The Descendants; The Return of the Unnamed

The answer to the future is the past

Valkyrie Cain was surrounded by bright white light. She tried to shut it out but it glared through her eyelids, turning her vision a pink red. When she finally blinked the glare away she found herself kneeling in the fallen foliage of a bright forest. The dark-haired woman got to her feet, brushing the crumpled leaves off her knees. Her hair whipped as she looked around her, hand raised to block out the unnaturally bright sunlight glittering through the green canopy above her. She heard the faint tinkle of small and light bells, almost fairy-like, from the treetops and upon further inspection, she could make out what must have been treehouses hidden in the twisted branches. As Valkyrie moved, her body felt weightless and smooth, like she was sliding through water. When she began to climb the makeshift stairs to the nearest treehouse she noticed the shimmering air trailing from her fingers after they moved. It was as if she was gliding through a thin substance replacing the air. She felt no need to breathe and knew if she had checked her pulse, she wouldn't find the steady beat of life there.

She was a soul in the realm of gods and she was freer than she had ever been. Everything felt peaceful and powerful. Each minuscule element of the environment around her was thriving with pulsing energy of magic. The sorceress couldn't even feel the muscles in her arms as she effortlessly pulled herself into the treehouse and she found a familiar sight around her. It was a crackling fireplace and by the hearth was an armchair. Valkyrie had never been here, but by the twinge in her stomach she made the connection and realised that Azealia must have been here before and Valkyrie could feel it through the Mannim bond. In the armchair was an ethereal beauty draped in a gown of the purest white. As Valkyrie approached, the Goddess turned to her.

"You are not meant to be here." The Enchantress' voice was melodious without any imperfections, but as the seconds ran past the light from outside began to fade, the sound of the bells becoming deeper and louder. The hem of the Enchantress' white frock began to darken, and the webs of ink stretched out to consume the fabric like hands clawing skyward. "Your presence here is upsetting the natural balance."

"We need your help," Valkyrie spoke, surprised at how clear her voice rang through the fast-dulling, mystical, shimmering surroundings.

"You haven't much time here. I know what you need, yet I am not in any position with the universe to give you answers." The Enchantress gave a faint and pitiful smile, almost the entirety of her dress had deepened to black, and the fresh wood that constructed the treehouse began to rot and smell.

"Please," she pleaded. "We have no way to force the Unnamed into our trap. It's impossible for us to get close enough to physically move him and our magic is spent on opening the rift."

"The Unnamed has been trapped once before, perhaps the answer to the future is the past." The Enchantress managed to say, her voice wringing in Valkyrie's ears as the light faded completely into darkness and she could feel the weight of her body again.

"I know what we need to do." She gasped, and she sat up. Skulduggery and Kenspeckle looked at her.