The Unique Properties of Dark Magic

by Shadestyle

(Noir Report) A Reimagining of Existing Spellwork [Mistril]

Entry #21, Day 382

Based on reports from the Arcana Liber, it seems that the current students of the Grimoire Noir respond better to less formal writing. If that must be so, then I will accommodate.

I believe I'll start with a metal that has been my bane since it's invention. Mistril, a metal made when a mist of tears are used to quench steel. It all started once I had been made aware of another spell similar to Fire Breath. A spell so mundane it fell between the cracks of awareness. I've decided to call this spell Waterworks, due to it being a spell which normally manifests by creating impossible amounts of illusory saltwater, typically from the user's eyes, in response to sadness.

Thankfully, Sadness is indeed a dark emotion, and such, Waterworks can be created at-will, so long as the user is mindful that making themselves sad all the time is no better than making themselves hateful all the time. Like all other dark spells, Waterworks are not to be trifled with. It can become all too easy for someone to become accustomed to immediately unleashing a torrent of tears whenever the slightest misfortune occurs. Note, however, that sadness without context can cover a wide variety of situations.

Some people experience the Waterworks spell in situations where sadness seemingly isn't a factor, such as at weddings or petting zoos, as we all know, however, crying is only acceptable at funerals, and the Grand Canyon. Those inhabiting the Shadow Realm, however, have already been ceded crying licenses, which give them the full legal right to ignore this rule, provided their throughput of tears does not exceed two gallons per second in high-traffic areas.

So, magical tears at the ready, I decided to take a few hours to stress test this spell, for both it's highest and lowest levels of power. It should be noted that during the course of experimentation that some may have inadvertently witnessed my tests. These were strictly tests of the Waterworks spell, and had nothing to do with my transcribing certain parts of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Any insinuations to the contrary are slander.

That said, magical geysers of tears are shockingly intense, and with a shockingly low cost. I believe this may have something to do with how the tears cease to exist shortly after creation, the magic generating them fading over time. The temporary nature of this fluid raises interesting questions about the nature of magically manifested matter, and how this might be applicable to other spellwork.

I've always been aware of the way that ambient magic can be concentrated into physical objects, clouds, stones and plants alike, slowly picking up the feelings that feel right, so to speak. So then, if water vapor and steam absorb a small amount of magic passively from the air, what happens when that water ceases to be? Normally, such a question is moot. How can water cease to exist, after all? Well, now we can have an answer to this minute-old question, using a method I call Seafoam Cultivation.

By pouring Waterworks tears onto a ripping hot surface, such as magma or super-heated steel, it can be turned into steam, and in turn, water vapor, all while absorbing energy in the process. This vapor can then be used in the period between it's creation and its inevitable decay back into oblivion. I can only assume the magic being absorbed is Pegasus Magic, for several reasons. I won't take that assumption beyond it's usefulness, but it serves as a foundation for some of the more basic experiments.

Normally, this so-called "Pegasus Magic" isn't absorbed by water, and indeed, once water goes from droplets to bodies, it begins losing it's ability to absorb magic. Extremely still bodies of water can hold magic, but moving ones outright begin to emit the magic trapped in them. I believe this may be a consequence of surface tension. Something about the delineating line of stable surface tension in a fluid prevents magic from passing into or out of it, so as steam turns into clouds and cools into larger droplets of water, it traps magic inside of it of varying types.

Curiously, only Pegasus-Magic-filled water vapor forms into natural cloud formations, and even then, they are extremely loose, and hazy. The remainder of water vapor seems to trap some variant of unicorn magic, which I have yet to find a way to tap into.

It was in studying the curious methods by which magic passes into and out of water that inspiration struck, and I added a variation to my processing facilities, namely, the addition of soap to the vats. By simply churning tears and steam into a frothy mass of soap, the need for surface tension is removed as pegasus magic is trapped in the soapy bubbles, who have far superior surface tension holding them together.

I've only had a few hours to play with this newfound Pegasus Seafoam, but the results were phenomenal.

Using incredibly durable tanks, molten iron can be sprayed into a mass of Pegasus Seafoam, and, once the pressure dies down, and the temperature reduces sufficiently, the new soapy impure iron can be refined into Mistril, a metal containing a small amount of magic. While it is no orichalcum, the magic in this metal makes it incredibly lightweight, and seemingly defies aerodynamics itself, naturally enhancing structures made of it such that they are more able to cut through wind and air, albeit only by a very slight amount.

Before I go any further, I would like to say in no uncertain terms that swallowing this stuff will not give you the powers of a pegasus. Stop trying to drink Pegasus Seafoam or swallow Mistril Pellets. You will become ill.

I've already taken the opportunity to retrofit countless Shadow Realm vessels with this metal, after putting it into mass production, including my own personal Arwing unit in spite of Mistril's low durability, compared to Crystal Adamantium and the hellish alloys that have slowly been appearing among the Shadow Realm's hobby metallurgists. I believe a thin layer of the material should improve efficiency across the board, and it shouldn't cause that much of a decrease in durability, due to the thin layer used.

Even so, I cannot help but feel like Mistril is just the beginning of my studies into Pegasus Seafoam, and the properties of the Waterworks Spell in general. If I am to test Waterworks more thoroughly, however, I will need to construct a new type of containment cell. A cell capable of isolating valued experimenters from their coworkers hilarious jokes when they're just trying to study magic, and people keep handing him tissues and patting him on the back.

Comments

[The Faceless Maker]

this shit is why people should stop underestimating tinker mages. just because you don't have a lot of power at your disposal, doesn't mean you can't use it with crushing effectiveness. you just need to be clever about it

[RP422]

It is now legit possible for a longma to say that they have a license to cry. It says a lot about the story that this is one of the most tame things to happen so far.

[nighters]

I hope Weiss has poached some talents to live in the shadow realm from Equestria like a few pegasuses I bet weather making in the shadow realm is different all together beast compared to ever free and Equestria I bet it would give rise to a new race of longma probably something scaled on top of there wing but soft feather under

[112mag211]

9776630
I love the fact that you are absolutely correct with that statement.

[Fireeaters]

I instantly think of those water jet cutting machines

[Storm Shine]

9777710
Fair enough. I'll cite it as ignorance on Sunsets part. A lot of people tend to think of one of those when they initially think of anime too, if I'm being fair about it.

[Kek lel]

9777937
There was a reference to the game portal. The part where he jokes about increasing the maximum weight immitates portal.

[FoodFrogs]

So, magical tears at the ready, I decided to take a few hours to stress test this spell, for both it's highest and lowest levels of power. It should be noted that during the course of experimentation that some may have inadvertently witnessed my tests. These were strictly tests of the Waterworks spell, and had nothing to do with my transcribing certain parts of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Any insinuations to the contrary are slander.

Warning: JJBA Part 2 spoiler ahead!

Relevant:

[FoodFrogs]

9778043
Ah, right. Thinking back, I now vaguely remember GLaDOS calling me fat.

[SPanDXltd]

9778385
It could also be the part were Iggy dies, or after Kakyoin was donutted.

[FoodFrogs]

9779438
Nothing will ever top that moment.

"Eclipse! The last of my Pegasus Seafoam! Take it from me!"

[SPanDXltd]

9780160
Yes, you're correct.