The symbols of the magical elements arranged into a quincunx.
| “ | Fire wants to burn, water wants to flow, air wants to rise, earth wants to bind, chaos wants to devour. | ” |
–a Cinquain, the second Principle of Magic | ||
Magic is a supernatural force that influences events or produces a desired effect through incantations or other techniques that assure control of the forces of nature. Magic can be drawn from the elements: earth, air, water, fire, and the void (chaos). Mages and Masters (of the elements) are still constantly performing research and experiments to learn more about and further understand magic.
Appearance in Magical Beings
Very few people are able to access magic (only about one in twenty-five thousand people possess the ability to wield magic). Most mages (people who possess and practice magic) are believed to have gained their magic from their parents or earlier ancestors which has lead many mages who study magic to believe that it is the result of genetics and is hereditary. It is also believed that the magic gene is recessive due to how rare mages are. Although most mages attained their powers from older relatives and ancestors, some have been chosen to to be mages due because they are believed to have an affinity with the elements and therefore have the potential to be mages. Legacies are mages who come from a long line of mages. Although there seems to be no known difference between the power and abilities of chosen mages and legacies, legacies tend to come from higher prospects and have family members or ancestors who have/have had high ranks in the magical community.
Mages are not the only creatures capable of using magic or have been created by/with magical means. The chaos-ridden, for example have a piece of the void in them. Although they do not seem to have any supernatural abilities, their speed and strength are heightened and they are identified by their swirly, colorful eyes. Elementals are embodiments of their elements and they have powers according to their element. Although they are often hunted by mages, elementals are shown to have a much stronger control over their element than mages. Raw power among newly woken mages is very intense, thus requiring them to study to magic to learn control, which they have little of in the beginning. Balance tempers control over magic, and thus ones' ability to use it.
Utilization
Most mages can access the four elements, drawing on them to perform magic. They can manipulate and handle it and other forms of the elements, such as the wind and ice. With the elements, they can forge metal with earth, shape air into illusions, fire into prophecies, earth into bindings, and water into healing. Some mages can also access the void. This is rare, however, and considered very dangerous and terrible, because it is perceived as creating, or bringing, something, which they consider chaos, from the nothingness of the void, hence their titles as "makers", or Makar.
Limitations and Rules
History has revealed that all mages, regardless of their level of ability, have limits. The following are some of the known limits and rules: Magical Over-consumption: There are many dangers to drawing from the elements, not just from the void. One may get more power fast by opening oneself and coming closer to an element, such as eating rocks or sand for earth magic, matches for fire magic, and blood for its oxygen for air magic. Its danger, however, lies in the lack of the mage's control over the overwhelming power he/she would receive and may possibly lead to the mage being drawn into an element, burning away the soul and replacing it with fire, air, water, earth, or chaos. The mage may then become an elemental, or Devoured.
To help with this, when they feel themselves overextending and being drawn into, or consumed by, an element, the mages can reach for its opposite, called the counterweight. The same can be applied for when fighting an elemental that can absorb them—the mage can use the opposing element to gain an advantage. In the case of chaos, the counterweight is in the form of another person, meant to bring the Makar back down or regain control during the surge of power, during which an inexperienced Makar may not want to or be able to stop. Resurrection and Immortality: Until the Third Mage War, no one had ever attempted to resurrect the dead.When Constantine Madden lost his brother he began his search for a way to use the void to resurrect the dead, But he had failed in his attempts and had only created the semi-mindless monsters called the chaos-ridden. Because of the lack of intellegence and personality in these creatures it is still widely believed that resurrection is impossible.
However, Constantine Madden has found various ways to evade what for most people would be certain death. One example and likely his most effective is ~ SPOILER ALERT ~ his transference of his soul into the body of Callum Hunt's removing Callum's in the process ~ SPOILER ALERT ~. Theoretically speaking, he could jump from body to body and live a pseudo-immortal life. But for the time being, immortality is also immpossible
Control and Use of Magic
Mages first start experiencing their first magical abilities at a fairly young age (about 12). Magicians like Call first used magic when they were put in situations of high stress and fear however it has not yet been confirmed if this is how all magicians first experience magic. Though, because of this, many believe that magic is strongly tied to the mages emotions. In the series, young mages are often seen having outburst of magic without directly willing that magic to arise (subconsciously). That is why it is so important to educate mages in magic, for their safety and the safety of those around them. The Magisterium appears to be the only education facility for mages though some parents teach their children magic from home.
