Chapter 8 – Revenge Continued

DISCLAIMER~~ We do not own anything from the Skulduggery Pleasant series! Derek Landy is the rightful and amazing owner of the awesomeness that is Skulduggery and Valkyrie, and all the other characters!

Me and Shan MAY have been a little over enthusiastic with this chapter O-o Hope you enjoy!

ooOoo

Skulduggery remained where he was, staring at the place where Valkyrie had been only a few minutes ago. Why didn't he do anything? Was there even anything he could have done? If there was, why didn't he think of it?

You could have saved her. a voice said in his head. He'd heard it many times before, and was still judging on whether it was his insanity or subconscious.

How?

You know how.

No, I don't, otherwise I would have done it.

I doubt you would have.

How would you know?

I'm you.

Maybe you are, but you don't know everything about us. even as he thought that, he knew he was loosing the battle against himself.

How can I not? I am you and you are me.

Prove it.

How? You'll just say I'm lying.

No I won't. I'm a very trustworthy per-

You like her, don't you?

Like who?

The moon- Valkyrie.

Yes, I do. She's like a daughter to me.

Are you sure about that?

Of course I am. I'll ask her if you want me to.

She's been kidnapped, you know.

Yes, and who's fault it that's?

Mine.

Exactly, yours.

Of course it is.

Yes, it is.

So if she's a daughter to you, why didn't you do anything yourself?

A father doesn't need to save, only worry.

His insanity/subconscious remained silent, and so did he. Was he honestly having this conversation with himself?

What feelings exactly were you referring to? he asked himself.

If you had a brain, you'd know..

Hey, I have a brain- huh. You're right..-

"This guy's insane.." him and himself thought in unison.

Skulduggery shook his head in worry. He really had some problems.

Just then, his never-loosing-signal-mobile rang, interrupting his thoughts. Putting the mobile to where his ear would be, he answered in the calmest voice he could muster.

"Papa's Pizzeria, internet game sensation, speaking."

On the other side of the line, a baffled Fletcher handed the phone over to Ghastly, shaking his head.

"Hey, Skulduggery. Where are you?"

"I'm in the caves."

"Ah, so you made it, then. How's it going? Near the Scepter?"

"Valkyrie's been injured and kidnapped by Serpine, and I am standing where she was a few moments ago."

There was low muttering from Ghastly's side of the line as he conversed with Tanith.

"Hey, Skul?" Tanith's soft voice came. "You go after Val, and we'll come in to the caves and find you."

Skulduggery nodded, then realised they couldn't see him, and said, "Alright. Try not to get lost." and hung up.

He stared at the path where Serpine had disappeared in to, and began walking.

Meanwhile, with Valkyrie..

Valkyrie couldn't see anything.

Once Serpine deemed it far away enough from Skulduggery, he had blindfolded Valkyrie, then left her by a small lamp. The wound in her shoulder was searing with pain. Serpine decided to be especially evil and keep the dagger in the wound, causing her more pain and for it to swell.

A part of her was begging Skulduggery to come and rescue her, but her other half was begging him not to. If Serpine came across the Scepter, then she would be there too, and she could have a chance of getting it before he uses it. But the chances of her over powering Serpine once more, the first time being out of sheer luck, was in the negative zone.

Foot steps sounded Serpine's return from what ever evil psychopaths do in dark caves on their own.

"If you're thinking of the Detective coming to your rescue, then you can give up hope. Only I know the way around these caves." He smirked smugly, staring at his captive.

"Why aren't we there yet?" Valkyrie asked through gritted teeth. Any movement sent shots of pain through her shoulder.

"..What?"

"If you know your.. way around these caves.. Then why are we not.. at the Scepter yet?" She repeated.

Serpine grinned evilly. It was a shame Valkyrie could not see to appreciate the amount of evil the grin possessed.

"We, my dear, are not there yet because of reasons I cannot reveal to you, in case of your highly unlikely escape."

Well, damn. she thought, There goes my foolproof plan.

Back with Skulduggery..

Skulduggery was jogging through the caves, with Valkyrie on his mind. Maybe his insane subconscious was hinting at another part of his feelings for her. Maybe she was more than just a daughter to him.

He came to another dead end and he almost let out a cry of pure frustration. But he didn't- he was too stylish for that.

He closed his non-existent eyes and let out a sigh. He wasn't concentrating.

Turning slowly, he made his way back the way he came, and turned a different corner.

