Intel Database: Mana - The Wellspring of Magic by RaishaGS on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

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Intel Database: Mana - The Wellspring of Magic

Written by Noelle Gunstone,

UNTD Lab 2 Chief Researcher

Magic is a rather interesting science. Yes, you heard that right, magic is real. Not in the hokey, saw-a-man-in-half kind of bullshit, but rather as a tangible biology of mankind.

I bring this up because in recent years we have seen a surge in EX-A activity no thanks to the advancements in sensor array technology. Beings we once thought to be works of fiction and with powers far beyond our comprehension have started appearing on our radar. These Extradimensional Anomalies (EXA for short) sparked the interest of UNITE high command. With conventional weapons proving ineffective against the Shadow Beast menace, it became clear that we had to tap into this otherworldly power in order to come out of this war victorious.

Helmed by yours truly, UNTD Lab 2 was formed for the sole purpose of studying mana, and weaponizing its properties. One of the earliest breakthroughs of this research was the NG-2 Quantum, a device which allows ordinary 'normie' humans to wield the power of the elements. Just like with laser weaponry, Shadow Beasts are shown to react adversely to fire, ice, and electricity. The Quantum is a godsend for our Enforcers in the field as they now have an alternate means of dealing with this dangerous adversary.

I could go on forever about the marvels of my magnum opus, but that's not what you're here for. What we are here to discuss today is about the wellspring of magic itself: mana.

The first discovery of mana, and its subsequent extraction, was by the late Professor ██████ ████████, a scientist who worked with the International Security and Intelligence Agency for █ years before a tragic accident claimed his life. After his passing, the Professor's research was passed on to me, however it would not be until the second year of the Shadow Beast war that UNITE would officially garner interest in the project and resume funding for it.

In its purest state, mana exists as a luminescent, light purple vapor. This ethereal state is has rarely been seen, but under certain conditions it can form as similarly colored crystals in nature. However for military applications, it is often extracted and refined into a liquid state. What is intriguing is that if you were to take apart any human being, and you will not find any trace of it. Almost as if this substance exists in a realm beyond our own. However thanks to the Professor's research, we have proof of its existence and that every human being contains small amounts of mana.

The process of extracting mana from an entity unfortunately is highly classified information by Lab 3. However I can assure you it is not therapeutic as prolonged exposure to this process is fatal. Why this occurs is unknown, but since mana exists in a realm beyond our own, it is possible that a person's mana is akin to the concept of the 'soul', and that extracting it would be the equivalent of ripping it out from the body (make of that what you will).

But soul-sucking business aside, the reality is that every human is technically capable of magic. In fact all of us have some form of power or ability pre-programmed into our body. The main issue is that most humans don't have a high enough mana capacity to activate any of these powers.

Let me put it this way; imagine a typical video game which involves spells for combat. Every character in that game, no matter the class, has a set amount of energy points from which to cast spells from. Take for example, a magician who has a hundred energy points. When he casts, say, a fireball, that spell consumes some energy points from his character's overall capacity. Let's take it that a fireball spell drains five energy points to cast. This means he can lob fireballs another twenty more times until he runs out of energy points. What happens then? Well the poor guy will just have to wait until those energy points restores naturally, or consumes a potion to restore said energy.

An EXA works on the same principle. When EXA such as Magilily Neu cast a portal spell, they drain a set amount of mana from an existing pool and can continue to do so as long as they have sufficient mana. Once that mana runs out, she won't be able to create a portal until her body sufficiently restores that mana to the minimum amount required to cast it. It is during this state of low mana where an EXA is at their most vulnerable, though this can easily be remedied by acquiring certain mana-restoring artifacts (this will be the subject of another report).

In the case of a normal human being however, the story is much different. By default, humans have a very low/almost non-existent mana pool. Going back to the video game analogy, it would be the equivalent of a Magician character with a five energy point spell, but only having one point of energy in their maximum capacity. This means that whatever latent powers or abilities that a human has, can't be activated by default. Items which restore mana can temporarily allow the individual to use their powers, however without the necessary capacity to hold said mana, it will eventually drain away from a person until it has reset back to their default level.

However on some rare occasions, a person may be born with a slightly higher mana capacity than a normal human. Over the course of history we have heard stories of individuals with such fantastical abilities. Even today there are people who have the power to see into the future, conduct magnetism, and even levitate. Of course most of these self-proclaimed super humans are nothing more than a bunch of hacks. But that's not to say that there are those with access to these powers thanks to this capacity advantage. Many of them exist in society, hiding in plain sight. They could be your neighbor, your office colleague, or even your best friend.

These EXA are referred to as Alphahumans by UNITE, and hold the secret to magic in their genes. Ancient texts translated from █████ ruins on ██████ describe a race of humans which lived eons ago which were capable of utilizing magic like it was second nature. These Alphahumans of old were believed to be the ancestors of modern man and were the dominant sapient species on earth. But if that were the case, why is it that humans today cannot utilize this magic as they once did?

At this stage there is no conclusive evidence to support the evolutionary theory. But my hypothesis is that like most organic beings, there were mutations in their species. And one particular mutation caused the Alphahuman's offspring to lack the mana creating genome. These mutants were probably the minority, and like with any cultural society of old, were seen as outcasts and isolated from the rest of them. But somewhere down the line, an extinction level event occurred which left the mutants as the sole survivors of their race. With the balance of power changed, they were left to repopulate the earth and pave the way for a race of modern humans almost completely sterile of mana.

That's not to say that mankind is devoid of magical talent. Occasionally the mana genome resurfaces in some offspring resulting in talented individuals as previously mentioned. Depending on the capacity they may either only be able to activate smaller, less prominent powers, or in rare instances, be full blown Alphahumans. It is the study of these powerful individuals that UNITE is interested in.

Aside from humans, mana can exist in other surprising forms. Certain EXA creatures and plants are shown to possess significant levels of mana. In the case of plants, their fruits are capable of restoring spent mana when consumed and can even be processed. But I digress; the topic of mana-based items is just complex a subject, and will be its own report.

In conclusion, mana is an intriguing substance which we have only just begun to scratch the surface of. But there is no question that if we are to win this war, we will need to unlock its secrets. For all we know, the key to our evolution as a species might very well lie within it.

- End of Report -

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We're back in action lads. As mentioned in my journal entry, we will be focusing our attention back towards The Neu House AU! BRSstarJV is currently on hiatus due to IRL matters, so I'll be filling her shoes in the meantime with lore-based artwork such as this! Rest assured there will be more to come, so stay tuned.

[EDIT] Oh yes, credit for the Alphahuman terminology goes to Ironshadows!

Magilily Neu, In the Neu House (c) BRSstarJV