⚜ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ꜰɪꜰᴛʜ - video/action

[deathsought]

[ A: Action, open to anyone in Fairy Haven ]

{ A pile of notes, two open books - both written in long-dead languages, and one in particular written entirely in hieroglyphs - and an untouched plate of food, quickly growing cold, laid before Zeref at his table in Fairy Haven. He was neglecting all of them, as he shook a snowglobe-like object and just... stared at it. A smile slowly spread across his features, as he stared, transfixed as if in a trance of some kind. For several minutes he'd sit like this, before stowing the object in his pocket, turning back to the forgotten lunch and unfinished translations.

Clearly, he was having trouble focusing. He looked over his notes once more, and then unceremoniously closed the books and set them aside. They weren't needed until the end of the week. They could wait. Without any input from him, a Pokéball fell out of his sleeve, and out popped what looked like a blue-eyed doll dressed in a gothic lolita dress. She didn't say anything; just stared, unblinking, at her trainer, as if expecting him to say something in particular. }

Gothorita.

{ Zeref nodded down at his notes. }

Can you proofread those for me? They're written in lunar runes. You're the expert, there.

{ Gothorita didn't answer. She just continued staring for several seconds, before the notes rose up into the air, levitating in chronological order in front of her. He didn't need to convince her with words; Future Sight told her everything she needed to know about the reward in the form of ice cream waiting for her afterward. With that, Zeref withdrew the snowglobe once more, setting it down next to the uneaten food, and went back to staring, himself. }

B: Video, OTA

I have a question. Anybody may answer.

{ Zeref picked up the device, moving it away from the sunglare coming in from a nearby window. }

For those who remember, a while back, necromancy was illegal in Everglade. That ban has since been repealed. I was thinking about the parallels to my own world, where certain forms of magic were arbitrarily banned by various governments, on the pretext that they were inherently dangerous.

{ Zeref had plenty to say about that, but he'd keep the political discussion for another time. His question was far more straightforward than that. }

How many of you come from a world where magic, or any sort of equivalent power, was made forbidden to even learn, and what was the rationale behind that decision? I want to compare these instances to my own world, and this world, for that matter.

Comments

[chambermusicandtenpins]

The magic in our world is hidden from most of those who live in it. Wizards and witches live in secrecy or hide their abilities from the rest of the world, in case of repression.

Among ourselves, there is other magic, Dark magic, that is banned by most of our world. There are three spells in particular that have been labeled Unforgivable Curses and would lead to a life sentence in prison.

[deathsought]

The polar opposite of my world, then. Interesting.

{ An entire parallel society of magic, hidden from the larger the world. How is that even possible? Surely knowledge of magic would leak out eventually. That's just the nature of magic, at least as he knows it. }

How is it suppressed? Do you round up every written mention of the magic and burn it? Try to purge it from the minds of its practitioners with other forms of magic? Or just threaten everyone who speaks its name with a prison sentence?

{ He might be just a little bit bitter. He still remembers how and why Magia Dragon was founded, and the Hands of Decay's crusade against magic here in this very world. }

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Nothing quite that extreme. There are materials about it, books and studies and papers, and they're available to those who wish to seek them. Generally, they're not widely available, but they exist and can be sought after. Plenty know of such spells even if they would never use them.

The only consequence is if you use said magic to harm another, or use the three spells that have been banned. Then that would indeed lead to a prison sentence.

[deathsought]

I see.

{ Only three spells banned, and referred to as 'unforgiveable.' Zeref never understood that. A fire spell was every bit as capable of killing as Ankhseram Black Magic. One might even argue that the latter was preferable. At least it was quick and painless.

Though, granted, you can't actually learn it. It's given, not taught. And it comes at a terrible price. }

I admit, your system is better than most I have seen. Far more would rather bury knowledge of such magic entirely, and hope that by pretending it doesn't exist, it cannot hurt them. An incredibly human decision. It is nice to hear that wisdom prevailed in another world, even if not in mine.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

We have our flaws, I'll admit, and I imagine there are those in our government that would likely agree with the system you describe. But we don't limit our knowledge of such things. After all, there is no way to counter what might harm us if we don't know it is there to begin with.