Magic is divided into 5 categories or elements that magicians draw on to manipulate the natural world. These elements are Water, Fire, Earth, Air, and Chaos.Each is studied individually and each is unique in its usefulness to mages in training and mage scholars.
Water
Water is a transparent fluid that is crucial to human life and is seen world wide, making up most of the surface of the Earth. Water can be manipulated by mages and is used for a variety of reasons. Mages can use water magic to pick up and hold water in the air without spilling out or touching it. One can also shape water into various objects for their own needs. Water magic can also be used to balance something in water, or manipulate the current of water to the users advantage (e.g. moving and guiding a boat without paddles). With years of studying and training, one can use water magic to make whirlpools, swim underwater without needing to come up for air.
Water's subcategory is healing. With practice, one can use water to heal minor wounds and lacerations.
Fire
Fire is the result of rapid oxidation of a material. It is pure and visible energy caused from intense heat. Fire can be manipulated by mages and is used for a variety of reasons such as starting a fire, warming a room, and adding light in a dark area. Fire mages can also manipulate the color and intensity of their fires. With practice, one can shape fire into orbs called fireballs and these fireballs can be used as a defensive and offensive technique when needed.
Fire magic's subcategory is making prophecies. With training, a mage can see the future in a flame. Fire mages can also form a resistance to fire or hot materials and places by continued practice in fire magic.
Earth
Earth is the element of substance. It is basically any material that originated from the earth itself. This means substance from stones and rocks to metal and even crystal. Earth magic can be used for a variety of reasons, depending on why the mage needs it. It can be used to manipulate or create such things as land forms, the soil, rocks or stones, sand, iron, and metal. Mages can use this magic to create things like furniture and buildings. One can even use earth magic as transportation from one place to another.
Earth magic's subcategory is binding.
Air
Air is is a mixture of many gases and dust particles. It holds oxygen which is a crucial part of human life and survival. Mages can use air magic to move things, including themselves, into the air. It is very popular among some students for its ability to make the mage appear as if they are flying in the air. The heavier the things that air is used to move, the more magical energy it requires. Air can also be used to cool a room an object.
Air magic's subcategory is making illusions, Students learn to shape the air into pictures and movies at the Magisterium.
Chaos
Chaos is a mystical magic originated from the void. Chaos magicians are mages who are able to draw their power from the void and can use the power to create or manipulate the natural world. It is considered the most powerful form of magic and its limits are still not fully known.
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Various elemental combinations can result in different abilities if a mage chooses to make them. Such combinations are as follows:
Air & Water
The combination of the two elements, Air and Water, can enable the mage to create snow and ice. The mage would be able to frost or enclose an object in ice.
Earth & Fire
The combination of Earth and Fire can be used to create lava or heat/melt earthly objects like stones and crystal.
Earth, Fire, & Water
The combination of Earth, Fire, and Water can enable the mage to make plants sprout and grow at a rapid rate.
Fire & Water
The combination of Fire and Water can enable the mage to create steam and fog which can be used to hide an object or people.
Fire & Air
The combination of Fire and Air can be used to intensify the heat and size of a flame as when oxygen is added to fire, the fire is escalated. Naturally, when air magic is used to deprive a fire of oxygen, the fire looses its intensity.
Earth & Air
The combination of Earth and Air can enable a mage to create sandstorms by using the air to blow dust in a circular motion.
The Five Principles of Magic
Through the years, the mages have developed the Five Principles of Magic:
- Power comes from imbalance; control comes from balance.
- All elements act according to their nature: Fire wants to burn, water wants to flow, air wants to rise, earth wants to bind, chaos wants to devour.
- In all magic, there is an exchange of power. You can change a thing’s shape, but not its essential nature.
- All elements have a counterweight. Fire is the counterweight of water. Air is the counterweight of earth. The counterweight of chaos is the soul.