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Spoiler Alert: This article/section contains details about future plotlines of LOTM: Sword of Kings described. Do not proceed unless you want to be spoiled. |
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Spoiler Alert: This article/section contains details about future plotlines of LOTM: Witnesses of Sleepy Hollow described. Do not proceed unless you want to be spoiled. |
"I believe we should spread the ways of the Dark Magicians throughout the Mana World and Paradise entirely. Plant terror and hatred in every heart. I believe in the democratization of fear. And even Gods can fall for it." |
A demon being summoned through a parchment
Dark Magic is one of the 5 types of Magic, along with Light Magic, White/Divine Arts, Black Arts and Curses, in the CIS Productions universe. It's one of the most predominant type of magic used by all villains from LOTM: Sword of Kings Magic Side and nearly all villains from LOTM: Witnesses of Sleepy Hollow.
Powerful yet dangerous, it is one of the dangerous classes of magic in the universe, only behind Curses. It can be seen as the mortal-magical equivalent to the Black Arts which Hellish magic made by Pure-Blooded Devils and used only by demons. The people who utilize the Black Magic are called as Dark Magicians, Dark Mages and/or Black Wizards, the most prominent and powerful of whom was Kaitlyn Powell, who perfected Black Magic to the point becoming a Demi-Goddess of darkness. Her followers, also practised the Dark Magic. The Black Magic is a form of magic typically used for selfish, self-serving and/or nefarious purposes. Though it is not necessarily "evil" magic, dark magic tend to focus toward destruction, harming, cursing and otherwise complicating the lives of other people while advancing the magician's own state. Users often reject social convention and the status quo, which some suggest is in a search for spiritual freedom. As a part of this, they embrace magical techniques and practices that would traditionally be viewed as taboo and are generally willing to go farther than most would even consider if it serves their ends.
The Dark Magic encompass many spells and actions ranging from the powerful Overlady's Curses to brewing harmful or poisonous potions and breeding Dark creatures, all of which are often illegal or at least discouraged.
Nature of Black Magic[]
Dark Magicians summoning a demon from Qliphoth
Dark Magic is sometimes referred to as "elder magic". These practitioners prefer to call it '"elder magic", because they believe the word "dark" suggests that it is evil. Only a few dark magicians who saw themselves as malevolents called it as "dark magic" or "black magic". These users like to remind the world that it is the wielder, not the magic itself, that is typically the source of evil. In fact, Wáng points out that dark magic's power comes from knowledge, not the desire to harm others. On the other hand, Celica Arfonia states Dark Magic comes from darkness and that one must invite the darkness into oneself to use it; she also states that one must not allow the darkness full control.
The Dark Magic are generally regarded as corrupting to those who use them (which is part of the reason they are considered "dark"). After engaging in them extensively for many years their appearance changes drastically, showing their corruption. Katya, in particular, suggested that engaging in any of the Dark Black that involve murder was damaging to the soul; for instance, she told Gaius Phoenix that Yuri's soul was "not yet so damaged" that he is probably capable of murder of another human, but that if he did go through with murder, his soul would be "ripped apart" due to Heles Hermes' dark magic spells written in his book. This suggests that using very dark magic, such as the Killing Magic, damages an individual's soul. The dark art of creating a Relic involves literally splitting the soul for the unnatural purpose of achieving immortality. Other people like Symmone was interested in dark magics, initially by a theoretical view to gain recognition, but her curiosity turned to avarice, and eventually she was completely drawn in and corrupted. The Dark Magic is pragmatic in nature, where every time a branch is defeated, it only comes back "fiercer and cleverer" than before. It is therefore imperative that one's defences must be as versatile as these foul arts themselves.
Human members of Black Cult, the most common Dark Magician of Prime Earth during WWIII
Powerful dark spells also require malicious intent in order to be successful. To cast the torture spells, for instance, one must truly desire to cause pain in and of itself. The Black Magic can also be difficult to control and might get both user and victims killed. Injuries caused by dark magic sometimes never fully heal as it's cursed and the victim will suffer from a permanent effect of the magic for the rest of their lives. Some curses can remain in one's genes, being passed down through generations as recessive, or can reemerge in a descendant that could lead to frail health.
Dark creatures can also have lasting impacts that are deadly or incredibly harmful to those who come into contact with them. Werewolves have the ability to petrify people who see them indirectly or kill them with their gaze, or from the venom in their fangs. While petrification can be cured by mandrake root, and wounds from werewolves' fangs cured by divine magic, these treatments are difficult to prepare or obtain by the mortals. Some dark magicians have the ability to suck out people's soul with their breath. There is no cure for someone who has had their soul removed as they spend the rest of their lives in a vegetative state.
Ethical view[]
The result of a person cursed with dark magic but unable to control it
While the Dark Magic have a bad reputation, overall, dark magic is not, by definition, "evil" magic. Indeed, dark magic can be used for good as well as evil. Even the Killing Spells can be used for good, as Kaitlyn said that it would not harm the magician's soul to kill a person who is already going to die anyway. In a sense, it could be said it's a faster way to end a person's suffering.
Using the Dark Magic in an act of true mercy in and of itself contradicts the very stark moral view that many espoused regarding them. At the same time, dark magic is not the only type of magic that can be used with the intent to kill. Even White and Light Magic can be used to kill if it's name of justice and for what is right.
The only exception to this rule is the spell which creates a Relic; this is an entirely selfish act — taking a life in order to prolong one's own. This act is so reprehensible that the caster's soul becomes fragmented, allowing the creation of a Relic. The soul can only be restored by complete remorse for the murder, or repentance, which is actually painful enough to cause death.
Mana World's laws[]
The ministers of magic from Mana World
Although many members of the magician world appear to frown upon the Dark Magic, they are not prohibited (with the exception of the Overlady's Curses) and may even — under certain conditions — be encouraged. Moreover, some shops Mana World's Gates openly trade in Dark artefacts, and are patronised by "hundreds of people", which suggests that at least some aspects of the Dark Magic are somewhat socially acceptable or at the very least legal among parts of the magician population.
Also, in times of war, the Gods of Magic has been known to permit Inquisitors, Slayer Mages, Adeptus and Master Mages to use strong Dark magic against its enemies. In addition, there is a matter of degree. The three Overlady's Curses are punishable by an automatic life sentence in Astral Prison when used on humans, except when permitted in wartime, whereas some types of magic can have more benign uses as well as Dark uses and, thus, are presumably not always illegal.
Trivia[]
- Some spells may not be considered Dark magic in and of themselves, but may be used for Dark purposes. For example, the Taboo curse used by Yuri to find Black Cultists from Leohart's Cult allows the caster to track anyone who says a certain word or name. This gives the caster a great deal of power over people's speech, and spreads fear. It may thus be considered to have Dark applications, such as when it was used by Eclipse of Hermes to track their enemies during the First Magician War.
- The Black Magic are similar to magic known as maleficium, which is used in a similar manner.