Temporal magic is a rare school of magic that manipulates time through essence. Its blue spells can slow movement, protect people and objects, and move a mage from one place to another by blinking. It also supports unusually precise memory and a branch of illusion magic.
Practice
Temporal magic is taught in magic schools and through individual instruction. Kaelion developed his temporal foundation at the Zeydrith magic school and learned from his mother, Isrynn. Finding an illusion teacher was harder, so he also studied the school’s library.
Blinking requires precise placement and considerable essence. Pushing a displacement too far can tear apart the mage or damage the surrounding world.
Blinking and shields
Blinking moves a mage from one place to another in a brief displacement. Air collapses into the abandoned space and can release a concussive shockwave. A mage can also blink a projectile into a new position, as Deylin does with fireballs. Rapid repeated blinks draw heavily on a mage’s essence.
Deylin escaped a collapsing Xalmyrran cycle by holding a blink under an old mage’s guidance. He passed through the void and emerged as a younger man. This crossing demanded more than his ordinary movements between nearby places.
Temporal shields bend time around the protected person or area. Deylin extended a barrier over hundreds of people during the destruction of Irrathis. Such protection can break under an overwhelming impact. Temporal spells can also slow movement, delaying an opponent’s attacks.
Recall and illusions
Temporal magic sharpens memory. Deylin retained precise recollections of a life he had already lived, allowing him to follow its events again through another Xalmyrran cycle.
Illusions alter sight and perception. They can hide people by making their surroundings appear empty, or create false copies to misdirect an opponent. Kaelion studied this rarely practiced branch while attending the Zeydrith magic school. Maintaining a concealment requires an ongoing supply of essence, and some darkness beings cannot be deceived by it.
Temporal magic is a rare school of magic that manipulates time through essence. Its blue spells can slow movement, protect people and objects, and move a mage from one place to another by blinking. It also supports unusually precise memory and a branch of illusion magic.
Practice
Temporal practice develops timing and control while the mage is moving and under attack. In Chronasis, Thalena trained Kaelion through full strength arena duels, hurling him into the colosseum walls and then correcting the weaknesses in his temporal casting. Repeated sparring taught him to blink faster and react while an opponent was already striking.
Extreme heat and cold can disrupt fine temporal casting, making it harder to form or maintain spells.
Blinking
Blinking moves a mage from one place to another in a brief displacement. Air collapses into the abandoned space and can release a concussive shockwave. A mage can also blink a projectile into a new position, as Deylin does with fireballs. Each movement draws on essence, and rapid repeated blinks can exhaust a mage’s reserves.
A fast opponent can anticipate where the mage will reappear. Deylin’s rapid blinks did not prevent Jareth from intercepting him with air and ice attacks.
Deylin escaped a collapsing cycle under an old mage’s guidance and emerged as a younger man. The crossing demanded a longer passage through the void than his ordinary movements.
Shields and time bubbles
Temporal shields bend time around the protected person or area. A barrier can protect a crowd, as Deylin’s shield did for hundreds of people during the destruction of Irrathis. An overwhelming impact can break the barrier.
A time bubble slows or arrests movement within a chosen area. Slowing an opponent gives the caster time to act, but does not necessarily prevent the opponent from casting or defending themselves. Temporal magic can also accelerate bodily processes; Thalassai mages use it to shorten childbirth.
Preservation
Temporal magic can keep a body young through a spell maintained over time.
Stopping time around an injured person can preserve their life until a healer reaches them. Thalena held the mortally wounded Cassian motionless during his flight to Arinella, sustaining the spell throughout the journey. The temporal spell kept him alive; divine healing repaired his wounds.
Recall and illusions
Temporal magic sharpens memory. Deylin retained precise recollections of a life he had already lived, allowing him to follow its events again through another Xalmyrran cycle.
Illusions alter sight and perception. They can hide people by making their surroundings appear empty, or create false copies to misdirect an opponent. Kaelion studied this rarely practiced branch while attending the Zeydrith magic school. Maintaining a concealment requires an ongoing supply of essence, and some darkness beings cannot be deceived by it.
Temporal magic is a rare school of magic that manipulates time through essence. Its blue spells can slow movement, protect people and objects, and move a mage from one place to another by blinking. It also supports unusually precise memory and a branch of illusion magic.
