The first thing she saw…was a vast, endless sky washing over pale.
When the huge sword crashed down from the heavens into the earth, all sound and color disappeared from the world, and she fluttered about in the air.
Strangely enough…it didn’t hurt; there was no pain, and as her consciousness began to slip away, she cast her gaze about her surroundings, noting how beautiful the bright white brilliance enveloping her was.
She didn’t know how she’d survived. She felt like perhaps she’d been saved by someone else, but then again perhaps not. And yet the first thing she did upon regaining consciousness, despite having next to no comprehension of who or where she was, was open her mouth to release a loud crying shout as she realized how drastically her surroundings had changed.
A few crumbling buildings remained, collapsed into a heap and set against a desolate backdrop seemingly not of this world. She could locate neither her father nor her mother, who she knew should have been with her, and with faltering footsteps, she began to wander the ruins.
She called for her father, called for her mother–and thinking back on it now, it was perhaps here that she first awakened to the power dwelling within.
Far, far away.
It was calling her, she felt, from some impossibly distant place.
Yet so near. Something was whispering to her from just near the pulse of her heart, and using that strange power, she finally located once more those who would protect her, those who loved her.
And she did it all unconsciously, with no skill or artifice whatsoever.
That power…planted within her the seeds of grief and pain, for a future that she would surely have to face.
Official documents recorded this instance of a sword plunging into the ground the Kagutsu Incident.
The moment Papa returned home, their house was transformed into a mansion in the middle of an oasis. Papa, decked out in true office drone fashion of a suit and necktie, traded these clothes for a turban and flowing silk material, stepping up from the entrance into the household proper.
“Morgiana,” he called out to Mama. “I’m home!”
“Oh, welcome back!” Mama, who’d just stepped out into the hallway, was also decked out in the trappings of some dancer from a faraway kingdom, the design rather extravagant with the way it exposed her stomach. “How was your latest voyage?” she questioned, tone utterly devoid of worry.
“Well, between being snatched up by Rocs and swallowed by sea monsters, I must say it was a rather trying day–but we still managed to make it back to dock safely. Here you are, my dear: treasures I retrieved from the secret mines.”
With this, he held out a bag for her overflowing gigantic diamonds and sapphires and the like.
“Oh my!” Mama merrily took the proffered jewels in hand. “You shouldn’t have! Thank you ever so much.” She lifted up onto her tiptoes, natural as anything, and pressed a kiss to Papa’s cheek. The pair behaved like newlyweds even now, seven years into their marriage.
Papa laughed a bit, happy, and headed into the vast living room. Several vast marble columns dotted the room, and a fountain glittering in rainbow hues with fish darting and cavorting in its spray sat in the center of the room. Furnishings gilded in gold and silver decorated the room, and a pelt was laid out on a raised level–with a young girl stretched out on her stomach atop it.
Her legs kicked up behind her to and fro, engrossed in her reading as she was, and Papa grinned broadly at her. “You’re quite the avid reader, I see, ???.”
“She really does seem to love that Collection of Children’s Masterpieces from Around the World you bought for her, Dear,” Mama explained, eyes crinkling in mirth.
This clever little girl was their pride and joy. Her scores on the intelligence test administered before entering kindergarten had tempted scores of specialists to visit for a closer examination. It wasn’t simply that she was smart–their little ??? was also equipped with a childish brightness and gentility as well.
Papa, Mama, and ???–this was their own little world.
Just then, an animal’s low growl echoed through the chamber; just beyond the marble pillars stretched a vast park. “Oh my, it seems Shafshar is here.”
“I see. Guess that means we need to get him some meat!”
The young couple’s gaze was directed at a magnificent lion standing just beyond them, pawing the ground with his front paws in a demanding motion.
“Ah! Papa!” ???’s head shot up here–
–and in that isntant, everything snapped back to normal. The mansion shifted back into a normal rented-out house, Papa back into his suit and Mama back into a dress–and the lion became the local wandering tomcat.
???’s face broke into a wide smile, and she launched herself at Papa. “Welcome home!” The book she had tossed aside…was The Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor.
??? had only relatively recently become aware of her powers. She was different from the other children at her kindergarten: none of the other children, after all, could allow others to experience the same fantastic scenes that played out in their minds, and realizing she could do this came as something of a shock.
