Okaaaay, in contradiction to my last author's note this chapter is quite long! In saying that, I'm planning a very short chapter next so I guess this kind of makes up for that. However, I may update twice in one day along with the next short chapter, we shall see.
The ending to this chapter is quite abrupt and ends on nothing special so I apologise for that. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new instalment!
"Ready for training?" Skulduggery called up the stairs. He heard her bedroom door shut and she came bounding down the stairs. She dressed ready in a pair of black Nike shorts and matching tank top and runners. Personal trainers and gym junkies would have been jealous of her toned arms and legs. How can she think she's weak? Skulduggery wondered.
"Let's go," she said at the bottom of the stairs.
Tanith and Ghastly met them in the foyer. "Are you guys just staying here?" Valkyrie asked.
"Yeah if that's okay. We will see you when you get back," Tanith replied.
"Okay, see you soon," Skulduggery opened the front door for Valkyrie and followed behind her.
In the Bentley Valkyrie rolled the window down and enjoyed the light spring breeze. Valkyrie turned around, confused, when they drove straight past the beach. "Aren't we training at the beach?" She asked.
"No we are going somewhere different for today," Skulduggery replied, remembering the reason he needs to take her somewhere different… quieter.
"Mind telling me where?" Valkyrie asked.
"Here," Skulduggery pulled in to a brick warehouse that's windows were covered in newspaper.
"Why?"
"I just figured it's better for us to practise more magic without worrying people will see us," Skulduggery lied, partially. It was true, no one could see this but not just humans. He couldn't risk being seen by any sorcerers as well.
"Well… okay then," Valkyrie murmured slowly.
Skulduggery led her around the side of the building to a narrow alleyway with a door hidden in the shadows. He pushed it open and flipped on the light inside revealing polished concrete floors, completely empty.
Valkyrie walked to the centre of the warehouse and began stretching. She touched her toes and pulled each arm to the side while rolling her neck. With a few little jumps she was ready to go.
"Hand-to-hand first?" She asked.
"As always," Skulduggery replied shrugging off his jacket and placing it on the elevated concrete to the side but not before wiping it free of dust. He walked toward her and without warning swung a right hook that she managed to duck last minute and lash out with swing of her leg. Skulduggery jumped, planted his feet and grabbed the wrist Valkyrie had pushed towards him in a punch.
"Remember," he grunted. "You mustn't be predictable. Do something the enemy won't expect. They know you are strong but you are also still very young therefore they won't expect anything unpredictable."
"Predictable?" Valkyrie replied, slightly annoyed. With that she gripped his wrist like a vice and twisted herself and his arm to lock it behind his back. "Expecting that?" She asked, her mouth next to his skull. Then she kicked the back of his knees making them buckle. He fell and landed on his back with a loud cracking sound. For a moment Valkyrie thought he'd broken a bone from the impact until he reached up and dragged Valkyrie down with him. She landed on him, straddling his hips, and her brain paused. She had no idea but suddenly it was like her eyes were making her view their current position. With a shake of her head she brought her arm back and forward in a powerful punch. Skulduggery's gloved hand closed around hers as he pushed it back hard enough to lift her body off him an inch and roll over.
He leaned closer to her face, just centimetres away. "And that," he said with the velvet of his voice softer than ever, "is why you are not weak or predictable."
He stood up and offered a hand that Valkyrie gripped after a moment's hesitation. She eyed him carefully making sure it wasn't a trick where he'd bring her up into a headlock of some kind but she knew he was done with hand-to-hand and grasped his bony fingers letting him pull her up.
"Can you see it yet?" He asked softly.
Valkyrie glanced away, painfully staring at the window letting her past thoughts stir her mind. "Skulduggery," she began reluctantly. "I'm not trying to make myself to seem like a sulky child or damsel in distress that needs to be protected. I want to be strong. I'm embarrassed to think all of you look at me with pity because all you see is a naïve young girl trying hard but getting no-where. It embarrasses me to even admit this," Valkyrie couldn't bring herself to look at him. All this time she'd held her head high and shoulders back copping everything thrown at her on the chin when it's all made her look silly.
"What do I need to do to make you see what I see?" Skulduggery asked frustratingly, mainly to himself. He knew what he was going to do but he didn't like it. It was the whole reason he'd brought her to a quiet, safe and locked location. He didn't want to have to turn to it, knowing it was unpredictable and dangerous, however, he had convinced himself he could bring himself back like he'd done for Valkyrie countless times. He felt utterly stupid and reckless but he needed Valkyrie to be strong. Her mindset will affect her performance so he needs her to see her capabilities.
Valkyrie walked to the elevated slab of concrete where she'd left her bag with water, a towel and other essentials. She wiped her face, took a sip of water and checked the time on her phone revealing a message from Tanith. She didn't open it. If it were an emergency she'd have called so it could wait until after training.
"So, time for some elemental ass whooping?" Valkyrie asked as she turned around but Skulduggery was missing. Well, the Skulduggery she knew and adored because in his place was a swirl of shadows. Under those shadows was an unusual image, like a hologram, of armour. She'd seen this only a couple times before and a lot of those times were through the eyes of her own dark side. When Darquesse stood against Lord Vile. Only this was different. Valkyrie Cain against Lord Vile in a match with a winner already expected.
