Entry #5, Day 35
My latest discovery in the arts of dark magic is a frustrating one. By this, I do not mean that it is difficult, or vexing, but that it is quite literally a spell that by nature requires frustration, and induces it. My independent research also leads me to believe that, sadly, this spell may not be possible for some, who lack an emotion which is evoked by the awareness of change. By combining this "Arcane" emotion with frustration, a spell can be cast which unleashes a sharp burst of force, one able to perform a variety of simple tasks.
It would not be unfair to call it the dark cousin of unicorn levitation. Where levitation is smooth and can be performed with grace, this spell makes itself known in only sharp jerks and even bursts of mundane flame as force becomes friction. The simplistic nature of this spell makes it useful for a variety of mundane tasks. To that end, I have decided to name this spell Prestidigitonium, after the delightful tales of famed magicians from my homeland.
Having learned it during a frustrating instance of practicing my levitation which I have always had, my first thoughts were those of how well it could compare with it's cousin, and I attempted to lift and float various objects using it. These tests failed on most levels, as sustaining this spell is almost impossible, and even if it could be sustained for more than a sharp burst, it's violent wrenching of objects at high speed makes it unsuitable for extended use, unless you enjoy objects being flung at unreasonable speeds.
It is extremely useful to those with quick reflexes, however, as by using flashes of it, one can toss objects about and to where they desire them to be. It takes practice, however, or you'll simply be throwing things at high speed to places you don't want them to be. My bruised face attests to the fate of those who lack an understanding of momentum, the function of mass and velocity, and how it can be preserved between prestidigitations.
One thing to keep in mind however, is that apparently, the recoil from the prestidigitonium spell is applied to the user, and while it can be divided up and placed on any part of the user's body, it's still a concern worth mentioning, as the sudden application of recoil to the body when casting this spell on larger objects can induce injury. Managing the distribution and location of where the stress forces of moving an object are applied is an important component to mastering this spell.
As I'm sure my readers are considering even now, I feel the need to dash their hopes before they decide to experiment. This spell, as far as I understand it, cannot grant a pony the ability to fly. Even with careful management of recoil applied to the hooves, it would take more than four hooves to keep stable and safely manage the repeated heavy impacts. Even if they could, they would need impressive footwork just to sustain the flight, as they would need to kick in tandem with the spellcasting to gain height, and have the stamina to continue doing so for long periods.
Next is it's ability to create fire, as mentioned before. With only a minor alteration to the user's intentions, this spell can crudely influence the temperature of an object, heating or even igniting it, though employing too much power in the spell will simply cause the object to explode instead. This, while desirable in some circumstances, is not an intended part of igniting an object via prestidigitation.
Being a spell whose primary function is to emit various types of force, prestidigitonium is also capable of, with greater focus and power, tempering those bursts of force into the more familiar forms of physical impact, such as cutting an object, piercing it, or even spinning it. Though even my own record for achieving these effects consistently is spotty. I recommend to anyone who attempts it to first learn to prestidigitate an object with force from multiple angles, such as throwing an object with a spin, or crushing an object by applying two halves of force from two angles. By mastering this first, the caster will have less trouble with the precision needed to use prestidigitation to damage objects, without also flinging them about.
In theory, a true master of this spell could instantly perform tasks of phenomenally impressive transformation, as it's only limits are the power and skill of their user. Thoughts that I have had while testing it in various ways include the potential for carving objects, heating metal, changing the color of certain substances, creating puffs of wind or showers of sparks, or lighting and snuffing a room of candles at once.
The spell's flaws are many, from it's invocation of frustration, a thoroughly unenjoyable emotion, to it's requirement that the user know all that they wish done at once, as the spell functions so rapidly. But I assure you, it's potential uses are well worth the risk. Indeed, I hesitate to classify this as dark magic in more than the most academic sense, as the emotion it evokes is one that we all experience often, and one which rarely invokes foul deeds or thoughts in those who are mature and have dealt with frustration often enough. Furthermore, the spell only evokes frustration if your own natural frustration is not up to the task, as all the other spells I have discovered do. Ergo, one who is already frustrated with a task could then use prestidigitonium to aid them in that task, with no negative effects which I can discern.
Perhaps it would be reasonable to name a transmutation spell "Bibbity Bobbity Boo" to complete the set, should I discover one. Then again, that is a bit of a long name, so perhaps not.
I am certain that I'll come up with something suitable, if should I discover such a spell in the future.