She gained some measure of comprehension of her powers after reading several books her parents had bought for her, determining that the term she could use to best describe her abilities was, “Magician”–the old men with the long white beards that often popped up in children’s fantasy novels.
These men could fell enemies with flashes of lightning and launch flaming balls of fire through the air. But ??? considered their most unique skill of all to perhaps be the ability to conjure images of imaginary monsters and grand palaces perched on cliffsides–in other words, the power of illusion.
‘I’m a magician, too!’ she had concluded.
There were two points on which she behaved particularly cleverly: the first was how she made sure to conceal her powers from those around her, the very books and shows she enjoyed so much informing her actions. In those tales, the beings known as Magicians were always revered for their great powers–but at the same time, they were also feared, living lonely, solitary lives deep in the wilds and forests.
“I certainly don’t want to wind up like that,” she’d told herself.
There had also been an anime airing around the same time centered around four young witches-in-training, and ??? had watched it, entranced, taking note of the fact that the girls in the show took great care to conceal their true identities from those around them.
Those with the ability to wield magic do not, as a rule, reveal this fact to anyone else–this is what ??? learned from her readings and anime viewings.
Of note, while ??? was happy to think herself a “magician”, not once did she refer to herself using the term “witch”–and this was simply because, “I don’t transform!” Indeed, this was the criterion she based her decision on.
The witches-in-training she saw on TV could transform themselves into stylish adults and fight their enemies in cool, flashy costumes–and all she could really do was weave illusions. ‘So I’m not a witch…’ ??? had concluded, a bit dejected at the realization.
And then there was a second point on which she was cautious: ensuring that she had a proper grasp on just what kind of power she wielded. Just what sort of qualities did she possess? What was the range of effect? On whom could she effectively use her powers? These were the points on which ??? began her research, in a rather child-like fashion.
First, her parents. Then, her kindergarten teachers. Her friends and neighbors. The postman. She even went so far as to try using her powers on total strangers she’d never met before and the news anchors she saw on television.
Her experiments revealed the following: using her powers, she could envelop the entire town in illusion, making all of inhabitants believe it to be snowing despite it actually being a bright, sunny day. Everyone who stepped outside had made sure to don long boots and arm themselves with umbrellas, seemingly prepared to fight the elements.
However, given that–despite the lack of any real obstacles or hindrances whatsoever–several people did slip and fall, ??? had quickly dissolved the illusion in a panic.
It was this that had surprised even ??? herself; she’d never imagined her powers to be this great. The experiment, however, revealed something else as well: once she removed the illusion, all who had been under her spell completely and utterly forgot anything had happened whatsoever. More so, they didn’t simply experience a blackout or lapse in memory; they would instead rewrite everything they had been through in her illusions in line with their own ideas.
In the case of people who’d been caught out with their umbrellas to wield against the non-existent snow, they simple brushed this off as, “Well, I thought it looked like snow, so I brought my umbrella just in case. They said it might snow on the weather forecast, after all. Or perhaps an acquaintance mentioned it.” In this way, they smoothly went about their daily lives, content with these faulty memories.
This is how ??? was able to from time to time invite her Mama and Papa into the fantastic worlds of Sinbad the Sailor or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, confident that the moment she dissolved the illusion, everything would go back to normal. It had even gotten to the point nowadays where she would become so engrossed in whatever book she was reading that she unconsciously wove the illusions and pulled those around her in as well.