"Skulduggery," Valkyrie began, her voice dripping with fear. "This isn't funny. Why did you do this? You knew I'd be pierced with a thousand shadows and ripped inside out. I'm no match for him."
It was quite unnerving referring to Lord Vile as 'him' while he was standing directly in front of her. She stood still and tall but she could imagine the uncertainty on her face as Lord Vile slowly but surely strode towards her. His frame was hunched but not in an ugly way but menacing. A hand stretched outwards forming a shape like he was gripping an imaginary cup. It was the perfect shape to fit nice and snug around her neck. Valkyrie thought quickly and ducked under his arm but before she could make a run for the door and cold hand gripped her wrist. She looked at her arm but it wasn't a hand but a coil of shadows.
Let me in. The voice inside her began. The voice that only meant darkness and trouble.
Valkyrie used her necromancy to break the bond of Vile's shadows and set her wrist free. Knowing that running will get her nowhere; Valkyrie grabbed Lord Vile's arm and tried the same move that managed to bring Skulduggery down. Bad idea. Lord Vile would have seen it happen.
I can take him, you know it. Valkyrie shook the voice out of her head and cleared her mind, doing what Skulduggery had always taught her. "Take a moment to clear your head. In these situations you never have time but in your head you have all the time you need. Imagine what you wish to achieve. Imagine yourself doing what you want to do successfully then carry out those actions. No one will know what you are thinking, your mind is your friend at this point so listen to it and do exactly what you envision."
Valkyrie saw things happening in slow motion. Lord Vile strode towards her. It wasn't his usual style of piercing shadows and body exploding so Skulduggery was there somewhere. She looked around for a weapon but nothing stood out in the empty warehouse. Everything started coming back to normal pace and Valkyrie found herself helpless.
You will die here. Valkyrie's temptations almost got the better of her but in a reflexive motion she kicked Lord Vile's right leg so that his legs spread wide. Without hesitation she slid through them and jumped up behind him soundlessly. Thank God for polished concrete. She let herself think. She put him in a classic headlock, however, knowing it wouldn't last long against his strength she dragged him backward to the elevated concrete slab, pressed her back against it for support and released her hold on him. Before he could turn, she kicked her feet out so the soles cracked against the centre of his chest.
Lord Vile stumbled back a couple steps but before Valkyrie could smile at her success he was cracking his neck and sending shadows out to her neck. Her throat constricted, cutting any oxygen off from entering her lungs. Feeling her blood run cold she knew she'd lost. Dizziness began to take over her and black spots clouded her vision. Various lights danced before her eyes and images of Lord Vile swirled in front of her. She imagined this death but only in the form of Darquesse. She'd predicted and hoped that once Darquesse took full control that Skulduggery would find a way to end it. One of those ways being Lord Vile.
"Skulduggery…" she heard herself croak but the sound was distant as if said by another person.
You're dying. Are you joking? Let me in! Now! Do you want to die at the hands of him? Darquesse screamed.
"No… he can kill me. Better me… than him," Valkyrie said but she wasn't sure if she spoke it or thought it. Then without warning, blackness consumed her.
"Valkyrie?" Echoed a soft, velvet voice.
The sensation of soft leather brushed her cheek but all she could see was black. No light at all. You need to open your eyes idiot. Valkyrie reminded herself. Oh yeah.
Valkyrie's eyes fluttered open to a skull staring down at her. She let herself giggle. If anyone else had woken up to a skull staring down at them they'd run out those doors screaming.
"What's so funny?" Skulduggery asked with genuine curiosity.
"Nothing," she replied. "You almost killed me," she added matter-of-factly.
Skulduggery's head dropped. "I know. I thought I could control it somehow. I was gullible to talk myself into such nonsense. I'm so sorry Valkyrie," his voice was truly disappointed.
Valkyrie found her hand reaching up to his forearm. "You did control it. Not only did you make me see that I almost managed to kick Lord Vile's shadowy ass, you actually controlled it."
"I almost killed you," Skulduggery stated flatly.
"Well there's that but you didn't. Plus, I've seen Lord Vile in action. He rips people apart with shadows and utter strength. This time he used shadows like I use necromancy, like a rope. You controlled that. How did you do it?" Valkyrie asked gently.
Skulduggery looked towards the doors they'd entered through. "I don't know."
"Do you want to go?" Valkyrie asked.
"Ghastly and Tanith are waiting, they have information on Alistair and his whereabouts," he murmured and headed for the door, paused a moment, and kept going.
Valkyrie gathered her things quickly, her head pounding when she stood, and hurried after him.
The silent ride home was like any other. Skulduggery was quiet but he gave off an energy of frustration and almost self-loathing as if to punish himself.
Valkyrie knew his mind was elsewhere, it was just the where that nagged Valkyrie's thoughts but she was determined to find out.
Don't forget to review as it helps me out a lot knowing you guys are actually interested in this story and reading it. If I don't get reviews or followers over time I stop writing and continue with other stories so it really does help!
Also, let me know what you guys think will happen in this series. I'm very curious as to what you think will happen and let me know what you want see more of or extras for me to add! I already have this current storyline planned out but I just may add some of your ideas!