arius-starwalker-1412
A book adict. Drowning in ORV feels like a sunfish. An anime, manga and LN addict. A good story craver. A Marvel and DC fan. A crazy fan! Love fandoms!
254 posts
Latest Posts by arius-starwalker-1412
Hiddleston even notes, “At the center of Loki’s identity, certainly for as long as I’ve played him, is untrustworthiness. He’s unpredictable and spontaneous.”
But now, with a tearful confession to Sylvie, Loki’s newly changed outlook shines through as he takes everything he’s learned over the course of the series and tries to reason with her. But, “it’s heartbreaking pain because she’s not on the same page.”
“The confession in Episode 6 reveals how much he’s evolved. Sylvie believes Loki’s position comes from the same old motivation to sit on a throne. But it doesn’t. It comes from genuine care for another being outside of himself. It speaks to a theme that was very close to all of our hearts as filmmakers, which was about self-confrontation, and self-awareness, and self-forgiveness, and self-acceptance in some way. That the only way of moving forward is to acknowledge who you are. And then change can begin.” Tom Hiddleston
Tom Hiddleston as Loki Laufeyson throughout the MCU (2011 - )
LOKI | 2X05: SCIENCE FICTION + TUMBLR REACTIONS
Loki in suit
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) dir. Jon Watts
the sun will shine on them when?
Tom Hiddleston in Marvel Assembled: The Making of Loki Season 2
THERE SHOULD BE ONLY ONE SUN
I love them so much.
Artist: @/STARember
Getting a job:
Ask the Bitches: What the Hell Else Can I Do to Get a Job?
How to Write a Resume so You Actually Have a Prayer of Getting Hired
How to Write a Cover Letter like You Actually Want the Job
How to Frame Volunteering on Your Resume When You’ve Never Had a Job
Prep Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: Getting Ready for a Job Interview
Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them with the Confidence of a Mediocre White Dude
10 Questions You Should Never Be Asked in a Job Interview
What to Wear (and What Not to Wear) to a Job Interview
What to Do When You’re Asked About Your Salary in a Job Interview
How NOT to Determine Your Salary
How to Find Remote Work: On Getting the Elusive Work-From-Home Job
High School Students Have No Way of Knowing What Career to Choose. Why Do We Make Them Do It Anyway?
The Actually Helpful, Nuanced, Non-Bullshit Way to Choose a Future Career
Myers-Briggs Personalities and Income
I Just Applied for a Job. How (And When) Should I Follow Up?
Our Best Secrets for a Successful, Strategic, and SHORT Job Search
Season 2, Episode 11: “I Tripped and Fell into a Career I Don’t like. How Do I Reinvent Myself?”
Freelancing and side jobs:
Should Artists Ever Work for Free?
Stop Undervaluing Your Own Work, You Darling Fool
Romanticizing the Side Hustle
The Ugly Truth About Unpaid Internships
Freelancer, Protect Thyself: The Importance of a Fair Contract
Ask the Bitches: My Boss Won’t Give Me a Contract and I’m Freaking Out
I Lost My Job and It Might Be the Best Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to Me
Becoming a Millennial Entrepreneur (in the Midst of a Pandemic) with Katelyn Magnuson
11 Awful Mistakes I Made as a Self-Employed Freelancer, and How YOU Can Avoid Them
Workplace benefits:
Workplace Benefits and Other Cool Side Effects of Employment
Your School or Workplace Benefits Might Include Cool Free Stuff
Take Advantage of No-Copay Medical Care
Dafuq Is a Retirement Plan and Why Do You Need One?
How to Save for Retirement When You Make Less Than $30,000 a Year
Season 2, Episode 6: “Someone Offered to Mentor Me! How Do I Be a Non-Sucky Mentee?”
Navigating the workplace:
My Secret Weapon for Preparing for Awkward Boss Confrontations
Are You Working on the Next Fyre Festival?: Identifying a Toxic Workplace
Woke at Work: How to Inject Your Values into Your Boring, Lame-Ass Job
Looking Weird at Work
Short Hair DO Care: Why Is Short Hair Still Controversial?
