Solomon had to shut his eyes. The scorching heat of the sunlight on Paddy's oasis beat against his face to such a degree that he actually had to turn his face aside, feeling as if he was in the desert at midday. The fact that Paddy couldn't even speak ... Solomon didn't try to interrupt.
He wasn't sure what it meant, that Paddy tried to say Solomon's name and couldn't. What would have come after his name, if the priest had been able to speak? The shock was overwhelming, but it was just that: shock. There was a surprising, almost disturbing, lack of anger in there. That was the part that shocked Solomon in turn. That was the part that made him not want to lie and do at once--because Paddy deserved honesty, but because he didn't deserve more surprises like that.
It took him a moment to answer. He'd already said he was grooming Valkyrie for it, but she had never gotten far enough to prove whether his faith in her had been well-placed. The others ...
The ex-Necromancer unstuck his tongue. "I was. Technically speaking. There's a specific Necromantic ability--the Death Aura. The Necromancer extends his awareness outward like a bubble, capturing every soul inside that bubble. The larger the bubble, the more souls captured. When he draws his awareness back in, all those souls come with. All at once. It's how the Passage was meant to be achieved, so anyone who can use that power, technically speaking, is classified as a Death Bringer."
He shook his head almost violently. "I was only ever able to use it once ... twice. Because I was terrified beyond all reason. I doubt it's something I'd have been able to use at will even with training, and I didn't want it in any case. I made sure Tenebrae never found out I could."
For a long moment he hesitated. He wasn't going to mention Skulduggery. Not specifically. But Paddy had asked. "The only other person I know who achieved that distinction is the reason I never mentioned it myself. Tenebrae would have had us fight, and I'd have been killed for sure. His name was Lord Vile; he was one of Mevolent's generals during the war. He was the single most powerful Necromancer in history. If there was someone who could have brought the Passage about--it would have been him. He murdered millions that way."
no subject
He wasn't sure what it meant, that Paddy tried to say Solomon's name and couldn't. What would have come after his name, if the priest had been able to speak? The shock was overwhelming, but it was just that: shock. There was a surprising, almost disturbing, lack of anger in there. That was the part that shocked Solomon in turn. That was the part that made him not want to lie and do at once--because Paddy deserved honesty, but because he didn't deserve more surprises like that.
It took him a moment to answer. He'd already said he was grooming Valkyrie for it, but she had never gotten far enough to prove whether his faith in her had been well-placed. The others ...
The ex-Necromancer unstuck his tongue. "I was. Technically speaking. There's a specific Necromantic ability--the Death Aura. The Necromancer extends his awareness outward like a bubble, capturing every soul inside that bubble. The larger the bubble, the more souls captured. When he draws his awareness back in, all those souls come with. All at once. It's how the Passage was meant to be achieved, so anyone who can use that power, technically speaking, is classified as a Death Bringer."
He shook his head almost violently. "I was only ever able to use it once ... twice. Because I was terrified beyond all reason. I doubt it's something I'd have been able to use at will even with training, and I didn't want it in any case. I made sure Tenebrae never found out I could."
For a long moment he hesitated. He wasn't going to mention Skulduggery. Not specifically. But Paddy had asked. "The only other person I know who achieved that distinction is the reason I never mentioned it myself. Tenebrae would have had us fight, and I'd have been killed for sure. His name was Lord Vile; he was one of Mevolent's generals during the war. He was the single most powerful Necromancer in history. If there was someone who could have brought the Passage about--it would have been him. He murdered millions that way."