Of Magic and Futility [Ursula]

The place may have been empty of people, but it was not empty of aura.  There was a distinct presence in the room, one that Pallin had really only felt if he or his peers were in trouble with the elders in the Hidden Village.  Alas, all trouble comes to an end, so in his mind Pallin pretended that someone had already been scolded and carried on.  This presence was likely caused by, or at least involved with, Ursula, the teacher whose very image struck fear into the hearts of all her students.  

"Notify me on the sixteenth hour" he heard.  He turned a corner from a shelf and immediately felt as if he had been stopped by some otherworldly force.  The woman didn't even look up from her book - he wouldn't be surprised if she didn't hear him, as his shoes were designed to be nearly silent.  But this... this presence, it definitely came from her.  He felt it pressing against the front of his body, and so he had no choice but to decide to stand still.  He did decide, he told himself.  

"Ursula,"" Pallin began, not exactly knowing whether to flatter her or get right to the point.  He decided that perhaps a more direct approach would permit against a waste of time.  "I need your help.  I know I have a magical alignment, but I find it futile.  I mean, my magic is futile.  I don't know how to do it.  Can you help me?"  He really was bad at conversation, but he made his best attempt.  

deltra of gangnam style

Well, so what he heard about her was true. She was very austere, and nothing about her complexion, voice, or tone did anything to dissuade Pallin of that observation. If anything, she was just being true to herself, and Pallin admired that. Which was probably why he wasn't as scared as other people could have been. He made a mistake, promptly resolved it in his mind, and moved on. "Ah. Well, Lady von Brandt, pardon my ignorance. My name is Pallin bas Ilisca, and I am aligned with Nayru. It's come to my attention that certain constellations affect... ah, I lack the words for this. Certain constellations affect different alignments, or so I am hypothesizing." This much was candid. As far as his reasoning, well, he didn't have one beyond selfish research. "I want to master magic so I can see how it will benefit my research. If astronomy and magic are somehow linked, I wish to perform experiments and report my findings to the Royal Family. Even if it takes years."

He suddenly noticed the heavy atmosphere weigh on him again. It was like he didn't notice it if he was paying attention to the thoughts in his mind, but once he said his piece, the pressure came back. It must have just been something in the air, or the complete command that Lady von Brandt assumed while in her domain. Pallin looked around, and honestly, he was impressed. He would be lying if he said he wasn't a little scared, or intimidated, but he was also meeting someone for the first time. That always ruffled his feathers. But he sensed a kind of genuineness from her. However, most people would probably view sincerity as something comforting or relaxing - as if you could unwind once a certain barrier had been breached. But her genuineness seemed a bit different, but Pallin couldn't quite place his finger on it. It was no use asking her about it, since he didn't want a life story. He wanted answers to magic; how to do it, how it would be useful, and how it can relate to science. And that was his genuine desire.

deltra of gangnam style

Pallin bowed.  "I am fully prepared for my hypothesis to be proven false," he told Madame von Brandt.  "Alas, Lady von Brandt, I know next to nothing of magic."  He returned upright.  During the few seconds of silence that followed after, he felt compelled to say more, which was unusual.  Normally he says his piece and waits for a response, but this experiment seemed more dire.  If magic really was affected by the constellations, then he would have to at least perform magic at various points in the year and record his results.  Likewise, he'd have to have people of all sorts of skill level perform and practice magic under different constellations.  This experiment was likely going to take a year or more.  He inhaled and spoke once more.  

"I know that people are born with certain alignments to particular elements that we associate with different deities in Hyrule.  But I don't understand where it comes from, or how people conjure it.  Is it a property of their blood?  Is it a genetic trait?  Is it a spiritual affiliation?  I've never understood.  And, if you will permit me, Lady von Brandt, I despise not understanding something." 

It was true.  Out in this open field, which looked almost like a place to practice a duel, he was hoping desperately that Ursula would be able to help him conjure his first spell.  He thought he was aligned with Nayru, but that was on a baseless claim - simply because he preferred the Lanayru province didn't necessarily mean that was who he was aligned with.  But he wouldn't rule it out.  But it was Ursula's turn to speak, and hopefully she would be able to help.  She had to, for the betterment of the Kingdom, the Princess, and the Hyrulean army. 

deltra of gangnam style

In the split moments between her words, Pallin tried to remember any time that he had ever tried to learn magic in the Hidden Village. But then he recalled that he skipped the magic lessons, simply because he was more interested in the scientific studies of astronomy, herbology, and biology. However, being in such an academic place, it would be a waste of time and resources to not invest in the opportunities around him. Hence his desire for learning magic. If he could actually learn to use magic, and it really was Nayru that he was aligned with, then perhaps in a month or two he could really test his hypothesis first-hand.

Beyond his own musings, he found that Lady von Brandt was not such a scary figure.  At least, so far he had no reason to think she was.  Her way of speaking was plain, frank, and to the point - attributes that Pallin very much appreciated.  He had no time, nor desire, for words to be minced.  And upon witnessing her command of the very air around her, he did see why people were generally afraid of Ursula.  But, he did wish that people would see past their own lenses and see this academic side of a person eager to share her knowledge.  He was comforted in knowing that she bore no ill-will toward him upon her conjuring a lance.  

"My knowledge of my own alignment is based purely on conjecture.  Perhaps I am aligned with Nayru, perhaps not.  Whatever happens, this will allow me to study the properties of magic further, and hopefully contribute to our current academia."  Such a mouthful.  But he wasn't boasting, nor was he trying to be modest - simply stating facts for what they were.  Then the maid brought out a flask full of water.  He wanted to drink it, but obviously that wasn't what he was supposed to do.  He was supposed to figure out a way to actually move the water using magic.  He stared at it blankly for a moment, thinking of ways to use a magic spell.  

