Pleasantly Raising Cain

A Fighting Spirit (Part 4)

Skulduggery was screaming his daughter's name as she collapsed, the dagger still protruding from her tiny chest. He crawled over to her lifeless body as Serpine watched him, tears spilling down his prisoner's cheeks. Serpine watched him cradle his little girl's head in his lap.

"Kara! Oh Kara I love you darling!" He sobbed.

The Guards stood on either side of Serpine, watching the weeping man break down over his daughter.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry Karatha!" He cried, kissing her forehead. Then, Skulduggery laid her down gently, and stood up slowly, turning his head towards Serpine. His features were filled with rage and he screamed, lunging at Serpine, but the Guards caught him, one on either arm.

"You'll pay for this!" Skulduggery shouted, struggling against the Guards.

"Maybe, just not today," Serpine teased, nodding to the Guards, who dragged their prisoner out of the room and down the hallways. Serpine followed, a smile playing on his lips. Skulduggery tried kicking and elbowing, but nothing worked, and soon he wasn't even walking, the Guards were dragging him along. Serpine followed until they came to the balcony of the castle that overlooked the forest nestled in the middle of nowhere. There, the rest of the Dead Men were waiting.

The Guards dragged their prisoner out for everyone to see, and Skulduggery sagged. Ghastly looked up, horrified to see his best friend in the hands of Nefarian Serpine. The other Dead Men froze, not even daring to breathe as they witnessed their leader sagging. Ghastly could see that Skulduggery was not fighting anymore, then he saw why. Two more Guards were following Serpine, carrying bodies. Female bodies. Ghastly's heart lurched. Asaria Wreck lay slung across the arms of a Guard, blood staining the front of her shirt. She was dead. What he saw next made him want to hurl. Sweet little Karatha was laying deathly pale and still over another Guard's shoulder. She was also dead. Serpine had done this. Serpine had killed them. Now he could see why Skulduggery wasn't struggling, he didn't have the fighting spirit to carry on. Ghastly could see Dexter, Saracen, Hopeless, Larrikin, Anton and Erskine all looking up just like he was. One Guard smashed his fist down between Skulduggery's shoulders, making him drop to his knees. Ghastly shuffled uncomfortably. Serpine grabbed Karatha's body from the Guard that held her, and tossed her over the edge. Dexter ran up and caught her. Skulduggery looked down and his face was slacken, emotionless.

'Thank you,' he mouthed, and Dexter nodded, carrying Kara's body to a log and draping his coat over her.

Ghastly didn't move, he just stood there, watching his friend as Serpine threw the body of Asaria over the edge as well. Dexter used the air to slow her descent, then laid her down next to Kara. Then he joined the rest of the Dead Men, standing in a line at the front of the crowd. They watched intently as Serpine circled around their leader, a smirk stretched across his face.

"If you are going to kill me, do it now! You've already taken away the things that I loved most in this world, so I've got nothing more to lose!" Skulduggery yelled, making everybody jump.

Serpine laughed and the fingers on his right hand started moving.

"Have it your way," he said.

"No!" The Dead Men yelled, running to the door of the castle and smashing their fists on it as Skulduggery's screams rang out through the night. Ghastly stopped, and Anton looked at him with wide eyes. Shudder blocked his ears, not wanting to hear the screams of agony coming from his friend and leader. People in the crowd gasped and murmured to each other as the screams were abruptly cut off.

Ghastly froze, tears threatening to spill over. Skulduggery Pleasant was dead.