I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking much the last time. You could tell by all the typos! I hate getting all serious, but it has to happen- I think. Why are all the villains sly, mysterious and most of the time sexy, like Loki!
The end of a new beginning
"No, seriously, she really did that to you?" Vendetta asked Sanguine near the doors.
"What? China is very persuasive!"
"She made you do her taxes. Sanguine, you idiot!"
"She drugged me-" the Mercenaries ran past them and ushered them inside.
"What the hell, man?" Vendetta demanded. They didn't respond. The other allies stood by them, readying themselves. "What's happening?" She asked.
"They're here." Anton said. Rumbles and thuds came from ceiling and Lord Vile crashed through, holding down Darquesse in the process.
**************** (Earlier…)
"Who's she?" Valkyrie asked. Her hand scanned around the room. Only one thing that wasn't broken, a simple hand mirror that was placed near her. She looked into it and saw herself. She frowned, but her reflection didn't follow. It smiled.
"Wish to resume?" it said. Valkyrie winced in shock and dropped the mirror. Her reflection squirmed out.
"Did you do all of this?" she threatened.
"Yes." it answered.
"What the hell? Why?"
"A new age is upon us."
Valkyrie stepped back, "I'm sorry?"
"I have to go" shadows crept up it's arm and laced in it's fingers.
The fire grew stronger, "That's not possible." she mumbled.
"What isn't? The magic?" it teased. "When you were thirteen you got me killed." the shadows spread up to its' shoulder, "The moment you touched the mirror's surface I was more alive than I should've been. From there on I grew more human each and everyday, and today is the day I rise. Because you won't fulfill your destiny, I might as well."
"Shit." she muttered and threw fire at it- Darquesse, it became Darquesse, who easily dodged and responded with tendrils of shadows.
"Valkyrie, you can't stop me. I know all your skills, moves, techniques plus so much more you don't even know about." Darquesse shot again, crossing her arms and the shadows weaved and twirled in the air. Valkyrie tried to dodge but failed. They grazed her flesh, much like Melancholia did and dissipated like smoke. She hoisted herself up and the air shimmered, Darquesse was pushed back into a wall. She brought her head up and looked at Valkyrie. Darquesse snarled and shot up into the air.
"Mother fu…" she mumbled and crawled for her phone, calling Skulduggery.
"Are you going to say sorry." he teased.
"My reflection- sh-she's Darquesse." she stuttered from sheer shock.
"It's what?"
"Darquesse!" she moaned.
He didn't respond for a moment, "Stay there." he instructed.
"I can't. What about my parents?"
"Right. Meet you there?"
"Alright." Valkyrie hung up. She forgot to mention the fact that she's slightly diced.
"Where are you going?" Gordon asked.
"I have to go back for my parents, bye Gordon."
"Uh, bye…?" on her way to the door she smiled back at Gordon and ran out. She got her phone, again, and called Tanith.
"'Ello? You OK Val?"
"No, not at all."
"What is it?"
"I think Darquesse is here."
Tanith paused, "OK, I have to go."
****************** (At the Temple)
"Is everything OK?" Larrikin asked from across the hall.
"I, uh, I don't think so." Tanith replied, she took her phone from her ear
"What is it?"
"Darquesse is back."
"Crap! Really?"
"Looks like it."
"Just perfect!"
"What is?" Rose asked.
"So, Vile is coming here too?" Larrikin asked, ignoring Rose.
"Looks like it."
Skulduggery put his phone in his pocket and sped down the freeway. He drove the Coupe quickly to her parent's home and stayed there, waiting.
Darquesse found herself above the mansion. She jetted to the her home, the Coupe parked across the street. She smiled.
"I see the car." she taunted, "Skulduggery, I know you're there." she walked closer, no one was inside.
A clicking came from behind her. "You know," Skulduggery said, loading his revolver "I never thought that this was possible."
"And this is coming from a talking skeleton?"
"Touché." he muttered and pointed the gun at her.
Darquesse reacted by shooting a thick tendril of shadows at him before he pulled the trigger. They curled up in his sleeves, lacing between bones and joints. Skulduggery groaned and he pulled the trigger, the bullet his the bonnet of the Coupe, leaving a metallic sound. The shadows drifted to his ribcage, which hurt so much more. He didn't make a sound. The pain spread like wild fire across his frame. It was too intense, he lost it. The shadows laced plates of Vile's armor around him. Skulduggery twitched during the process.
