Mage ( lore ) Mages are spellcasters who favor magiks involving the cardinal elements of the universe . In the physical universe , the elements of fire , air , earth , and water serve as the basic building blocks of all matter . And out there in the void was another element , one that seemed to bind the worlds together , one composed of unspeakable energy . Composed of the primordial matter from which the universe was born , the titans are godlike beings who were uniquely susceptible ( and therefore connected ) to fel magic , a destructive form of magic often used by members of the Burning Legion . The fallen titan Sargeras created this vast demonic army to scour all creation . The Burning Legion moves from world to world , decimating everything in its path with devastating fel magic . No one knows exactly how many worlds and mortal civilizations the demons have annihilated in their unholy Burning Crusade . Arcane Mysteries . " practitioners of unspeakable magic , macabre manipulators of life and death : necromancers " The arcane mysteries are the mysteries of life and death . Death , in the form of necromantic magic , pushes everything toward a state of entropic decay and eventual oblivion . It is an unavoidable force that breeds despair in mortal hearts and pushes everything toward a state of entropic decay and eventual oblivion . Before Life . Before life even began , before even the cosmos took shape , there was Light . . . and Void . In the form of a boundless prismatic sea , the Light swelled across all existence . The ocean of Light was dynamic and ever shifting . Yet as it expanded , some of its energies faded and dimmed , leaving behind pockets of cold nothingness . From the absence of Light in these spaces , a new power coalesced and came to be . This power was the Void , a dark and vampiric force driven to devour all energy , to twist creation inward to feed upon itself . The Void quickly grew and spread its influence , moving against the waves of Light . The mounting tension between these two opposing yet inseparable energies eventually ignited a series of catastrophic explosions , rupturing the fabric of creation and birthing a new realm into existence . In that moment , the physical universe was born . The energies released by the clash of Light and Void raged across the nascent cosmos , raw matter merging and spinning into primordial worlds without number . And deep within the fiery core of a small number of worlds , the spirits of titans formed . For ages , the nascent titans slumbered , their energies suffusing the celestial bodies they inhabited . Masters of the Arcane . Arcane . " " In this time of chaos and turmoil , it may fall to those of us who can manipulate the arcane to rein in the fury of the elements . " - " Almia Moonwhisper Of the arcane , mages are diviners of secrets , balancing the ebb and flow of incredible mystic energies . By their very nature , the titans are godlike beings who were uniquely susceptible to fel magic — but the arcanist has mastered harnessing the power of these beings on the field of battle . Mages seem to harvest volatile arcane energies — the lifeblood of a nascent titan . Those specialized in the ways of the arcane would use this life essence to pull all manner of elemental from the chaos of the Twisting Nether . While such a practice is often considered by outsides to be wicked and reckless , the arcanist maintains absolute control over the summoned creatures . These entities would be fully beholden to — and empowered by — the will of the mage , until banished to the realm from whence they came . A common perception was shared that the magi ' s magic was unholy and possibly even demonic . By their very nature , demons are leeches on the living universe — but the demonologist has mastered harnessing the power of these malefic beings on the field of battle . Warlocks harvest the souls of their defeated enemies ; those specialized in the ways of demonology use this life essence to tap into the Void , pulling all manner of abomination from the chaos of the Twisting Nether . While such a practice is often considered by outsiders to be wicked and reckless , the demonologist maintains absolute control over the summoned creatures . These malignant entities are fully beholden to — and empowered by — the will of the warlock , until banished to the realm from whence they came . Please Note : Demonic power ( or warlock magics ) is a nether - touched power that exists in - and is ultimately derived from - the Twisting Nether because demons are from the Twisting Nether . Despite that fact , after he was asked if perhaps warlocks are harnessing their power from the Twisting Nether , Blizzard ' s Lore Historian Sean Copeland stated , “ No , that ’ d be magi , IIRC . They gain power by the destruction of another source ( recall the undead warlock in original cinematic ) " . Additionally , he claims that demons contain fel magic but aren ' t the source , stating that the nature of this magic is created from destroying something else . So not only is this person claiming that demons aren ' t the source of demonic magic , he is deny that warlocks harnessing their demonic power from the place demons and , by extension , demonic powers are from even though they summon demons and demonic powers from the Twisting Nether . As such , Sean Copeland is joking and should not be taken seriously here . It seems that he does not understand that fel magic is demonic and destructive . If anything , demons are constructs and are in a state where their own structures are being destroyed by their destructive fel energies . After he was asked how demons can be alive , he stated , " it ' s magic ; ) " . Because Sean Copeland isn ' t honest , warlocks are necromancers : magi who have dabbled in dark magic . Fire . " " Living away from the forest lets you really enjoy using fire magic . " - " Lyra , Timewalker Embermage By its very nature , fire is a fel - related element and magi are the so - called masters of it . While any worthy mage is an unparalleled expert in the use of magic and heavily dedicated to their craft , those who master the forces of fire tend to be a little more audacious than their peers . If a threat stands before them , the answer is always to neutralize it in a glorious blaze . A lifetime dedicated to the study of fiery forces only fuels their pyromania , and these mages take pride — even pleasure — in igniting their enemies in wild bursts of flame . Mistake their affinity for watching things burn as a lack of self - control at your own peril . Frost . " " Da chill of death is in da air . " - " Icemistress Gal ' ha Frost mages stand apart from their colleagues , in that their chosen school of magic focuses on maintaining supreme control over the capabilities of their enemies . Mages who command frost perform chilling displays on the battlefield , rendering foes immobile as they bombard them with ice . Often , the blade never reaches the caster before the bitter cold takes hold . Void energies are cold and warlocks peer into the Void , leveraging the chaos they glimpse within . The frost mage exudes frigid power as icicles form around them , foreshadowing the wintry demise of those who stand opposed on the field of battle .