Alexandria

Bloody hell.

Bloody bloody hell.

I didn't even know what I was doing? Volunteering to go to Mevolent's dimension? I think it was just the adrenaline rush I had while training that made me suddenly want to go. Raven seemed scared too, but Storm looked like her mind was set on doing this. Creepy. Torrent had come reluctantly while Jasper was literally jumping with joy. That happy-go-lucky attitude was gonna go away when we face dangers.

I had overheard Skulduggery and Valkyrie's conversation on letting us come. Skulduggery kept saying "But he's there." While Valkyrie kept saying, "They're more capable than I was when I was there age. Younger is better." Skulduggery mentioned Sense Wardens and Red-hoods, but then Valkyrie replied, "No problem with them." Finally, Skulduggery let us go, and stormed off to go find Creyfon Signate. I hoped him good luck he didn't needed.

The clothes Ghastly made us looked uncomfortable, but he had already tried his best to make it feel like we weren't in the 19th century. I still felt like it was. Storm's sapphire blue eyes kept glancing around the room, making us feel the nervous-ness which was descending on us. Torrent was wearing a pair of black gloves over his hands, and looked like he was on the verge of tears. Was it his magic situation? I don't know.

"Kids, I have finally convinced Mr Signate to shunt you to Mevolent's dimension. Your job will be to find who Mevolent's shunter is, eliminate him, and hopefully find the Resistance and hope it's still lead by Serpine. Your rendezvous time will be 10 hours later, so please don't die." Skulduggery walked in with a grumbling Creyfon Signate trailing him.

Creyfon fixed his suit, and then turned his attention to us. "Are you serious Skulduggery? I was reluctant to aid you for this mission, when you told me I was shunting 5 kids. I thought he meant kids as in 16 year olds that are more than capable in defending themselves. Instead I see a bunch of irresponsible 12 year olds. What on earth were you thinking?"

Skulduggery frowned. "As I said, the decisions of these children were entirely their own. I actually discouraged them from going, but I guess these kids all have Valkyrie's stubbornness when she was 12, doing exactly what we don't want them to do. I have no control over them, because the most closely related one is my granddaughter which I still have yet to get over that fact. 3 of them were orphans since 6, after the Darquesse episode, and one of them is Nefarian Serpine's only daughter. I think that however young they are, they are especially talented."

"Thanks Skulduggery, I didn't know you thought so highly of me." I said, sarcasm ringing in my voice.

"Now now Alexandria, I'm going to be using you to our advantage. Stay near the back of the group, Raven as well, because you guys have famous ancestors who Mevolent hates. When you approach Serpine, you are to approach him, and Chrysanthemum your job will to be reading the minds of the nearby people and aid Alexandria with information to look like you are really in need. Raven, stay as far away as possible from Serpine, and all of you wear your hoods throughout the city and act like the mortals. I hope you all survive because I'll have a lot of explaining to do with China on why 5 aspiring young tweens have gone missing."

"Very inspiring speech, Skulduggery." Storm said, "Can we get going now?"

Creyfon grumbled. "Please don't die. I'll meet you at where I'll send you 10 hours later so you better be there. If you miss it, the next one will be 6 hours later. It'll keep increasing by 6 so seriously, I don't want to keep shunting. It's tiring."

Jasper looked excited. "What are we waiting for then? Let's go!"

Creyfon, still muttering, linked hands with Storm and in a flash we were in a dreary part of town. He saluted to us and once again disappeared. I checked my phone. "Damn, no wifi." I said. "Chrysanthemum, can you sense where Serpine could possibly be?"

She glared at me. "It's Storm or Chrys. If you keep calling me that I'll keep calling you Alexandria."

"I actually think that calling me Alexandria would be better, seeing the circumstances. This place looks like the Victorian times."

"Serpine is actually not that far. Although I'm not as OP as Finbar Wrong, I can tell he's in the nearest town, in a hidden base under a tavern." Storm said after a few seconds of concentration. "I wished one of us had super speed as an Adept power."

"Come on, let's go! I seriously do not want to be in an alternate dimension for more than 10 hours. It's unsettling." Raven said, pulling on her hood and starting to jog. The rest of us did the same and jogged after her, and after about 1 hour of jogging/walking, we were there.

Storm led us carefully into the Tavern. The code for letting us into the Resistance Base is 'The serpent strikes again.' We have to say it to the big bald dude with the tattoo. Storm was speaking in our heads again. I walked towards the man and said, "The serpent strikes again." The man nodded and led us to the back, where a trapdoor opened and let us through.

"Down a rabbit hole we go." Muttered Torrent as we slid into the hole. It was unusually bright underneath the dreary city, and there were lots of sorcerers inside, mostly holding weapons or looking very busy. Next left. Storm mind-spoke, and then we'll be there. I saw that some of the mages were giving me strange looks, because even though the hood concealed most of my features, my emerald eyes could still be seen. The long olden styled dress Ghastly made for us kept me cool, gladly, because some of the sorcerers looked like they were about to melt. It was the beginning of Autumn in our dimension, but it looked like it was still mid-summer here.

We turned to see a door flanked by two sorcerers, both holding a gun. Keeping my hood on, I said, "could we please see Nefarian Serpine?" The sorcerer on the left looked at me in confusion.

"What for?" he asked.

"All you have to know is that it's very urgent." I replied.

"Do you have an appointment with him? Are you from the other Resistance Base?"

"No and no."

"Then what's your reason then?"

"I only need one." I said, taking off my hood to reveal my face. "It's very urgent."

The sorcerer looked at me in surprise and shock, and opened the door. "First room to the right, Miss..."

"Miss Sparrow will be fine."

"First room to the right, Miss Sparrow, and then search the left wall for a button. That'll lead to you Mr Serpine." I nodded in gratitude and walked in.

"Wow, the formality in his tone." Said Jasper. "It's like he's talking about the king. I'll be surprised if they don't call him Lord Serpine or King Serpine."

The first room on the right was a room that was empty spare the desk and chair in the corner. In it sat a lady with a scar on her cheek. That's Harmony, Serpine's assistant. Valkyrie told me about her. Storm's voice rung in our heads again. Glancing up, Harmony saw my face and then ushered us to the wall. A hidden door opened and my father stood there, scowling.

"Now what do you want?"