"Better?" she asked.
Vile stood and cocked his head to one side much like Skulduggery. "Much." Vile's raspy and harsh voice made Darquesse tingle in delight.
Valkyrie was a few blocks away, almost there, she thought. She heard a giggle, her own voice. She snuck behind a car. She looked over the bonnet and saw Vile, his cocked head looking at Darquesse. Valkyrie looked in utter horror, Vile and Darquesse, ready to battle. Only, it was her reflection fighting, not her.
Vile shot up into the air and Darquesse followed. Valkyrie took out her phone once more and called Tanith.
"How bad is it?" she asked.
"I think they're making their way to the Temple."
"Alright, stay safe." the line ended. Valkyrie darted to her door and knocked.
"Mom? Dad?" footsteps came down the stairs and Melissa answered.
"Steph? It's one in the morning, what is it?"
"Is everyone OK?" her Mother guided her in.
"Yes we're fine." she turned on the light. Valkyrie took off her coat and her mom gasped, "What happened? You're bleeding!"
"I know, Mum, I'm fine. I was just worried for you."
"Why?"
What lie? What lie? "I saw this man, I think he was going to break in or something, I tried to stop him but he cut me."
"Oh, I should call the police, honey."
"No, Mum, I'm fine, OK?" she assured and hugged her, "I have to go."
"Why?"
This was hard for her, "Please, trust me, I have to help someone. I love you."
"I love you, too." she smiled and ran out.
Darquesse shot another wave of shadows at Vile. He plummeted down to easily dodge it. They were both equally matched, both inflicting the same amount of damage. This was almost impossible.
***************(present time)
The other allies stood by them, readying themselves. "What's happening?" She asked.
"They're here." Anton said. Rumbles and thuds came from ceiling and Lord Vile crashed through, holding down Darquesse in the process.
"It's Cain." Rose murmured. "She's Darquesse."
Darquesse was smashed into the marble tiles first, debris covered the floor. The Mercenaries stepped forth, twirling their scythes. Darquesse delivered a kick to Vile's helmet, he gripped her calf and twisted it hard. A sickening crack filled the room. She fell onto her back, she clenched her leg, but managed to stand. In a few moments she restored her poise.
Vile brought his arm up and shadows flung to the ceiling. She looked around them. Allies and Mercenaries were watching them. Darquesse looked back at Vile, "Can I kill them? Please?" he looked at her, "I'm going to." she was walking to the audience but they were blocked off by a rising wall of earth. She shot back. "What's the fun in that?"
The ceiling started to crumble, pillars cracked. "We're going to be smashed!" she yelled over the noise. Vile's plates deflected the debris as he walked over to her. Darquesse struggled to stand, the clothes that she was wearing weren't Bespoke's originals, they were copies like she once was. She was getting battered. She couldn't stop the debris hitting, she never bothered to learn how. Vile's armor was the only thing protecting him.
Darquesse looked behind herself at the hut of rocks that Vile made. But how could he? She learned from Valkyrie's memories that Skulduggery was ambidextrous, but not Vile. Unless…
"You're protecting them." she barked, "Vile would've killed them!" the roof was now falling in bigger chunks, the pillars toppled on each other, the whole place was going to fall. Vile was readying himself to take off, "One last thing." but he took off, flying away from the Temple.
*********** (under the rock-hut thingy)
"What the?" Tanith tapped in the rock.
"I think we're completely sealed." Anton said, "We failed, didn't we?"
"Uh, yeah." the walls shook as the last standing pillar shattered upon them. The covered their ears as the crash echoed around them.
"We need to get outta' here!" Rose exclaimed.
"No!" Tanith grabbed her arm, "This thing is protecting us from the debris!"
"Than how long till we can stay here until we can go?"
"I don't know." she mumbled, "Until everything has stopped falling on us?"
There was a long silence until Larrikin broke it, "I thought Vile couldn't do elemental."
Valkyrie caught cab to the Sanctuary. She walked in, Ghastly was the first to greet her. "Are you alright, Valkyrie?"
She shook her head, "Can we speak in your office?"
"Of course." he guided her in. "What is it?"
She shrugged off her jacket, revealing her stained tunic, "I ran into Darquesse… and later on Vile."
