"I can't find the truth, but I can tell if someone is lying," Ada corrected. "I'd rather just know the truth outright, but I suppose it's helpful sometimes."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Pratik took a drink of wine, giving her the slightest side eye. Helpful for her perhaps.
“But different from how you do it?” Ky asked, looking at Gaius.
Zander smirked slightly, still thoroughly amused at how intimidated Ky was of Gaius. She’d been getting better. He wasn’t sure why. He had the feeling that something had happened between them that he hadn’t been around to witness. But she was doing better. But still clearly felt the need to prove herself.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Very different," Gaius said with a small smile. "She didn't have to learn her skills; she was born with them. And they're magic, if you want to use a word like that."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"It's not magic," Ada said with a roll of her eyes. "That's a Northern word; it's got no place in this language. It's energy, same as everything else. It just looks a bit different."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky nodded slowly, smiling politely, but she still didn’t understand.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Gaius could tell she was completely lost. Perhaps, if she was interested, he would have to recommend a few books on Seers as well. He wondered what she might actually be interested in in the library.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky glanced at Gaius. He seemed to be "observing" her again, since he "didn't" "read" "thoughts". Either way, she could tell that he could tell that she didn't have any idea what was going on.
"So, if it's, uh, not magic..." Ky was pre-embarrassed, expecting Ada to call her dumb for this question. At least to act like she was. "... does magic exist?"
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Depends on who you ask and how you define magic," she replied. "Ivar over there might say yes. I'd say no. Lord Ash seems to think magic is real as well." "I never claimed that," Gaius said mildly.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"... so you don't?" Ky asked, looking at Gaius, wondering if she was pressing too hard.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Not really. I believe in mysticism and Seers, and the existence of the gods, but 'magic' implies something supernatural. I believe everything is an aspect of nature, be it gods or otherwise."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
But weren't the gods, by definition, supernatural? And Seers too, for that matter. None of it could be explained by science. "Oh."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"The word magic just sounds too flouncy for me," Ada said. "God is a supernatural entity for me, as are my abilities, but they're just energy, like I said. It comes from somewhere else, is all."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"It all seems very complicated," Ky murmured. She glanced at Zander, trying to gauge his opinion on it all, but he gave her no hints. This was an opinion she was going to have to figure out for herself. At the very least, she'd have to explicitly ask for his input. He wasn't going to stick his nose in a matter this delicate.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"It really is," Gaius said at the same time Ada said, "It really isn't."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
