Merry earth day. Here is a chapter for you guys!

This chapter is a pure explanatory chapter. Yes, it is long and yes, it is not the last long-ass explanatory chapter. This chapter exists to let you guys and myself understand the idea of magic in this world. Also, anything that goes against natural physics and doesn’t make sense in this chapter, I ask you to attempt to turn a blind eye against it. I am not a physician, as much as I would love to be.

If anyone doesn’t understand a section, I will write a longer, simpler explanation in the afterword if you ask for it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Magic is the manipulation of elements and the reduction or promotion of the density of a jot of element by use of your ‘aura’.

No one truly understands ‘aura’, rather we immortals know very few things about it. The only things that we really know is

that it is generated by the soul and is released with every action you do, dependant on the difficulty of the action.

The harder the action, the more aura you naturally release, and the more aura you release, the more you tire. However this also works the other way around, where as long as you have a substantial amount of ‘aura’, you will not require any physical rest although you might take a huge toll mentally.

This aura, like I said earlier can be used to manipulate different elements.

There are 10 elements that I know of, with your world only possessing knowledge of 6 of them. The elements that your world knows are:

Fire, water, earth, wind, light and darkness. The first four are called basic elements whereas the last two are considered rarities in your world, with only ⅓ of the population capable of using magic and only a 0.1% of those capable of manipulating the last 2 elements. However, unbeknownst to the majority of the world, there are 4 other ‘extra elements’ that exist.

These ‘extra elements’ are unique, with an incredibly small number of beings in all planes of existence capable of using them. The reason for this is because of the controversial requirements to be able to manipulate these elements, and even if you meet the requirements, there is a large chance that you will be incapable of influencing the extra elements to abide by your will.

I am unaware of anything about the requirements to become capable to manipulate any of the ‘extra elements’ exempt death. The requirements to manipulate and influence deaths ‘aura’ I would believe to be the simplest.

You just have to die, but keep your natural ‘aura’ and soul from reforming. All of the ‘extra elements’ originate from 4 different beings, with me being the cause and origin of the ‘aura’ of death that is capable of manipulating the death element. That is the ‘gift’ I have you and why you are in possession of the ‘aura of death’.

The 4 basic elements originate from the power of all the gods combined, being split evenly into each of the four, with no element being more dominant than the other.

To manipulate water into a ball, it requires less ‘aura’ than someone who attempts to make a fireball. This is because encompassing all the water vapour already existent in the air and pushing them together with use of your ‘aura’ to form a ball of water is much simpler than the creation of it’s counterpart.

To create a fireball, you must magnify the small amount of heat generated by the friction of rubbing your hands. Magnifying this heat requires an instantaneous increase in the density of oxygen and heat within the space where you wish your fireball to be. Your spark will in turn convert into the spell known as ‘Fireball’.”

“Umm… Can I ask something about this spell?”

“If it’s for me to demonstrate it, then no, as I am the embodiment of the ‘aura’ and element of death, I am incapable of bending any of the other elements to my will. Well, I have full control in this realm of existence, so I can create a ball of fire

inside this area, but it won’t be made by the same methods at all.”

After his initial sentence I shake my head to show that the question I wish to ask has nothing to do with his assumption. However, fortunately or unfortunately, depending on whether the information he just made me aware of will be useful later, he seems to ignore me and continue talking, so I interrupt him by asking the question directly.

“Do all magi have to know about this idea and phenomenon to be capable of using magic? It seems a bit far-fetched if you ask me.”

Betty nods as if to agree with the validity of the question I proposed to him.

“I was getting to that, you see the world you were transported to at what you would consider a medieval stage with their technology. They still use swords, and only made siege weapons a few decades ago, but fear not my child, they don’t have the weird thought system that the people of your world had. They believe magic can solve everything and few things are attempted to be solved with science, well not any science that isn’t based off magic anyway.”

“... So if scientific research hasn’t progressed far at all, then how do the people from my new world capable of casting spells and using magic.”

“Well, I hesitate to use the terms ‘casting spells’ and ‘using magic’, as they are just fancy words for manipulation of ‘aura’, but to answer your question: The magicians of your world slowly understand these concepts naturally the more they delve into the world of ‘aura’ manipulation. But to be honest, they still predominantly act on imagination of the end result, rather than the entire process.

Although this reduces mental strain and doesn’t require a high capacity to manipulate ‘aura’, it is a very wasteful method. The reason why it is such a wasteful method is mainly because of the many different methods by which you can come to ‘cast a spell’, such as fireball. For example, you can when imagining the end result and pouring in enough ‘aura’ be lucky and make my incredibly efficient version of fireball, or unlucky and get a different result. In fact, there is an almost 100% chance that you will go through another, more difficult means to achieve the same end result of a fireball..

For example, one of the wasteful methods that you may stumble upon would be to maximize the friction and movement of air particles to generate heat. Then eventually the temperature will increase enough so that the heated up oxygen particles spark into fuel for a flame which gets enlarged by all those particles.

