China's mind was, quite easily, split in two. The top half was listening to Gabe's answer, attuned to its surroundings, very involved in the conversation that would ensue and in everyone else's reactions to it. In other words, the top half was the mundane part of China's mind given temporary authority over the rest. A version of China that wasn't quite as smart, quite as clear-thinking, as the full package.
"Go draw a card," Skulduggery was telling Gabe, when the split state of mind solidified.
"It's Go Fish," Valkyrie corrected him again in the exasperated tone of someone who really no longer cared, and was just keeping up appearances.
"Do I mock your life choices?" Skulduggery asked her. "When you decided to shorten the name of an entire ancient form of martial arts to 'that thing where you kick a lot,' did I complain?"
"Yes," Valkyrie returned vehemently. "A lot, actually."
"That is my prerogative as your mentor. You, on the other hand, need to respect your elders."
While their good-natured teasing was certainly another way to distract Gabriel, China found herself to be, once again, legitimately curious about this. An inside source on alternate dimensions was so difficult to come by. "I assume, then," she responded, "that your home universe isn't where the Faceless Ones were banished to? How did you come by where Skulduggery was? Or am I to understand we've all been worrying over the past year for nothing?"
The other half of China's mind was steadily working throughout the conversation. A sigil tapped there to focus the magic, a symbol tapped there to increase higher concentration, and China could suddenly tell, with vivid clarity, that Gabriel was in fact the man's true name. And it wasn't buried in a way she was used to. In fact, for so much obvious power, there didn't seem to be much guarding it at all.
It made China wonder what she'd find when she actually attempted to control it.
The thought was enough to allow a small sliver of trepidation through a crack in her magic's defenses. But it wasn't enough to form a doubt, and it was quickly banished. Concentration completely intact, China mentally steeled herself and took the plunge.
It was the magical equivalent of trying to squeeze all the water out of a sponge. With a person's given name, this process was simple and boring - more like a glass of water being dumped out than a sponge. The difference was that when you dumped the water out of a glass, there was always something left over, a last few stubborn drops of water, that formed the basis of who the person was. Their thoughts and emotions remained their own. Their identities were still there. All China did was replace the water with her own powerful suggestions, and the person was physically helpless.
Controlling a true name was a more subtle art, when done correctly. A sponge, rather than a glass. You could squeeze out only some of the water, slip in undetected, replace whatever you wanted with whatever you needed. Love, loyalties, thoughts, memories. Everything a person was lay at your feet. It was a mistaken assumption that control occurred only when the true name was spoken out loud. Real control occurred much earlier, silently, magic slowly woven into place; speaking the true name only sealed the intent.
The so-called 'sponge' of the name Gabriel was almost impossible to find, first and foremost. China didn't think she would have managed it at all without the proximity to its source - and even then, it took her several minutes. As it was, China had to nudge down a small thrill of pride when the edge of her magic finally thrummed against it.
This was it. With his power, he'd be able to feel her now. Part of China was still consciously alert and focused on the conversation, but that shouldn't be misleading for too much longer - not for someone whose true name apparently didn't need protecting, even from their own soul. China didn't waste time looking for the proverbial weak spots in the armour; nor did she attack outright when she had no idea what to expect. She simply slipped in, and hoped she'd come out somewhere useful.
no subject
"Go draw a card," Skulduggery was telling Gabe, when the split state of mind solidified.
"It's Go Fish," Valkyrie corrected him again in the exasperated tone of someone who really no longer cared, and was just keeping up appearances.
"Do I mock your life choices?" Skulduggery asked her. "When you decided to shorten the name of an entire ancient form of martial arts to 'that thing where you kick a lot,' did I complain?"
"Yes," Valkyrie returned vehemently. "A lot, actually."
"That is my prerogative as your mentor. You, on the other hand, need to respect your elders."
While their good-natured teasing was certainly another way to distract Gabriel, China found herself to be, once again, legitimately curious about this. An inside source on alternate dimensions was so difficult to come by. "I assume, then," she responded, "that your home universe isn't where the Faceless Ones were banished to? How did you come by where Skulduggery was? Or am I to understand we've all been worrying over the past year for nothing?"
The other half of China's mind was steadily working throughout the conversation. A sigil tapped there to focus the magic, a symbol tapped there to increase higher concentration, and China could suddenly tell, with vivid clarity, that Gabriel was in fact the man's true name. And it wasn't buried in a way she was used to. In fact, for so much obvious power, there didn't seem to be much guarding it at all.
It made China wonder what she'd find when she actually attempted to control it.
The thought was enough to allow a small sliver of trepidation through a crack in her magic's defenses. But it wasn't enough to form a doubt, and it was quickly banished. Concentration completely intact, China mentally steeled herself and took the plunge.
It was the magical equivalent of trying to squeeze all the water out of a sponge. With a person's given name, this process was simple and boring - more like a glass of water being dumped out than a sponge. The difference was that when you dumped the water out of a glass, there was always something left over, a last few stubborn drops of water, that formed the basis of who the person was. Their thoughts and emotions remained their own. Their identities were still there. All China did was replace the water with her own powerful suggestions, and the person was physically helpless.
Controlling a true name was a more subtle art, when done correctly. A sponge, rather than a glass. You could squeeze out only some of the water, slip in undetected, replace whatever you wanted with whatever you needed. Love, loyalties, thoughts, memories. Everything a person was lay at your feet. It was a mistaken assumption that control occurred only when the true name was spoken out loud. Real control occurred much earlier, silently, magic slowly woven into place; speaking the true name only sealed the intent.
The so-called 'sponge' of the name Gabriel was almost impossible to find, first and foremost. China didn't think she would have managed it at all without the proximity to its source - and even then, it took her several minutes. As it was, China had to nudge down a small thrill of pride when the edge of her magic finally thrummed against it.
This was it. With his power, he'd be able to feel her now. Part of China was still consciously alert and focused on the conversation, but that shouldn't be misleading for too much longer - not for someone whose true name apparently didn't need protecting, even from their own soul. China didn't waste time looking for the proverbial weak spots in the armour; nor did she attack outright when she had no idea what to expect. She simply slipped in, and hoped she'd come out somewhere useful.
Hoped she could make sense of whatever she saw.