MAGIC IN GENERAL:

Cast using mana, the study and pursuit of magic stretches back millennia to ancient times. Initially, magic was used to find answer about the world, uncover the mysteries of the universe. As society progressed and the world became more understood, the mystery of magic begin to decay and become better understood, allowing it to take on specific forms and functions.

However, due to the invention of magic coming from an ancient time when the world was less understood, certain aspects of it carry over into modern society. The use of elements being a major one. Thousands of years ago, the world did not see fire as the release of heat and light due to combustion, but as one of the world’s fundamental “substances”, also known as the prime essences, the basis for all in reality. This is often seen as the 4 classical elements.

Being seen as the base forms of the world, this in effect causes the elements summoned by magic to ignore causation or physics to a degree. Magical “fire”, for instance, will continue burning without any fuel, being able to exist underwater or even in a complete vacuum. Likewise, “water” will never freeze, regardless of temperature, “wind” will retain it’s speed and velocity in defiance of any external conditions that would slow it, and “earth” will never change its physical composition. This applies mainly against “natural” elements. As wind magic is capable of putting out magic fire, due to operating on a similar conceptual level, where’s natural wind would never put out magical fire. In essence, this means that if something does not work on a similar, conceptual based level as the magic of the elements, countering it would prove near impossible.

SPELL:

The words that evoke the power of the mystical. The phrases spoken are not just a set of words that “activate” magic, like a switch, but in actuality contain the power and energy of the spell. Despite this, magic incantations are not simply ‘words of power.” Spells and the words associated with them also contain the will of the caster, acting as the medium between magic and the spell caster to allow them to shape the “power of words” into the form they desire. These are generally classified into 3 categories, named, unnamed, and ritual spells.

Named Spell:

Named spells are what most think of when they view magic. A named spell is, as the category implies, a specific spell with a fixed effect. Given it’s nature as a fixed effect designed for a specific purpose, these can be tremendously powerful, provided the caster possesses the ability to use it. The downside, however, is that, given it’s fixed nature and concept of the spell, it cannot be altered. There are two exceptions to this, but only one widely usable by any mage. The main exception is Sagitta Magica, which can have the number of arrows and element changed to be what the caster desires, fired in a scattered pattern, or one powerful, concentrated blast. The other is Magia Erebea, which allows the combining of spells, due to it’s nature in manipulating concepts.

A mage that possesses extreme familiarity with a spell, bordering on subconsciously and instinctual being able to use it, can use named spells without any chant, enabling far quicker reactions in battle. However, by using the chant of such a spell regardless, it further strengthens the power of the spell, greatly enhancing its power beyond normal levels.

Unnamed Spell:

Closer to an impromptu or a command, giving a strong impression that it is something the mage creates in response to the needs of the situation, allowing it to be used for virtually anything the mage desires. For example, Negi’s creation of a love potion, and the manipulation of the brushes were both unnamed spells. As these spells use the power of the words directly, in a way, these are the truest definition of “spells”; magic can be established as long as words of a language of magic are put together as according to its grammatical rules. The effects of unnamed spells are not strong, but they can be freely created based on intents. The majority of magic a mage uses in normal life is most likely of this type.

Ritual Magic: 

Large scale, organized magic that is used to accomplish effects a mage normally could not on their own. They generally involve  lengthy setups and can use various factors, such as positions of celestial bodies, blood sacrifices, or magical artifacts. The effect of this can vary, but almost always takes a long time to set up and the spells are single use. The most powerful mages can accomplish the effects of some rituals that minor mages would require, using  their own spells and without extensive set up. Essentially, they are unchanted spells in that they can be used for almost whatever the mage desires, but significantly stronger and requiring extensive preparation to match.

POSING AND RITES:

Beyond merely reciting the words associated with a spell, there are other aspects associated with the casting of spells, generally more so at higher levels. The movements, gestures, and positioning of ones body is an integral part of spell casting, equally as the word said. These can range from tracing complex motions with ones hands, to more simple, such as making a specific pose.

These all tie into the use of Rites, the process of which a magic successfully uses magic. The higher level the usage of magic, the greater in complexity of motions and words, along with stricter restrictions on their use, are required for use. Higher level mages with enough mastery over the mage they are using can use the spells without as much worry of their strict requirements, compared to lower level magic users.

To aid the spell caster, sacrifices can be prepared for usage in rites. Extremely powerful results as often achieved using living sacrifices, with the effected furthered by those of great spiritual power, such as shrine maidens, or those whom share a close or blood-tie relation to the caster.

TYPES OF ENERGY:

In the usage of magic, there are two primary types of energy used. Unlike common belief, mana is not the sole source of the mystical. The other form of energy is known as Qi/Ki, coming from the ancient Chinese belief. Both types of energy are vastly different from each other in their source and usage.

Mana:

Magical Power required to use Western Magic. However, Mana is not something that comes innately or from one’s own willpower. It is instead taken externally, from the energy of the universe and then subdued, shaped into what the caster desires, with their own willpower. This effectively means the source of mana is infinite, but this does not mean that mages are capable of battling endlessly. As mages continue battling, it is possible for them to exhaust their willpower and be unable to channel mana any further. In this state, a mage can be said to be out of mana. In a way, it is similar to one constantly working. Eventually, their will to continue working further will slowly be eroded and they will eventually be unable to focus, requiring a break to “recharge”.

There are two primary ways to improve one’s Mana Capacity. By training the mind and strengthening one’s willpower, it is believed one’s ability to control and contain mana is increased. The other method is by improving one’s efficiency of usage, becoming better practiced in certain spells and thus reducing the willpowered required to subdue the energy and shape it into the spell, enabling the caster to use more magic on less energy. The greatest mages can potentially last for days of continuous high level magic usage without rest.

The theory of Mana is based on the Chinese concept of onmyou or Yin and Yang. While the energy outside of the body would be Myou, the energy inside the body would be On. As On and Myou are the smallest units representing the state of all things in existence, they exist in the foundation of all phenomena. On is the female and maternal component, representing the power of the earth, and of darkness and shadows. On the other hand, Myou is the male and paternal component, representing the power of the heavens, of creation, of light and brightness, and of activity.

Ki:

One of the foundations of the ancient Chinese Magic system and that used primarily in Eastern Magic.  It is both the element which composes all things in existence, and the energy which moves them. It is extremely close to the Western magic concept of prime essences; however, there is a greater emphasis on it being an energy. Qi, as an energy, is similar to the concept of Prana found in Indian philosophy. Qi was born from the chaos before Creation; when Qi and the chaos mixed, ‘time’ was born. Over time, the Qi began to divide. Heavier Qi sunk and formed the ‘Earth’, while lighter Qi rose and formed the ‘Sky’; in other words, On and Myou.