[Kratos looks toward Skulduggery before Skulduggery even says his name, his gaze piercing and face showing nothing of the unease he's feeling. He knew it was Skulduggery approaching because of that blend of elements (why is the shadow opposed to the other four, when wind and earth ought to be opposites?), but that's the only reason why.

[Without that oily surface, Skulduggery's mana proves to be crystalline and unyielding, like an undead being; yet his signature is as complete as any sentient creature. Not a monster, but undead. That's ... unnerving. The fact that Skulduggery chooses to be so completely clothed does not bode well.

[Most of the ensuing conversation goes over Kratos's head, but having been hearing the language for a while now, and with extensive experience in the manner in which language moves, there's at least one thing he manages to figure out.]

English?

[He lifts the book and taps it. Knowing the name of the language he's trying to learn would be extremely useful.]