Rise of Darquesse (Darquesse Series Book 1)

Chapter 23 - The Final Battle

Skulduggery and Valkyrie stood side by side on the seemingly empty, mucky field.

Valkyrie wished she had brought wellies.

Ghastly, Tanith, Maralie and Kestrel came out from the bushes. Valkyrie focused on their faces. Ghastly looked determined, Tanith actually looked excited, Maralie looked strangely... angry, and Kestrel looked jittery.

"Jessica?" Valkyrie asked.

"Coming." Maralie replied.

"Is China coming?" Ghastly asked.

Skulduggery looked at him. "... Yes."

Valkyrie was surprised. At least Skulduggery had forgiven her.

Kestrel raised her head, and Valkyrie saw a smile flicker across her face.

Valkyrie shrugged. She had no clue what Kestrel was happy about. She glanced over and saw Tanith and Ghastly holding hands. She smiled and finally looked up at Skulduggery.

"So," she said.

He looked at her. "So...?"

"Could... could we die here? In this battle?"

He didn't respond.

Valkyrie took a piece of paper out of her pocket.

'5:30pm in the field beside the Sanctuary. Be there or your teleporter dies.'

She sighed. They had gotten that note today, taped to the Bentley.

Skulduggery wasn't very pleased.

They had had to come all the way back to Dublin.

She had worried about Fletcher all day. Even though they weren't boyfriend-and-girlfriend, she still didn't want anything to happen to him.

Shadows appeared in front of them and Valkyrie cursed, stepped back. Everyone else copied.

The same man from before smirked as the shadows disappeared.

"My name," he said loudly, "is Dynamo."

Skulduggery cursed. "You were dead."

"Just a rumour," Dynamo said, tapping on his belt. A force field popped up.

"Cheater," Kestrel shouted.

"Come on then," Dynamo laughed. It wasn't a nice laugh. "Come and get me."

"That's exactly what we'll do," Skukduggery said, pushing at the air. Dynamo smirked as the force field absorbed the attack.

Kestrel took out her Katanas and ran over, twisting her arms. She cut through the force field and Dynamo staggered, not expecting that.

"Give Fletcher back!" Valkyrie yelled.

Dynamo looked at her. "Get him yourself..." he said, gasping a bit.

Valkyrie frowned, then saw the clump of shadows behind Dynamo. While the others threw everything they had at him, Valkyrie ran over to the shadows. She pushed at the air and the tendril of shadows attached to Dynamo snapped. Fletcher fell to the ground and Valkyrie was running over, shaking him.

"Fletch!" she cried. "Wake up!"

Fletcher's eyes opened, and he looked at her. "Val?"

"Fletch!" Valkyrie sighed in relief. "Come with me!"

"No, you come with me," Fletcher grabbed her arm and they teleported-

-and Valkyrie pulled away and looked around. They were in the Bentley.

"Fletch, no! We have to get back to the others!" Valkyrie shouted frantically, pulling at the doors.

"Wait! Val," Fletcher laughed. "How did you find me?"

"Dynamo."

"Oh." Fletcher gulped. "I'm guessing you're fighting him?"

She nodded.

"Okay then. Let's go." He took her hand and they teleported again.

Valkyrie opened her eyes and saw Jessica on the floor, not moving. Maralie was screaming at her to get up, tears streaming down ger face. Kestrel was kneeling beside her, her black hair covering her face.

Fletcher suddenly wasn't there anymore. Valkyrie twirled and saw him throw a dumb-bell onto Dynamo's head. Dynamo cursed and blood rolled down his face. He was breathing hard and looking angry.

Then, he whistled.

Everyone stopped and looked at him in astonishment.

Then there was the thundering of footsteps and the Beast came running.

And then China Sorrows was there, throwing red energy at them both. Kestrel looked up, saw her, and joined in.

Valkyrie clicked her fingers and sent fireballs at them, following Skulduggery's lead. Fletcher was getting random things and teleporting back and forth.

Ghastly and Tanith were working together, Tanith using her sword and Ghastly pushing at the air.

Maralie looked at Jessica one last time, before standing up and snapping her fingers, generating a small flame of bright light. She poured her energy into it, dipped her arm and flung the light as hard as she could, her anger and desperation adding to her strength.

Valkyrie looked around, at everyone fighting together, saw people falling, people crying, people fighting.

Until the end.

Until the end of the world. Isn't that what everyone said?

Valkyrie allowed herself a small smile, before starting to fight again.

Dynamo was dropping. His eyes were closing.

"Finish it!" Skulduggery roared.

The Beast ran over to him and Skulduggery threw fire at him. The Beast fell to the ground, screeching.

Kestrel and China were using symbols. Maralie was using light and teleporting and Fletcher was just using teleportation. Ghastly and Tanith were using pure force. And Skulduggery and Valkyrie were throwing as much flames as possible.

A war requires precision? Screw that China, Valkyrie thought.

Then everyone was falling.

Fletcher collasped, swiftly followed by Maralie, who cried out in pain. China gasped as she fell and Kestrel screamed. Ghastly held onto Tanith as they fell. Skulduggery fell.

Then he grabbed onto Valkyrie's hand.

"If we die," he whispered, "we all die together."

Valkyrie nodded, and the last thing she saw was Dynamo disappearing in a cloud of dust and the Beast exploading.

~~~~~~

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

OH MY GOD.

That was my first ever battle in a story. EVER.

And I enjoyed it VERY much.

EVERYONE LISTEN. The next chapter WILL BE THE LAST ONE.

I will be crying.

And crying.

And crying.

Sob.

I hope you liked this chapter! :D

UNTIL EPICLOGUE.

Hehe. See what I did there? Epiclogue... epilogue? Heh heh...

~ Tons and tons of love from Mara xoxo

PS: WAFFLE POWER!

(>"_">) ~#~#~#~#~#~#