The following is anexerpt (ecept? except? ecerpt? **** it) excerpt from a thesis statement titled "The History of Magicians and Sorcerors" written by the (fictional) scholar, Belle S. Rikann, in the year 1064, C.D.
The biggest mistake humans make in regards to magic is the assumption that there are only 4 elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. What they fail to realize is that not only are these 4 just part of a larger cycle, they assume that Wind and Earth are opposing elements, which is incorrect
In truth, there are a total of 12 Elements of magic, which can be broken into 3 different "layers", to use a layman's term. The first layer is the Corporeal Layer, which consists of Fire, Water, Earth, and Lightning, not wind. the Elements in this Layer are easily identified, as they all have an immediate form. Fire gives warmth, Lightning gives life, water sustains life, and the Earth provides the land we walk upon
The second layer is the Ethereal Layer, which consists of Wind, Sound, Flora, and Fauna. Although these elements don't have a "uniform" appearance, one can still recognize them. Wind is the air we breathe, Sound is how we communicate, Flora is the plants we grow and consume, and Fauna is the world's animals and, by extension, us.
The final layer is the Celestial Layer, also known as the "Invisible" Layer. it consists of Memory, Pain, Space, and Time. These 4 elements are considered "invisible" because our human eyes cannot detect their presence physically, but we know they are there. Because they are unbound by physical form, one could say they are the most powerful of the elments. These four elements form not our world, but our universe.
Allow me to ask you, the reader, to use your mind's eye to draw the picture I am about to craft.
To best explain how these elements work, think of the total 12 elements not as a mere cycle, but as a diamond. The topmost and bottommost points of the diamond are Space and time, Respectively. Space is where everything is at one point, and Time is where one thing is at all points. If you were to, say, multiply space by time, you'd mave created the dimensions of our universe. Thus, everything else exists within space and time.
Now, the elements Memory and Pain take the leftmost and rightmost positions in the diamond. They are the next "containers", if you will. Memory is a vital backbone of civilization. We need to remember things to hold knowledge. On the other hand, all things recognize pain. Pain can be a motivator to do things, or a deterrrent from such things. Suppose we took away either one of these elements. Without the ability to remember anything, no living thing can learn, knowledge stops flowing, and we're stuck in a cycle of eternal stagnation. On the other hand, if there was no pain, we'd slowly die of any and all wounds inficted upon us, for we do not know they are killing us.
Moving on the the 2nd layer of Wind, Sound, Flora, and Fauna, these elements are placed at the 4 midpoints between the first 4. Wind is between Pain and Space, Sound is between Space and Memory, Flora is between Memory and Time, and Fauna is between Time and Pain. The 2nd layer of elements is placed here to show that although they aren't as great in scope as the 3rd layer, they are beyond the 1st layer in scope.
The Corporeal layer of elements, Fire, Water, Earth and Lightning, are placed at points where the radius between 2 2nd layer elements and 1 3rd layer element is equal in length. Allow me to explain. Fire is equidistant from Wind, Sound, and Space, Water is equidistant from Sound, Flora, and Memory, Earth is equidistant from Flora, Fauna, and Time, and Lightning is equidistant from Fauna, Wind, and Pain.
My colleague, Quartz D. Valenhamm, head scientist of the City of Cheryll, has begun research into the possibility of a centermost element, that, in theory, is an amalgamation of the other 12, each in equal amounts. Whether this "Primevil Element" exists, I cannot say. I have no interest in joining him in such an endeavor.
In truth, there are a total of 12 Elements of magic, which can be broken into 3 different "layers", to use a layman's term. The first layer is the Corporeal Layer, which consists of Fire, Water, Earth, and Lightning, not wind. the Elements in this Layer are easily identified, as they all have an immediate form. Fire gives warmth, Lightning gives life, water sustains life, and the Earth provides the land we walk upon
The second layer is the Ethereal Layer, which consists of Wind, Sound, Flora, and Fauna. Although these elements don't have a "uniform" appearance, one can still recognize them. Wind is the air we breathe, Sound is how we communicate, Flora is the plants we grow and consume, and Fauna is the world's animals and, by extension, us.
The final layer is the Celestial Layer, also known as the "Invisible" Layer. it consists of Memory, Pain, Space, and Time. These 4 elements are considered "invisible" because our human eyes cannot detect their presence physically, but we know they are there. Because they are unbound by physical form, one could say they are the most powerful of the elments. These four elements form not our world, but our universe.
Allow me to ask you, the reader, to use your mind's eye to draw the picture I am about to craft.
To best explain how these elements work, think of the total 12 elements not as a mere cycle, but as a diamond. The topmost and bottommost points of the diamond are Space and time, Respectively. Space is where everything is at one point, and Time is where one thing is at all points. If you were to, say, multiply space by time, you'd mave created the dimensions of our universe. Thus, everything else exists within space and time.
Now, the elements Memory and Pain take the leftmost and rightmost positions in the diamond. They are the next "containers", if you will. Memory is a vital backbone of civilization. We need to remember things to hold knowledge. On the other hand, all things recognize pain. Pain can be a motivator to do things, or a deterrrent from such things. Suppose we took away either one of these elements. Without the ability to remember anything, no living thing can learn, knowledge stops flowing, and we're stuck in a cycle of eternal stagnation. On the other hand, if there was no pain, we'd slowly die of any and all wounds inficted upon us, for we do not know they are killing us.
Moving on the the 2nd layer of Wind, Sound, Flora, and Fauna, these elements are placed at the 4 midpoints between the first 4. Wind is between Pain and Space, Sound is between Space and Memory, Flora is between Memory and Time, and Fauna is between Time and Pain. The 2nd layer of elements is placed here to show that although they aren't as great in scope as the 3rd layer, they are beyond the 1st layer in scope.
The Corporeal layer of elements, Fire, Water, Earth and Lightning, are placed at points where the radius between 2 2nd layer elements and 1 3rd layer element is equal in length. Allow me to explain. Fire is equidistant from Wind, Sound, and Space, Water is equidistant from Sound, Flora, and Memory, Earth is equidistant from Flora, Fauna, and Time, and Lightning is equidistant from Fauna, Wind, and Pain.
My colleague, Quartz D. Valenhamm, head scientist of the City of Cheryll, has begun research into the possibility of a centermost element, that, in theory, is an amalgamation of the other 12, each in equal amounts. Whether this "Primevil Element" exists, I cannot say. I have no interest in joining him in such an endeavor.
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