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[When Watanuki eventually learns to use his dreamwalking to travel while awake, then these hikes up to the top of the tower won't be so bothersome. But for now, he's left griping and complaining as he goes up all those stairs and then eventually the ladder.

It's familiar, Watanuki hasn't forgotten his first day at the tower after all. But he's still annoyed.]

Don't tell me you slept out here.

[He won't believe it for a moment, it's too bright.]

[Merlin chuckles. Spreads the arm that isn't twined around his staff, and his eyes are still closed.]

Where do you think I spend most of my time on this tower, o student mine? This spot still provides the best view.

[And that's the truth, regardless of what Watanuki believes. There's a reason why, by extension, Merlin's become accustomed to sitting on floors, and with his outstretched hand, he gestures to the spot next to him.

He can wait until Watanuki figures out what he wants to ask.]

You're an all-powerful magician and you never thought to summon a chair up here?

[Merlin please, don't sleep on the floor.

But Watanuki does take the invitation, and he sits down on his knees next to Merlin. This way of sitting is comfortable for him, though he might shift to cross-legged if they end up being here a long time.]

What are you looking for out here?

Nope!

[Look, he didn't have to build a prison tower on the patch of land he's stuck in, but he did so anyway. Near the bottom, in a room Watanuki hasn't seen, lies a jutting rock lit by sunlight streaming from barred windows. In comparison, his viewing platform's an improvement!]

If I'm not looking at the flowers, I watch the world of humans. Seeing all of you... them from this distance [a correction since Watanuki's essentially stuck in Avalon for the duration of his studies] is quite different from being amongst them.

I suppose you can say it's a matter of Sight.

[With a capital 'S.' He has no doubt his student's here to ask about that vision and Merlin's appearance in the dream.]

[Let it never be said that Merlin isn't dramatic.

That is an appropriate lead-in to Watanuki's question though. He does spend a moment looking out over the flowers, like he's trying to see whatever other people it is that Merlin claims to see. But his sight isn't good enough for that, and he's left with just a field of flowers.]

Do you mean as in actually seeing something, or like 'dream visions'?

[Call it a performer's flair.]

Both. I'm Clairvoyant.

[Here, he holds up his hand as his gaze grows unfocused for a moment. Over his palm, a faint illusion appears of Cornwall in the present day, and it dissipates when he returns to the present moment.]

After last night, I suspect you are similarly gifted, but with one crucial difference: you can catch glimpses of the future.

[And while Merlin's told prophecies in the past, they aren't tied to his Sight.]

...eh? It's not the same thing?

[To Watanuki, seeing the future and seeing other parts of the present are the same thing. It's all just 'magic sight' to him. He really does have a lot more to learn, doesn't he? Fortunately, that just makes him curious to learn more.]

How are they different?

No, they're not. Moreover, there are different types of Clairvoyance: in the broadest sense of the term, it's simply a skill that affects the acuity of vision.

[And it's fortunate that Watanuki's met Gilgamesh. Now they have more examples to work with!]

Mine, for example, allows me to see everything in the present, and my gift of Prophecy is separate from it. Solomon, the King of Mages, is able to witness both the past and future.

Lastly, we have Gilgamesh, the god-king of Uruk. [His gaze slides over to Watanuki to catch the youth's expression.] Although his is a Noble Phantasm and is continuously active.

[Sha Naqba Imuru: The Omniscient Omnipotent Star.]

I believe he restrains its use for practical reasons, but when employed his Sight allows him to discern even the deepest of secrets.

Undoubtedly, he was in the middle of employing it to discern any possible alternative outcomes to the... situation you foresaw when we arrived.

[Watanuki is listening intently, a habit he's developed during his time with Merlin. While Merlin can be...himself, sometimes, there's no denying that the man is a wealth of knowledge. And Watanuki is like a sponge, ready to absorb anything he hears.

He does frown slightly at the mention of Gilgamesh, and his eyebrow twitches too, but he doesn't make a verbal comment. So that's why Gilgamesh gave him so much grief over his lack of control, is it? It's understandable, but no less annoying.]

A situation that's the future for him, but the past for us, right?

[Knowing that might help him come up with some alternate solutions, given that it will probably be at least a little while before Watanuki ends up in that ruined city for real.]

[Ahh, were it only so simple as to be a thing of the past.

