Magic

Introduction
Magic is the primary form of power in the universe of A Sacrifice for Salem. It is used by Witches for both practical and combative use.

History
Witches themselves first appeared in 950 BC, but it is unknown whether or not this is when magic itself first originated, or if it has been around since before then. Use of magic at this time was limited and largely reduced to spells. Not much is known about the use of magic from then until the 1100s when Merlin created The Nine Wands of The Earth, concentrating the element of the world into wands using his powerful grasp of magic.

At some point in history, Witches gained more strength in their use of magic, eventually gaining the ability to (at least partially) control a certain element. Dark magic also came into existence at some time, but this was outlawed by King Merliniad I. Though not much is known about dark magic right now, it has been noted that there are still groups of Witches that use it, though they are understandably cut off from the modern magical society.

Now, magic is used by Witches in everyday life in their capital city of Atlantis. In the human world, however, its use is kept secret, out of fear of exposure.

Spells
Spells were the first method of harnessing magic for hundreds of years before the formation of mages. Spells usually require some sort of sacrifice of life, though not much is known about them at this time. They can, however, be extremely powerful and, depending on their use and the ingredients needed to pull them off, dangerous.

Mages
Eventually, the use of spells gave way to the formation of mages, Witches with the ability to control certain elements like fire, water, air, and many others. There can be a potentially limitless number of mages that can exist, some with great strength, some with only trivial uses. It should also be noted that two Witches of the same magic type cannot harm one another, at least with magic.

There do seem to be a few outlying types of magic users that do not fit into the 'mage' stereotype. One of these being the momentum, a Witch with the ability to run at speeds so high that they are imperceivable to the naked eye.

Strength
It is not known just what causes one to be able to use magic, though there does seem to be a genetic aspect involved. Human-born Witches who have next to no magical blood seem to have mutated to have become able to use magic, while 'magic-born' individuals had their genes passed on from their parents.

This does not, however, seem to have an effect on the strength of the Witch. A human-born such as Ashton Moore can be just as, if not more, powerful as a magic-born witch such as Kaye Marsh.

Physical Detriments
The use of magic, like the use of all things in the body, requires energy. Should a Witch use their powers too much, they can potentially wear themselves out. It has also been stated that it is possible for one to faint from too much magic use in a manner akin to blood loss. It can also be assumed that this is potentially fatal.

However, much like a muscle, the use of one's magic can be trained and built up. With enough time, one's strength in their magic can be made much more powerful.

Non-Combative Uses
Magic is used throughout A Sacrifice for Salem with more practical than combative uses. These mainly include the magic used at Hamilton's Academy for Witches and Wizards, which has been known to include a barrier around in order to prevent the escape of any of its students. The buildings in the Academy are also made much larger on the inside in order to accommodate for space and to allow for a much larger amount of students.

Furthermore, there are a number of magical improvements made to the sunken city of Atlantis to allow it to be survivable underwater, though these have yet to be shown.

Known Magic Types

 * Fire
 * Water
 * Air
 * Earth
 * Time
 * Health
 * Electricity
 * Teleportation
 * Momentum

Trivia

 * The origins/biological origin of magic use will be explored in the future.
 * Despite the description of the use of magic as "like a muscle", in that it can be built up over time, it is not explained how Mary Cassel was able to use magic as easily as she did.
 * This will be explained in the future.