[deathsought]

A pity there weren't more like yourself in my world. Perhaps then the Magic Council wouldn't have had to use an appeal to force in order to maintain their grip on power.

{ Which, eventually, of course, they lost anyway. }

Apparently, a new Council was eventually formed in my world's future. I would express a hope that they would succeed where others have failed in the past, but I've lived long enough to find a certain quote I've heard during my time in this world about the 'definition of insanity' apropos.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Ah, my condolences, then, that your world is not so generous with its freedom for information. I imagine I might know what quote you speak of it and it does have its unfortunate truthfulness in some times.

[deathsought]

Only Ishgal's Magic Council was like that, and I would hope that they've since learned from their mistakes in the aftermath of the war. The Alvarez Empire, for example, permits every citizen to learn any form of magic they are capable of using.

This world seems to have adopted the same stance, or at least, Fayren has. There was one child in particular who was learning magic to bring their paintings to life. I wouldn't mind learning how to do that, myself.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Ah dear. What mistakes were those, if I might ask?

That does sound rather fascinating. What does the child do with this particular gift?

[deathsought]

One of the better examples would have been the Ten Wizard Saints. Ostensibly the ten strongest mages on the continent, their ranks were blatantly politically motivated. Number one, God Serena, certainly deserved his ranking, as did number four, Warrod Seequen. But if they were truly honest, Gildarts Clive would have been number two or three, and Erza Scarlet, Mirajane Strauss, and Laxus Dreyar should have been somewhere in the rankings, as well. Of course, they weren't, because that would have meant that Fairy Tail would have held the majority of the rankings.

{ And it wasn't even the "But we have to represent other guilds too!" excuse. The Council's antipathy for Fairy Tail specifically was well-known. }

Nothing. He's dead.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Ah, politics before morals or practicality. Something I think all worlds suffer from if they have a government. I take it this did not end well?

...I see. That's terrible to hear, then.

[deathsought]

Like all misguided experiments in human governance, the council collapsed, its members assassinated in a surprise attack by a dark guild known as Tartaros. Those very Wizard Saints tried to form a new Council afterward, but the aforementioned number one ranked Saint, God Serena, defected to the Empire.

He was murdered by a group of anti-magic extremists who plagued this world for nearly a year, but his death served as the tipping point. Whatever support they might have had from the people of Fayren quickly evaporated when it came to light that they murdered women and children. They've been chased from the city, though to my knowledge, their leader has still yet to be brought to justice.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

And what a bloody path leading to nothing. What a terrible journey.

I see. I had no idea such sentiments had existed here. I'd been very pleased here to see people so accepting of magic and its practitioners.

[deathsought]

A depressingly recurrent story throughout human history. Or so I've found even in other worlds, including this one.

Magic is a way of life in Fayren, much like it is in my own world. There, society as my world knows it simply could not exist without magic. Even if only an estimated ten percent of the human population is capable of using it, it is as integral to civilization there as electricity is to Genessia City, Attleton, or Nova City.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Which is a relief to see when compared to my own home, where attitudes are far different. But it's still concerning that in a place with magic so openly used, that there any sort of movement against it or attempts to suppress it.

[deathsought]

There were. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. I have no reason to believe it ever will be again in this world, even if the leader of the Hands of Decay, to this day, has still never been caught.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Hmm, perhaps. I was not here for such events, but I admit, there is always that nagging thought in my mind that if something can happen once, it can happen again, even if not for a long while.

Still, I am glad it is settled not, even if the leader is still at large. Were there suspects as to who it was?

[deathsought]

A few, but never any solid proof. They've gone underground since then. If they're smart, they'll stay there.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

I suppose if they're already underground, then that's all that can be done. Still, thank you for telling me that such events had occurred here.

[deathsought]

You're welcome. Fayren is much safer now, thanks to the efforts of Guardian Mavis. You should visit sometime.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Perhaps I shall. What is Guardian Mavis like, may I ask?

[deathsought]

I would trust her with my life.

{ And considering that Mirajane told him that she turned out to be the only one truly capable of killing him in the end, that's saying a lot. }

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Very high praise, then.

[deathsought]

It isn't just me. She was elected Guardian twice. The second time, she ran unopposed.

[chambermusicandtenpins]

Ah, then it is good to know she is so well-beloved in her role.