She’d also gradually come to understand that, should she lose concentration or start to focus on something else, her “spells” tended to become easier to break. She’d tried at one point to make those around her see her as a grown woman, but the effect had worn off naturally after a single night. In contrast, though, minor tweaks to
สิ่งแรกเธอเห็น...มีท้องฟ้าที่กว้างใหญ่ไพศาล สิ้นสุดซักผ้ากว่าจางดาบใหญ่พังลงจากฟากฟ้าเป็นโลก สีและเสียงที่หายไปจากโลก และเธอ fluttered เกี่ยวกับในอากาศแพงกว่าพอ...ไม่เจ็บ มีปวด และเป็นสติของเธอเริ่มจากการจัดส่ง เธอทอดสายตาของเธอเกี่ยวกับสภาพแวดล้อมของเธอ สังเกตมีความขาวสดใสที่ห่อหุ้มเธอว่าสวยงามเธอไม่รู้ว่าเธอมีชีวิตรอด เธอรู้สึกเหมือนบางทีเธอถูกบันทึกไว้ โดยบุคคลอื่น แต่อีกทีไม่ และยังได้ สิ่งแรกที่เธอได้และเมื่อกลับคืนสติ แม้จะมีอยู่ความไม่เข้าใจของคน หรือเธอ ถูกเปิด ปากปล่อยเสียงร้องไห้ของเธอตะโกน ตามเธอรู้วิธีอย่างรวดเร็วมีการเปลี่ยนแปลงสภาพแวดล้อมของเธอไม่ผุอาคารยังคง ยุบลงเป็นกอง และกับฉากหลังที่อ้างว้างของโลกนี้ดูเหมือนว่าไม่ เธอสามารถหาใช่พ่อหรือแม่ของเธอ เธอรู้เรื่องควรมีกับเธอ และ faltering เท้า เธอเริ่มร่อนเร่ในซากปรักหักพังได้เธอเรียกพ่อของเธอ เรียกแม่ของเธอ – และคิดกลับในขณะนี้ มันเป็นบางทีที่นี่ว่า เธอก่อนตื่นตัวพลังงานที่อาศัยอยู่ภายในไกล ห่างไกลมันถูกเรียกเธอ เธอ รู้สึก จากบาง impossibly ไกลยัง ใกล้ให้ สิ่งวิสเปอริงเธอจากใกล้กับชีพจรหัวใจของเธอ และใช้อำนาจประหลาด เธอสุดท้ายอยู่อีกครั้งหนึ่งที่จะปกป้องเธอ คนที่รักเธอAnd she did it all unconsciously, with no skill or artifice whatsoever.That power…planted within her the seeds of grief and pain, for a future that she would surely have to face.Official documents recorded this instance of a sword plunging into the ground the Kagutsu Incident.The moment Papa returned home, their house was transformed into a mansion in the middle of an oasis. Papa, decked out in true office drone fashion of a suit and necktie, traded these clothes for a turban and flowing silk material, stepping up from the entrance into the household proper.“Morgiana,” he called out to Mama. “I’m home!”“Oh, welcome back!” Mama, who’d just stepped out into the hallway, was also decked out in the trappings of some dancer from a faraway kingdom, the design rather extravagant with the way it exposed her stomach. “How was your latest voyage?” she questioned, tone utterly devoid of worry.“Well, between being snatched up by Rocs and swallowed by sea monsters, I must say it was a rather trying day–but we still managed to make it back to dock safely. Here you are, my dear: treasures I retrieved from the secret mines.”With this, he held out a bag for her overflowing gigantic diamonds and sapphires and the like.“Oh my!” Mama merrily took the proffered jewels in hand. “You shouldn’t have! Thank you ever so much.” She lifted up onto her tiptoes, natural as anything, and pressed a kiss to Papa’s cheek. The pair behaved like newlyweds even now, seven years into their marriage.Papa laughed a bit, happy, and headed into the vast living room. Several vast marble columns dotted the room, and a fountain glittering in rainbow hues with fish darting and cavorting in its spray sat in the center of the room. Furnishings gilded in gold and silver decorated the room, and a pelt was laid out on a raised level–with a young girl stretched out on her stomach atop it.Her legs kicked up behind her to and fro, engrossed in her reading as she was, and Papa grinned broadly at her. “You’re quite the avid reader, I see, ???.”“She really does seem to love that Collection of Children’s Masterpieces from Around the World you bought for her, Dear,” Mama explained, eyes crinkling in mirth.This clever little girl was their pride and joy. Her scores on the intelligence test administered before entering kindergarten had tempted scores of specialists to visit for a closer examination. It wasn’t simply that she was smart–their little ??? was also equipped with a childish brightness and gentility as well.Papa, Mama, and ???–this was their own little world.Just then, an animal’s low growl echoed through the chamber; just beyond the marble pillars stretched a vast park. “Oh my, it seems Shafshar is here.”“I see. Guess that means we need to get him some meat!”The young couple’s gaze was directed at a magnificent lion standing just beyond them, pawing the ground with his front paws in a demanding motion.