Magic is an innate ability among the humans and Elves, the power source of magical items, and one of the driving forces of nature. It is also a main form of combat. This is the page concerning Spells and Abilities, this page is for an explanation of magic.
Mage Classes And Affinities[]
Affinities are the elements that individual mages can naturally cast. They are unique for everyone, with little genetic influence. Mages are divided into ranks depending on how many elements they can combine. Even if you can only wield one element, if you can stack it twice you are line mage, three time a triangle mage and so on.[1]
The list below shows the classes of mages:
- Dot (One stack)
- Line (Two stacks)
- Triangle (Three stacks)
- Square (Four stacks)
Where Magic Effects the World[]
On the preface of the Founders Prayer Book there is an explanation of how magic acts upon the world and what the world is made out of. It describes the four branches as applying an influence to "fine grains" that make up the world. It goes on to describe Void as applying an influence to even finer grains. These put together can be used to assume that the 4 branches act on molecules and Void acts on atoms, but it is also fair to say that they 4 branches act on atoms and Void acts on Protons, Electrons and Neutrons. As of time of writing, there is not enough info to make a definitive choice.[2]
Louise explain to Saito Magic and Willpower[]
Louise had passed out trying to use magic. She explains it.
Louise[]
I think the reason may be that the willpower is insufficient. Willpower?
Right. Willpower is consumed when the magic is chanted. Didn’t you know?
How could I know such a thing?
Then, Louise sat up straight demurely, lifted a the finger and started explaining, proud as a peacock.
Listen, the number of elements that a mage uses can be increased, and his class changes accordingly.
A mage who can use only one element is a dot.
Ability to have two – makes one a line.
Being able to use three - triangle.
Spells are also applied to the class. The spells from three elements are called 'Triangle spells'. Each time the spell class rises, the consumption of willpower doubles.
Haa.
For instance, the line spell would cost the mage eight willpower, but when that mage decides to use the dot spell, only four of his willpower will be consumed. The cost depends on each person individually, however the same rule applies to all. “
Haa.
The main point is, that mage could cast two ‘Dot’ spells instead. Eight divided by four is two. Therefore, you could cast the spell twice. But when you cast a line spell only once, because twice of the willpower consumed, and eight divided by eight is one.
Haa.
When the line mage grows up to a triangular mage, consumption of the willpower spent on dot spells decreases by half.
Therefore, four divided by two - two, he can use the dot spell four times. The line spell can be used twice. Triangular spell – one time. That’s because the mage grows up.
Haa. In other words, the low class spells can be chanted many times, while the high class spells can be chanted only so many times.
Right. So now you understand the relation between spells and willpower?
Somehow. Then, you fainting a little while ago…
Yeah. I fainted a while ago because I overworked and used up my willpower. The spell was too strong and my willpower was insufficient.”
Then, why were you able to cast it the other day?
Well… Really why… I wonder myself…
How does willpower recover?
Basically, it recovers while sleeping.
Saito thought while folding his arms together.
Ummm… Well, up till now, you haven’t used many spells correctly?
Well, yes.
Therefore you collected a lot of willpower, right? And that time you used it all up at once. Louise made a startled face.
For instance, let's assume that your willpower is 100. The ‘Explosion', consumed all 100 at once. While usually the willpower is recovered while sleeping at night, the amount needed is too large for you… Since it is as much as 100, you cannot store that much just with one night of sleep.
Saito plainly stated his hypothesis.
What? To me it seems that it might be the end of your magic.
However, Louise's face was serious.
It might be so..
Eh? Eeeh?
Applying the Earth magic Square Class spell ‘Wrought Gold’, gold can be created. But do you know why the world still uses money?
Eh?
It is said the square mages simply cannot chant the square spells many times. It’s too unreliable, one time the recovery might take one week, the other – one month. Besides, the amount of gold you could convert this way is too little. Therefore money is used instead of gold.
Hmmm…
In other words, powerful spells use up more willpower and take more time to recover. For me, it might be so as well.
Then…when would you be able to chant again.....”
Don’t know. I… One month or maybe one year…”
Louise pondered.
Ten years.”
Don’t say such scary thing.
But, it was successful.
Oh well. No one can understand ‘Void’ fully. Anyways, the incantation’s power was demonstrated. There are no other spells like this one.”[3]
OTHER[]
There is a component of emotion in casting spells. If a user is angry, the spell become more powerful. Like when Louise gets mad at Saito.
Combining spells[]
In the battle with Wales and Henrietta against Louise and the other in the kidnapping of Henrietta. Wales and Henrietta combined their spells of Wind-Wind-Wind and Water-Water-Water into a hex size spell to attack Saito. He gets chewed up pretty bad and almost dies. Henrietta and Montmorency help heal him at the end of the fight. In the Novels this is stated to be a special technique only taught to Royalty magic-users.
In Volume 13, the Church Knights of Romalia also have combination moves where many mages combine their power to form one more powerful attack, gained through many years of training. One Square-class attack is enough to negate their combination attack, as shown by Tabitha and Colbert when the Undine knights got into a misunderstanding with the Church Knights and the two sides fought one another.
Elven Magic[]
Elven magic are called '原住魔法' (literally 'Firstborn Magic', or 'Magic of the Firstborn') by humans, though the elves prefer to call it 'Nature Magic' (sometimes translated as 'Spirit Magic'). This involves Elves making contracts with spirits and/or spirit power of the land into providing them with power, and later[4] it is revealed that most Elves prefer not to fly on dragons since it is harder to call upon the spirits of the land to help them when they are up in the air and have distance between them and the earth. However, considering the elven military prefer to only use magic as the last resort, the elven air force have dragon riders and airships of their own despite the weaker magic potential in the air, and they pride themselves on being 'dragons in elves' form' of the sky[5].
Elves can perform feats such as manipulating forces of nature like lightning and plants, but cannot perform alchemy/transmutation[6]. Other spells include sleep inducing fog and a barrier that can reflect attacks. Elves, unlike humans, do not require a focus like a wand to cast magic.
Surprisingly, some humans are capable of using 'Firstborn Magic', as demonstrated by one of the assassins that was after Saito's life[7]. Though it is heavily implied the assassin has undergone 'modifications' to their bodies in order to be able to tap into spirit power.
A special case of elven magic is the charging of the "firestones" with energy. The heat energy of fire is stored in a gemstone and can be released later in one fell swoop. The effect is terrible and is equivalent to that of a small tactical atomic bomb. Bizarrely, however, the elves find it difficult to release the energy - an extensive magical ritual is required for this. This process, or rather the attempt to do so, is described in the "Light novels". It is the attempt of the "Steel-bloodet-party" to destroy the city of Eumenes with all its inhabitants. It is much easier for "void users" to crack the sealing of the enclosed energy. The "Explosion" spell destroys the jewel and releases the stored energy. This was demonstrated by the actions of the Gallic King Joseph, who destroyed entire air fleets. The type of jewel used is not described in detail, but given the magical tradition of Halkeginia, it can be assumed that these are rubies. The affinity of rubies and fire is also part of the magical tradition in our world. It is reasonable to assume that such a charge would also be possible with the other classic elements. In the case of "water" it would be a sapphire or aquamarine and the stored element would be water or its eroding effect. An "emerald" would be used for "earth" and the stored power would probably be pressure. With "air" this process takes place naturally - in the "windstones". One can only speculate about the nature of these jewels. I suspect it is beryl and the stored power is well known - the ability to hover.