Skulduggery Pleasant fan-fic: The Cradle of Magic (UNDER EDIT)

Old acquaintances

-Val

"Tell Me"
"No, be patient"
"Yes, but do we ever get anywhere by being patient?"
"Valkyrie, some day you will learn the beautiful art of patience, and by that time I'm sure you'll probably be as wise as I am when it comes to keeping secrets and being magnificent"
"Are you totally sure about that?"
"No, I was lying, nobody will ever rise to the pure magnificence and greatness of me"
"Or your ego"
"Which is ever flourishing"
We walked past a grand, and intricately carved oak, door which was the usual room for meetings at the Sanctuary. I heard raised voices inside and assumed Ravel must be giving someone a piece of hell in the meeting room, poor sod.
"Uh, Skulduggery?"
"Valkyrie will you ever learn? Two seconds don't differ my opin...."
"No." I interrupted "I was going to mention that we've literally just past Guild's office, but yeah I was also going to ask..."
"Yes Valkyrie I am fully aware of that, the truth of it is that we are actually heading to lunch and not to an official meeting as such..."
We took a turn, and I gave him a look, "But, but you don't eat... And I've just had breakfast... So if you were implying..."
He irritatingly cocked his head, as if to do a knowing wink. Detectives, so incredibly irritating. I immediately smelt coffee and heard the clatter of cutlery, a man nearby was reading a paper and two others were chatting, probably about the weather. Skulduggery then stopped abruptly. A man with six-pack, blonde hair and suit sat by a pretty brunette girl adjacent to us at a greyish coffee table, they were both drinking Cappachinos. "Vex!" I yelled and ran up to hug him as he stood up, "Who's your new girlfriend?" I looked round at the girl, to whom cuffed her hands round her mouth and nose, eyes widening. "Oh my God..." She whispered from behind her hands.

-Vin

Her beauty was difficult to resist and I was mentally drawn to it, most people were but I still blushed at the sight of her. I felt incredibly stupid in the midst of Miss China Sorrows, and even more so considering the fact that I had just walked into her. The last time I had met her, I was once again fourteen and threw myself at her feet (mainly due to the bet Bliv had set upon me) and partly due to the fact I was so naïve at that time I had no idea of the consequences (which involved looking utterly stupid, and provoked Bliv rolling on the floor with laughter, which she never got over and it still constantly reciting the experience.)
She looked at me long and hard with a solemn expression, particularly into my eyes. She then broke, with a smile, "Valiance! My darling how great to see you, how long has it been? Ten years? Such a short amount of time yet you have changed so much!" She hugged me and I could feel her expression change on my shoulder while she grimaced to the man behind her, to whom contributed "Not to break up the happy reunions but she does have a job to do China." She turned back to me and rolled her eyes "Yes well, I am afraid my invitation was not just one of reunion but I also need you to do a job for me..." I nodded my head slowly and she clapped her hands together and smiled "Right!" she said and I followed her to a door at the west of the library to which lit up electric green and opened revealing a set of stone stairs, they were steep and eroded slightly, considering this was China, and I didn't want embarrass myself again, I decided to follow her down rather than staying in the warm. She tapped a light Sigil on a nearby brick and the room was lit by blazing torches to which revealed a vast cavern; with shelves on either sides full of old books and glowing artefacts that only a woman like China would collect. She spun on her heels (expensive ones at that) to face me and curtly smiled, "Training." She said and that was when a white beam came at me.

-Tanith

Things were changing, even a mortal could tell. It was like one big secret no-one would share, and it was my job to unravel that secret, because, straightly, being nosey in my 'raison d'etre' or that was what Skulduggery had said anyway... For a start everyone was on edge, although calm wasn't included in the magical world because so many things went wrong, that's the problem with abilities, there is always one that takes the gift the wrong way. I learnt life the difficult way and alone, life was hard, still is, but I worked up my place in the world like my brother did, before... well...
There's something up with Ghastly as well, like he feels the need to protect me, I don't need protecting, I'm a trained assassin for God's sake, but it feels like there is another reason behind it, like something's going to harm me and I do need protecting from whatever it is. It's probably just me though. But I can't help feeling that although we are just friends, there is something more to this acquaintance, more than I have ever felt before with any other man. I think I may like him, and I think he may like me too. More than a friend.

-Bliv

My eyes were brimming with tears, my face going red behind my cold hands. "Oh my God!", I whispered and came forward to hug Val. She backed away, confused, obviously not matching face to name. Skulduggery came forward and I slid behind Vex, wrapping my hands round Skul's collarbone hugging him. "And I thought Valiance was tall..." He whispered into my ear, I laughed shakily wiping my eye and turned to Val, who was still confused on why some random girl was hugging her partner. "You remember Bliv, don't you Val?", her mouth made and 'O' shape and I leaned forward, enveloping her too. She was a couple of years older than me, but still matched my height, and I put my head on her shoulder. "Dress style hasn't changed in ten years eh?" I said "Ghastly says I look nice in black, he said that about you too." I laughed, I had missed them all. I then thought, "Wait, you mentioned Vin, have you seen her then?" I turned to Skul, "Yes, she arrived in Dublin yesterday, I'm surprised, although it was top-secret, that you didn't know actually..." He tilted his head. "More importantly how did I not know?" Valkyrie turned accusingly, "And how come, you also didn't tell me that Bliv was dating Vex..." I looked round wide-eyed to the slowly reddening, six pack in the corner "Uh..." He mumbled. Oh, God I was so preoccupied, I never even told him how I knew him. He was probably freaking out right now, Hell. Valkyrie laughed and thankfully Skulduggery explained the situation before I had a chance to. "I'm sure you vaguely remember Bliv, Vex? We used to work together when she was..." He gestured to hip height. I snorted, "That was Vin, I was about..." And gestured to my mid-waist "No I'm pretty sure..." Skul said, but was cut off by Vex "So, uh wait you must be about twenty-ish, Jeez that's young for the Sanctuary, I would have thought..." Valkyrie interrupted, "Bliv and I have had the same amount of training, if she's not good enough for this place... Then nobody is..." She stopped... "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it..." He said "It's OK" I said and smiled, "So! Where's my partner then?" I said clapping my hands. By this time I had noticed that half the sanctuary council was watching the scene, and so decided to presume the reunion later, rather than facing the questions. "I left her at China's library, around six this morning, she wanted a favour done... Come to think of it I don't quite know why she chose Vin, considering..." He mumbled "Considering what?" I asked but he had already started walking. "Where're you going?" I yelled, my voice projecting through the hall, everyone was watching now... "To see an old friend... Follow me..." I waved at Vex, and smiled, "I'll see you later" he said, and I nodded, running towards Skulduggery and Valkyrie. God I had missed this life.

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That chapter was dedicated to my famous five (u knw who u r) guyz u r my life and I couldn't go on without u x thnx ❤️