Season 1, Episode 1: “Should I Tell My Boss I’m Looking for Another Job?”
Accepted a Coworker’s Social Media Friend Request? Yeah, You’re Gonna Regret That.
Season 1, Episode 5: “I Don’t Love My Job, but It Pays Well. Should I Quit—or Tough It Out?”
Season 2, Episode 7: “How Do I Throw My Incompetent Coworkers under the Bus?”
Sexual Harassment: How to Identify and Fight It in the Workplace
Getting a raise:
Salary Range: Are You Asking for Enough?
A Millennial’s Guide to Growing Your Salary
The First Time I Asked for a Raise
You Need to Ask for a Fucking Raise
Should You Increase Your Salary or Decrease Your Spending?
Getting a promotion:
Santa Isn’t Coming and Neither Is Your Promotion
How I Chessmastered Myself into a Promotion
Job Hoppers vs. Career Loyalists: I Want to See Numbers!
The Fascinating Results of Our Job Hopping vs. Career Loyalty Poll
Confession: I Hate My Job and I Don’t Know How to Leave It
A New Job, a New Day, a New Life, and I’m Feeling Good
Season 1, Episode 9: “I’ve Given up on My Dream Career. Where Do I Go From Here?”
Working remotely
How to Successfully Work from Home Without Losing Your Goddamn Mind (Or Your Job)
How to Find Remote Work: On Getting the Elusive Work-From-Home Job
8 Genres of Productivity Music (Plus Our Secret Stash of Personal Favorites)
My 25 Secrets to Successfully Working from Home with ADHD
We will periodically update this list with newer articles. And by “periodically” I mean “when we remember that it’s something we forgot to do for four months.”
A Very delightful and smashing birthday, Empress✒⌨🔱♾
(the image credit goes to the artist)
somehow the pic and my fic switched places.....
Happy Birthday, Dokja!
The Wallpaper available at Munpia illust_event:
The event would go on from 15th to 16th. I don't know much about it. But apparently a Dokja figurine is on the way-
This would be my first time celebrating his birthday after getting into the famdom.
I mean, he is my favourite character already, at this point. One of the best characters and story that I've come across! I'm really glad that I read this novel! * sheds tears *
I kinda wrote a fic:
Yeah, I know, not good. But oh well.
P.S: The irony that his birthday falls on Singles Awareness Day... Also, he might be 30 now...
Happy Birthday, Dokja!
The Wallpaper available at Munpia illust_event:
The event would go on from 15th to 16th. I don't know much about it. But apparently a Dokja figurine is on the way-
This would be my first time celebrating his birthday after getting into the famdom.
I mean, he is my favourite character already, at this point. One of the best characters and story that I've come across! I'm really glad that I read this novel! * sheds tears *
I kinda wrote a fic:
Yeah, I know, not good. But oh well.
P.S: The irony that his birthday falls on Singles Awareness Day... Also, he might be 30 now...
A fic for the commemorative illustration of Kyou Kara Maou! S
This pic:
You can read the manga here, too. And, directly support kkm and the Royal Couple.
Yes, I wrote a fic for it, and, yes, I am not guilty.
So great to see them!!! Wolf looks adorable!!!! I'm looking forward to it!! (left a comment there screaming about the Royal Couple!! 😉)
I'm so glad it is free to view and comment, I can finally directly support the Royal Couple and MaruMa!
Kyou Kara Maou S
The website’s open and here’s the new Royal Couple pic
https://comicbushi-web.com/episode/13933686331795933166
YES!!!
Kyou Kara Maou Super
https://twitter.com/TakabayashiTomo/status/1347483797764259853
The website said so but Takabayashi-sensei just confirmed that SHE is going to write the story for the manga (unlike MAtsuku manga where the story was written by GEG). THIS MANGA WILL BE NOVEL CANON!!! HYPE!
