Elemental Magic

"Trust the elements that are at your command."

- Kilgharrah to Merlin

Elemental Magic is a form of powerful magic used to manipulate the four base aspects of the natural world: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air.

In most cases, magic used to manipulate individual elements can be counteracted by invoking an opposing element. For example, Merlin killed the Afanc, a creature of earth and water, by combining an air current with the fire from Arthur's torch.

Fire
The most dangerous of the four elements, fire is associated with pure energy in its most powerful state. It is primarily manipulated with the use of fire and heat spells and is the element most often used by sorcerers. Its opposing element is water.

Fire and heat spells can be used to light candles, torches, and campfires; create walls or pillars of fire to either attack or defend; disarm opponents; trigger explosions; and conjure powerful infernos.

Some light spells may also be related to this element, as a spell that Morgause used to illuminate Gwen's trail ("Scin scir!") was later used by Merlin to relight some torches (The Coming of Arthur, Lamia).

Among the most powerful types of fire is dragon fire. A sword burnished in a dragon's breath is imbued with the power to kill anything, including the undead and creatures immune to mortal weapons. For example, Merlin was able to use the sword Excalibur to kill the wraith of Tristan de Bois; badly injure the Dochraid, a creature of the earth; and even kill Morgana Pendragon (Excalibur, With All My Heart, The Diamond of the Day).

Water
Water is the element of purification, regeneration, and healing. Water drawn from the Cup of Life, for example, has the power to heal any injury, and the Vilia, spirits of the brooks and streams, possess powerful healing magic (Le Morte d'Arthur, The Darkest Hour).

Water is also associated with intuition and divination. One of the most common types of scrying is hydromancy, which allows Seers to view events through a water medium. The Disir, for example, were said to divine the will of the Triple Goddess in an ancient pool (The Disir). Its opposing element is fire (The Mark of Nimueh).

This element is typically manipulated with the use of water spells, which can be used to summon storms and clouds of mist; conjure a jet of water; and even to write messages (Le Morte d'Arthur, The Nightmare Begins, The Fires of Idirsholas, Arthur's Bane).

Earth
The element of earth is associated with endurance and strength. Magic used to bind the earth is said to be delicate and easily undone, and creatures of earth such as the Dochraid are able to call upon its strength to heal themselves (A Herald of the New Age, With All My Heart). Its opposing element is air (The Mark of Nimueh).

This element is mainly manipulated with the use of earth spells, which can be used to summon roots and vines to trip or restrain opponents; conjure rockslides to block off paths; and trigger earthquakes (The Labyrinth of Gedref, The Witch's Quickening, A Servant of Two Masters, Another's Sorrow, The Diamond of the Day).

Perhaps the most powerful earth spell is the Curse of the Unicorn. When Arthur triggered the curse, Camelot's wells to fill with sand, its crops to wither and die, and its stores of grain to rot overnight. After Arthur lifted the curse, the kingdom's harvest and water supply were restored (The Labyrinth of Gedref).

Air
The element of air is as powerful and unpredictable as the wind that it controls. It is primarily manipulated with the use of wind spells, which can be used in a variety of ways such as directing air currents, conjuring smoke, and strangling opponents. Its opposing element is earth (The Mark of Nimueh).

One of the most powerful types of air magic are whirlwind spells, which are used to create controlled cyclones of wind. Merlin conjured a whirlwind spell to drive away Kanen's men during the Battle of Ealdor, as well as to defeat Morgana during their duel over the Fomorroh (The Moment of Truth, A Servant of Two Masters).

Another extremely powerful application of this element is the ability to summon lightning. Merlin struck down Nimueh with a bolt of lightning after he mastered the power over life and death, and both he and Morgana used lightning spells during the Battle of Camlann (Le Morte d'Arthur, The Diamond of the Day).

Some types of stunning spells may also involve the use of wind spells, as they appear to generate powerful air currents to strike an opponent (A Servant of Two Masters).