Science Lesson

Endyr began his day the same way he ended the last one: reading a book. After finishing [Mytho of Creation], he decided to turn to [Source of Mana] next. He looked over at Sia, still sleeping in her bed, and made a mental note to flip the pages quietly. Lowering the intensity of the bedside lamp, he opened the first page and began to read with anticipation. Learning how the natives of Orvonia perceived and classified Mana had been a subject of interest for Endyr since he discovered Ascenders existed.

[The Source of Mana, Chapter 1: Overview]

[Mana is the name given to an omnipresent energy that has existed since the dawn of creation. Every Race, throughout every Era, has labelled and identified Mana, and it has innumerable names. Mana is present in all things, whether they be abiotic or biotic. In the case of the latter, it is intricately tied to the soul, both giving it sustenance and an outlet for supernatural manifestation. Thanks to Mana, Ascenders are capable of using Skills and Techniques. But it also plays a more subtle role in our existence. If placed in an area devoid of Mana, everything in existence would slowly atrophy and decay to nothingness. It is akin to a fish requiring water to breathe: nothing van exist without Mana.]

[Mana is the general name given to this energy, but there are multiple differently named sub-types, as Mana is very pliable and changes under set conditions. Some of these forms compliment each other, while some directly neutralise the others. All types can be traced back to a singular source of Mana, and some scholars dedicate their entire lives in trying to trace back and tap into this "source" for their own uses. Despite overall failure in this regard, some progress has been made, such as drawing in ambient Mana to power various amenities like Mana Lamps, Teleportation Stations and Airships.]

[Mana is used by Ascenders to increase their Rank and strengthen their Cores. As previously mentioned, Mana is closely tied to the soul and Ranking also has an effect on it. Every time one increases their Rank, they improve the soul's ability to draw in and manipulate Mana. Some scholars have stated that Ranking increases the width of one's soul, allowing a greater quantity of Mana to preside within it. On the other hand, Levelling 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 the soul, increasing its quality instead. Both are of equal importance for any Ascender, though Ranking is favoured more due to requiring less effort. To Rank up, you simply have to cultivate and keep drawing in Mana, while Levelling requires you to hunt and kill others for EXP.]

[Chapter 2: Mana Types]

[Mana is divided into six main categories, though some scholars claim the six can be further broken down. These categories are: Elemental, Prana, Divinity, Ether, Nether and Aether.]

[Elemental: Elemental Mana is Mana that takes the form of any tangible Element, or "pure" Elements. Examples include Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, Air, Lightning, Light and Darkness. Elemental Mana is the most common in Orvonia, due to the these Elements being present in basically the entire planet. Elemental Mana is the most basic of foundations for an Ascender, though that does not make it weak. Simplicity can be superior if handled correctly, and mastering usage of an Element is considered an incredibly praiseworthy achievement. Each Element is focused on certain usage types, such as Earth being slow but steady, Air being fast but but fickle, Darkness being geared towards stealth and Light mainly being suitable for healing and buffing.]

[Prana: Prana is a relatively new classification of Mana (designated during the late 3rd Era) that was once part of the Elemental subgroup. Prana is any intangible or "impure" Element, such as Time, Space, Metal, Nature, Life, Death, Ice and Shadows. Prana is just as present as Elemental Mana in Orvonia, though the amount of Ascenders capable of using it are less than half the amount of Elemental Ascenders. Most Prana types are derived from two or more Elemental types, excluding Space and Time. Prana Ascenders are usually trickier to deal with than Elemental Ascenders, as their mixed Elements allow for greater versatility. Some Prana types are counted as being comprised of multiple Elemental types, but certain parts are unable to be singled out and identified. Prana types are (note, there are more Prana types than Elemental types):