Practice
Temporal spells demand precise essence manipulation. Strength alone does not replace accurate timing, placement and control under attack. In Chronasis, Thalena trained Kaelion through full strength arena duels, hurling him into the colosseum walls and then correcting the weaknesses in his temporal casting. Repeated sparring taught him to blink faster and react while an opponent was already striking.
Extreme heat and cold can disrupt fine temporal casting, making it harder to form or maintain spells.
Blinking and time displacement
Blinking moves a mage from one place to another in a brief displacement. Air collapses into the abandoned space and can release a concussive shockwave. A mage can also blink a projectile into a new position, as Deylin does with fireballs. Each movement draws on essence, and rapid repeated blinks can exhaust a mage’s reserves.
Prolonged blinks have carried mages across Xalmyrra’s cycles. Deylin escaped a collapsing cycle under an old mage’s guidance and emerged as a younger man. Within Xalmyrra, the body realigns according to the rules imposed by its shards; Thalena’s longer crossing reduced her to childhood. These crossings differ from ordinary movement within the same time.
Shields and time bubbles
Temporal shields bend time around the protected person or area. A barrier can protect a crowd, as Deylin’s shield did for hundreds of people during the destruction of Irrathis. Temporal shielding can also protect the mind while crossing Xalmyrra’s storms. An overwhelming impact can break the barrier.
A time bubble slows or arrests movement within a chosen area. Slowing an opponent gives the caster time to act, but does not necessarily prevent the opponent from casting or defending themselves. Temporal magic can also accelerate bodily processes; Thalassai mages use it to shorten childbirth.
Preservation
Temporal magic can keep a body young through a spell maintained over time. Thalena maintained a spell to stop her aging. When she needed to grow again after a cycle crossing, she released the spell and allowed her body to mature.
Stopping time around an injured person can preserve their life until a healer reaches them. Thalena held the mortally wounded Cassian motionless during his flight to Arinella, sustaining the spell throughout the journey. The temporal spell kept him alive; divine healing repaired his wounds.
Recall and illusions
Temporal magic sharpens memory. Deylin retained precise recollections of a life he had already lived, allowing him to follow its events again through another Xalmyrran cycle.
Illusions alter sight and perception. They can hide people by making their surroundings appear empty, or create false copies to misdirect an opponent. Kaelion studied this rarely practiced branch while attending the Zeydrith magic school. Maintaining a concealment requires an ongoing supply of essence, and some darkness beings cannot be deceived by it.
Origins
The school became known in Irrathis through Belanor. Aldred named his unusual ability temporal magic, and its blue hue came from Belanor.
Deylin received temporal magic through Thalena’s essence. She resuscitated him as a newborn on Earth, passing her own magic to him.
Temporal magic is a rare school of magic that manipulates time through essence. Its blue spells can slow movement, protect people and objects, and move a mage from one place to another by blinking. It also supports unusually precise memory and a branch of illusion magic.
Practice
Temporal spells demand precise essence manipulation. Strength alone does not replace accurate timing, placement and control under attack. In Chronasis, Thalena trained Kaelion through full strength arena duels, hurling him into the colosseum walls and then correcting the weaknesses in his temporal casting. Repeated sparring taught him to blink faster and react while an opponent was already striking.
Heat, cold and lightning can disturb a spell’s formation. In a duel with Jin Leiyun, lightning and heat shifted Kaelion’s intended blink landing.
Blinking and time displacement
Blinking moves a mage from one place to another in a brief displacement. Air collapses into the abandoned space and can release a concussive shockwave. A mage can also blink a projectile into a new position, as Deylin does with fireballs. Each movement draws on essence, and rapid repeated blinks can exhaust a mage’s reserves.
Blinking does not guarantee surprise. An opponent with sufficiently refined senses can follow the trails of essence and strike where the mage reappears. Speed and precise timing determine whether the mage escapes that counterattack.
Prolonged blinks have carried mages across Xalmyrra’s cycles. Deylin escaped a collapsing cycle under an old mage’s guidance and emerged as a younger man. Within Xalmyrra, the body realigns according to the rules imposed by its shards; Thalena’s longer crossing reduced her to childhood. These crossings differ from ordinary movement within the same time.
Aurelia could use temporal magic, but functional timerifts remained beyond her.