Some more points (Cause, I would love to see more MaruMa novel readers!):
In the engagement scene, it is easily overlooked in the anime but, it is mentioned in the novel that half the reason Wolfram went out of control in rage was because of the shampoo Yuuri used from Lady Cecilie's collection. It functions to heighten the emotions of s person, mainly aimed to increase the level of attraction from a simple admiration to more intense reaction. But, since the third son, with his already fiery nature, was already royally pissed and highly disappointed with the decision of putting some random otherworlder (let's just accept this as a word for now) instead of someone like his older brother (Gwendal) who has been devoted to the country for ages. (Novel vol 1 chapter 4)
There is his immature attitude as well, and his discriminating behaviour which I won't deny, but the novel has a lot of character development for him- instead of the anime just repeating the same skit every single episode, that made even me search up fanfics where I could see some justice!(The only thing I'm glad for the anime is the cliff scene-which solidified my love for yuuram) Till I came upon the glorious collection of MaruMa novels!! The sheer amount of YuuRam moments makes my eyes water. I can never forget that taisetsuna hito that Yuuri randomly blurted during his musings.
P.S: I love CrossHeart. It makes me go, "This is Wolfram". Because he is so passionate and emotional, I am totally convinced that he'd never cry if Yuuri left, because he cares for Yuuri's feelings. The thought of him turning a lot into Gwendal is highly plausible than him crying silently, because he is just that kind of a person. I'll end it here, or there won't be an end..
Just read that awesome novel. Trust me, I found it after I watched the anime (and read the manga) and I think that way is better that knowing about the anime after the novel, because then you wouldn't feel royally pissed while watching it and you'll also find the novel even more amazing (though it already is).
PROMPT IDEA
I know its a wholesome anime (and i don't know if there's a manga of them) but have you ever think that Wolfram's treatment to Yuuri is a bit on the abusive side?
I mean come on they know that he's from a different world so they should expect he doesn't know their culture, yet when Yuuri accidentally propose to Wolfram, he challenged him into a duel without an out and when he loses he's suddenly ok with the engagement? He's bossing Yuuri around, getting irrational jealous and being confrontational about it.
And Yuuri. . . I think Yuuri got thrown into the deep that he's just agreeing to avoid conflicts. Being the teenager that he is. Has no one ever pointed out by to them?(OC or crossover)
What I feel about Wolfram is that he's born royalty and suddenly gets dethroned by an outsider. He wants an in or control inside or just didn't want to get demoted to just a noble/soldier. He's family is just along with the ride (subconsciously or not) aside from Conrad (because I love him!). He has so say in it 'cause he half human and didn't know about it mostly.
Kinda dark don't you think? Sorry can't stop thinking about it. So here!!!
Ignore the lack of shading and colouring. I just outlined it. Someday, when I start digital art then I'll correct this. It didn't turn out that well, but it is decent- so it's fine.
Volume 15, Chapter 8:
He’s about to say something formal again so I pat his back hard without hesitation, and it gives me a feeling of reality, like “Ah—right here”. I’m here, and so is Wolfram.
“Because we’re already back.”
We’re all here, be it Conrad, Murata… or Josak.
“I can’t say for all of it, but I brought us back with my own strength.”
“Uh-huh.”
The sea breeze caresses Wolfram’s hair, and he nods his head firmly in reply, very naturally extending his hand to me, standing on the side of the port,
“Come home, everyone is waiting for you.”
Nobody knows how things will turn out in the future, but this country will definitely change.
I follow the creaking staircase as I climb upwards, preparing to return home.
----
This is my attempt at illustrating Wolf extending his hand to Yuuri in this scene. I have wanted to do it for a long time, so I did. I'll get back to it and improve it someday, but for now this is it.
I'll be satisfied as long as I see the Royal Wedding...