(Gilgamesh being able to manage his own Sight is only part of why he speaks as he does. After returning from his quest for immortality, his priorities shifted to making Uruk and its people prosper, and he's said as much during their brief encounter --- of course, if Watanuki hasn't picked up his and Merlin's soon-to-be roles in the future, he'll find out more about that and Gilgamesh's way of understanding things soon enough.)]

No. There are no records of a calamity of that nature bringing about the downfall of Mesopotamia.

[The smile slips from Merlin's face. This is a serious matter, and he still has to be careful with what he says. After all, the Beast occupying King Solomon's corpse possesses those Eyes, and it won't do for that shadow to discern who else is aware of that grand plan. Especially when one of them happens to be a walking anomaly.]

The culprit will reveal themselves in due time, but I can say this: you and I will be aiding the king in holding off that disaster for as long as we can since it threatens the very existence of human history as we know it. As you've noticed, our chances of victory are quite slim... but.

[He dispels the illusion from his palm. Briefly turns his Sight to Chaldea... yes. There is still hope should they survive the first strike.]

If all goes well, we may receive aid, and you and I might witness something akin to a miracle.

[Wait until Merlin figures out that Watanuki's existence is a blind spot to Goetia and that these early conversations are going completely unnoticed. It's a fascinating trait that will become less useful in the future, when their enemies are aware of how difficult it is to perceive him and start deliberately looking for the blind spots he could be hiding in. But for now, it lets Watanuki learn things without giving away too much to the enemies of mankind.

As Merlin's look turns serious, so does Watanuki's. If the lazy wizard is being serious about something, then it definitely deserves care and consideration. And Watanuki has been learning to read between the lines. "No records of the calamity" doesn't mean it didn't happen, just that nobody survived to write the records down. And if Merlin himself, this powerful mage, is just an aide? Then yeah, this is going to be quite a battle. Watanuki is further motivated to learn as much as he can and become a mage capable of helping save the past.]

The fact that humans still life is proof of existence, isn't it? Or is this one of those 'if you travel back in time you can change the future' kind of things?

[Aye, that'll be a game changer in the early parts. Not that Goetia has plans of directly interfering with Mesopotamia given the presence of a certain primordial goddess there.]

Changing events through time travel isn't as simple as it sounds. There are major events [Quantum Time Locks] that are considered necessary for the history of the world, allowing for some variation across other timelines and parallel worlds. Uruk, for example, is one such linchpin: it is one of the most important civilizations from that era, the Epic of Gilgamesh is the world's oldest piece of surviving literature, and King Gilgamesh's life has, ultimately, benefited humanity and its division from the gods.

Now, in order to completely undo human order and anything that might fall under the umbrella of acceptable variance, an incredible amount of mana must be used to both travel across time and distort its events to the point of conceptual annihilation. In a way, our culprit isn't just taking out floors at random - they're targeting both the support pillars and the cornerstones of a building.

[Here, Merlin pauses - this is more metaphysics than he and Watanuki have discussed so far. How well is the youth absorbing all of that?]

[It's metaphysics, but the metaphor Merlin gives actually helps Watanuki visualize it. Major events are the support pillars that keep all the timelines up. Take out a support, and the world comes crashing down.]

And we're going to stop that person from taking out those cornerstones, right?

['that person'. As if Watanuki knows who's responsible for all of this.]

[To be fair, no names have yet been given. That said -]

There is someone preparing to take the helm. You and I will be assisting.

[Although... he eyes Watanuki with some consideration. Noble Phantasms and Servants were useless against Goetia as things stand, however. Watanuki isn't a Servant. Nor does his he fully part of humanity, strictly speaking.

...

No, this isn't something that should be even thought about now. The youth doesn't even have a clue as to what he's signing up for, and this is one of those circumstances wherein Merlin's own specific interventions might depend on the character of the actual human embarking from Chaldea's shores.]

The destruction you saw is only one part of what he can do. Once we begin our work, you'll be placing your life at risk and exposed to many a mortal peril.

Are you prepared for that?

[He's hoping Watanuki will be realistic. Expressing uncertainty isn't a bad thing, moreso when one has the opportunity to prepare.]

[Is he prepared for it? To risk his life at such a hopeless situation? And for what, really? If the city has already been wiped off the map by historic standards, then what is Merlin hoping to change? What difference are they supposed to make there?

...maybe it's a matter of one person. One witness, to continue the story. Or a small group, enough to keep life going. Maybe that's what it is. That even if most die, having a few survive is what matters. Or hell, even having records survive might be what's important. Just some biit of evidence of what used to be, some proof that Uruk existed.