How had other people done it?  He scrunched his face trying to think of any of his friends from the Hidden Village or guards in the castle that had to use magic for whatever purpose.  Pallin remembered one interaction with a friend of his.  He asked her how she used magic, and she told him it was mostly a feeling that stirred in her gut.  It was like she used her will to make something happen - almost as if she just said in her mind, do, and it was done.  Could that happen here?  He thought about it over and over in his mind as he stared at the flask.  Ursula encouraged him to do whatever he needed to do in order to make it work - to worry not about how silly he may have looked.  So, he thought about mustering willpower using his imagination, and held out his hand over the flask.  In an odd fashion, he 'slammed' his hand against the air, a few inches over the flask.  Nothing happened.  

He was straining!  Forgetting to breathe.  It couldn't be this hard - but what if he couldn't actually do magic?  That would be completely embarrassing.  He supposed it was a possibility what with Lady von Brandt stating 'Some are chosen,' as he took that to mean that others are not chosen.  He refused, to believe that, though.  If he wasn't already, surely he would be - his efforts were to help the betterment of the Royal Family, people of a divine bloodline!  Again, Pallin made one more attempt at moving the water in the flask.  He stared at the water with a zealous look.  With something akin to tunnel vision, the rest of his surroundings disappeared as he really, truly focused on the water.  Move, he said in his mind.  He cupped his hand and slowly waved it to the side, hoping the water would follow suit... but it did not.  

"I need help, Lady von Brandt.  It seems I cannot do it just yet."

deltra of gangnam style

Attaining inner peace? Surely he could do that. He wasn't one riddled with anxiety, at least not all the time. But he did have a hard time calming down when something wasn't working the way he wanted it to, or when he had a string of ideas that simply had to be jotted down. But, if he was really aligned with Nayru, then he took Ursula's words to heart. He'd have to find some way to really find a sense of inner peace - some sort of neutral, lawful state of being. To be in a calm, tranquil mindset was his goal. To think of water, in a sense, being a state of neutrality. It only reacted to a force pressed on it, so he would likely have to do the same thing. But how could he just sit there and not react to anything?

Unless his question was his own answer. The more he pondered, with his hand still over the water, the more it made sense. He eventually would have to end up 'controlling' the water, but then he thought that that wasn't quite right. He wasn't controlling it so much as he was controlling his will. If will is a call of judgment, then his mind really would have to be clear. So he sat on the ground and proceeded to do... nothing. Nothing except breathing slowly, rhythmically, to the idea of waves lapping against a lakeshore. In and out, in and out. He imagined Nayru in what must be Her golden light, trailed by a blue aura. Her lawful ways, her endless wisdom, her keen sense of action and reaction. Would Pallin, in his infinitesimally small comparison to a Goddess, somehow channel her energy?

He was getting distracted. Those questions, those thoughts, all clouded his vision - muddied the waters, so to speak. The water had to be clear, and had to be still. He had to be clear and still. He knew how to meditate, thanks to his upbringing. Meditation used to be a daily routine for him, and he has been lax ever since studying and working at Hyrule Castle. His muscles loosened and his tension faded away. It was a nice feeling. The more he got into it, the warmer he felt and the looser he felt. He imagined water, of him being in water, to eventually, him being water. It was a strange sensation to be sure, but if he were just water, then nothing would happen unless something acted on him. But his willpower, however, was different. Somewhere in this state of puddle-dome was his innate to desire to make things happen. The source of his will. Truly it was a transcendent moment, to feel this detached from the body. His willpower was like a wispy spirit floating above a pool of water. Slowly the water rose to envelop the wisp, and as soon as it merged, Pallin felt a strange kind of recharge.

He didn't care how Ursula's words sounded, trite or profound, they helped him. Sometimes answers could be found in the simplest of ways, and he was always amazed at the answers he'd find if someone simply told him to breathe. He realized that he didn't need to tell the water what to do, but he needed to use his willpower to extend his reach to 'grab' the water. He imagined his arm extending far past his outstretched hand, and 'felt' the cool flask of water. He then cupped his hand and turned it toward the sky, seeing a small trickle of water follow behind. Then he imagined his energy as an invisible ball surrounding the water and 'pulled' it toward him. He couldn't help but smile. Some time had passed before he was able to do this, and gratitude warmed his chest.

"Thank you, Lady von Brandt," he said as he bowed. The water dissipated a little bit, but there were still a few droplets suspended above his hand. "What, uh... do I do now?"

deltra of gangnam style

Ever the one to constantly seek results and to move forward, Pallin had to choose to be content with this moment.  But it would be a lie to say he wasn't excited.  He had pulled through and proven that he could, in fact, use magic!  Perhaps this would be his preferred way of combat.  He could manifest his will to do so many things, if he would just practice enough.  Perhaps eventually he could call an orb of water to materialize out of the vapors found in the atmosphere - he could make it rain!  He could help the gardens - but, then again, caretakers probably had that covered - but best of all, he could finally start to test his theory.  He would have asked Ursula to just be a test subject, but he felt that knowing how to do magic was an integral part to his long-term experiment.  But now that he knew how to do magic, perhaps one day, he could see if Sursum Deorsum really did have an amplification affect for those aligned by Demise.

"Thank you for your time, words, and wisdom, Lady von Brandt.  This power shall not go to waste, and I will readily notify you whenever a discovery has been made."  Seeing that his lesson was over, he didn't want to keep Ursula longer than her visiting hours would allow - seeing as the sixteenth hour was at hand, Pallin returned her smile with one of his own, and promptly made his way to the Bazaar to buy the tome of Water Orb.

deltra of gangnam style