Following the path of orange soil toward the sunlit clouds, come to the red embers lighting the sapphire tides. The violet ore feeds the roots of the viridian trees. Breathe deep to find the pause within your core, and meditate upon your needs in the appointed time and place so they may be real to you.
Skulduggery's actually a little surprised. Not by the contact, but by the content of the message. He doesn't trust Ravel half as far as he can throw him, but what on Earth could the sorcerer have gotten up to while under Anton's watchful eye at the Hotel?
Unless he's about to confess to being Anton's poisoner.]
Pretty bad. He collapsed, nearly passed out. He's weak. Dizzy. According to Raine it's something to do with a condition he's had for years and neglected to tell us about.
[A condition. That could mean any number of things. In this context, Skulduggery suspects it's referring to a non-magical condition, one that even Raine can't fully heal.
Maybe that's why whoever took Jintou used a non-lethal poison. This could be exactly what they wanted to happen, allowing them plausible deniability as well as an incapacitated Foreigner. If that's the case, though, they're both practically omniscient and severely underestimating Anton's habit of surviving.]
[Except when they don't. Really, whether or not Skulduggery likes plans depends strongly on what kind of a day he's having - which should tell you what sort of a mood he's in right now.]
Klaus talked the Justicar into handing over the bodies, which will hopefully stop anyone on either side from doing anything stupid. Yunxu actually seems interested in avoiding bloodshed. Everyone's ready for war, but no one's taking that first step. It's basically a giant game of Chicken. The plan, such as it is, is to help any of the refugees who ask for help, and hope very hard that the Justicar gives up and goes away.
[There's a package waiting for Skulduggery at the Hotel front desk. It's nothing terribly fancy, just wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. Inside is a knitted scarf with reindeers on it (sorry, that was Klaus's idea) and matching socks. Wrapped inside the scarf is a very nice copy of A Room With a View.]
Anton promises it wasn't his idea, and claims he didn't knit the scarf or the socks. Skulduggery's at a bit of a loss until he remembers when he last talked about scarves, socks, and good books.
And he's still at a bit of a loss, even as he pings Erskine's inbox later in the day.]
[After the brief initial adjustment period that usually comes with conversations with Skulduggery (yes, they're talking again; no, they're not screaming at each other) Ravel snorts with a vague kind of amusement on the other end of the line.]
Figured that out all by yourself, did you? Congratulations.
In fact, it's not even December yet. Unless you made a guess about when my birthday was - and, by the way, you're wrong - leaving me a package at the Hotel seems like a very odd idea. Is there something wrong with the socks?
Actually it's a belated present to make up for the skeleton jokes--but it's good to know you weren't a November baby. I'll tick that one off the calendar. One of these days I'll figure it out--process of elimination and all that.
A kedan child will deliver a small package to Skulduggery sometime on Christmas day. Nestled inside is a small letter opener designed to look exactly like Revelations. There is a small note folded inside that reads: You can touch this one, no sword antibodies required, I promise.-Valdis
[The first thing Anton will hear is the sounds of a struggle. There's a thump and a yell, and then the sounds grow a little fainter, like the radio's been turned away.]
Can it wait? I'm a little busy.
[Another yell, this one closer. It's followed almost immediately by a high-pitched yelp and a quick, faint series of 'ohdamnpleasedon'tI'lldoanything --']
[Three's utter radio silence for about 15 seconds -- no transmission static, no background noises. Then, when Skulduggery finally replies, there's the distinct sound of a splash echoing behind his words.]
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embers lighting the sapphire tides. The violet ore feeds the roots of the
viridian trees. Breathe deep to find the pause within your core, and meditate
upon your needs in the appointed time and place so they may be real to you.
July 3rd, or thereabouts; Audio;
Skulduggery? I may have... done something.
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Skulduggery's actually a little surprised. Not by the contact, but by the content of the message. He doesn't trust Ravel half as far as he can throw him, but what on Earth could the sorcerer have gotten up to while under Anton's watchful eye at the Hotel?
Unless he's about to confess to being Anton's poisoner.]
Such as?
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I didn't. How bad is it?
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Or neglected to tell me about, anyway.
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Maybe that's why whoever took Jintou used a non-lethal poison. This could be exactly what they wanted to happen, allowing them plausible deniability as well as an incapacitated Foreigner. If that's the case, though, they're both practically omniscient and severely underestimating Anton's habit of surviving.]
Why are you claiming responsibility for it?
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vague September date | Audio;
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[Aaaand silence.]
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...right. Just thought I'd check. Good to know I haven't missed much.
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[Except when they don't. Really, whether or not Skulduggery likes plans depends strongly on what kind of a day he's having - which should tell you what sort of a mood he's in right now.]
Klaus talked the Justicar into handing over the bodies, which will hopefully stop anyone on either side from doing anything stupid. Yunxu actually seems interested in avoiding bloodshed. Everyone's ready for war, but no one's taking that first step. It's basically a giant game of Chicken. The plan, such as it is, is to help any of the refugees who ask for help, and hope very hard that the Justicar gives up and goes away.
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November 5 | Package
[There's a package waiting for Skulduggery at the Hotel front desk. It's nothing terribly fancy, just wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. Inside is a knitted scarf with reindeers on it (sorry, that was Klaus's idea) and matching socks. Wrapped inside the scarf is a very nice copy of A Room With a View.]
action --> audio;
Anton promises it wasn't his idea, and claims he didn't knit the scarf or the socks. Skulduggery's at a bit of a loss until he remembers when he last talked about scarves, socks, and good books.
And he's still at a bit of a loss, even as he pings Erskine's inbox later in the day.]
It's not Christmas yet.
audio;
Figured that out all by yourself, did you? Congratulations.
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...what? No. Not that I'm aware of. Why?
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audio; fourth-wall;
Skulduggery. You need to come back to the Hotel immediately.
audio;
Can it wait? I'm a little busy.
[Another yell, this one closer. It's followed almost immediately by a high-pitched yelp and a quick, faint series of 'ohdamnpleasedon'tI'lldoanything --']
audio;
Ghastly's here.
[So, no, it can't wait.]
audio;
Where? [Midnight Hotel. Keep up, Skulduggery.] When? Where's Ravel?
audio;
[Which might explain why Anton's voice is just a touch hoarser than usual. But amused, in a resigned sort of way, as he says the next:]
Did you just throw someone into a canal?
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