With that in mind, there's only one possible answer Watanuki could give.]

Not yet, but that's what I'm supposed to be training here for, right?

[This wouldn't be asked of him if it was beyond his capabilities. He know that much. So he just has to get to the point where he can make a difference.

And. Hopefully not die in the process.]

[What, indeed, is he hoping to accomplish if the end is, in some ways, a foregone conclusion? On most days, his view is so macroscopic he won't even notice the minutiae, and it still counts as witnessing.

But that's not what this is about. Once more, he finds himself watching over a handful of individuals - two kings, one student, and whoever else Chaldea ends up sending. Slowly but surely, he may yet be convinced to turn this into a long-term collab instead of a one-off thing.

Oh, if anything else, he wants to see how his student ends up blooming. That tree in the dreamscape remains a sharp image in his mind: elegant and enduring amidst the storm, and Merlin gives an approving smile at Watanuki's answer.]

Very good.

And you best mark your words. Not only are you contending with two sets of expectations other than your own, but we now seem to have a deadline. Even your dreams will be full of lessons, and you may as well set up a picnic blanket and a chalk board beneath that charming tree of yours.

[As if they hadn't started doing that, but Merlin will take the same approach as he had once done with Arturia if he has to.]

Who would have thought I would have cram school in my sleep...don't tell the school about this, they don't need ideas like that.

[He does sound a touch annoyed, but it's definitely his usual level of whining about having to do anything new. In truth, he's already entranced by Gilgamesh and is determined to at least be competent enough in his eyes. And Merlin's opinion is important too, but Gilgamesh's brash personality is more motivating. Being praised by someone so gruff and demanding would feel like an honor.

Still, he sighs and changes his tone almost immediately after that complaint.]

So, how do we start? Or...continue, I guess, since you're already teaching me magic.

[YEP he's ready to learn, even this early.]

[He scoffs.]

Neither will I deprive myself of extra entertainment. All that intense focus and repetitive living makes for restless dreaming, you know? Besides, your other instructors don't have the talent for it.

[Just stating the facts and rubbing it in their faces, wherever they are. Not that Merlin's aware that he's been upstaged by Gilgamesh, and he produces a thick tome with the snap of his fingers.]

Well, now that we've established your current level of mana sensitivity, we can proceed to the other fundamentals. Intent is a cornerstone of magecraft. Over time, you'll learn how to cast simple things with only a gesture and a thought, but you must start with incantations.

[There's a fair bit of linguistics involved, but that's better assimilated in demonstration and practice. For now, he passes the tome to Watanuki.]

Familiarize yourself with these. For now, don't hold on to metal or wood while you're reading, and don't focus on what the words are supposed to do. Proper pronunciation is the first step - believe me, you don't want to find out what happens if your tongue trips in the middle of an important incantation.

[At the very least, Merlin does recognize that his own personal approach isn't necessarily the most suitable for his student's style. At the end of the day, he does want his pupils to excel, and he can leave his own ego out the door when he's focused on helping them where it matters.]

Edited 2021-04-17 14:57 (UTC)

So just memorize the words and make sure I'm saying them first, and we'll get the rest later? That sounds a lot like my English classes.

[Classes which were functional, but. Well. Watanuki can speak English, but it's very formal and sounds like a textbook rather than what a teenager might sound like while talking. He's imagining the end result of these studies will be somewhat similar, at least until Merlin starts teaching him about what the magic will do and how to use it beyond knowing the words.

Fortunately, Watanuki excels at rote memorization, so this will be an easy task for him. Read the book, memorize the words. He can do that.

Speaking of which, what language is this book written in? Because as Watanuki takes it, he's opening it to the first page to at least glance over it and see what it looks like.]

I see. And how well do you enjoy those classes?

[As a frame of reference.

That said, the meaning of words is also important in magecraft. Naturally, any student will glean something of the incantation's purpose once they read the text, but Merlin's secondary aim is for Watanuki's unconscious to also its job in getting comfortable with the idea of casting spells before bridging the gap between that and the effort to memorize syllables through a demonstration.

While it's good that Watanuki doesn't tolerate bullshit, banking too much on that kind of thinking can also get in the way of a mage fully committing (so to speak) to a spell. Everything must be in moderation, including skepticism.

As for the book: Merlin's helpfully translated it into modern English. Eastern magecraft is better tackled through their talisman maker's borrowed dreams, and he's not about to let his student trip over Welsh or something more archaic. One language and writing system at a time!

