Scientia Me Ducit Ad Astra

In a vegetative state... What can i do to pass the time? I'm just sitting in a bench, just outside in the backyard. Seeing Ara trains her magic ability, this morning feels so much calming.

But it is just so ambiguous, it's been two days since I've woken up, without them knowing, i unlocked my magic prematurely.

This is the problem regarding that weird vivid vison, turns out, that's what happened to Ara just for a few minutes after opening her magic. And since she's unlocked it, she know what's happening.

But that become the secret between the two of us.

Regarding ability, Ara has an affinity with water as her primary, earth as a secondary.

Some magic affinity you can get are, basically Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lighting, Darkness, Light, Time, And space. Nine 'elements'. Ten if your counting the basic spell, the speel without any element.

And in regards of what affinity i get, i still don't know it.

Ways to increas the magic power-or just reach a potential is... Rather unknown. Magic is one of the ability that you just need to learn using instinct, and feel. Even though it's fine by me, knowing the science behind all of this coukd probably make things much better to understand.

I sigh.

Ara sits nect to me, with sweats running down her body, and an uncontrolled breathing. She's seem exhausted.

"You okay sis?"

She nodded.

All day the things she do is just move around some dirt, and controlled water. Even spawning them from inexistent.

If only i have a notebook to write it all...

"I'm genuinely impressed, how did you actually do that?"

"I told you a million times already Noir! I don't know, i just feel the Mana and do things according to my mind and my imagination."

"You can describe it, why can't you just imagine better?"

She looked at me, with a dazzled look. A little angry.

"Then why just you do it? Using pure magic is also fine by me."

Using pure magic, or just basic magic. Through the looks of it, it is kinda like an energy, and a pure one.

My theory about this, for now, is that Mana can be turned into an energy somehow. And that energy is turned into magic. So called 'magic energy'.

There is maybe another theory to approach this, or maybe another factor that i possibly couldn't know.

"Hey sis, did you know that blood consists water inside?"

She nodded.

"Have you tried manipulating the water inside the blood?" I ask.

She backed up, looking scared.

"Heck no, why would i think to do that?!"

I sigh...

I already thought of this answer, but i just need to find a way that is irregular.

"Just try it, to help your control. Try moving my arm."

Her eyes lit up, she just catch the bait. By saying that, she would probably do it, probably after asking-

"But are you fine with that? Noir?" She approached slowly.

I nodded.

She reached out her hand, close to touching my arms. If magic uses the power of imagination then, this should be possible. Probably...

It only has a slim chance, counting she hasn't done it and it's in a place you couldn't see.

Because my whole body couldn't be moved, i don't know why.

I don't hope this would fix it. Not at all.

But sometimes i just want to try, to find out ewhat will happen.

"Sis, Focus!"

"Shut up! I'm focusing!"

My hands twitched, it hurts but, there's like a nerve that get turned on. I try to move my fingers, it worked! Ha! I'm a genius.

I stand up, i could stand-

"Big sis, could you do it on my legs?"

She smiled akwardly.

"No?"

And as i was about to get up, i realized that i couldn't. My hand didn't budge.

"So, we know that it is possible. We just need to do it consistently. Train like this for everyday sis! Also could you help me out?"

She burst out laughing, what's funny? There's nothing funny.

"You're like a little baby," she smiled. "Of course, anything for my little brother."

I think this is going to go south...

So close, yet so far...

This is probably the good time to just wreck my thory from earlier, why? Because i still can't understand the concept of just materialize things.

Energy couldn't do that...

Infact, energy couldn't be created nor destroyed. It can only be transformed. If energy just transform into water, then when the water hits does it just becomes destroyed? Or just revert into energy.

Another theory that i have to defend this contradiction from... The Cynic.

Wha-what did i do?

The theory is... After transformed, Mana then Energy then Magic stuff. It then just turns back into Mana.

This itself hasn't been proved and i don't know if it will be proved. I don't know, I'm trying to understand this by myself... Of course I'm not gonna get it all right.

"Come here Noir, it's time to eat..."

"I couldn't mo-just... Pick me up."

I cannot eat by myself, Ara just feed me. When i was still baby, i could forgive myself. That was, normal. Probably.

But I'm already five years old now, and still being spoonfed by Ara.

"You're still a little kid aren't you?"

I could hear The Cynic sighs, what's funny over there?

Days after that, and after that. The routine becomes that Ara controls a part of my body at a time... And i try to remember how to move them. A rehabilitation of some sort.

It wasn't easy, it's uncomfortable, and it's panful. I'm feeling that everytimes it move, my body was electrocuted.

Knowing i was awake, Mr. Bootes have decided to show up. He showed me a prototype of Cai Lun-styled paper.

He also gave me a pen, which, i couldn't even use.

Ara used it instead, Mr. Bootes teaches Ara some knowledge about the entrance exam.

So the test, no matter what you pick. You still need test in every field/faction. The knights, General or General Knowledge, and Magic. Because Ara was trying to enter the Magic faction, she could've left zero mark on the other stuff except General Knowledge.

It's a bunch of nobility history and the country history...which I'm not going to lie, hooked me a little.

