001 | Video

[skeletonenigma]

[To be honest, he would have preferred text, but this is a perfect opportunity to test out the console. The keyboard is self-explanatory. The video function isn't. One of the kedan had offered to show Skulduggery how it worked, but he’d politely declined. He didn’t particularly feel like being saddled with a guide for the entirety of his time here.]

Ah, there we go. Excellent.

[This does, of course, mean that he can now be seen. He was a little concerned about that when all of this was first being explained to him, but then he saw someone walking around in the city with blue skin and two heads. He’s rather less concerned now.

... He doesn't really have anything to ask, though, now that he’s thinking about it.]

Thank you. Carry on.

[Yes, that was a skull talking just then, Irish accent and moving jaw and all. Why do you ask?]

Comments

[skeletonenigma]

Magic.

[It took him a moment to answer. For one dizzying second, Skulduggery actually understood what it was like for everyone else to turn on their consoles to something they'd believed utterly impossible.

When he speaks again, you can hear a smile in his voice.] You're a dragon?

[dracobin]

Why, yes, I am called Temeraire, it is very nice to meet you.

[You will have to excuse him if he sounds a little distracted, Skulduggery: he is busy trying to peer through your eye-sockets in an utterly transparent attempt to see if he can spot your brain.]

What sort of magic is it? Did this skeleton originally belong to you, or were you placed in it? How does it work?

[skeletonenigma]

[That's far from the strangest reaction Skulduggery's ever gotten. One of his wartime friends put his fingers into Skulduggery's eye-sockets, and then a fist into his ribcage. In light of that, a dragon peering into a console screen isn't all that unsettling. You know. Apart from the 'dragon' part.]

This is, indeed, my original skeleton. [Most of it.] I was brought back to life by a necromancy trick, the details of which I'm not sure of. [Until recently.] And to be honest, I have no idea how it works. [Most of the time.]

[dracobin]

Necromancy? [He looks a little taken aback.] I was told that was not at all a pleasant sort of magic; pray, how did it happen?

[skeletonenigma]

A miracle, or so everyone said. All I knew was that I was dead, and then I wasn't. Necromancers in my world haven't been able to grant life in anything more than a shambling zombie capacity. The only one who did cheated.

[To put it really, really mildly.]

And you? Are dragons common where you're from?

[dracobin]

Well, that is certainly true: you do not sound like much of a zombie, at all.

[He is not precisely certain what zombies ought to sound like, his only experience with them being by hearsay on the turtle, but they certainly do not have Irish accents, when he pictures them.]

Why, yes, there are a great many of us: it is very startling to hear of so many worlds where there are none, at all.

[skeletonenigma]

[He's taking that as the compliment it was no doubt intended. No one likes zombies. It's nice to see the fact remains true here.]

There were, in my world, a long time ago. But they were hunted to extinction, I'm afraid. I've never met one.

[dracobin]

It seems that is the way of a great many worlds. [There is only a tired resignation in his tone: he had been angry, the first time he had heard about it, but the sheer quantity of similar stories has slowly worn that away.

But enough of that; there are more interesting topics of conversation at hand.] What about you? Can you do magic as well, Mr--?

[skeletonenigma]

--Pleasant. Skulduggery Pleasant. [Now there's a note of pride in his voice.] And as a matter of fact, I can. I'm an Elemental. I have some influence with the four elements.

[It's a little strange, explaining magic to a dragon. Then again, everything about today is a little strange.]

[dracobin]

An Elemental, [he repeats cautiously,] is that something one is born with, or something one might learn?

[Pause.] And there are not only four elements, there are well over a hundred: I learned that, while I was here, so I do not blame you for not knowing. Unless perhaps you mean things which are not elements at all, like fire, and water; we have some people here who can control those, as well.

[skeletonenigma]

Ah, but that depends on your definition of 'element.' In science, yes, there are over a hundred. There are a hundred and eighteen, at the moment, with more being discovered every year. I'm a sorcerer; I work with magic. Elementals can manipulate water, fire, earth, and air. They were around long before some of the scientific elements were.

[It's only after he puts this straight that another thought occurs to him, and his head tilts to the side.] How many other people here can control them?

[dracobin]

I am afraid I do not follow: surely water is a compound containing two elements, and air is a mixture of a great many?

Oh, three or four people at the least, I think, only most of them can only control one of the elements: for more than that you would wish perhaps to speak to Korra, whom they call the Avatar. I am given to understand it is a very great sign of power, to control all the elements at once.

[He tilts his head.] But their ability appears to be genetic, after a fashion; is yours genetic as well, or can it be taught?

[skeletonenigma]

[He nods.] If you'd prefer to think of it that way, then yes. I can control hydrogen and oxygen, but only when they're combined in very specific manners. The same goes for air; I manipulate each component, but only when they're mixed to form the air that we breathe. [He hesitates.] Well, the air that some of us breathe, anyway.

[The mention of Korra intrigues him, even as it makes him chuckle.] A great sign of power? [In 'Korra's' world, perhaps. In his, it's nothing more than a sign of patience and willingness to work.] You wouldn't happen to know where Korra lives?

[And this is the second time Temeraire's asked, which makes the motive behind the words transparent. Not least because it's the only ever motive behind the words. Still, the amusement rings in Skulduggery's words.] Both. The ability to wield magic is genetic, or at least inherent. We have known sorcerers to be born to non-sorcerer parents. But the path you choose to take is where the teaching comes in, especially with Elementalism.

[dracobin]

Well--I suppose that makes sense, in a way.

I am not certain I understood all of it myself-- [he has never been particularly well-suited to discuss spiritual matters, after all--] but only one person in her world is ever capable of doing such a thing. She lives in Metal Sector, I believe; I am sure she will explain it to you, if you ask.

[He tries to hide the faint disappointment in his words, and only partially succeeds. One day he will find a world where such things can be taught to the uninitiated!] I see. What other sorts of paths are there, then? You mentioned necromancy, as well; I imagine there must be more?

[skeletonenigma]

Many more. [And you can hear the smile in his voice.] There are two main types of magic; Elemental and Adept. Necromancy is an Adept discipline, but there are thousands of others, and they can be as different as the people who learn them.

[And now he pretends to grow thoughtful.] Dragons in my world were Elementals. They were inherently magical, just for being dragons. Of course, each breed usually only mastered the one element, but I believe that was mainly because of where they lived. Here, learning all four could certainly be possible.

[If he had eyes, they would be twinkling.]

[dracobin]

[Temeraire's eyes grow wider and wider as Skulduggery speaks; by the time he is finished, they are the size of very large saucers indeed.]

Do you think--do you think you might perhaps be willing to try teaching me?

[skeletonenigma]

I'm not sure. Would you be willing to learn?

[He's poking a bit of fun, but the truth is, he'd love to. Skulduggery isn't immune to the emotions that make familiar things comforting in a world so bizarre, and he has it on good authority that he's an excellent teacher.

Of course, he's never tried teaching a dragon.]

[dracobin]

[Earnestly, and totally oblivious to the teasing:] Why, of course I would; it should be famous, to know a bit of magic. [And have something to hold over Iskierka's head, but of course that is not worth mentioning here.]

[skeletonenigma]

Well, then how can I say no?

[Not that he was ever going to.]