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

Footie, Fatalities and Playing With Fire

-Bliv

Taking the lolling toothbrush from my mouth I spat the diluted hard tasting spearmint into the sink and retuned my toothbrush to the washbag; catching my reflection in the mirror. I was still under a touch of jet lag, with dark rings circling my eyes like crop circles; my skin pale and chalky, nothing like the tanned complexion it used to be.
Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and flicked the bathroom light switch downwards and advanced up the corridor, past my bedroom and towards the kitchen/living suite where everyone seemed to be gathered in the yellow overhead light.
"Football?! Really?"
I flipped myself over the leatherette sofa and abruptly placed myself in the gap between Ghastly and Skulduggery making them move back a fraction and the sofa jolt.
"Jesus." Ghastly muttered under his breath.
"Something wrong with football Miss Armageddon?" Skulduggery faced me off in an eyeless stare, his hand on the remote.
"Yep. It's not exactly rugby is it?! I mean... Where's the mindless violence? The 'legally allowed to beat people up on a pitch'? Footballs far too soft for my liking, not enough.. Rugby in it."
"You." Skulduggery responded after a long pause. "I don't even know what to say."
I put my hands behind my head in a vast movement, "Then my work is done."
Dexter chuckled lightly, leaning forward in his seat, "You IRFU?"
A smile broke across my face, "Hell yeah!" I paused, "And All Blacks... Sorry, personal thing."
He shrugged from his seat adjacent, leaning forward his eyes trailing to a sleeping Tanith.
"Ghastly.. Your girlfriends' asleep."
Blood immediately shot to Ghastly's scar adorned cheeks, I glanced across at his stunned face, "She, is not my girlfriend.. No way. No. You've had too much beer Dexter." His voice lowered to a minute whisper.
Everyone in the room sniggered.
"Shut up."
Dexter stood abruptly and planted himself at the edge of the sofa, patting Ghastly's head "Aww guys, don't bully poor Gladys he's...."
"SHUT UP!"
"In love." Dex finished in a mutter, walking over to the kitchen and cracking open another beer from the fridge with the edge of a spoon.
"Bliv?"
I got up and walked over to the wall opposite the kitchen, propping myself against it.
"No thanks. I'm off to bed actually... Football's too boring to keep me awake."
I heard Skulduggery mutter under his breath and laughed in response.
"Sure." He mumbled and walked towards me, swigging the beer as he strolled past.
He suddenly stopped and looked back, lowering the can and advancing closer to me.
"Goodnight."
And he silently kissed me, so silent not even Skulduggery stirred from his seat.
He pulled away and went back to sit down, his stance now blanketed in dark shadows and synthetic lights from the television.
"Goodnight." I whispered back, almost to myself and headed upstairs; a grin plastered across my face.

***
-Vin

The car veered a sharp left, taking a road off the main and down a dark alleyway adorned with scratched windows and cast aside, boarded up shacks of houses.
"Where are we going?!" I clung tightly to the rubber window edge, my nails digging in trying to regain a balanced stance.
"Hibernian." He replied swiftly. Saracen's driving hadn't improved apparently, "They've got medication for your chest there."
My gaze wandered to the rear window, dust flying up behind us as we rocketed down the dark street.
"He's gone Vin. " Sarc mumbled catching my gaze from the rear view mirror, "You're safe now."
"I know." But that wasn't what was wavering in my mind.
The was a long pause before either of us spoke again.
"Saracen, I need to find Bliv." I stated calmly, now clinging to the back seat as the car jolted.
He sighed, "I thought I told you to call me Sarc sweetie, and how did I know you'd say that? No. We're getting your ribs fixed and then your other problems okay? I am not risking that getting any worse." His gaze then switched back to the 'road' as he veered off sharply into a lay by off the side of a blazing main road.
I jolted forward, my abdomen hitting the rear of the seat, "you're not doing a great job of that." I muttered and he shot me a hard but amused look through the mirror.
Suddenly the Porsche jolted forward dramatically, a loud bang hitting the back bumper.
"JEEZ!" I yelled as I was thrown through the gap between the fore seats, my ribs burning in agony. Saracen tore right, his head hitting the window making him wince.
"Wear your seatbelt" he mumbled down at me, before looking to his right at the man who was getting out the car behind.
"Jesus Christ, this guy is... OH MY GOD!!! BUT THATS... NO... NO! HE'S DEAD!"
"Rue drive."
Mr Bliss strolled up to the car, a wide, menacing grin plastered on his face.
He casually knocked on the window, sending a hard chill up my spine.
"Sarc!!!"
Saracen was frozen, his head shaking in disbelief. "He's dead. He's dead.. Unless..."
"Saracen Rue!!"
He head clicked around at my raised voice and he shot a frightened look at me, something I had never seen in a man's eyes since this day.
The car jolted horrendously, the space tipping and falling back to original position within one blow.
"Oh my god he's tipping us." I whispered, body shaking.
Sarc restarted the car, the motor roaring and failing to catch the flame of life and dying dead.
"Jesus." Sarc tried again, but no hope prevail. The car was dead.
I looked at him. "Go. Sarc go, my ribs.. I can't run. He wants me, go."
He shook his head. "No. I'm getting you out of here alive Valiance. If it is literally the las thing I do."
The car jolted once more, tipping the contents of the trays left and onto the door where they clattered as the car fell back once more.
I found his arms shielding my body as I looked him in the eyes, his figure different to how I remembered, not as big and in some ways handsomer.
"This is cosy."
I laughed shakily, "shut up you idiot. And don't you even try flirting.. This is my death bed, I have heroic last words to think of..."
He chuckled, "You seriously think I'm gonna let you die?"
The car swung fully, I could feel myself falling, the weight of the car pushing down on everything as it swung towards the ground.
At that precise moment, Sarc hit his foot down hard on the pedal; the car rearing into life and skidding in its on dirt as it flipped itself upright and sped onto the main road.
I sat there aghast. The left side of my face was covered fully with my hand; ready for the blow.
I didn't say anything I merely sat there, watching Mr Bliss' hulking figure fade away into the distance.
I opened my mouth to speak, "Ah!" He interrupted a smile forming on his lips, "Yes, I knew that was going to happen and yes... Yes we are going to the Sanctuary. Sorry but screw your ribs... I have a convenient rebirth to report."

