Pleasantly Raising Cain

Death = No Grudges

Smoke filled the building, making it impossible to see even a foot in front of anything.

Valkyrie Cain was on her hands and knees, crawling through the burning apartment block, in a coughing fit. Her eyes were watering, her lungs screaming.

The air was thin, the flames taking away most of the oxygen. She felt herself slipping. Her strength left her and she sagged to the floor, unable to go on any further. She was going to die, and she couldn't even use her magic. Her mind wouldn't clear, she couldn't focus.

That's when someone hauled her up. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around blindly. She still couldn't see a thing through the thick smoke. Skulduggery Pleasant scooped her up, running through the corridors.

Valkyrie's thoughts were frenzied, her emotions running wild. She fought to keep consciousness.

Eventually the smoke thinned out, and Valkyrie forced her eyes open. She could see now, and took a deep breath. Oxygen filled her lungs. It wasn't completely clean, but it wasn't contaminated with smoke either.

Skulduggery stopped running, helped her stand. She found her balance and turned to him, her eyes still teary. They stung now.

"Go," he ordered.

She looked back. The main door to the apartment was only a few metres away. Freedom. But that meant, abandoning him. She turned back around to face him, tears now slipping down her cheeks.

"I'm not leaving you," she whispered. Her voice was raspy and hoarse. It was only then that she realised just how sore her throat was.

"Goddammit Valkyrie get out!" Skulduggery yelled, shoving her towards the door.

She turned, her jaw locked. She gave him one last, final glance that said: 'please stay safe,' and smashed out the door.

The sunlight blinded her for a moment, and she found herself sprawling onto the concrete pavement, smacking her chin. She pushed herself up, tasting blood. Sounds echoed around her. Screams, people shouting, the roaring of the fire as it engulfed what remained of the apartment building.

Valkyrie saw it begin to crumble, her eyes widened. She started running, jumping over a hedge of bushes and kept going. When the entire building collapsed, it sent out a heatwave that took her off her feet again. She groaned, scrambling up and turning around.

Valkyrie sobbed. Flames still burned at the rubble. That's when her chest began to tighten, the tears started to fall again. Skulduggery was gone... She had left him.

***

The other side was strange. Nefarian Serpine sat with Ghastly Bespoke, Anton Shudder and Erskine Ravel. All of them were laughing, not one ounce of malice radiated off them.

That's when Skulduggery Pleasant joined them, a woman at his side and a child in his arms. Serpine stood, a genuine smile lighting up on his features. He walked forward, and Skulduggery carefully handed the child to his wife and embraced Nefarian.

The others watched on, all smiling. In death, no grudges were held.

Hey all I'm back again!
Sorry for disappearing for so longggggg but I've been having a few problems with anxiety lately and had to get away for a bit xx

But I'm back now and hopefully updates will be more frequent ❤️

~ Bella