'Oh, now that I think about it I gave my squad of shadowbirds those potions...' On my way to the workshop I recall a rather important detail and make a detour to the housing area.

"Ahh Jordan look!" Maddy's face was somewhere between excited and startled as she pointed to a group of ten people. Over six feet in height the people are the same height as they were in their shadowbird forms. That's right, the potions I created gave the shadowbirds a form changing ability.

The shadowbirds were not completely unrecognizable however, their pitch black hair is the same color as their feathers once were, and their eyes were the same dark color as they were initially. Setting their gaze upon me I wave to them and tell Maddy what has occurred.

"I used them as test subjects for my experiment. I am not sure the extent of their transformation or if they will be able to revert. However their human forms allow us to take them into populated regions with us more easily." I tell her all that I know about the test potion. She readily agrees that it was for the best, but she also seems a tad sad that their animal like appearance has vanished.

"I will have the more intelligent shadowbirds teach these new shadowbird humans." Maddy gave orders to the small group of officials to teach the human shadowbirds.

"Very good, we will first see how they perform before deciding to give the rest of the shadowbirds the potion." I smile and say goodbye to Maddy and head to my original destination of the workshop.

Placing the large assortment of books down on one of the many empty workstations I prepare to further study magic. A grab the first tome and begin reading on the different elements available to average magic users. Falling under similar categories are wind magicians, and fire magicians. Under separate categories were water magicians, light magicians, lightning magicians, and earth magicians.

Fire magicians are a special branch of magicians who are rather rare and require particular traits in order to use fire magic. In order to cause a combustion reaction the user must have some sort of combustible chemical, thus most fire magicians cast fire magic through special secretions that are carried through genetically. However some exceptions exist.

Wind magicians are much simpler than fire magicians. Focusing on the area they can cast spells that manipulate gaseous compounds, primarily the air in the atmosphere. Magicians falling under the fire category are typically able to manipulate air as well. In order for them to properly produce the combustion reaction oxygen is required, thus manipulating oxygen is immeasurably useful. Wind magicians of high levels are able to control even the gases within a living being, but this requires immense concentration and is not easily attempted.

Water magicians can use spells to manipulate water. They special in controlling pure water, thus the higher purity the more control they possess over it. Water magicians of higher levels can change the state of water to and from gas or solid. Water magicians are generally weakened by a lack of controllable water in most situations until they reach such a state.

Light magicians are able to use spells which manipulate light in a variety of ways. Some are able to change the wave length and frequency of light waves in order to alter their position on the light spectrum. Some other spells are able to control the light as particles instead, shifting the direction of light. Both spell types are able to alter the light in such a way to make it completely imperceptible. Spells in the first set can change visible light into radiation and those in the second can concentrate light into a laser.

Lightning magicians are also special magic users with a distinct set of requirements. Those who are able to lightning magic are typically able to store large quantities of energy within their bodies, such an amount as would kill a regular person. Lightning spells are able to cause movement of the electrical current and target the electricity to the target. While mana is the normal energy used by magicians lightning magicians use only enough to form the magic circle, but they still must store immense amounts of electrical energy that others are not able to store.

Earth magicians cast spells which manipulate the numerous types of rock within the world. As earth magicians begin training they increase the types of rocks that they can control. Earth magicians of the highest ranks can even cast spells which can change the state of stone to liquid magma or vice versa.

A number of other specialty spells exist outside the range of elemental spells, but still affect the world in similar ways. Those unfamiliar in the ways of spellcraft should understand two basic concepts: incantations, and magic circles.

incantations are used to enhance the focus of a spell caster and are able to produce magic circles. Those of beginner ranks in magic use incantations to increase their ability to produce mana and transform it in a variety of ways. Incantations are not very useful at higher levels and can be quite easily interrupted, so those at a moderate or higher level would rather learn to insta-cast their spells.

Magic circles are required for spells to activate. Magic circles can be produced either through incantations or mentally. These circles are comprised of a number of rings, the more rings increases the complexity of the spell. Magic circles cause changes in the world and are the way that a magician uses spells.

After digging through the first book I nod at the complexity of magic in this world. Rather than magic being completely abstract it has a founding in science. The thirty volumes i read described how each element worked and how I could manipulate them, but I had little knowledge on incantations and magic circles. I am not sure how well these books will assist me, but there is little to lose in reading them.

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