Shields and time bubbles
Temporal shields bend time around the protected person or area. They can divert an incoming weapon or beam without destroying it: the displaced attack remains dangerous where it lands. A barrier can protect a crowd, as Deylin’s shield did for hundreds of people during the destruction of Irrathis. Temporal shielding can also protect the mind while crossing Xalmyrra’s storms. An overwhelming impact can break the barrier.
A time bubble slows or arrests movement within a chosen area. Slowing an opponent gives the caster time to act, but does not necessarily prevent the opponent from casting or defending themselves. Temporal magic can also accelerate bodily processes; Thalassai mages use it to shorten childbirth.
The Varnhallow temporal anomaly encompassed a territory within a vast temporal bubble, extending far beyond a local spell cast around one opponent.
Preservation
Temporal magic can keep a body young through a spell maintained over time. Thalena maintained a spell to stop her aging. When she needed to grow again after a cycle crossing, she released the spell and allowed her body to mature.
Stopping time around an injured person can preserve their life until a healer reaches them. Thalena held the mortally wounded Cassian motionless during his flight to Arinella, sustaining the spell throughout the journey. The temporal spell kept him alive; divine healing repaired his wounds.
Recall and illusions
Temporal magic sharpens memory. Deylin retained precise recollections of a life he had already lived, allowing him to follow its events again through another Xalmyrran cycle.
Illusions alter sight and perception. They can hide people by making their surroundings appear empty, or create false copies to misdirect an opponent. Kaelion studied this rarely practiced branch while attending the Zeydrith magic school. Maintaining a concealment requires an ongoing supply of essence, and some darkness beings cannot be deceived by it.
Origins and spread
The school became known in Irrathis through Belanor. Aldred named his unusual ability temporal magic, and its blue hue came from Belanor.
Belanor taught Isandriel through grueling colosseum duels. Even the fundamentals strained Isandriel’s essence; he could form a small slowing bubble but never mastered blinking. He brought those lessons to Michael in Maraveth, where Michael soon surpassed him. The school spread across Valrindor but remained rare because of its difficulty.
Deylin received temporal magic through Thalena’s essence. She resuscitated him as a newborn on Earth, passing her own magic to him.
Temporal magic is a rare school of magic that manipulates time through essence. Its blue spells can slow movement, protect people and objects, and move a mage from one place to another by blinking. It also supports unusually precise memory and a branch of illusion magic.
Practice
Temporal spells demand precise essence manipulation. Strength alone does not replace accurate timing, placement and control under attack. In Chronasis, Thalena trained Kaelion through full strength arena duels, hurling him into the colosseum walls and then correcting the weaknesses in his temporal casting. Repeated sparring taught him to blink faster and react while an opponent was already striking.
Heat, cold and lightning can disturb a spell’s formation. In a duel with Jin Leiyun, lightning and heat shifted Kaelion’s intended blink landing. Extensive sparring later taught Kaelion to keep his short blinks stable in heat.
Blinking and time displacement
A blink deconstructs the mage’s essence, bends space and reconstructs it at the destination. It displaces air, which collapses into the abandoned space and can release a concussive shockwave. A mage can also blink a projectile into a new position, as Deylin does with fireballs. Each movement draws on essence, and rapid repeated blinks can exhaust a mage’s reserves.
Blinking does not guarantee surprise. An opponent with sufficiently refined senses can follow the trails of essence and strike where the mage reappears. Speed and precise timing determine whether the mage escapes that counterattack.
Prolonged blinks have carried mages across Xalmyrra’s cycles. Deylin escaped a collapsing cycle under an old mage’s guidance and emerged as a younger man. Within Xalmyrra, the body realigns according to the rules imposed by its shards; Thalena’s longer crossing reduced her to childhood. These crossings differ from ordinary movement within the same time.
Creating or widening a timerift demands further control and essence. Eira could cast rifts that realigned after only seconds. Thalena estimated that widening a small standing tear enough to pass through would nearly drain her remaining essence.
With Amos’s equipment, Thalena used microscopic spacetime distortions to send fragments of information six millennia backward on ruined Atraxis Prime Alpha. The transmission took days and consumed a substantial part of her shard’s essence; it sent information rather than her body.