But, yeah. Takabayashi-sensei left us with a pretty bad cliffhanger because it makes you too curious and you want to tie all the loose ends. It's sad that she had to scrap such a wonderful ending because, even though it is sad and dark, it was a brilliant idea. And, I was already looking forward to the dark side of MaruMa that T-sensei slowly kept on adding- like the whole Seisakoku arc, the whole Darco arc. And how can we forget that face off between Yuuri and Wolfram! The way their relationship progresses. Conrart's choices and Shinou's interventions.
That cliffhanger just goes to show the complexities of Wolfram's character even more. Yuuri is starting to somewhat merge with his Ue-sama side (sort of? do I remember it correctly?).
Shinou just makes me question whether he is a good guy? or bad guy? or just a psychotic guy cause he stayed in his little dimension for so long? idk. And how will Murata react to Shinou's involvement?
There are so many of these aspects, and I feel that a darker tone to these is more interesting. MaruMa is not just a gag novel. It is a lot more than that. Takabayashi sensei has created a wonderful, mind boggling world with such interesting and unique characters.
It's a shame she had to scrap that idea- a lot of it was also due to the anime using the 'going to Earth' aspect of it, I'm not blaming anyone here(Sensei you don't have to care about those things, please follow what you want!)- but I hope she'd come up with an even better one.
Till then, I have to thank all the people involved for all the 17 vols of the novel, the doujinshis, the short stories, the drama cds and all the other things MaruMa related.
P.S: We need a readaptation of the novels as an anime, and this time more properly. I don't know what people have against Wolf to morph his character to how he is portrayed in the anime- and Yuuri, and everyone else. Their character developments are completely disregarded and just their initial ones are kept.
Anyway, I feel like I talked a lot. This event was truly amazing and I enjoyed it a lot- even though I couldn't contribute much to it.
Let's keep loving MaruMa like this!
20th Anniversary MA Event - Fourth Week Activity From November 23 to November 30 Tuesday - Theories about the future of the plot in the novels
Hello everyone,
First I apologize because this post is really delayed, my attempt at scheduling something beforehand failed miserably.
Today I encourage you to share your theories about the future of the novels! Please go crazy if you want, anything you may want to write about this is welcome. Do art too if that’s your cup of tea~
I would also like to feature an old discussion where @marumafan talks about this topic here. She has really awesome posts about the series in general so you can dig a little bit more in her blog too if you want.
And I’ll share my personal view under the cut at the end of the post as my entry for today ^^
Remember to tag your posts with #MAnniversary 2020 and #MA Event This is the link to the main post
Don’t hesitate to keep sharing your art and fics tagging the event even if this week theme is different.
Keep reading
My long due fanfic which should've already been posted in the first week of the MA Event. But as they say, better late than never!
It is a Yuuram fic but with everyone playing cupid, heh. I don't know how it turned out, but I think it is good enough. It is a bit long, but I hope you read it (and find it funny). Idk why but Yuuri and Wolfram just don't kiss! Even in my fanfic! I just can't make them kiss each other. I had such a hard time! I have to thank my friend here, she really helped me out with her suggestion or this fic wouldn't've been completed.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Just to add, Wolfram behaves more impulsively because of Cecilie's shampoo, and all the events that happened after it. So, Wolfram wouldn't really have done all that if not for his heightened emotions and his disdain for "the new maou" that came up suddenly. I feel like people tend to forget that part and label Wolfram as impulsive, when clearly he is not. He is just your cute haughty Wagamama Puu- "A yapping Pomeranian" in Yuuri's words. And we see his character development as well, and a lot at that, while he also keeps this cute to a fault side going.
Wolfram is a precious little one, and I'll always defend him.
How the Royal Couple came to be-
Since I really didn't have anything to share yet (cause my fic is making me sweat buckets) so I thought I could share this awesome part of how our Royal Couple were engaged. It is so amazingly written that every line makes me laugh and hold a different emotion.
