Elemental Affinity

The Foundation of Magic

Everyone in the world is born with a magical affinity for one particular element, even if they are not born with the ability to use magic. It is an innate aspect of the self, part of the very soul of every living individual on Totania.

The Building Blocks of Magic

There is no magic without affinity. Pure mana can be harnessed, but it does not manifest in anyone in the form of anything other than an element. Therefore, even the purest form of mana outside of Mayowa's Heaven itself is elemental.
What form that takes, of course, depends on the natural affinity of the person wielding the magic. Mana pumps through the body like blood, and it does so in the form of these affinities, meaning that a fire mage has flames coarsing through them, while an ice mage's veins are generally colder and filled with frost.
This is also the element that they are able to use when casting spells of any sort, or just using magic for any purpose they see fit. If one has only lightning magic, they can only use lightning when using magic.
Those that do not have magic, as stated above, still have affinities. This affinity colors their lives, their personalities, who they are at their very core. For some, they are able to live with aspects of it, and others are even able to unlock this innate magic within themselves. Whatever the case, even the most unmagical creatures in the world have an elemental affinity.

Light Arrow by Max A Million

Natural Affinities

There are eight natural elemental affinities. They are as follows:

• Fire
• Earth
• Wind
• Water
• Lightning
• Ice
• Light
• Dark

Some affinities are more common among different species, such as light magic, a rare affinity, being particularly found among High Elves, or Devils being prone to fire magic. The reasoning for this is believed to be because of the Gods that created their species favoring one element over another.
Most affinities have some form of counter in the other affinities. Fire counters ice but is generally countered by water. Lightning is generally absorbed/blocked by earth magic. Dark magic has only one weakness, as it is able to absorb all affinities but light, which counters it.
Mages of the highest skill level can, however, circumnavigate these weaknesses with ease.
A particularly skilled fire mage is unaffected by most water mages, and some of the strongest forms of ice absorb heat rather than melt in it.

Aces

Aces are a powerful and versatile group that transcend affinity. They are able to utilize every natural affinity from the very moment that they have access to their magic.
There are very few aces in the world, as it is said only about three aces are born around the world each generation.
They are not usually as individually skilled with each affinity as someone who only has one, but this does not stop them from often being some of the most powerful mages. As the saying goes:

Nalrik Tilrak by Jarhed

"Jack of all trades master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one.”

Impossible Affinities

One is not always confined to the affinity of their birth, though it is rare to go beyond that. For a time, it was even widely believed to be impossible. Thus, the name was made for a type of magical affinity known as "Impossible Magic."
Impossible Magic is when ones willpower has broken free of the shackles imposed on most people by the natural flow of magic, gaining a secondary affinity.
It generally comes about in times of great stress, when ones life is in danger, or when one has undergone intense study, training, and placed themselves in a situation of immense duress.
These affinities can be almost anything. For most cases, they end up being an additional natural affinity. For instance, Rhoziros Nimphonker, an ice mage by birth, gained fire magic at a particularly life-threatening and stressful point in his life.
However, there have been other impossible affinities. Some notable ones that are found in records include:

Rhoziros Nimphonker by Jarhed

• Blood- The control, manipulation, and creation of blood within ones bloodstream, within the bodies of others, and even outside in the open air.


• Metal- Control over all forms of metal.


• Rot- Manipulation of the most destructive force in existence, rot magic can tear through and eat away at anything.


• Crystal- The creation of crystals, it is an evolution of what earth magic can do.


• Weather- A curious affinity gained only by "The Impossible" which grants the user control of the weather, functionally making them an ace that can manipulate all natural affinities at once through the environment.


• Dark Light- An amalgamation of dark magic and light magic, combining the properties of both to form an entirely unique affinity.

All impossible affinities sound, to many around Totania, farfetched. Due to this, for much of history there were so few that truly believed in the concept, thinking those that exhibited such traits were pulling some kind of trick and that it was impossible to actually gain another affinity.
Of course, it is no longer considered impossible. The acceptance of impossible magic as something truly possible in the wider world was most notably thanks to prominent figures like Nalrik Tilrak, a man who became synonymous with the nickname "The Impossible."

Elemental Mastery

Morendyn Cobath by Jarhed

Elemental Mastery is achieved by those that understand the ins-and-outs of their affinities, gaining control over the most minute details of the power and unlocking another level of magic itself within the power they already have from birth.

Archmages

In every age, there is one person of each affinity who has mastered the element beyond measure. These people are known as Archmages.
Archmages are not just masters of their elements, but the element is an integral part of their lives. They are able to do anything with it, and often do.
Beyond that, the element is at its strongest when wielded by an Archmage, as they are not just powerful, but generally have found clever ways to utilize it that surprise, disrupt, and easily defeat any opponent.
Archmages are decided upon by a group of magic scholars based in Draconian territory (due to its place as the center of magical study and practice in Totania). It is also here that most study of elemental affinities is done, and where nearly every piece of information in this article was first discovered.