Shields and time bubbles
Temporal shields bend time around the protected person or area. They can divert an incoming weapon or beam without destroying it: the displaced attack remains dangerous where it lands. A barrier can protect a crowd, as Deylin’s shield did for hundreds of people during the destruction of Irrathis. Temporal shielding can also protect the mind while crossing Xalmyrra’s storms. An overwhelming impact can break the barrier.
A time bubble slows or arrests movement within a chosen area. Slowing an opponent gives the caster time to act, but does not necessarily prevent the opponent from casting or defending themselves. Temporal magic can also accelerate bodily processes; Thalassai mages use it to shorten childbirth.
The Varnhallow temporal anomaly was a much larger undertaking than these local spells. Michael infused the hourglass shard with temporal essence, sacrificing the mages who supplied it, and arranged for Sigvariel to claim Horol’Khai. Their anomaly enclosed an army outside the ordinary passage of time. Understanding or opening its boundary did not give Eira the skill to reproduce its vast layers.
Horol’Khai also attached a spell to Oktlix that froze the surrounding world when his name was spoken. Abraxas shattered one such freeze by striking his palms together and releasing concentric waves. The same trigger could interrupt his casting.
Preservation
Temporal magic can keep a body young through a spell maintained over time. Thalena kept her immortality spell active alongside her temporal shield. When she needed to grow again after a cycle crossing, she released the spell and allowed her body to mature.
Stopping time around an injured person can preserve their life until a healer reaches them. Thalena held the mortally wounded Cassian motionless during his flight to Arinella, sustaining the spell throughout the journey. The temporal spell kept him alive; divine healing repaired his wounds.
Recall and illusions
Temporal magic can sharpen memory enough to retain complex instructions over long periods. It does not make every memory accessible: Xalmyrra’s veil removed parts of Brynor’s past, and Thalena’s near perfect recall failed around the abyss.
Illusions alter sight and perception. They can hide people by making their surroundings appear empty, create false copies, or disguise a mage’s appearance. Kaelion studied this rarely practiced branch while attending the Zeydrith magic school. Maintaining a concealment requires an ongoing supply of essence, and some darkness beings cannot be deceived by it.
Origins and spread
While living in Malverand’s past, Eira supplied the temporal essence behind Belanor’s magic. After Dhalvor killed the arriving atraxi on Vireen, she revived Belanor aboard the departing skyship with a Malverand heart. She used a revival spell taught by Thalena, drawing from prepared essence cores and infusing her own essence into the heart. She then sent Belanor through the void toward the atraxi gates.
The school became known in Irrathis through Belanor. Aldred named his unusual ability temporal magic, and its blue hue came from Belanor. He taught Isandriel through grueling colosseum duels. Even the fundamentals strained Isandriel’s essence; he could form a small slowing bubble but never mastered blinking. He brought those lessons to Michael in Maraveth, where Michael soon surpassed him. The school spread across Valrindor but remained rare because of its difficulty.
Deylin also received temporal magic through another mage’s essence. Thalena resuscitated him as a newborn on Earth, passing her own magic to him.
Temporal magic is a rare school of magic that manipulates time through essence. Its blue spells can slow movement, protect people and objects, and move a mage from one place to another by blinking. It also supports unusually precise memory and a branch of illusion magic.
Practice
Temporal spells demand precise essence manipulation. Strength alone does not replace accurate timing, placement and control under attack. In Chronasis, Thalena trained Kaelion through full strength arena duels, hurling him into the colosseum walls and then correcting the weaknesses in his temporal casting. Repeated sparring taught him to blink faster and react while an opponent was already striking.
Heat, cold and lightning can disturb a spell’s formation. In a duel with Jin Leiyun, lightning and heat shifted Kaelion’s intended blink landing. Extensive sparring later taught Kaelion to keep his short blinks stable in heat.
Blinking and time displacement
A blink deconstructs the mage’s essence, bends space and reconstructs it at the destination. It displaces air, which collapses into the abandoned space and can release a concussive shockwave. A mage can also blink a projectile into a new position, as Deylin does with fireballs. Each movement draws on essence, and rapid repeated blinks can exhaust a mage’s reserves.
Blinking does not guarantee surprise. An opponent with sufficiently refined senses can follow the trails of essence and strike where the mage reappears. Speed and precise timing determine whether the mage escapes that counterattack.