***
-Quoneel

Sweat dripped casually from my forehead, a large lump forming painfully in my throat as he stood and surveyed my eyes, my stance; everything. A crease formed above his brow which had become knitted together and his eyes sharpened, squinting a me even at the shirt distance I was at.
"What?! Who told you this?! How?!"
He voice spat venom to my ears, I inhaled deeply and continued to shake; a reply escaping my lips. "The Necromancer."
Ravel stormed past me, his cloak flowing behind him as he walked. "Dusk get Mr Wreath on the phone; tell him if he doesn't speak the truth we'll kill his little Trinity as we did Valiance."
He stopped abruptly on the stair, his casting glare focusing on Raven to whom had now become free from the vampire's grip.
"Sanguine, take Miss Scientia and Mr Shudder to a holding cell, bind them... If they speak cut out their words.." He nodded, a malicious grin forming under his lips.
"Ravenna you will come with me." He stated briskly, walking past her and up the stairs.
"No."
The word hung in the air like a shot fired, although small and weak; served its purpose.
His laugh highlighted the threatening aspect of his tone and he advanced back down the steps once more to face the girl.
He cracked his jaw and placed his hands in hers. She tore them out in one movement, briskly slapping one across his face.
"Don't you dare touch me."
He smiled, letting a laugh pass through his flawless teeth.
"Ah Ravenna..."
A voice echoed from the back of the cellar, "Her name is Raven." Sci stated clearly, no ounce of terror in her voice. Sanguine rushed to her and clasped a hand over her mouth, placing his razor tentatively to her neck, "Shh darlin. You don't wanna find your nice little lover over there without a head do you? No..."
Raven's glance didn't waver from Ravel's hard stare, and neither did his.
"Do you like playing with fire Miss Blaze? You see I've always wondered with you... Danger, harm, pain... It all seems to come into context with you."
"I'm sorry?" Her gaze infixed on his suddenly became confused and darted back to Sci's
"Everything that you do seems to amend to one thing. Do you like it though? That is my question? Do you like playing with fire... Because you see little girls that play with fire get their fingers burnt.. And I'm afraid yours are already charred."
He lunged forward, bringing a knife from his pocket and placing it hard against Raven's neck, beads of blood forming on the outskirts of the blade.
"You could be gone as swiftly as you came Miss Blaze. With one swipe I could see the contents of your neck gushing out onto the floor.. Would you like that?"
A look of sheer terror crossed Blaze's face, her eyes darting to the silver on her neck.
As quickly as he was there Ravel left in a turret of red robes encircling behind him. Raven gasped and clutched her bleeding neck.
"Quoneel, arrest her and lock her in the gaol. I'm sure she'll like it there."
I rushed to Raven, catching her as she fell.
"It's okay." I muttered and she threw me off timidly, her face spasmed in rage and anger.
I took a step back, pulling her arm across her back and clipping a pair of shackles to her.
"You all disgust me..." She muttered.
"I disgust myself." I replied, taking her down a deeper set of stairs and to a darker place no light had ever known.

***************
It's Tuesday!!! hAzAh!
So I updated! hAzAh!
ALSO!!!! I GOT TO 4.8K!! Ahhhhh THAT IS SOOO EPICALLY AWESOME!! AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT CHU GUYS!! LIKE EVER!!!! AHHH I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH! *big, family hug* *bows head* yes, you are my family.. :D we discussed this when fighting a demon remember? (Eheh @SaphieSci @Ellen_sugarcube4 @JackGrounds we win.)
And as for you Ravel.

'Jack Nicholson: "You want answers?" Tom Cruise: "I think I'm entitled to them." Jack Nicholson: "You want answers?" Tom Cruise: "I want the truth." Jack Nicholson: "You can't handle the truth!"'
- A few good men.

Thought I stuff a quote in there. :D

So yes I shall be updating Friday! (If Erskine hasn't tracked me down and killed me by then... *awkward laugh* )

Oh yes and apologies.. Ahem

1. Skully sorry.. I don't like football. End of story.
2. Sarc, I'm sorry for breaking your Porsche... I shall fix her.
3. Raven sorry for Erskine's mindless violence...
4. Anton, sorry those shackles must hurt.
5. Sci, I'm sorry I know Sanguine's hand tastes of gone-off Texan kebabs.. It'll be okay soon
6. Wreath, I'm sorry for your eardrums as Ravel is probably yelling down the phone at you
7. Erskine I'm sorry you're always the bad guy. You don't deserve it......

Much.

Byyyeeee!! See chu Friday!! Xxxxxxxx