Compound: Lightning

Summary

One of the compound manas, lightning shares the natures of fire and wind. Lightning is often seen as a divine power, and an ultimate force of destruction. In an instant it can cross hundreds of miles to destroy something so absolutely only a crater remains. At its heart, lightning is transformation unshackled, the purity of potential condensed down to a flash of an instant.
An exceedingly rare mana to encounter, lightning is chiefly found during energy-charged storms, particularly tempests. The motion of wind excites lightning to life, but it too is languid in its decisions. Only when more and more lightning comes together does it become too excited to not do anything. Such overwhelming motivation sends bolts of lightning across the Heavens or down to Veltrona. Some say the goddess' joy of its newfound motivation comes in their thunderous applause.
Although its results are usually destructive, lightning's purpose isn't intrinsically destruction. Like fire, it transforms what it comes into contact with. Its transformative power is extremely intense for how strong and sudden it is. Few things can endure such direct and sudden contact, and so explode. However, those that yet endure it can achieve unbelievable results. Ores can become metals, peoples can purify themselves and strengthen, raw food becomes cooked to perfection, and more.
Harnessing this incredible potential is often the dreams of mages, cultivators, and others. Whether to use it as magic directly or to aide themselves, it's a wildly dangerous force full of opportunity. Of course, no end of people have exploded from overreaching, so most rightly consider it insane to do. Still, as a symbol of the divine Heavens and countless goddesses, lightning is an attractive thing.

Magical Arts

As a whole, the legacy of fire and that of 'heat' is that it is actually essentially the same thing. Its different intensities take different shapes and forms, hence why fire, lightning, and even other types of 'heat' exist. The realization of that shared commonality is what gave birth to energy Magic. Lightning magics that did exist were gradually subsumed into energy magic philosophy.
However, not everyone subscribes to it. Whether traditionalists or simply viewing it differently, classical 'lightning magic' continues to persist.
The first form of such magic is imitation of the lightning in the skies. For many people, they try to harness it for the power of destruction, distorting their lightning. Only accomplished and 'true' lightning mages maintain its identity of transformation. These people can guide its wild potential toward productive outcomes (of which destruction can still happen).
One extreme form is using a lightning blast to shock a sick person's body, selectively destroying the sickness while leaving the rest untouched. An extreme but highly effective method of curing, the aftershocks can wrack the patient terribly. Also, depending on the nature of the sickness, it may return if not completely expunged. Metastasized cancer is one form of insidious illness that is hard to be rid of, and highly skilled lightning application is required. If an ounce of illness remains, the lightning-wracked body's weakened state is ideal for another takeover.
Another manner of application rests with the handling of metals and forgework. Lightning's intense energies are fantastic for flash-processing raw ores, and also motivating metal to do work. Some of the greatest smiths have leaned into it as a result, but harnessing the wildness is ever a problem. Unlike slower and steadier fire, lightning can dramatically change the properties of its targets. An otherwise good batch of metals can be ruined if it isn't applied properly. Still, sometimes this nets unusually incredible opportunities, and so fantastic works can be achieved. A few legendary weapons owe their existences to lightning-based smithing, for example.
Lightning is not cheap to use, though. Even in small applications it demands a great deal of mana. The costs alone have motivated many to try and find better, efficient ways of applying it. These 'lower intensity' lightning arts are what invariably lead back into energy magic theory. Depending on how stringently one follows tradition, there is a very real floor to what constitutes as 'lightning magic'. Those who went past the floor were snobbishly decried as 'electricity magics' instead of lightning. Of course, maintaining intensity while reducing costs is where many put their attention. It is a rather difficult prospect to make progress on.
Electricity, though, did garner a lot of attention from Khaaestra zahd Machkin, the Grand Architect. These 'weaker' forms of lightning magics proved ideal for working her machkin technologies. The hows and whys varied from one piece to another, as Khaaestra is ever trying to improve her crafts. Still, many other inventors and magical artisans the world over took note of her great interest. Whether copying from her directly or innovating to be ahead of her, electricity's viability and cheaper costs were far more attractive.
Being supplanted by so many other magical art styles, traditional lightning magic looks more and more like an archaic piece from history. One would be foolish to discount the raw power it commands, though.

Appearance

Lightning mana is usually a harsh, blinding whiteness wreathed in reds and blues. It is an ever oscillating thing to behold, some would say quite violent in its mannerism. Trembling with its unrealized potential, as soon as it finds a way forward, it's gone in a blinding flash of light.
Divine lightning is not much different, though it usually a gold primary color with accents of green and coppery reds. Depending on which sky invokes it, though, some other colors may appear instead. In the hands of actual divinity, its color is whatever they desire. Because of its iconic nature, most tend to settle on recognizable colors though.