THE CORE ELEMENTS OF LIGHT
image [https://i.imgur.com/rRdHmJO.jpeg[/]
Where does the light come from, you ask? It is a question older than memory, yet one every apprentice asks in their first clumsy attempts at the craft. The answer, as always, lies in the bones of the world, in the elements that slumber beneath rock and root, within the veins of the earth itself. These elements are the vessels of light, each one cradling a different color, a different song. To draw forth their glow is to unlock a fragment of the cosmos, to crack open a door between realms, if only for a fleeting moment.
But not all elements are equal in their gifts. The old masters spoke of them as threefold: the Foundation Stones, the Stones of Rarity, and those we call the Eldertouched. Each bears its own nature, its own temperament, and the light they offer varies as much as the hands that seek to wield it. The Foundation Stones are the bedrock of our craft, stable and steady. The Stones of Rarity, rarer by far, burn brighter but demand a steadier hand. And the Eldertouched... ah, those are a different matter. They are relics of a time when the world was young, and their light carries whispers from beyond the edges of what we know. Few who seek them ever return, and fewer still with their minds intact.
So, you wish to know their names, their natures, the colors they sing with? Then pay heed, for to misunderstand them is to court disaster. Here, I shall list the 13 elements known to us, their uses, and the colors of light they offer to those who have the courage to draw them forth.
----------------------------------------
THE FOUNDATION STONES (COMMON ELEMENTS)
These are the stones and metals found beneath your feet, the lifeblood of blacksmiths and miners alike. Though common, they possess great power when used correctly, for they shape the world around us and are the foundation of magic.
----------------------------------------
PYRELORE (IRON)
image [https://i.imgur.com/WaPsXgL.jpeg[/]
Color of Light: Bright Yellow Sparks
Essence: Strength
Pyrelore, the metal of the earth’s bones, is the cornerstone of strength. Its light dances in bright yellow sparks, each one carrying the essence of unyielding power. To wield Pyrelore is to call upon the bedrock of the world, to infuse that unbreakable resilience into whatever your hand touches.
In its most basic form, Pyrelore can strengthen the simple things—make a wooden door as tough as oak, a stone wall as steadfast as granite. A skilled mage can draw its light to harden a blade, turning iron into steel, steel into something that could carve through armor. Yet, the true art lies in using Pyrelore to shape flesh and bone. Call forth its sparks, and you can weave a coat of strength over your skin, making it hard as tempered iron, or pour its light into muscle, turning sinew into the cords of a warhorse. But remember this: strength comes at a price. The body, like the metal, can become brittle if overworked, and there are limits to what flesh can bear."
Those who seek power for power’s sake often find themselves twisted by it, their strength becoming a cage rather than a shield. Use Pyrelore wisely, for it will serve a hand that respects its limits, but will crush the one that dares push beyond them.
----------------------------------------
VERDANTINE (COPPER)
image [https://i.imgur.com/GR0rr7v.jpeg[/]
Color of Light: Deep Green
Essence: Life and Growth
Verdantine, the metal that carries the pulse of life, is a conduit to the green heart of the world. Its light burns in a deep, verdant glow, like the first leaves of spring stretching toward the sun. To wield Verdantine is to tap into the ancient rhythms of growth and decay, to whisper to roots and branches, to coax a seedling into bloom or call forth a harvest from barren soil.
In its simplest form, Verdantine can be used to tend the smallest of green things—to bring a wilted flower back to life, to nudge a vine to climb where it would not. But those who understand its true nature can reshape the very tapestry of nature itself. With a careful hand, one can make a barren tree burst forth with fruit, or turn a thriving thicket into a grove of decay. Its power is not confined to the gentle art of growth; it holds death as well, for every leaf that blooms must eventually fall. A skilled mage can summon a bramble wall from the earth in a heartbeat, or strip a forest bare, leaving only bones of branches behind.
But heed my words: Verdantine’s power is not one to be squandered. For every touch of growth, it demands a return. If you coax a tree to bloom beyond its season, do not be surprised if it withers when winter comes. Those who seek to take without giving back will find the soil turning barren beneath their feet, and the earth growing cold to their pleas. Remember this well: Verdantine speaks the language of life, but it will not suffer those who would turn its voice into a shout.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
----------------------------------------
BRIMSHADE (SULFUR)
image [https://i.imgur.com/g2mE0hj.jpeg[/]
Color of Light: Blue Flame
Essence: Fire and Transformation
Brimshade, drawn from the bitter heart of sulfur, holds a power that burns with both healing and destruction. Its light takes the form of a blue flame, cool to the touch yet brimming with the warmth of inner mending. To call upon Brimshade is to summon a fire that cleanses not the skin but the spirit, searing away sickness, poison, and the shadows that fester within the mind.
