her own sword in her stomach, by the blood dripping from her I could tell she didn't have long left. Doors opposite us burst open and Tanith runs in with Billy-Ray. Daughter stops her spinning and floats to the ground, all eyes in the room follow her. My boots feel sticky, and as I look down I realise why. The floor is covered in blood. You can't see the horrible tiles any more, just red and every now and then a body part. Daughter looks at Tanith then turns and looks straight to me.

"I took care of everyone Val, they can't hurt you any more. No one shall be after Darquesse, I can keep her and you can live in peace because that is all you have ever wanted. I even took your magic, to help you get a head start on a normal life." Daughter smiles at me. I shake my head "I never wanted a normal life, that's what you wanted all this time. After all these years Daughter, after watching everyone die. You can die too, you can go back home." My eyes don't leave hers as I see Tanith draw her sword and Billy-Ray pulls his razor out.

Daughter reached her hand out to me and I look at it. "We could have been so much more. She doesn't like it without you. Join with us, make us whole so we can have all the power there is and will ever be." Tanith has moved into position and I shake my head slowly, "Give back what you stole, she isn't yours to keep."

Daughter's face turns angry "You know I can still get some of her power, enough to kill a country. You will join me Valkyrie." Her gaze shifts to my left where I know Skulduggery is standing. "Your dream? Will become true!" Daughter screeched at me and Tanith jumped before Daughter had taken a step. Her sword pierced Daughter's chest and touched the floor with Tanith perched on her back. Tanith's black veins were stronger than ever as she whispered "Give me the destroyer."

Now for the part we had been waiting for. Skulduggery and Ghastly moved out from behind me and fanned out across the room to observe and get into position. Daughter laughed. Tanith drove the sword in further and twisted. Daughter's body around the sword opened and she rose off of it, throwing Tanith to the ground and laughed again. "She isn't willing to cooperate with you." Daughter looks straight at me "She wants Valkyrie." If Daughter's grin was anything to go by, Darquesse wasn't the only one wanting me tonight.

Tanith was back on her feet and running at Daughter, Ghastly also lunged from his spot. Daughter hurled Tanith's sword at Tanith and slapped Ghastly away from her. Tanith managed to doge the sword but not Daughter's foot to the side of her head. Both skidded to the floor on the opposite sides of the room. Ghastly came to his feet quickly, but Tanith looked to be out cold. I crept round to Ice hanging out the wall, not before seeing Billy-Ray, Skulduggery and Ghastly go for Daughter together this time.

Ice was on the edge of death, her feet swung gently. Her sword in her gut was too far in the wall for me to remove it, plus it would probably kill me if I touched it- it was necromancy. Blood had dripped down her lower half and soaked everything she wore. Her face was pale but didn't have and marks on, like either Daughter did this one stab and was done or Daughter was healing her to repeat wounds. I hoped to god it was the first option.

I went to creep past as her eyes opened and stared at me. Ice's voice was raspy as she said "You were her mission. She was being punished, that's why she was here so early... You have to kill her, before she kills everyone." Ice coughed blood out which narrowly avoided landing on me. She looked at me again and nodded, reaching for the sword holding her up and that was undoubtedly keeping her alive even if she was in pain. Darkness swirled around the sword as she pulled it out the wall and collapsed on the floor. Blood now poured from her and the sword was only just inside her body, her eyes hadn't left me- even in death. Darkness swarmed and reached out from the sword, not understanding the death of it's owner. I had no idea if this would work but it would be better than no magic or no weapon at least. I reached for the sword and the shadows reached out for me, as I grabbed the handle of the sword the shadows raced up my arm and around my body- testing me.

"Such a shame, she was good." Daughter's voice made me turn just as she pushed air at me and I flew into the wall. Daughter flicked her wrist and I moved to another wall, groaning as she let go of me and I sunk down next to Skulduggery. His suit is ripped in places and he is re-attaching an arm. I spotted Billy-Ray running towards Daughter and she sighed and turned into him, waving her hand and he slowly broke into bits of dust floating away from the spot he was last stood. His face was screaming with no sound, and the dust floated away in the breeze. The Hit man-Deluxe was gone, with the wave of her hand and he was gone. Not that I was mourning but it was dangerous that she could kill someone like that. It was crazy to think when I had turned into Darquesse I could have killed so many people if I had known I could do that.

Skulduggery went to stand but I stopped him, "She won't hurt me, she wants me to merge with her. I can beat her." When I finish speaking I look at him. His face is unreadable. "You won't die here Skulduggery, you won't go for her if she can do that." Now he shakes his head at me. I know without my magic the chances of me succeeding are low, in fact I have no chance- but as the only person she won't kill I have the biggest shot at her. I see Ghastly with a bloodied face holding his arm across the room, looking at Tanith as she stares where Billy-Ray had just been. Tanith turns to Ghastly and says something and he looks away.