You feel it more once you thoroughly know all the novel characters, or have travelled with them through some part of the 17 volume long adventure. It is a wonderful and tender feeling, when you know how they'd grow from this point on. And develop because of a misunderstanding of all things!All you need is a quick read of chapter 4 of volume 1 and you find so much.
Conrart's years of wait and his mission when he assures Wolfram that he can never mistake Yuuri.
Gwendal's years of dedication and calm care when he accepts Yuuri but had increased frown lines when he concluded that Yuuri didn't want to be a Maou- knowing him it was probably his way of taking care of him, probably indirectly saying "You don't need to burden yourself with something you don't want to do".
We also see Wolfram's judgement, as even though he was annoyed but he had his reasons because he didn't want to witness this country go through another war. All he wanted was a ruler who loved this country and he'd serve him gladly. Thankfully he did get one.
We see the forshadowing of Julia's soul when Yuuri mentions he can always know when Conrart is smiling.
We see a Günter in the initial stage of becoming Heika fanatic and spilling juices all around.
We see Cecilie's love for her children, and her husbands. Their unique but endearing mother-son bond.
We see the acceptance of homosexuality as another form of love. Because, love is free to pursue!- in Lady Cheri's words.
We also witness Shin Makoku's culture, it's delicacies and know how different it is just as much as it is similar. (Admit it, we are all secretly glad for Yuuri's clumsiness- and him not wanting to punch the beautiful face🤣)
All of this woven humorously, just like how Takabayashi-sensei does. And, I realise, yet again, just how much this novel means to me.
How the Royal Couple came to be-
Since I really didn't have anything to share yet (cause my fic is making me sweat buckets) so I thought I could share this awesome part of how our Royal Couple were engaged. It is so amazingly written that every line makes me laugh and hold a different emotion.
You feel it more once you thoroughly know all the novel characters, or have travelled with them through some part of the 17 volume long adventure. It is a wonderful and tender feeling, when you know how they'd grow from this point on. And develop because of a misunderstanding of all things!All you need is a quick read of chapter 4 of volume 1 and you find so much.
Conrart's years of wait and his mission when he assures Wolfram that he can never mistake Yuuri.
Gwendal's years of dedication and calm care when he accepts Yuuri but had increased frown lines when he concluded that Yuuri didn't want to be a Maou- knowing him it was probably his way of taking care of him, probably indirectly saying "You don't need to burden yourself with something you don't want to do".
We also see Wolfram's judgement, as even though he was annoyed but he had his reasons because he didn't want to witness this country go through another war. All he wanted was a ruler who loved this country and he'd serve him gladly. Thankfully he did get one.
We see the forshadowing of Julia's soul when Yuuri mentions he can always know when Conrart is smiling.
We see a Günter in the initial stage of becoming Heika fanatic and spilling juices all around.
We see Cecilie's love for her children, and her husbands. Their unique but endearing mother-son bond.
We see the acceptance of homosexuality as another form of love. Because, love is free to pursue!- in Lady Cheri's words.
We also witness Shin Makoku's culture, it's delicacies and know how different it is just as much as it is similar. (Admit it, we are all secretly glad for Yuuri's clumsiness- and him not wanting to punch the beautiful face🤣)
All of this woven humorously, just like how Takabayashi-sensei does. And, I realise, yet again, just how much this novel means to me.
I'm looking forward to this!! Let's hope I can make in time with my fanfic😅
Hello Everyone!
A day like today 20 years ago the first novel of our beloved series was published in November 2000. This is an incredible anniversary and that’s why we’ll celebrate the whole month with events!
I hope you can join this special occasion and contribute a little bit by sharing your posts and art here in tumblr.
This is not the first event run by this blog, if you want to see what we did in previous years you can visit my tags MA Event, MA Event 2017 and MA Event 2018.
The dynamic of the events is to have some deliver themes and inspiration divided in different sections. This event will run weekly, except for the last week of the month when we’ll have daily content shared to inspire you even more.