This requires at least 8 times the amount of ‘aura’ that would be used in the previous selection as well as a longer casting time, which is incredibly inefficient. The main reason why this happens is because people attempt to create a fireball in mid-air like in books and movies from your world because it looks cool.

However those stupid people are just ignoring natural laws that can help you ‘cast your spell’. After all, the heat generated by your hands is far superior than the heat generated by air particles rubbing against each other, even if vigorously.”

As I listen to him rant on and on about this subject on how people are stupid, I decide to interrupt and stop him from saying more with 2 simple words repeated.

“Down Betty! Down.”

He stops his rant upon hearing my shout and looking up to me with an attempt at puppy dog eyes. They don’t belong on an old man, but still haven’t lost the full extent of their effects.

“Ok, now Betty I want you to do something for me. That is to explain to me how to manipulate ‘aura’ and train in magic.”

He realises that I am ignoring his attempt at getting sympathy and so he instantly stops his acting and replies to me with a sigh.

“You are getting too ahead of yourself now. I haven’t fully explained the topic although I agree I got sidetracked a bit there.

From now on I will try to not go into such deep explanation, I apologize.”

He looks sincere for the entire time that he says those words, but only a second after he finishes he drops the act.

At least ‘try’ to keep the act up, *sigh*

(Yes in case you haven’t figured it out by now, the main character likes to sigh in his inner monologues... Weirdly...)

“So where were we, oh yes now about the different applications of mana manipulation.

First about the spells: Basic spells such as generation of heat by vibrating the particles in the air are actually much more inefficient than consecutive uses of ‘aura’ to influence the same things.

The reason for this is really simple, when you manipulate elements with you aura initially such as vibrating the air particles, your aura encompasses them and mixes with them. This leaves a sort of ‘indent’ so to speak of your aura on the particle, which makes any more attempts to influence the particle much simpler, requiring far less additional concentration to manipulate it.

The indented particle naturally forms back to it’s pre-indented state, given enough time.

However, each elemental particle can only have one ‘aura’ indent and when influencing a particle already indented with another person’s ‘aura’, it becomes more difficult than influencing even those that have no indent in them.

This is why, although you can disperse a wave of air created by another’s ‘aura’ by taking control of the particles and moving them, that method is rarely used as it proves more difficult than simply copying the spell and releasing your own version of the spell.”

Stopping, he looks at the ceiling with a complexed look, as though listening to someone say something he dislikes.

After being quiet for a few seconds he looks at me with a sad frown and tells me the problem.

“You see, I was just informed by my servants about the fact that my free time is almost up. So before I leave, I will answer one question.”

“Is the length of the question debatable?”

“No, also was that your question?”

“Of course not, rather the thing that I want to know is how to expand my aura reserves and my capability to manipulate ‘aura’.”

“Ehhh, it’s not that simple, well not to begin with at least. You have to learn to feel aura, and this ability usually becomes available to your body when you turn one, which is the time when the, let’s say pores that allow aura to be released comes out.

When you are still a baby, your ‘aura’ is too weak to be able to leave the inside of your body at all, without completely draining you of aura.

This is why as a child, you get tired and sleep often during your first year of life.

You can counteract such an effect, however it requires your soul to be capable of separating from your body and training in ‘aura’ manipulation..

However, this is usually impossible to achieve due to the fact that your soul and body are one until death separates the two.

Luckily for you however, since your current physical body isn’t your original or true body, the only attachment that your soul really has to you body is made by the will of it wanting to be there.

If you for instance, no longer wanted to live, you can detach your soul from your body and your soul would be brought here in the same manner that you got here just now.

Since your soul, the you at the moment has no container stopping your ‘aura’ from leaking outside, you can already manipulate ‘aura’.

So getting to the point about how you can learn to manipulate your ‘aura’.

‘Aura’ is used mainly by imagination combined with the capability to feel the elements and ‘aura’ at a high level.

To first become capable of sensing the ‘aura’ that you possess, the most efficient method would be to meditate and attune oneself with the elements around you.

This is probably the oldest, but the best method because it relies on your ability to attune to nature and acts as a display of ones own willpower.

There are other methods such as pills or the injection of ‘aura’ into your system, but it can be harmful and also doesn’t necessarily work. Not only that, but it will take longer for you to be able to progress in the increase of your ‘aura’ after you take in the ‘aura’ from a foreign source.

If you want to learn to manipulate ‘aura’, it takes pure patience. You must be patient enough to not stop meditating and just wait until you attune your soul with that of nature.

Now, I better go before my servants give some souls the wrong judgements, just meditate whenever you come here in your soul body. The more you meditate, the more you peel the layers protecting your soul from sensing the outside ‘aura’. This is made so that your soul isn’t instantly revealed to the dangerous outside forces of other’s aura without forewarning.

I must go now, good luck in your meditation.”

He stands up, waves goodbye and then his body erupts into a black flame leaving nothing behind.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Forgive me, copy paste kind of messes up the lines sometimes and merges them together. I apologize for this inconvenience.