Norm lead the way down the hallway to the door that bore the words "library" across it. BJ and Leah were on his heels. Norm waved his hand in the air and the door flew open for him. Then he stopped. Valkyrie moved around them to see what had haulted him. A women’s body layed limply on the floor, her black hair covering her face and neck. China's tattoos shown on her arms and legs. A symbol, similar to the one on her arm, was imprinted in the floor at her feet. Valkyrie backed away in shock and horror.
Spiderella ran up to the body her eyes fading to a grey with Sally right behind her. "She's dead." Sally confirmed. "The Faceless One." Iris said gravely. Spiderella gathered to her feet quickly, her eyes a bright red, "We need to find the information in the portal immediately." "Spread Out." Sally ordered.
Valkyrie looked up toward Norm, He was leaning his head against the wall. Valkyrie decided to leave him be. She began he search furthest away from the murder scene. Skulduggery's going to have a rough day once he get's back. Her eyes came across a white book title. It read "The Hidden Key to the End of the World." She pulled it out and flipped through the pages. According to the Introduction, it was written by a doctor (somewhat like Professor Kenspeckle) in the late 1600's. It was said that the end was a girl around 17 years old with long wavy white hair.
She would wear black and be almost transparent. To the doctor, the end was not of a Faceless One but of a random girl. Crazy man. Valkyrie shut the book. "I found it!" said Leah. She held up a thin pamphlet.
Land of the Dead...
Jack yelled out as he and Skulduggery fell. Skulduggery opened his free hand and tried to push the air. It wouldn't work. "Come on, come on." he said. His hat fell and burned in the lava below. "You idiot!" Jack was yelling at him. Cursing Skulduggery with very fiber of his body. Skulduggery tryed one last attempt before impact. He felt the lava ripple underneath his palm from the air pressure before he was sent flying to the cavern door. Skulduggery and Jack landed in a heap at the entrance way. "I hate you." Jack said through gridded teeth as he stood up. Skulduggery snapped his head upward to see Satan's dead men coming after them. "You'll forgive me." Skulduggery said and began sprinting ahead.
"Gee, I wonder if they're having a splendid time in there." Elora said dully to Nymphetamine. Just then two men zoomed right past her making her hood that was placed on her head fall. Jack turned on his heel and called to them. "Come on Elora and Nymph!" The two girls hurried to their feet and followed. "What did you do? Piss them off?!" Nymphetamine yelled at them. "Maybe." Skulduggery yelled back.
Skulduggery turned down an alleyway, jumped down a set of stone steps, and turned another corner. He came to a halt waiting for the others to catch up. "Elora, Nymphetamine, where is the portal back to the living?" "On the other side of the Styx River, past Cerberus. But it is impossible to get there in one day." said Nymphetamine. Elora looked around the corner, "They're coming." Jack turned his head to see a water fall of red. "Nymphetamine, Elora. Make your choice to come with us or not. Skulduggery follow me." Skulduggery took one last look at Nymphetamine before following.
Jack stopped at the edge to let Skulduggery run past him. Skulduggery jumped and spread out his arms as if he were flying then pointed them into a dive.
Dublin Streets...
Spiderella pulled her hair back behind her ear as she analyzed the pamplet. Sally paced back and forth outside the car. "So..." she began, "Do you know where it is or not?" Jack wouldn't let her down, she had to keep going. "Bananas, I've placed it either at London or Mexico City." "So where are those located?" Norm cleared his throat, "Out of your reach." "No..." Sally breathed, "It can't be!"
Iris turned her head away from the conversation, grasping her arms tightly. She looked blindly at nothing, thinking to herself. The dreadful things a Faceless One can do. The dreadful things humans can do. She felt a presence to her right and looked over, "Who is it?" "It's me Valkyrie." Iris lowered her head. "What's wrong?" Valkyrie asked. Iris lifted her head slightly, "Just a bit shaken by China's murder. That's all." "I thought you didn't like her." Valkyrie said. "Well yes I didn't but the room reeked of torture and death. Just brought back memories..." Valkyrie gave her a worried stare that Iris could not see.
"Can I know?" Valkyrie asked hesitantly. Iris felt two sides of her pull at this question. One wanted to yell at Valkyrie for wanting to know her business. The other wanted to grasp this chance to share what she's kept a secret for so long. For decades she had claimed to have a normal life because of her disabilities and preferred to be left alone. That was Iris Aurther. She turned her head in the direction of Valkyrie and nodded solemnly. "Not here though." Iris put up her hand, read the air, then walked forward. She sat herself on a curb.
Valkyrie joined her. "Are you an elemental cause your blind?" Iris shook her head. "Valkyrie there is something about you that is sincere and trustworthy. Not many have those qualities. So whatever is said here cannot be repeated. Your life and my life depend on it." Valkyrie nodded in understanding. "My name wasn't always Iris Aurther. When I first entered the world of magic, the war was going on. Almost immediately I was recruited when I had mastered the elements. I was... normal then, for lack of a better word. I could see, had two arms, etc. I had yet to determine my taken name. I was simply known as Y. I was under the command army led by... Skulduggery Pleasant." "Really?" She nodded, "Skulduggery was an interesting character. He led with hope and strength. I had seen him help people and kill people. One day me and him were fighting side by side and one of Melevolent's men had come up to him and took him by surprise. I fought the man away from Skulduggery but it resulted in my capture. In the fight I had lost both my arms, so it was easy to take me away."
"Skulduggery had pushed against them to get to me but failed. After that he never came for me again. I was tortured and experimented on. They had sewn me six arms and burned my eyes to see what monster I would become but I kept my sanity." She paused, "When the news of Skulduggery's death came, I knew there was no hope in my rescue so I became the monster they had hoped I'd become." She lowered her head, "And I fought for Melevolent." Valkyrie was speechless at the sudden revelation. "How did you get out?" she asked. "They let me go."
She put her hand on Valkyrie's shoulder, "Listen to me, Valkyrie, when I say spending time with Skulduggery is wonderful, get out while you still can. If something happens to you, he won't come looking for you. He'll take it as a necessary loss..." Valkyrie opened her mouth to protest but was interrupted, "But we're still going to get him back." She straightened when she felt someone coming. "Hey Sally." Valkyrie confirmed for her. "Hey." she grumbled.
Iris cleared her throat then said, "Sally I can help you open the threads between the living and the dead but I need a clear space." Sally smiled,” That's wonderful! Alright I'll tell the others."
The Sanctuary...
The Faceless One kicked at a dead body on the floor. She wasn't here. He turned his head and rubbed his neck. This was going to be a lot more complicated. He'll need more help in his search. He needed to call his brothers to life once more. He pulled his hood tightly around his bald head and headed for Aranmore Farm. The worst was yet to come.
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Well there u have it the next chpter!
Hope u enjoyed
More to Come
