Quite frequently Corrival wondered just why he'd agreed to be Grand Mage. He could never think of an actual reason, right up until he looked at Wreath and remembered that Tenebrae was the only other person who'd been nominated. Not that anyone else would have accepted him; they would have found someone else in the end. But Corrival had agreed because he'd been needed, and he never could say no when he was genuinely needed.
He frequently hated that part of him. This was one of those times.
The Sanctuary wasn't exactly in shambles, but it wasn't quite running as smoothly as three hours ago. The armour had, very carefully, been carted off again. They still had twelve angels, even though one was missing its arm; Corrival had set four to guarding that armour until they could figure out what to do with it. Solomon Wreath hadn't stirred an eyelash while Kenspeckle had treated him, but he was now back in his own clothes and lying on the very soft cot Corrival had insisted be in his office, his bad hand upraised on a pillow. Corrival had had someone bring a fainting couch, in spite of Dexter's objection purely on the basis of its name, so the man could sit without putting undue pressure on his ribs. Likewise Tanith hadn't been given a choice about sitting, unless it came to which chair she wanted to sit in.
Skulduggery and Gabe were missing; Ghastly had said they went to give Valkyrie a lesson. Good. It was probably easier if he wasn't here. Everyone else was, however, Bliss and China included. Corrival looked around. In the back of the office, Kenspeckle was giving Solomon another unregistered exam--or rather, his scars. Corrival hadn't known the ex-Necromancer had had anti-Necromancy scars. On one hand, he was glad that all the blood on the robe came from injuries that stopped bleeding quickly. On the other, he fully intended on giving the man a tongue-lashing for not mentioning the fact that he had wounds which broke open given a strong enough Necromantic presence.
Dexter was on the couch, head resting back and eyes closed, breathing shallowly. He'd already received a tongue-lashing for being an idiot. The others were arrayed various around the room, standing or sitting as was their call. There weren't quite enough chairs for all of them.
"Professor," Corrival said once he was satisfied they were all there and wouldn't be interrupted. Grouse looked up, looking irritable and confused at once. "You know what's happened here, right?"
"Vile's armour reanimated," Grouse said shortly, pulling away from the cot and closing Wreath's shirt. The ex-Necromancer never even stirred. "How did that happen, exactly?"
"You're examining the only person who might be able to tell us that," Corrival pointed out, "and the other isn't here. Either way, the armour's obviously still a threat, whether it's due to accident or someone controlling it remotely. I don't really care which. What I want to know is whether you can look at it and figure out how it can be destroyed without killing anyone who tries."
Grouse raised an eyebrow. "Dismantling it would be the first step, I'd say, and the glimpse I got suggests it still contains too much power to simply try without precautions. There's almost always a way to transfer power from one thing to another. I can certainly have a look, and once I've done that I can experiment more safely on a small piece."
"That's all I want to know," Corrival said. "Consider the resources of the Sanctuary at your disposal. I want that thing gone as completely as possible."
If nothing else so it couldn't taunt Skulduggery any more. Corrival didn't know exactly how close they'd come today, but he knew they'd come close; the fact that Skulduggery wasn't here right now said that. It was enough.
no subject
He frequently hated that part of him. This was one of those times.
The Sanctuary wasn't exactly in shambles, but it wasn't quite running as smoothly as three hours ago. The armour had, very carefully, been carted off again. They still had twelve angels, even though one was missing its arm; Corrival had set four to guarding that armour until they could figure out what to do with it. Solomon Wreath hadn't stirred an eyelash while Kenspeckle had treated him, but he was now back in his own clothes and lying on the very soft cot Corrival had insisted be in his office, his bad hand upraised on a pillow. Corrival had had someone bring a fainting couch, in spite of Dexter's objection purely on the basis of its name, so the man could sit without putting undue pressure on his ribs. Likewise Tanith hadn't been given a choice about sitting, unless it came to which chair she wanted to sit in.
Skulduggery and Gabe were missing; Ghastly had said they went to give Valkyrie a lesson. Good. It was probably easier if he wasn't here. Everyone else was, however, Bliss and China included. Corrival looked around. In the back of the office, Kenspeckle was giving Solomon another unregistered exam--or rather, his scars. Corrival hadn't known the ex-Necromancer had had anti-Necromancy scars. On one hand, he was glad that all the blood on the robe came from injuries that stopped bleeding quickly. On the other, he fully intended on giving the man a tongue-lashing for not mentioning the fact that he had wounds which broke open given a strong enough Necromantic presence.
Dexter was on the couch, head resting back and eyes closed, breathing shallowly. He'd already received a tongue-lashing for being an idiot. The others were arrayed various around the room, standing or sitting as was their call. There weren't quite enough chairs for all of them.
"Professor," Corrival said once he was satisfied they were all there and wouldn't be interrupted. Grouse looked up, looking irritable and confused at once. "You know what's happened here, right?"
"Vile's armour reanimated," Grouse said shortly, pulling away from the cot and closing Wreath's shirt. The ex-Necromancer never even stirred. "How did that happen, exactly?"
"You're examining the only person who might be able to tell us that," Corrival pointed out, "and the other isn't here. Either way, the armour's obviously still a threat, whether it's due to accident or someone controlling it remotely. I don't really care which. What I want to know is whether you can look at it and figure out how it can be destroyed without killing anyone who tries."
Grouse raised an eyebrow. "Dismantling it would be the first step, I'd say, and the glimpse I got suggests it still contains too much power to simply try without precautions. There's almost always a way to transfer power from one thing to another. I can certainly have a look, and once I've done that I can experiment more safely on a small piece."
"That's all I want to know," Corrival said. "Consider the resources of the Sanctuary at your disposal. I want that thing gone as completely as possible."
If nothing else so it couldn't taunt Skulduggery any more. Corrival didn't know exactly how close they'd come today, but he knew they'd come close; the fact that Skulduggery wasn't here right now said that. It was enough.