"So you just giving it to us? This inside knowledge?" I ask.

"Only til here, everybody still need testing. So you couldn't just enter through the back door."

I nodded.

Ara looked at the pile of history books on the desk, does she have to memorize it all.

"No, she didn't have to. Except for entering general, you just need to pass a very low entry barrier."

"I see," Ara scratching her head. "But still, this is too much."

Mr bootes laughs, this thirty years old man... Is very likeable once you know him. I actually take back my first impression about him.

"So what happened during your testing?" Mr. Bootes asked.

"It's a secret..."

He sighs, looking down at his shoes.

"So it is how it is..." He paused. "Well then i won't force an answer."

It is what it is... Eh?!

I looked at Mr. Bootes with a confused gaze.

"What? You want to tell me or nah?"

I shook my head, no. Let this be the secret between me and my sister only.

"Very well," He said. "So then, Ara, what's your best performing magic?"

"Eh, Blood bend?"

Mr. Bootes's jaw dropped, his eyes becoming more widened.

"Blood bend? How is that possible?"

"Well, when Noir couldn't move, He tells me to move him by controling his blood."

"How do you control his blood?"

"By controlling the waters inside it..."

Shocked was brushed of from his face a few moments later, but still, i think nobody has discovered it before.

"Why are you so confused?" I ask.

"No, phew... Your family always brings suprises." He pauses. "You see, even though magic always evolve and new form of magic was born every seconds... I didn't thought any person would do that."

This is the part about magic that i think the most confusing, the branching. Simply, when you use magic by imagination and instinct without real logic. There's always things that differ and just make an abundance of mess.

Imagine a magic where you shoot fire, but ecah person's imagination is different. So, you made a difference, either the shape, size, color, maybe temperature but you get the point.

Would you call it as a category of one type of magic, or just leave it as it be?

I couldn't put my hands on it, I'm too lazy to clean so i couldn't make a point.

Deducting problems like this make me recall the past, the time where i travel from one faculty to another.

In the past life, I'm a graduate with a degree in language, architecture, and politics.

But beside those three, i also have knowledge about other things, study in multiple faculty at a time.

That's when i realized my thrist for knowledge, just wanted to know lots of things and understand them...

Mr. Bootes left a little bit later, as usual, after noon has passed. My sister keeps using me as a training for her blood bend magic.

And after a few days, i could move my arms just fine, i still couldn't move my foot so when going anywhere i need Ara by my side still.

I could finally eat using my own hands again, that night at the dining table.

Regarding my thoughts about what considered a new magic. Something came in mind.

"Ara, i want you to imagine a water magic, so strong that i could penetrate a boulder."

She almost choked on her food.

"A water magic that's capable of penetrating a boulder? How?!" She ask.

I picked up a pumpkin seed, holding it between my thumb and index finger. Shortly, what I'm about to do is just Pascal's law.

The seed flung towards my father's face, hitting him right in the cheeks.

"Ouch!"

Ara thinks for a second, then nodded.

"Ah, I understand it now..."

"What do you mean? He just flung that seed into my face?!"

I look at Ara, you get the idea?

"So if I press water like that, then it could pierce a boulder?" She ask.

"Probably."

"But how? Why does it work?"

I raise my hands.

"Magic is about instinct right?"

Did you just make a jet stream?

After that, Ara's training consists of controlling the water in my blood, and not to short i was able to walk, but still like a crippled old man. And also attacking some boulder, her jet stream attack was close to the point that i imagined.

I also don't want to get left in the dust strated to train, not here, in a quiet forest not to far from home.

I'm in an age where it's normal to explore places but still come back at evening.

But getting there is also a task because...

"Why are all my visions blurry and melting again?"

This is what's called a mana vision, you could see much more in this form.

What you mean by i could see more? If seeing colors from words and seeing people from a glint of a glowing aura around them is seeing more. No thank you, i don't want to be a paranormal.

Wlaking just become as hard as i was when first moved by Ara.

You just need to look more...

What does that even mean?

Picture evrything in your surrounding. You're too afraid to look other things in the eye. Try again.

I see, I'm focusing mu eyesight, I'm in my backyard. Ara was training, with a overall white clothes and a leather vest. Her hair being played by the wind as she launch one water bullet at a time.

I saw the sun in the horizon, shining red. I saw the clouds above, shaped like an egg.

You're too focused on your own reality, didn't notice anything about anyone. Just drowning...

I know...

For a whole five years growing up, all you did was think, and ponder, and why? And how? Foused inside your mind.

You know why you're bored? Because you are still in prison. Not your body, but your mind...

Ah i see, everything starts to come in shape, not gone entirely, instead i see more than i could ever before.

I close my eyes, was the sun always this bright?

Do you see a trail of green colored things?

What? Those colors around Ara? What are they?

They are mana. Follow those trails... It's time for your training.

"I don't want to just train..." I smiled. "I want to learn, about this magic, about this bright world..."

You're not like the usual you

Same as you, Cynic voice...

May science brings me to the stars above...

"Now, let's start the experiments shall we?"

The patients become the scientist, how pitiful of you becoming what destroy you...