Please save the date around the last weekend of November for our Live Chat! I’ll post more information about the exact date and time along the next weekly posts.
20th Anniversary MA Event - First Week Activity Share your MAlove, share your MArt! From November 1 to November 8
This week we’ll draw fanarts, write fanfics or make any other kind of media to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series. We have list of 365 prompts in case you need a little bit of extra inspiration, please check under the cut and try to mix anything you pick with a festive mood to make it really special ;D
Remember to tag your posts with #MAnniversary 2020 and #MA Event
Keep reading
Maru-MA Drama CD 73
Trick or Treat
Single track
Scans
Hello everyone, it’s been a while since I released a translation, but here we are.
This is the translation of the latest drama CD, Happy Halloween~! I hope you enjoy this surprise.
Let’s remember you all this Drama CD is still available for purchase, if you want to support the series you can buy it here. (The audio file will not be shared for now because the official release is still available)
Credits to the respective artists
Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint
The first I saw it was thanks to WEBTOONS. I thought it was just another power fantasy, but since it was dark and the artwork was attractive (Kim Dokja was) I went with it. I held no hopes for it frankly, but, my godn it went from 0-100 in merely the prologue and the first few chapters. And it kept rising and rising without fail.
And, it became one of my dearest works which, even with it's staggering number of chapters, I can revisit countless times.
The world building is massive, as it takes fantasy, legends, histories, myths, sci-fi, meta, gore, game like setting, parallel and alternate dimentions, you name it!
The characters are just as engaging. And if you find a few cannon fodder characters too bland and all you are up for a curve, cause- I can't say it cause it's spoilers. Big fat MAJOR major spoiler. But everything would come back at the end and connect beautifully.
One major aspect that I love about it is how well it deals with loneliness. And, also what a loving bookworm Kim Dokja is♡
This is a story of a reader.
The story of Kim Dokja and his Ways of Survival.
P.S: I wrote a fanfiction because I wanted an extension of that marvellous cliffhanger of an ending (It was perfect and I love it but I wanted to extend it a bit).
Links will be down below for those souls who have read past all the 541 chapters (cause it will be major spoilers otherwise)
Happy Bi Visibility Day everyone 💗💜💙
This is beautiful!
The part about Yuuri and Wolfram belonging to Greta before themselves is so true and so sweet♡
The daughter of Izura, the daughter of Svelera, the daughter of the demon king.. dear little Greta.
Much went wrong very early in her life. All she wanted was to belong to someone. But being the daughter of an entire country meant something very different- it did not mean love and comfort, but responsibility and an impossible task of proving oneself worthy of love. Thankfully, that painful journey led her back to her childhood. And it brought her two fathers closer together to create a family - before Yuuri and Wolfram belonged to each other, they belonged to Greta.
Down that road from outside the Bloodpledge castle where Huber left her to inside the heart of everyone that lived in it, Greta found where she belonged.
PS: this is what I think Greta looks like, all grown up. ❤
PPS: I'm not too good with drawing anime characters (or anything else, really) and I'm just too scared to even attempt for fear of messing them up. But I tried anyway. 😅🙈
I was just going through your blog and saw the post for native French speakers a few odd months ago re: Gurière (which, I'm assuming the accent here, because if we were to pronounce/spell in in vague fictional French, it'd be there). "Gurie" in French would basically sound like "Curie" from Marie Curie's name (where the "u" sound sounds more like the u at the end of "Shinkoku" than the English "u" and "rie" like Rie the Japanese name without the "e" sound.) Gurière would sound like "Gurie" [1/2]
Hi anon!
(adding a screencap of both messages sent to me)
Omg thank you! I love you, you’re awesome!
So the name in the fragrance is right!
For those not knowing what’s happening we have always been guessing at name pronunciations (since all we’ve ever had were katakana versions ). But with last year events and this year fragrances we’ve finally learned the romanization of Jozak’s name.