After five minutes or so, he saw a faint light reflecting off a corner. He picked up his pace, and soon came to a half empty lamp, with oil trickling down the sides. A patch of blood could be seen on the side of a wall, then going in to a trail of blood leading in one direction.

Clenching his fists at the thought of Valkyrie hurting, he grabbed the lamp and began to follow the trail of blood. Serpine had killed his family- he was not going to let him kill Valkyrie, too.

Every now and again, the trail of blood stopped, and he'd have to search about for it. This is all a bit too obvious.. he thought to himself the whole time.

Eventually, he came across a large section of the vast caves. It was lit up with numerous candles, and right in the middle of it was a small, ancient looking chest. And next to it, an unconscious Valkyrie lying on the floor.

Rushing over to her, he gently slid a hand under her head to support her. He picked her up in his arms and took her to a corner of the cave, gently propping her up against the wall. She stirred and shook her head lightly. She looked up at him with dazed eyes. Then, she was on her feet.

"Skulduggery!" she said, staring at him. Skulduggery stood as well, staring back at her. "Skulduggery, Serpine's got the Scepter."

He nodded, "I figured as much. He's actually in this room as we speak."

That low, evil laugh, one that they'd heard too many times now that it was actually annoying, came from the other side of the cave. "I forgot you Elementals can use the air. How silly of me."

Serpine was standing next to the chest, a golden staff with a black crystal in it's crest in his hand. "Don't make any attempt to attack me, Skeleton. I can take you down in one shot."

Valkyrie's hand went to Skulduggery's arm in search of reassurance, and he glanced at her. "He won't shoot us with it, don't worry." he said.

Serpine grinned. "Wont I, now? How can you be so sure?"

"Because you want my second death to be as long and as painful as the last, don't you?"

"True- but I'm starting to reconsider it. I have ultimate power, and I can rule the world with it. Why waste my time on you when I can torture as many people as I want?"

Skulduggery tilted his head to a side, "I'm taking a wild guess here, but I don't think you'll actually be able to do that."

Serpine threw back his head and laughed, "Stop guessing then, my friend! You couldn't be more wro-"

His words were cut off as Tanith's blade slid slowly through his stomach.

From behind him, Tanith's face was expressionless as she kept driving the blade through him, and then twisted it. She leant in close and hissed in his ear, "You hurt Val, then you hurt us. And we'll hurt you."

She sounded so scary that Valkyrie backed off a little bit, even though she knew Tanith was on their side.

As she drew the blade back out of Serpine, she kicked him to the floor, the Sceptre falling out of his hand.

Serpine turned his head and watched as Ghastly and Fletcher ran in to the area, grim expressions on their faces.

"You've.. surprised me again, Detective." he gurgled, blood coming from his mouth.

Skulduggery walked up to him and stared at him coldly. He stooped down and picked up the Scepter with his bony hand. He looked at it for a few moments, then at Serpine.

"I'm going to be old fashioned and cheesy here- Any last words?"

A noise came from Serpine's throat that they all assumed was a failed attempt at a laugh, and Skulduggery shrugged. He pointed the Scepter at him and a flash of lighting flew from it, striking Serpine full in the face.

He turned to dust.

"Well.. Now that this party's over.. How about we get the heck outta here?" Fletcher said, offering a trembling hand out to everyone. Gratefully, they all held on to each other and Fletcher teleported them to outside the Sanctuary.

A few hours later..

After briefing the Sanctuary on their successful adventure, and after Valkyrie's wound had been seen to and patched up, they returned to Skulduggery's house.

Valkyrie lay on the long sofa, nursing her shoulder self-pityingly, whilst the others lounged about. Skulduggery sat on the floor next to the sofa Valkyrie was on and looked at her. He opened his mouth to say something to her, but she interrupted him-

"Don't blame yourself for what happened to me. There was nothing you could do."

"That wasn't what I was going to say- I was going to ask if you wanted some ice cream." he said blandly. Valkyrie glared at him and hit his skull with her free hand.

"I hate you."

"I know. But do you want some ice cream?"

"Yes please."

Skulduggery nodded and got up, leaving the room.

She watched him go and smiled faintly. He could be such a pain sometimes.

ooOoo

THERE! I did it! Two chapters in two days. I'm so proud of me.

Anyway, we're going to be taking longer to upload our chapters seeing as we've also decided to make a FictionPress account and make our own story. We haven't started yet, but check us out in a couple of days - RandomGurlz FictionPress!

P.S - the previous chapter has been edited slightly before they enter the caves; only a small thing but you might wanna check it out, in case you get confused in the next few chapters.

Until next time-

Ciao, nuggets!