Element of Burning

The element of burning is one of the earliest elements found and classified on Oabos. Much like the element of the ground, the name is not completely accurate but is a remnant from the earliest descriptions of the element. This element can more accurately be described as Thermal, as it encompasses the concept of heat in all of its forms.
The element of burning is somewhat unique in its duality of expression. While the most commonly recognized manifestation of the element of burning is fire, this element also includes ice. In a similar way, the element of burning embodies both calm and violent emotions and actions. It is the element of extremes while also including all ranges between those extremes. It is often viewed as the fluctuation between balance and imbalance.

Humans have a fundamental misunderstanding of the element of burning. Without Soul Scribes to guide them, the humans have reduced the element down into the simple concept of "Fire" and believe that is the extent of this element. When encountering an Elementine with Burning in one or more rings they call the elementine a Fire Elemental, Flame Beast, or Fire Monster depending on their appearance. Humans also do not differentiate between the Elementine and simpler elemental beasts without sapience. To most humans, the ancient elementine guardians of volcanos and lava flows are no different than the dancing firelights which flicker through the mountains after intense storms.

— Soul Scribe lecture to young Elementine Warriors

Early Manifestation

Early manifestations of the element of burning were sentient flames. Some were simply normal fires that seemed to react to beings around it, and respond to their needs. Others were small fires which moved around on their own. Over time these simple flames became known as flame beasts. Some flame beasts remain very small even now, while others take on similar forms to other creatures but made entirely of flame.

In The Soul Map

The element of burning tends to be very distinctive, no matter which ring of the soul map it appears in.
In the mind ring, the element of burning will generally cause the individual to live in extreme mindsets but this is not always true. The three most common temperaments of a element of burning mind are a violently angry temperament, a cold calculating temperament, and a gentle and nurturing temperament. Any temperament in between these three are possible, but these three tend to be the most common.
In the body ring, the element of burning can manifest as an elemental body or as a body that regulates the element well. Among the Elementine, element of burning bodies are almost always bodies made of the element itself rather than the nature of the element. Due to this element including all temperature ranges, the elemental bodies can be living fire or frozen bodies made up of whatever elements or materials are around. In very cold regions of Oabos these individuals can be mistaken for having element of flowing bodies due to appearing to be made of ice. The important distinction is that the for the element of burning the body is actually the chill holding the ice together and is not the ice itself. Element of burning bodies are much like the mind in that they tend to show up in the extremes, but truthfully the element can be very subtle.
Burning body rings in the Myth-touched tend to work a little differently. The natural shape of myth-touched humans tends to be a human body even if they do not have the element of flesh anywhere in their should map. Soul Scribes still do not understand why this happens but have learned that an individual's parents, even among the Elementine, can impact the way they develop or how they appear. For these humans with burning bodies, they tend to have either very extreme natural body temperatures or a very well regulated body temperature which reacts to their environment to maintain a balanced state.
Like the other elements, how the element of burning manifests in the spirit ring depends on its relative positioning in relation to the other rings. If the burning element is closely aligned with the body ring, the ability that manifests will be internal and focus on the self. This could mean the ability to control the size, shape, or heat of their body at will.
If the burning element in the spirit ring is in opposition to the body ring the ability that manifests will be external. The most stereotypical way this is seen is with throwing fire around. The more hot-headed individuals with burning spirits have been known to throw fireballs at most anything that irritates them. Despite this being the stereotype for burning spirits it is rather rare to see. The more common manifestation is a general control of the temperature in an area. This ability can raise the temperature enough to create flames, but it can also drop the area to extremely low temperatures. The greater an individual's ability and experience the more control they will have over these effects.