The Return of Mevolent

Chapter 2: End of the World

Kathryn

I could not believe my eyes. Skulduggery Pleasant, the famous Skeleton Detective, and Valkyrie Cain, the girl who saved the world and nearly destroyed the world, were standing there, talking to Vi. Violet 'Sparrow' Walkers attracting the attention of the duo that had saved the world so many times that when people thanked them for saving the world, they said 'which time?' It was impossible. Hands over my mouth, I edged closer to see what was happening.

"What did you say the girl looked like again?" I heard Valkyrie Cain ask, "blond?"

"She... she had lanky blond ha... hair and gre... green eyes. She lo... looked at me like she was the queen o... of the world." Sparrow looked like she in the verge of panicking.

And then Valkyrie locked eyes with me. "Oh hell. Melancholia St. Clair is even more annoying in the alternate dimension than she was in this one. Okay then Sparrow, who's your friend behind you that looks so scared?"

Sparrow whirled around to see me, her face surprised and shocked. "Kathryn! What are you doing here?"

I groaned and said, "I was trying to catch up with you because you ran off when I was in the middle of a sentence! And then you run into a Necromancer and nearly die! What is this?"

"Kathryn... I didn't catch your name. What's your full name?" Valkyrie shook her head. "Ugh. I'm confused."

"Hello Raven." Skulduggery Pleasant grinned under his fake face. "Valkyrie, meet Kathryn Kensworth, chosen name Raven MoonGlass. She's..."

"I can introduce myself, Mr Pleasant." I retorted. I hated people introducing me to others. Especially adults, though Valkyrie was, I don't know? 24? "My name is Raven MoonGlass, though I was born Kathryn Kensworth. My great grandmother was the sister of Mevolent, and my family has tried to stay away from magic ever since, until I decided to practise magic on my own, which got me into a bit of trouble with the sanctu... "

"Which ended up with Raven here keeping a lookout for the rumoured child of Serpine. Who I don't like very much. Actually, I hate him because he's a bloody murderer." Skulduggery took of his hat and patted Vi on the shoulder. "So, Miss Violet Walkers, you can stop telling us to call you Sparrow and choose if you want to become a sorcerer or get your mind wiped clean about all this that is happening."

Violet looked like she was about to run, but managed to calm her nerves and said: "I want to join the sanctuary. I want to become an Elemental."

"An Elemental? How do you know about all of this magicky stuff?" Valkyrie asked, "and nice to meet you, Raven Glass."

"Melan-what's her name again? said that she couldn't believe a 'mere mortal' like me could have Elemental Powers. I guess it's because I think I blasted her with fire when she tried to punch me with shadows." Violet was starting to regain her calm, cool, aura. "And why does Kat... I mean Raven need a chosen name?"

"Each person has three names. Their true name, their chosen name and their given name: true names, like mine, Darquesse, gives people very powerful abilities but they turn psycho, and they also allow people to fully control you. Given names are the names you are given by your parents, like Stephanie Edgley, which can be used to control you to a certain extent, but this can be protected by choosing your chosen name, which is why I am called Valkyrie Cain. So I can say: Violet Walkers, punch yourself in the face, and you will punch yourself in the face. But if you chose your chosen name, you can break my control. Get it?"

"Uh... Okay then. Please don't tell me to punch me in the face. I wouldn't appreciate it." Violet looked a bit scared again as Valkyrie grinned.

"Just choose a name then! Choose one!"

"I always liked the name Alexandria, and people call me Sparrow.... Then I'll be Sparrow, Alexandria Sparrow."

"Yay!" Omg, Vi was my best friend ever! And now she was joining the best club EVER! Well, maybe not a club. "By the way we don't need to be at school anymore! At least not us, if you get what I mean."

"Which I don't-"

"Our reflections are going to school!!! YAY!" Oops. I was probably too loud. I could hear several teacher grumbling as they were about to round the corner. I kinda get a little over-enthusiastic about these kind of things. "Um Skul-Dude, we gotta get outta here, like, NOW!"

"Hmm? Oh yes, I get what you mean." Skulduggery started sprinting down the corridor away from the approaching voices. Valkyrie Cain sprinted after him. Alexandria and I had no choice to but to follow.

As we ran for the school entrance, I filled Alexandria in with details of what was happening. "I was sent to your school to look for the daughter of Serpine, at least the 'legendary' daughter of Serpine, um, not sure why, but yeah. So I actually thought it was less legendary when you did that elemental magic thing-"

"The fire?"

"That is one of the elements."

"So I control the elements?"

"No. You manipulate them, do not worry, everyone gets that wrong."

"Sure."

"Yeah, so we think you are Serpine's daughter."

"His daughter! What?"

I couldn't tell her anymore because at that moment, Skulduggery jumped into the window.

"Ow."

Valkyrie tapped the window. "This type of glass is harder than the stuff in Roarhaven, Skulduggery. Can't break it like that." She snapped her fingers to emphasise her point.

"Oh"

"And it's not a good idea to jump through a window here. You'll have to pay for it."

"This is a life-or-death situation, and you're thinking about paying for windows."

"This happens all the time," I mutter under my breath to Sparrow. In a louder voice I continued, "Let's just go through the door, shall we?"

"But doors are for people with no imagination," Skulduggery complained as we walked out the doors. "Deal with it."