The flame of Brimshade is no gentle warmth. It is a fire that burns within, mending what lies beneath the flesh—banishing fevers, purging the taint of poison from the blood, and quieting the madness that clings to the edges of thought. Yet, despite its nature as a healer, its touch can be a fearsome thing. Those unaccustomed to its light will feel the heat deep in their bones, as if the very marrow is set aflame. And woe to those who turn its flame upon open wounds, for what should heal will instead scorch and blister, turning a mere cut into a mark that may never fade.
Brimshade is a flame of transformation, turning illness to ash and clarity to the mind. But know this: fire, even in its gentlest form, demands respect. To wield Brimshade without care is to risk scorching the spirit as well as the sickness, leaving behind a husk where once there was hope. Use it with caution, and it may become the greatest ally of those who walk the line between life and death.
----------------------------------------
SKYSTONE (MAGNESIUM)
image [https://i.imgur.com/Uthv2fT.jpeg[/]
Color of Light: Blinding White
Essence: Purification and Illumination
Skystone, forged from the veins of the heavens and set aflame, burns with a light that is pure beyond reckoning. Its radiance is not the light of day that warms fields or glimmers upon streams—no, it is a light that cuts through shadow as a blade through silk, a blinding brilliance that knows neither warmth nor softness. To mistake its light for the sun’s is a fool’s error, for Skystone’s glow is not of nature’s making, but of the purest white light that the earth can bear.
Skystone holds the power to reveal and obscure in equal measure. It can purify that which is tainted, burning away curses and banishing foul magics. But it is in the realm of illusion that Skystone’s true art is revealed. Its light can shape the world into something else—bend perception, twist reality at the edges, making the mundane into the ethereal. A mage with Skystone in hand can craft visions from thin air, conjuring phantoms that move with the semblance of life, or cloaking their own form in a veil of falsehoods, slipping past the eyes of even the keenest watchman.
Yet, do not be fooled into thinking that these illusions are mere trickery. The light of Skystone, in its purity, possesses a depth that fools both the mind and the senses. A false door might feel solid to the touch, a spectral figure might whisper secrets to those who draw too close, and a hidden path may appear beneath a traveler’s feet, leading them where the mage wills. But beware, for the blinding white light of Skystone is a demanding master. Too much light, and the illusion will scatter, revealing the world as it truly is. Too little, and the falsehoods will flicker and fade, unraveling like smoke in a gale.
Remember this well: Skystone’s glow may hide and deceive, but it cannot create truth where none exists. Its light is pure, but it is not kind, and it will not suffer those who mistake illusion for reality. Use it to reveal what lies hidden, or to hide what should remain unseen, but never forget that the light you wield is not of this world.
----------------------------------------
STORMSALT (SODIUM)
image [https://i.imgur.com/UBfSEM6.jpeg[/]
Color of Light: Yellow-Orange
Essence: Heat and Motion
Stormsalt, a name whispered among smiths and storm-callers alike, is an element that carries the fury of the storm and the warmth of the hearth in equal measure. Its light burns in a vibrant yellow-orange, crackling with energy that seems to dance and flicker, much like a fire that never fully settles. To wield Stormsalt is to hold the breath of a tempest in your hands, to channel the restless power that can forge metal or burn it to cinders.
The light of Stormsalt moves as the wind does—swiftly, chaotically, bending and twisting through the air like lightning across a dark sky. When channeled with care, it brings warmth that seeps into the bones, kindling the flames of a forge or driving away the chill of winter’s grasp. It is the heat that softens iron, the warmth that coaxes life from frozen soil. But do not forget that the very same light carries a wilder nature—a hunger to burn and consume, to crackle and roar like a wildfire unleashed upon a dry forest.
In the hands of a skilled mage, Stormsalt can turn a flicker of light into a torrent of flame, sending it roaring through the air like a wind-fed blaze. It can whip the air into a frenzy, casting bolts of heat that strike like a thunderclap. Yet, the true art lies not in unleashing its fury but in learning to rein it in—to temper the storm’s anger with the steadiness of a calm breath. Those who forget this balance may find themselves scorched by the very heat they sought to wield, as the tempest turns against them in its madness.
Stormsalt is a force of creation and destruction, a spark that can shape as easily as it sears. But know this: to call upon it is to walk the line between flame and ash, where even a moment’s hesitation can make the difference between a roaring hearth and a wildfire. Treat it with the respect it demands, and it may lend you its power. But forget yourself for even an instant, and you will find only embers where your dreams once stood.