(Hope you like poetry, Watanuki, because that's about two-thirds of the book. And feel free to enjoy the nice illustrations. Lots of nice flowers, vines and Celtic knots on the borders, text intersparsed with various sketches, symbols and diagrams.)]

Well enough, I guess? School is school.

[He didn't particularly enjoy his schooling, but he can at least understand why it's important and stick with it. Magecraft, on the other hand, is different. As he goes on to explain almost immediately.]

I think I like the lessons here much more than the ones back home. But magic is also way more interesting than Japanese history, or calculus, or English.

[Though he sees the book is in English and is suddenly glad that he paid attention in English class. The words mostly look familiar, at least, though the content is...well. Enough to get Watanuki to look back up to Merlin with a raised eyebrow.]

Is this poetry?

Of course it is.

That said, it's not all you'll be learning here.

[If anything, Merlin will add more history lessons and a smattering of other subjects, simply because he likes telling stories. Moreover, as later events will reveal, it'll serve as a good foundation for Watanuki to better grasp the full nature of Goetia's fuckery.

And now, what's with that look?]

Flows off the tongue quite nicely. [Zero apologies here! Y'know, from the guy who'd pick drawing a sword over saying something that wordy in the heat of battle.] The sounds are as important as the actual words you use. It's about getting the flow of mana to do what you want, so don't underestimate its usefulness.

[If there are things he forgets to explain down the line, Watanuki will have to remind him. Merlin hasn't taught anyone in a while, and at the end of the day his grasp of magecraft is still on the intuitive side. What's apparent to him might not be obvious to an observer.]

Edited 2021-04-23 05:53 (UTC)

If flow is so important, then why aren't we starting with Japanese? I'm not fluent in English.

[Near-fluent, but not perfectly so. And he can understand it far better than he can speak it himself. Though perhaps that's the point, that learning the pronunciation in a language you're unfamiliar in helps make sure you do it properly. In fact, a moment later, Watanuki decides to put that thought to words.]

Is it because it's a second language, so I pay more attention while speaking it anyway?

I might be an all-powerful Caster, but my specialty isn't Eastern magecraft. There are distinct differences in the systems used in several regions, starting with how the elements are used. That said, I believe there's one magus who was successful in combining Western and Eastern practices, although I've no clue if he ever took on an apprentice.

[You bet he's heard of Clow. Not that he's currently aware of that guy's link to his student.

Merlin peers at Watanuki. Having to pay attention to a second language isn't something Merlin's considered: it's not a barrier that exists in dreams where he can taste a sleeper's intent, and were he to be summoned as a Servant (hah! As if he can ascend to the Throne) he'd be supplied with the necessary knowledge.]

Once you get a better grasp of using your own power, you're free to compose your own incantations in whatever language you choose. Unlike most magi in the present era, I think you can afford to be flexible in that regard.

[For several reasons. Watanuki, as far as he can tell, isn't limited by the technicalities of a typical magic crest. On top of that, a singularity does, in a way, represent possibility. Instead of being a human that has to find ways of reaching the Root, it can be said that, as a product and embodiment of magecraft, the way he can utilize mana is more direct.

...yes. He looks forward to seeing what his student can accomplish, if - or when - events fall into place that will permit the permanence of his existence in the world.]

[Watanuki hadn't even considered the possibility that Merlin might just not be familiar with Eastern magic. But if that's the case, then why did Yuuko send him here? Why not train him herself, or at least send him to an Easter mage?

Though a moment later, Watanuki realizes he's looking at the problem backwards: instead of focusing on the fact that Merlin isn't an expert in a kind of magic that Watanuki might be more familiar in, he should be thinking of why Watanuki was sent to study this kind of magic. Hmm...

For a moment, Merlin will feel that tug of Yuuko's wish magic again. It's the same as the time Watanuki stumbled over the magical blocks on his memories, though not quite as strong because Watanuki is more carefully toeing around them this time.]

I think...my father might have had some Western ancestors. Very far back, perhaps.

[He sounds unsure of it though and he's starting to get a headache, so he's going to stop trying to think about his family directly.]

Could that be why? That somehow I've inherited some magical capability from an ancestor, a power that hasn't shown up in a long while?

[That would certainly explain a lot. As far as Watanuki knows, his parents were not mages.]

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if there's something here not in line with what you have planned for wata, lmk & i'll edit

This all works!