Skulduggery Pleasant - The Fanclub Unites

// xi

mirariablue49

China Sorrows ran through the woods surrounding the lake. Stumbling through the trees, tripping over rocks and branches. She couldn't believe that she had been made to flee. The Grand Mage of Ireland stopped when she heard shouts. Spinning around, her jaw dropped to see Tanith Low, brandishing her sword at the smiling Darquesse.

"I can't believe I ever worshiped you as a remnant," Tanith spat. "You're a monster! The only reason I haven't killed you yet is that you''re currently using my friends body." She was brave, perhaps too much so, for the young goddess only turned and grinned.

"Believe me," she smiled, "Valkyrie is as good as dead. There is only me."

Darquesse's eyes flickered to China, the rage that lingered there clear and vicious. There was no point in hiding, not anymore. There was no point.

"We have unfinished business to attend to," she said, seemingly forgetting Tanith for the moment. "Tell me where Serpine is, or die."

China just about managed to keep the fear from her voice. "I told you earlier, I would rather die then help you." 

"So be it. I gave you a chance to live, but you were too stupid to take it."

And with a sudden gesture from a young girl, China Sorrows fell to the ground, dead.

Tanith felt her heart sink as she turned, the sword held to her side as she ran. Darquesse only called to her, a taunting note to her voice, "Tanith, darling, you can't run from me forever..."

She swore under her breath, struggling with her pacing as she carried the weapon. If it was her weapon, she would have been grand, as her sword was an extension of herself. It wasn't hers, though, it was a God-killer, and she should never have had it in the first place. Something in her gut had just told her where to locate it, where Billy-Ray would have hidden such a powerful item. Why it had anything to do with her remnant self and the killer, she still wasn't certain.

---

When she reached Creyfon Signate in the Sanctuary, she was out of breath, panting as she said, "The... other dimension...please."

He looked her up and down, well aware of who she was, and hesitated.

Saracen Rue, however, looked up from his paper, smiled at Tanith, and nodded. "Take her. Take me too." Creyfon, the poor soul, could only agree.

Tanith nodded to Saracen as he grabbed two cloaks from a cupboard that contained mostly brooms and draped his arm over her shoulders, the other on the Shunter's. He whispered in her ear, his breath warm, "Let's save them from doing something stupid."

---

The trio arrived in a small house, Signate having given them the details of the rendezvous beforehand. He flickered momentarily before disappearing. Tanith turned to Saracen, who pulled his hood down lower over his face before opening the door open with a simple shove.

He led them from one street to the next, pausing for a minute for a patrol to pass, before hesitating, frowning, and muttering, "It's Skulduggery."

Tanith matched his frown as they stepped out to face the skeleton detective, who was leaning against a wall, arms folded, cool as cool could be. Tanith knew him better than most, however, and could sense the tenseness in his stance.

"What are you doing?" she asked, not quite knowing why she kept her voice so low.

"Waiting."

"For whom?"

"The ghost of Ghastly Bespoke"

💀💀💀
"I have been known to be irresponsible in the past. It's entirely possible that it's happening again."
- Derek Landy; SP