Seraph

The Brilliance of Light

Seraph is one of the eight Mana Beasts, a manifestation of the Inner Lightness in someone and the counterbalance to the Dark Plane's M'rak. It can be found only in the Light Plane, one of the eight Elemental Planes of the Goddess of Knowledge Sia.

Powers and Abilities

Seraph's general power is the same as all other Mana Beasts: to bind to a host and grant them his power.
The power is like Item Magic, a magic that is not natural, but flows from an external source into the user so that they gain a new magical affinity.
Unlike the Item Magics, however, Seraph can leave its host whenever it pleases. Item Magic is bound for life, but the host of Seraph can reject and abandon the power, or be abandoned by it. Instead, it is only when Seraph decides to leave or the host doesn't want it anymore that this can happen, though. Otherwise, the magic is bound.

Seraph Magic

Seraph's power, called "Seraph Magic" grants its user flight, increased speed, and increased vision (when they wield the power of the Seraph, the Seraph mage grows a third eye upon their forehead, which aids in their newfound improved sight).
It is said also that the wielder of Seraph Magic can send their voice anywhere in the world, as if it were coming from heaven itself, as long as light is reaching that place.
The main ability of Seraph Magic, however, is its blinding light. It can emit a great light that is said to only harm that which is evil. What exactly determines its definition of "evil" is unclear. Is it a judgement made by Seraph, or by the wielder? No concrete answer has ever been discovered.
As it is said that Seraph can shoot a laser from its many eyes, so too do the wielders of Seraph Magic.

The Mana Beasts

Seraph is one of the eight Mana Beasts, the most powerful creatures of the Elemental Planes, who can lend their powers to mortals. The other seven are, as follows:

• Phoenix- The Flame of Life, a Bird that resurrects itself from the Fire Plane.
• M'rak- The Inner Darkness, a smile in the shadows that brings out one's inner evil.
• Raijū- Lightning Fast Instinct, a Wolf from the Lightning Plane.
• Kurma- Level Headedness and Responsibility, a Turtle from the Earth Plane.
• Charybdis- The Escape of Fate, a gaping maw from the Water Plane.
• Jormungandr- Accepting One's Fate, a large serpent from the Ice Plane.
• Tengu- Mischief and Arrogance, a Demonic creature from the Air Plane.

History

Seraph is one of the less utilized Mana Beasts, as so few have traveled to the Light Plane due to its great danger. However, those that have returned from it have been said to at least have met Seraph. Two known Seraph mages are known in history.

Light of the Abrals

A Kamejin known as Ogata Yoriko is the first known Seraph Mage (though it is likely there was at least one in the Giant Kingdom, and possible that a Dragon from before recorded history had wielded one of the Mana Beasts before there were records to note this down). She was born blind, and lived her life as a kannushi for one of Izanagi's shrines in the Abral Empire, maintaining his place of worship.
While there are varying stories of how she ended up in the Light Plane, she was found by Seraph, who at first pitied the girl. However, upon getting to know her, it saw her pure heart and decided to bless her with its power.
It is said that Yoriko then rid the Abral Islands, at that point still splinted and not yet united, of evil. She traveled, warding off foes to what was right with the light of Seraph, and became known as the Light of the Abrals. However, she was ultimately arrested for wielding what was seen as "foreign magic" and was executed for posing a danger to the archipelago and its people.

Parth of the Elemental Brightness

The second was a Mamman mage, who acquired the power while studying at the Institute of Maya Zaman, known as Parth.
He was not so righteous with his power, but he pretended, mocking those that spoke out against him and striking them down with the power of Seraph. It did work, and some believed this placed Parth in the right, while others claimed that as long as he fiercely believed he was doing right, Seraph would grant him power. He did not necessarily mean ill by his actions, but he did harm many that were believed by others to be innocent until he struck against them.
Parth later became Chancellor of Ash, leading the Institute to a short period of great prosperity, which quickly fell apart upon his death, as moral superiority did little to help the school grow and gain a reputation.
Parth is said to have died when he was cast out into space during a duel against a fellow mage, and Seraph abandoned him, seeing no way for him to survive. He suffocated in space, and Seraph returned to the Light Plane. If it has ever returned since, there is no record of this happening.

Appearance

The exact appearance of Seraph is not known, as no one can gaze upon the beast for long enough to make out its true appearance without going blind, and its full, otherworldly beauty is said to be so overwhelming that any mortal would die just looking at it.
All that is known about it is that it is made of light, so bright that it is blinding, and that there are six wings and many eyes, though only one is said to be visible to those that gaze upon it. It resembles, in this way, the known images of the Angels of the Gods, and many have speculated that Seraph may be one of Sia's angels. Otherwise, it is possible that the creature mimics the appearance of these divine beings to get people to trust it, for ill or not it is unclear. The Seraph claims to stand against evil, and those that wield its power must trust wholeheartedly in that quest.