Skulduggery Pleasant: Arbiters

3

Locust arrived at Gordon's house just as Echo and Skulduggery were getting out of the Bently. Skulduggery was dressed in a dark blue suit with a matching hat. Echo wore her usual mission-outfit; a teal shirt with black jeans and a grey jacket. Her Necromancer gauntlets were already on her hands, ready to call the rest of her armour.

"Your team are already waiting inside," Skulduggery said to Locust. Then they walked inside.

Gordon was already waiting in the living room with Creyfon Signate. Spring-Heeled Jack was dressed in his deceptively battered Victorian clothes. Caelan was dressed in his normal trousers, shirt, and hooded jumper. Jarvis Vale stood with his large glasses and tousled hair. Zona Height wore her dark leather combat gear, her two snipers stuck to a little magnetic device on her back. And Abagail Course sat on the lounge wearing her cowgirl's outfit and gently brushing her horse's mane with a blue comb.

"Is the horse really necessary?" Skulduggery asked, tilting his head.

Abagail shot him a look, pushing her stetson up a bit. "I ain't going anywhere without Graves!"

"Fair enough," Echo said before her father said something else. Then they all turned their attention to Gordon.

"Back here," he told them, pointing around the corner to the hallway. "Lucky Jarvis was here when it happened otherwise he would've Shunted in a second."

They followed Gordon into the hallway where an 11ft tall Cyclops blocked the path. He looked young for a Cyclops, which explained how scared he seemed. He was sitting down in a large circle of glowing sigils with his knees brought up to his chin. His arms were slightly muscled and wrapped around his legs. He turned his single brown eye on them. He had evidently been crying.

"It's alright," Gordon said soothingly, crouching down and holding his hands out. "They've come here to help."

"Go home?" the Cyclops whimpered.

"I'm afraid not," Gordon said gently. "But everything's going to be alright. I'm going to you to step out of the circle in a minute. But these people will be with you to make sure you're safe." He looked over his shoulder, gesturing at the group behind him.

"Then go home?" the Cyclops asked. Echo walked slowly over and crouched down next to Gordon.

"Hey," she said softly. "What's your name?"

"Kull," the Cyclops sniffled.

"Okay, Kull," Echo said. "I know this is scary, but we are going to help you. You'll be sent straight back here and Gordon will take you home."

"Okay," Kull said sadly.

*****

Gordon watched with Ghastly and Skulduggery as Echo linked the group, Creyfon Signate, and Kull using her shadows. With a shaky breath, Kull stepped out of the circle and immediately started flickering.

"Good luck," Ghastly told them as they disappeared.