Magic by D.I. Jolly
“In this world of ours there exists four kinds of magic. The magic of love, rooted in joy and happiness, it is the most powerful form of what is perceived as good magic. Acolytes of this magic are normally ascended from Monks, and tip the universal scales towards enlighten and joy and are known as Angels. Not all Angels are ascended from Monks it is possible but rare that people are born touched by the magical gift of love. True Angels glow with an inner light and some are so in touch with Love that they barely hold a physical form and are beings of pure light. Love is often represented by the white flag.
The magic of hate, rooted in pain, sorrow and suffering and is as the most powerful form of what is perceived as bad magic. Acolytes of hate are formed from the suffering of living in fear and anger. They strive to bring darkness to the world and it is said that when a true user of Hate enters a room they can force all the light out of it. Their magic is thick, slimy and oppressive; it covers a person and taints their very soul. Hate marks its territory by staining the ground black.
Standing to the right of Love is the magic of peace, powered by patience, understanding and discipline. Acolytes of this form of magic, study hard to learn control over their power while striving for balance, they are known as Monks. They are practical and forthright while wondering the lands righting wrongs to achieve understand and balance. They are linked spiritually to the element of water and they are known to shine blue when casting magic. Many who are discovered to have been touched of magic are brought to the school of peace where they learn to control their powers and strive to become Monks.
And finally, the magic of chaos stands to the left of Hate. It is powered by fear, anger and rage. The acolytes of Chaos are called Fanatics, they run wild and bring about destruction as they see fit. They often work as mercenaries or warmongers; they do as they please when they please. Their magic gives birth to the element of fire and they are known to appear as though engulfed in a deep red blaze when performing magic. Many of them find their own way in the world, discovering their powers and running free with them. If a young child touched by magic is found by the order of Hate, they are very often tortured and made to witness great atrocities to plant the seed of pain and anger in their hearts.
When a child is touched by magic it is always a specific type of magic that touches them, but it does not condemn them to be that way forever. For instance, I first discovered I had the gift through anger and it is in fact Chaos that my magic is rooted in. But I made my way to the school and proved myself worthy to study there. Although Chaos came much easier to me and made me powerful quickly, I practised and focused hard to learn how to access my gifts through peace and discipline to become a Monk. It was there that I learnt that the entire universe is about balance. Originally, I thought I would join the school learn peace and ultimately try to remove hate and chaos from the world. But I was wrong; it was there I learnt that darkness is just as much a key part of the world as light. If you imagine the Ying-yang sign to explain magic, the black dot in the white half is the practised discipline and control required of Peace, whereas the white dot in the black half is the freedom and creation of Chaos. Hate and Chaos, however, seek to overthrow Love and Peace, and thus tip the scales, which is why they stand at odds against each other. It is said that the darkest of Hate’s Demons, whose bodies are more magic than flesh understand this law just as clearly as the glowing Angels of Love, and that they are paired with each other and in tune to each other’s thoughts. Locked in a mental vortex of simultaneous unconditional love and screaming violate hatred.
Much like the Angels and Demons, although infinitely more rare, it is possible for a person to achieve the same level of connection to Peace or to Chaos. Where your body becomes more magic than flesh. Legends say that it is how the ocean and the sun were forms. Two dragons, brothers one of Peace and the other of Chaos, both set in gaining power over the other in their own form of magic. The dragon of peace would sit and meditate for years on end, shifting his focus to each part of his body, no matter how small, to gain the total understanding of himself. And once he had achieved this true and total knowledge of self his entire body turned to water and he became the ocean. While this was going on his brother would fly around the world desperate to get his attention, growing in frustration and anger that no matter how hard he tried or what he did his brother simply sat in his meditation. Then, in the moment that the dragon of Peace turned to water the dragon of Chaos was so enraged that he flew up high into the sky and let out an almighty raw of frustration and rage, a burst so powerful that the entire world shook with his fury and it engulfed him in a giant ball of fire and thus, he became the sun.”
Just then a small girl with a puzzled expression put up her hand to ask a question, the Monk looked at the young girl and nodded his head to her.
“But sir, the sun gives us warmth and helps the food grow, whereas the sea is torturous and scary.”
The monk smiled,
“Yes, what a wonderful statement. Is it also not true that the sea provides you with fish to eat? And that if a plant is left for too long out in the sun it’ll be burnt up?’
The little girl dropped her shoulders and looked slightly embarrassed.
“No, no little one, you are right, but that’s the balance you understand. Neither is wrong. It took both dragons equally powerful and in turn to create the balance that gave birth to the world we know. Much like with all magic it exists to create balance in our world. This is today’s lesson, balance. As I said, I myself am touched by Chaos, as some of you are, but I learnt how to control my gifts and access them through discipline over anger.”
The same young girl raised her hand again, and the Monk turned his gaze back to her,
“But isn’t it easier to use anger?”
“Yes, but often I find that the easy path is not the most rewarding. Anyway, that is enough for today’s lessons. Tomorrow I want us to meditate like the dragon, focusing on ourselves and on the balance between the sun and the sea. Now, go play!”