» Fire

» Water

» Earth

» Air

» Lightning

» Ice 

» Gravity

» Time

» Space

» Soul

» Wood

» Nature = Wood + Earth + Water

» Metal = Fire + Earth 

» Storm = Wind + Lightning

» Shadow = Darkness + Light

» Poison = Darkness + Death

» Temperature = Fire + Ice

» Sky = Air + Gravity + Lightning + Water

» Blood = Water + Life

» Life

» Death

» Cosmic = Space + Time+ Gravity

[Divinity: Divinity is any type of Mana that has been drawn into the Core of a God and then ejected. This Mana has been tainted by the God and "Their" Authorities, transforming it into "Their" Mana alignment. A Fire God naturally excludes Fire Divinity, while a Metal God does the same for Metal. Fire Divinity is stronger than the regular Fire Element and passively transforms it into the God's Divinity. A God only needs to release a small piece of Divinity and after a certain period of time, all the similarly based Mana in the surrounding area will be converted automatically. Divinity is also resistant to the aggressive properties of Ether and Nether, but not entirely immune.]

[Ether: Mana used by Angels, created in a similar fashion to Divinity. An Angel draws in Mana and converts it, releasing it as Ether. It is incredible aggressive when interacting with other Mana types, converting them into Ether. It has the ability to interfere with and destroy spells by targeting their matrixes. Ether can be based on any element, whether it be Prana or Elemental. That means an Angel can use Ether with Darkness or Death as its base with no problems or interference. It is the antithesis of Nether and a collision between the two will always cancel both out. Once this happens, Mana of the elemental base with be released back into the atmosphere.]

[Nether: Mana used by Devils, created in a similar fashion to Divinity. A Devil draws in Mana and converts it, releasing it as Nether. It is incredible aggressive when interacting with other Mana types, converting them into Nether. It has the ability to interfere with and destroy spells by targeting their matrixes. Nether can be based on any element, whether it be Prana or Elemental. That means a Devil can use Nether with Light or Life as its base with no problems or interference. It is the antithesis of Ether and a collision between the two will always cancel both out. Once this happens, Mana of the elemental base with be released back into the atmosphere. Vampires and Demons can also use Nether, unlike Ether which is limited solely to Angels.]

[Aether: Mana in its purest form, directly produced from the source an yet to be affiliated by any subtype. Aether is superior in quality that any other Mana type, with a single unit of Aether being worth ten of all others. Due to its pure state, Aether is easily "corruptible" and influenced by other subtypes, making it an extremely rare commodity in Orvonia. If an Ascender uses Aether in Ranking and they are below A Rank, it is estimated they will jump an entire Rank in own sitting, if not more For A Rank and above, Aether still provides a large boost, easily worth multiple months of progress all at once. Gods can use Aether to permanently increase the purity and strength of "Their" Divinity, making it desirable even for such great beings. Dragons are the only known creatures in Orvonia capable of creating Aether, even if in tiny amounts, though rumours point out that Giants may have been able to do the same, hence the rivalry between the two Races.]

[Chapter 3: The Source]

[The Source is the term given to the origin of Mana in Orvonia. The Source is the tap that all Mana comes from, and it has been continuously pumping Mana into our world since the its creation. Throughout history, countless scholars and many Gods have attempted to trace Mana back tot he Source, but all have been met with failure. The Churches claim the Source is the beating heart of the Original Creator, and is where Allmer, Abaddon and the Almighty crawled out from in the 1st and 2nd Era. Legends claim that whoever finds the Source and manages to tap into it will become the strongest God in history, superior even to the three great Gods in the early Era's.]

[The Mana originally pumped out by the Source is believed to be Aether, before it interacts with the various Laws and inhabitants of Orvonia and changes. This is backed up by the first-hand reports from various Ascender powerhouses throughout history each above the Sovereign Tier, who have reported seeing ethereal and elusive "currents" of rainbow light that seem to be woven in the fabric of reality itself. All attempts to follow these "currents" back failed, as the Ascenders claim they loop back and into each other countless times over. Some scholars claim the Source is a sntient being that operates on unknown principles, but this theory is widely debated and often seen as false by the Scholar Association.]

[End of Book]