Daughter is floating to me again and she reaches down and grips my collar to pick me up. "You know you don't have a chance a beating me, but joining me will spare your friends. You are such a loyal and noble person, any other situation and it is to be admired- when at war they are laughable qualities. I'm sure I could even do something about the possession of the woman- if you join me." Daughter's proposition is tempting. I look at her and the floor, not too far if she drops me and we're spinning- I need to be on the right side of the room. "That does sound like a good deal." I start and see Ghastly whip his head round to stare at me "But you're evil and a bitch so I think no is the appropriate answer." I smile sweetly and fling my arms up to make her drop me, and surprisingly it works. I land next to Ice's body and pull her sword out, the shadows that were attached to me flow down the sword and highlight it.

I'm hoping that I can use the sword at least. Daughter laughs at me and begs me forward with her finger. I frown and turn my body in a stance it recognises for using the sword- how Tanith has shown me. I run straight for her and dip my shoulder and slash the sword the other way, slicing up Daughter's arm and black blood pours out. Daughter heals instantly and growls punching my jaw. I can feel the skin break, and then the bone but it heals. "I want you to feel all of this." Daughter says. I roll my eyes and dive under her swinging leg, bringing the sword up as I tumble again I have hit her. Her trouser leg now flies open down the back but she is not bleeding. Out the corner of my eye I see Ghastly run towards me and Daughter turns to him. I run and jump between them as she now ducks his right fist and swings her own. I cry out as my ribs break and both of us fly back, I land on Ghastly but I can't breathe. Daughter looks at me and my ribs have healed. "Stay down, nobody needs to die for this." I don't look at Ghastly as I say this. I climb off of him and slowly drag the sword back into my fighting position. Ghastly whispers to me "That includes you as well Valkyrie..." I ignore him and step over the rubble of where we had landed.

As we circle each other Tanith joins my side with her own sword drawn. "As much as it pains me to say it, because you are not her... You should stay out of this." I say to her, Tanith doesn't answer but I do notice the black veins are gone from her skin. Daughter comes in for both of us and I go to my left while Tanith goes right, both our swords open her sides but we do not stop there. Twirling back to face Daughter we lunge again and open her thighs and lead to her chest with our swords before she blows us away. We only move five feet from her. I attack again and criss-cross patterns on Daughter's chest with blood pouring from her as she tries to heal all of her wounds. If she can only access some of Darquesse's power then healing so many deep wounds is a problem for her. Tanith has moved behind her and judging by the blood that mixes with the red blood on the floor, she has also opened Daughter up from the back. Daughter falls to her knees and bursts air outwards from herself "No no no, no no no. You can't do this. No. No! NO!" Daughter's repeats to herself sound defeated and I nod to Tanith. I lift my sword above my head and step towards Daughter as she looks into my face, Black veins cover her face and she says "This was my choice. I can say I chose wrong." I feel my face turn cold, this is a fallen angel who was being punished. I was her mission and she became corrupt and turned against wherever or whoever she fell from. "What happens to your kind when you die and you can't go back to where you came from?" I ask without emotion it was rhetorical.
A tear slid from her eye and she bowed her head to me. I brought the sword down as hard as I could and the shadows flowed down the sword and into her body, fully stopping her heart and killing her for sure. I pull the sword from her body but she doesn't fall. I step back in shock as Daughter's hands move into a prayer position and from her wound a grey spreads. Wings form on her back and spread from her. Daughter's expression is so sad, but here she is stone. An angel turns to stone after they die.

Skulduggery joins my side "I had faith in you." I shake my head at him. As the transformation completes itself a mist glowing and sparkly rushes at me from Daughter. I brace myself as it hits me, but it still takes me off my feet and keeps me on the floor until it is all absorbed. I breathe and Ghastly and Skulduggery run to my side. My magic is back, I can feel all of it. I click my fingers to make sure, and a flame bursts to life. Ghastly smiles and Skulduggery tilts his head in what I know is a smile.

When a sword pierces his chest and flings him to the side. I scream and try to get up but Tanith's boot makes sure I stay on the floor, her sword now going for Ghastly but I flex my fingers and push him out of harms way as Tanith's sword swings through where he just was. Tanith growls and picks me up, the black veins are back and I can't see anything other than black in her eyes as she turns and hurls me across the room. I drop and slide across the floor and don't reach the wall which I'm thankful for- I've had enough of being chucked into a wall today. I get up and turn to Tanith, having to duck my head as she throws Ice's sword at me. I pull it from the ground behind me.

Tanith's stare is intense as she moves into her stance "This ends here my dear sister." I square my stance to hers when I see they are identical, the real Tanith taught me her moves. I suddenly have a headache as I feel Darquesse growl at her. I smile, I probably shouldn't be glad I have a psychopathic killer in my head- but I am. I missed you. Darquesse says to me I missed you too, I have a feeling this will be a short reunion. Darquesse laughed then replied with This may come across as bad considering my reputation, but I have an idea. Tanith was growing impatient as I spoke in my head with Darquesse. She started to circle me and I smiled again "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!" I smirked as I said it. Tanith grunted and sprinted towards me with her sword beside her. I raised my sword to defend myself but Tanith's attack had pushed me back a few steps.

As Tanith came to attack again I thought to Darquesse I'm all ears.

Sorry I took my time, but wanted a long-ish chapter for you guys!
What did you think?
As always you beautiful people Read&Review please!
Love you all,

Em x