So to summarize what anon says is that
Guriere (in French) -> sounds like Gurie ( “Guri-air”-> or in English-> Gurrier ) And that “Gurie” in Japanese sounds like -> Griller (gree-yay) (Griller in French)
And the mystery has been solved thanks to anon!
This is how Guriere became Gurie(/Gurrier), and Gurie became griller.
You’re the best anon!
Thanks for your help!
Aitakatta
...Aitakunakatta...
Dakishimetai
...Nigedashitai
...Itoshikute... Migurushi
Episode 21 of Fruits Basket 2019 season 2
What can I say? I have no words. It was so heart wrenching, yet it held that spark of hope... It was just like Yuki's kindness- like a Candle.
We also get the insight to Akito's past. I loved that sweet scene where Shigure was comforting Akito. It was just so loving.
Yuki has always been trying to move forward and open up. To see him do that latently gives me the courage (yuki, if you get me) to follow him. I'm glad to see him move forward, and slowly but steadily open that lid.
In here, Akito says "My Yuki", I get this feeling of double meaning (as Yuki can be both the person or 'courage') and so it makes that line even more powerful. It makes me want to unravel more of their past and the mystery that lingers around Sohmas.
In all, this has now become my favourite Fruits Basket episode ever. Let's wait and see if it can be replaced in the future.
This opinion is beautiful! And so is the painting!
Yuuri's parched lips trembled a little as he blew the little air that remained in his lungs into the mateki. His little gamble was the only thing that stood between an aggressive hoard of raging Svelerans ahead and a rampaging sand bear behind them, this is all that stood between life and death - and not just his own but that of his friends who had followed him into the human lands and the mine workers whom he had promised hope. This was the first time that he realised how much he stood to lose, how much he had to protect. He was scared that too much was being asked of his half-hearted, long forgotten musical education.
A single, terrible note emanated from the instrument as his nervous breath rattled through it. It did not offer much promise to his vassals or his recently inducted subjects. However that single tone reverberated through the blood rushing through his veins and resonated through the sandy dunes that surrounded the quickly evolving, flammable scene - magnified thousand times over. At once, a strange tranquility descended upon Yuuri and he felt more rooted to this world and all its lifeforms than he had ever experienced before. He thought to himself, 'If not me.. who?'
He took in a deep breath and blew in with all his mind and mind. Before he had realised as much, his fingers moved in practiced symphony, emanating a song that remained quietly buried under adolescent humdrum, somewhere in his childhood memories. He thanked his younger self for having practiced so hard for the little concerts back then - for close to no effort had to be made for this one, orchestrated in the middle of a desert.
He stopped playing and opened his eyes. To his great disappointment, not much had changed - his heart fought madly against the sinking feeling rising steeply from his guts. Quite suddenly then, a swift wind picked up, and in the distance, just above the Sveleran sand clouds he saw dense thunderstorm gathering ominously. He blew into the instrument harder and concentrated deeply, until he became one with the rain that fell on the white hot sands and the lightning that clamoured overhead the assailants until they finally retreated.
Yuuri had gone back to playing the demon flute many times since that first time - and now he knew that the mateki was another instrument that gave physical form to his majutsu - he could assimilate, within his being, the element of water using the mateki. Therefore, although in the beginning his practice caused cyclonic thunderstorms for days on an end, now he could make it simply drizzle happily or bring it pouring down in sheets of deep mourning.
He realised much later what maryoku meant or what majutsu did. It was not a magical stone that had to be mined or a glass of water that could be drunk. In fact, it was not a tangible physical entity at all. It was nothing and everything at the same time. He played the flute looking for that feeling where nothing but the music of the flute remained - everything around him evaporated like a stale dream. A state of peace and longing, of lost and found, of holding on and letting go at the same time. People called it meditation, concentration, practice.. and until he was 15 he called it those things too.
But now he knew better. That feeling of transcendence was majutsu.
P.S. : all of this is entirely a personal opinion, not canon.