This essay shall attempt to explain how magic works, with regards to how it interacts with and affects the world, as well as in regard to how it is used. Magic is generally separated into two types, the natural world and the unnatural world. This is not entirely accurate, and the issues with this shall be discussed, but this separation is a useful way of thinking about and understanding how magic is used. This essay shall also attempt to provide some more in-depth information about how magic is used, although this should not be taken as a stand-alone lesson, but rather information that can be used in conjunction with other information. However, this information will be discussed at a more theoretical level and how these ideas link to other ideas discussed.

First of all, let us examine the two types of magic and how they differ. The first type, often called “The Natural Magic of the World”, or “Natural Magic”, is the magic that flows throughout the world. The second type, often called “The Unnatural Magic of the World”, or “Unnatural Magic”, is the magic that we use. While these terms are not entirely useful, as they express ideas that are provably false, we shall use these terms for the sake of simplicity.

“Natural Magic” is the magic that powers all magical devices, all enchantments, it is present in all food and drink, even in wood, dirt and stones. Whether or not it causes the natural world to work, such as making things grow is still disputed at this stage, but it has clearly been proven to improve the processes that power the natural world. Areas where this “Natural Magic” is stronger or more abundant are typically more fertile, with greater growth of trees and plants, larger and healthier animals and a typically more gentle climate. Areas where the “Natural Magic” is low, are typically more barren, with a harsher climate. These areas often have lower amounts of flora and fauna, although this is not always the case, with several notable examples being the great Rifts, and the Silent Forest. This magic is also that which is used in the Resonance, although again there are many mysteries still to be answered. For example, how is it possible for a person to Resonate with a stone halfway across the land, and yet not Resonate with a stone of the exact same type that is in their home? While much is not understood about this, it is clear that there is some sort of flow of magic throughout the land. Please note, that this is not the same thing as ley-lines, the fictional and unfactual idea that magic flows through certain paths in the land. While there are some areas that clearly have higher levels of magic, these are not because of some conflux of magical paths, but simply a natural phenomenon. The fact that many cities are built on these areas should not be considered a coincidence at all, but merely a natural result of our ancestors colonizing this land. This “Natural Magic” is more akin to a force, such as gravity, in that it is never created or destroyed, changed or altered. Even devices that use it, seem to do so by allowing it to flow through them, which powers them without using the magic at all. This magic is also often considered to be the “pure” magic, as it has no elemental affinity. This is not exactly true, but this shall be discussed later.

“Unnatural Magic” on the other hand, is the magic that is created by magic users. This is done through using spells to channel the “Natural Magic” to create effects. Note, this is different to how devices and enchantments do it, in that these spells are clearly creating a form of magic that is then unleashed when the spell is cast. This is provable in that disrupting a spell caster before a spell is released creates an effect that is greater than that of the “Natural Magic” that is channelled to create it. For more information on this, please refer to “Comparing and contrasting ratios of Natural and Unnatural Magic when used in Elemental and none Elemental Spells” written by Professor G. Jin Amoloria. While this text is advanced and difficult to follow, it has done the best job of proving the interactions of the two magics so I suggest you read it if you wish more information on this.

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This “Unnatural Magic” is, for lack of a better term, focused magic. While “Natural Magic” is effectively pure magic, “Unnatural Magic” is based on the elements, these being Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Body, and Spirit. Each spell is performed by channelling the “Natural Magic” through a spell-form, which creates the “Unnatural Magic”, which is then used to create the effect required. For example, a basic fireball spell will channel “Natural Magic” through a spell-form, to create fire-element magic. This is then thrown or shot at the target, at which time the energy inside the fire-element magic is used up. Compare this to the “Natural Magic” used to charge the spell, which is conserved and flows back into the land and you will see the differences in the magics.

As stated previously, “Natural Magic” and “Unnatural Magic” are at best bad descriptors of the types of magic, particularly since it contains multiple misunderstandings. The first, which is often cited as the main reason that it is called “Unnatural Magic” is that it is elemental, as opposed to “Natural Magic”, which is “pure”. However, this is incorrect. Experiments have shown that in fact “Natural Magic” contains all the elemental magics, mixed up in it. Therefore, when you wish to create a fireball, it is the fire-element magic inside the “Natural Magic” that is charging it. For a more complex spell, such as healing, it is typically a mixture of body, air and water, although fire may sometimes be involved as well. Note that when using multiple elements in a spell, it is critical to get the ratios correct, as even a minor mistake in this can cause a spell to misfire. I can guarantee you, from personal experience, that you do not want a lightning spell blowing up in your face, simply because you used too much fire-element magic.

The second reason that the name “Unnatural Magic” is often used is because the uninformed believe that the spells are violating nature. However, this is probably untrue. Virtually every magical spell is based on a natural phenomenon, which magic users have simply learnt to replicate. Again, the matter of whether magic is making these events happen when they happen naturally, such as lighting or rain, is as yet unknown, but magic is definitely involved in the process of them happening. Therefore, whether the lighting is occurring due to a storm, or it is being created by a magic-user is irrelevant, as the nature of the lightning is still the same. So, this is as natural a magic as any magic.

So, if “Natural Magic” and “Unnatural Magic” are poor names, what terms should be used? I personally prefer the terms “Unfocused Magic” and “Focused Magic”, but many say that this is simply making the same mistake of favouring one magic over the other in reverse. Perhaps the best terms are those suggested by my peer Gravin Jin Amoloria of “Base Magic” and “Created Magic”. Whichever terms you choose to use, it is important to remember that all magic is natural and is a force to be used.

- Excerpt taken from Essay: The Differences of Magic, Book: Magic in our Time, written by C. Jin-Phen, Amoloria Dynasty, Year, 739, Royal College of Amoloria.