Prolonged blinks have carried mages across Xalmyrra’s cycles. Deylin escaped a collapsing cycle under an old mage’s guidance and emerged as a younger man. Within Xalmyrra, the body realigns according to the rules imposed by its shards; Thalena’s longer crossing reduced her to childhood. These crossings differ from ordinary movement within the same time.
Creating or widening a timerift demands further control and essence. Eira could cast rifts that realigned after only seconds. Thalena’s copy estimated that widening a small standing tear enough to pass through would nearly drain her remaining essence.
With Amos’s equipment, Thalena’s copy used microscopic spacetime distortions to send fragments of information six millennia backward on ruined Atraxis Prime Alpha. The transmission took days and consumed substantial essence; it sent information rather than her body.
Shields and time bubbles
Temporal shields bend time around the protected person or area. They can divert an incoming weapon or beam without destroying it: the displaced attack remains dangerous where it lands. A barrier can protect a crowd, as Deylin’s shield did for hundreds of people during the destruction of Irrathis. Temporal shielding can also protect the mind while crossing Xalmyrra’s storms. An overwhelming impact can break the barrier.
A time bubble slows or arrests movement within a chosen area. Slowing an opponent gives the caster time to act, but does not necessarily prevent the opponent from casting or defending themselves. Temporal magic can also accelerate bodily processes; Thalassai mages use it to shorten childbirth.
The Varnhallow temporal anomaly was a much larger undertaking than these local spells. Michael infused the hourglass shard with temporal essence, sacrificing the mages who supplied it, and arranged for Sigvariel to claim Horol’Khai. Their anomaly enclosed an army outside the ordinary passage of time. Understanding or opening its boundary did not give Eira the skill to reproduce its vast layers.
Horol’Khai also attached a spell to Oktlix that froze the surrounding world when his name was spoken. Abraxas shattered one such freeze by striking his palms together and releasing concentric waves. The same trigger could interrupt his casting.
Preservation
Temporal magic can keep a body young through a spell maintained over time. Thalena kept her immortality spell active alongside her temporal shield. When she needed to grow again after a cycle crossing, she released the spell and allowed her body to mature.
Stopping time around an injured person can preserve their life until a healer reaches them. Thalena held the mortally wounded Cassian motionless during his flight to Arinella, sustaining the spell throughout the journey. The temporal spell kept him alive; divine healing repaired his wounds.
Long preservation does not necessarily maintain every bodily function. Eira’s companions emerged from millennia in stasis with impaired movement. She had preserved only the systems necessary for life to avoid exhausting the essence sustaining them, and expected weeks of recovery. Their inability to move properly also made powerful casting unsafe.
Recall and illusions
Temporal magic can sharpen memory enough to retain complex instructions or recall a face precisely. It does not make every memory accessible: Xalmyrra’s veil removed parts of Brynor’s past, and Thalena’s near perfect recall failed around the abyss.
Illusions alter sight and perception. They can hide people by making their surroundings appear empty, create false copies, or disguise a mage’s appearance. Kaelion studied this rarely practiced branch while attending the Zeydrith magic school. Maintaining a concealment requires an ongoing supply of essence, and some darkness beings cannot be deceived by it.
Origins and spread
While living in Malverand’s past, Eira supplied the temporal essence behind Belanor’s magic. After Dhalvor killed the arriving atraxi on Vireen, she revived Belanor aboard the departing skyship with a Malverand heart. She used a revival spell taught by Thalena, drawing from prepared essence cores and infusing her own essence into the heart. She then sent Belanor through the void toward the atraxi gates.
The school became known in Irrathis through Belanor. Aldred named his unusual ability temporal magic, and its blue hue came from Belanor. He taught Isandriel through grueling colosseum duels. Even the fundamentals strained Isandriel’s essence; he could form a small slowing bubble but never mastered blinking. He brought those lessons to Michael in Maraveth, where Michael soon surpassed him. The school spread across Valrindor but remained rare because of its difficulty.
Deylin also received temporal magic through another mage’s essence. Thalena resuscitated him as a newborn on Earth, passing her own magic to him.
Changes after Varnhallow
Following the return from Varnhallow, Eira could no longer perceive or cast advanced time displacement, including timerifts. Eliona also found that many temporal spells had stopped working. Blinks and illusions remained usable. Eira retained a stasis spell that halted the flow within a body rather than directly changing time around it.