He stared at her, "H-how is that po-"
"My reflection."
"Ah. How?"
"Can we talk about this later? Look, they're fighting at the Temple."
"Oh, dear." he murmured, "There's nothing we can do, can we?"
"What about the Allies that were recruited to protect the Temple?"
"They'll be fine. They're trained well." he assured.
"I hope so." she sighed and stood up, putting on her jacket.
"Where are you going?"
"I have a feeling where he might be."
"Who?"
"Vile."
"Oh, how are you going to get there?"
She walked over and reached her hand around his backside and grabbed his keys, "I'm gonna borrow your van, K?"
"Alright?" she smiled and
****************(After the Temple has fallen)
Darquesse found herself under piles of dust, she coughed and hoisted herself up. The rock-hut still stood. She frowned and became aloft and raced to find Vile and finish him.
Vile landed on the docs by the harbor. He placed his hands on the railing, his armor was scratched and dented, but not penetrated.
Darquesse found him on the docs and plummeted towards him. "We need to end this now." she spat. He looked over his shoulder and the armor followed. Darquesse snarled and shot one major wave and the shadows pushed him up against the railings that were splintering.
"Stop it!" Valkyrie hollered by Ghastly's van and ran forth. Darquesse looked at her, distracted. Perfect. Vile manipulated a wave beneath the wood. The water grew and targeted her. As it hit the doc the wave rolled over him, dodging him. It hit Darquesse and she got swept into the ocean.
Valkyrie watched her reflection drift into the water that Vile manipulated. But that's not possible, at least for Vile it wasn't. She ran towards the railing, unaware of his presence, and she leaned over them. Darquesse advanced in the water, she brought her arm above the surface and the shadows were creeping up the posts. They wrapped around the rails and she yanked it.
Valkyrie screamed from shock and stumbled near the edge. If she fell she would've been fine, but Darquesse would've killed her once she splashed. Valkyrie reached for something, anything. Her fall was stopped, Vile held her wrist and she was dangling over the edge.
"Drop her!" Darquesse screeched. "Vile would… but could you?"
Valkyrie looked up at him. Vile would've let her fall or even kill her on spot. She knew he'd be here, but why? And how was he able to send a crashing wave upon Darquesse?
"Skulduggery." she breathed. Vile tilted his head at a familiar angle. He hoisted her up onto the wood and she looked at him. He didn't look at her, he kept his vision on Darquesse. He flicked his wrist.
Darquesse cried down bellow, and now Valkyrie looked as well. Darquesse opened her mouth, blood spluttered from her mouth and into the water. Her flesh acted like paper being burnt from the middle, random holes started to grow and spread. She was burning from the inside out. It was sickening to watch but it was just something you can't un-see. Valkyrie grimaced at the sight…
Darquesse was defeated.
Lord Vile turned a heel and walked off the doc and onto the gravel. He kept walking, as he did the plates of armor dissipated like smoke. Starting with the breastplate and ending with the helmet. Skulduggery was revealed underneath, suit and all but his bowler hat.
"Skulduggery." Valkyrie called out, staying where she was.
He turned and looked at her, "Valkyrie." he mimicked her tone.
She ran over and hugged him tightly, "You had control? This whole time?" she pulled back.
"Well, not this whole time, but this time, yes."
"What about the Sanctuary?"
"Diminished."
"The others?"
"Under a wall of rock before the roof came crashing down."
She started with a grin but it fell flat, "Shit!"
"What?"
"They say my face, all of them! They think I was Darquesse!"
"Oh, dear." he thought for a moment, "We'll get Geoffrey on that."
"OK. But, what about my reflection? You killed her- me! Imagine what it's gonna feel like when I touch a mirror. Is she- it going to be evil like before?"
Skulduggery placed his hand on her shoulder reassuringly, "It'll be fine, I promise." she nodded and fell for another hug.
Help arrived for the Allies and Mercenaries, involving Vendetta's co-worker and Geoffrey, who blanked all but Vendetta. Vex took Larrikin with him on some wild adventure.
Everything settled, everyone forgot about that night- at least tried to.
Time to say good-bye to this era and story! I hate getting emotional and sappy but you know how it is. It wouldn't be possible without you guys! This is a shout-out for Cranium Mischief: thanks for staying with me to this very end and so much more! Oh, and Miss. Sanguine: it feels great to rely on someone for second opinions…