“Ah! Papa!” ???’s head shot up here––and in that isntant, everything snapped back to normal. The mansion shifted back into a normal rented-out house, Papa back into his suit and Mama back into a dress–and the lion became the local wandering tomcat.???’s face broke into a wide smile, and she launched herself at Papa. “Welcome home!” The book she had tossed aside…was The Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor.??? had only relatively recently become aware of her powers. She was different from the other children at her kindergarten: none of the other children, after all, could allow others to experience the same fantastic scenes that played out in their minds, and realizing she could do this came as something of a shock.She gained some measure of comprehension of her powers after reading several books her parents had bought for her, determining that the term she could use to best describe her abilities was, “Magician”–the old men with the long white beards that often popped up in children’s fantasy novels.These men could fell enemies with flashes of lightning and launch flaming balls of fire through the air. But ??? considered their most unique skill of all to perhaps be the ability to conjure images of imaginary monsters and grand palaces perched on cliffsides–in other words, the power of illusion.‘I’m a magician, too!’ she had concluded.There were two points on which she behaved particularly cleverly: the first was how she made sure to conceal her powers from those around her, the very books and shows she enjoyed so much informing her actions. In those tales, the beings known as Magicians were always revered for their great powers–but at the same time, they were also feared, living lonely, solitary lives deep in the wilds and forests.“I certainly don’t want to wind up like that,” she’d told herself.There had also been an anime airing around the same time centered around four young witches-in-training, and ??? had watched it, entranced, taking note of the fact that the girls in the show took great care to conceal their true identities from those around them.Those with the ability to wield magic do not, as a rule, reveal this fact to anyone else–this is what ??? learned from her readings and anime viewings.Of note, while ??? was happy to think herself a “magician”, not once did she refer to herself using the term “witch”–and this was simply because, “I don’t transform!” Indeed, this was the criterion she based her decision on.The witches-in-training she saw on TV could transform themselves into stylish adults and fight their enemies in cool, flashy costumes–and all she could really do was weave illusions. ‘So I’m not a witch…’ ??? had concluded, a bit dejected at the realization.And then there was a second point on which she was cautious: ensuring that she had a proper grasp on just what kind of power she wielded. Just what sort of qualities did she possess? What was the range of effect? On whom could she effectively use her powers? These were the points on which ??? began her research, in a rather child-like fashion.First, her parents. Then, her kindergarten teachers. Her friends and neighbors. The postman. She even went so far as to try using her powers on total strangers she’d never met before and the news anchors she saw on television.Her experiments revealed the following: using her powers, she could envelop the entire town in illusion, making all of inhabitants believe it to be snowing despite it actually being a bright, sunny day. Everyone who stepped outside had made sure to don long boots and arm themselves with umbrellas, seemingly prepared to fight the elements.However, given that–despite the lack of any real obstacles or hindrances whatsoever–several people did slip and fall, ??? had quickly dissolved the illusion in a panic.It was this that had surprised even ??? herself; she’d never imagined her powers to be this great. The experiment, however, revealed something else as well: once she removed the illusion, all who had been under her spell completely and utterly forgot anything had happened whatsoever. More so, they didn’t simply experience a blackout or lapse in memory; they would instead rewrite everything they had been through in her illusions in line with their own ideas.In the case of people who’d been caught out with their umbrellas to wield against the non-existent snow, they simple brushed this off as, “Well, I thought it looked like snow, so I brought my umbrella just in case. They said it might snow on the weather forecast, after all. Or perhaps an acquaintance mentioned it.” In this way, they smoothly went about their daily lives, content with these faulty memories.This is how ??? was able to from time to time invite her Mama and Papa into the fantastic worlds of Sinbad the Sailor or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, confident that the moment she dissolved the illusion, everything would go back to normal. It had even gotten to the point nowadays where she would become so engrossed in whatever book she was reading that she unconsciously wove the illusions and pulled those around her in as well.She’d also gradually come to understand that, should she lose concentration or start to focus on something else, her “spells” tended to become easier to break. She’d tried at one point to make those around her see her as a grown woman, but the effect had worn off naturally after a single night. In contrast, though, minor tweaks to
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