Element

are a type of artificial life form created by Kihara Yuiitsu, which swarmed Academy City during an abnormal December heatwave. Prologue Chapter 1 Part 4 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
==Principles==
A hybrid of science and magic, Elements are a . The bodies are created in the shape of animal and plants, a reverse of the process which converts the remains of animals and plants into petroleum over long periods of time. As this method can create an outward form but can't give it a soul or life, a magic-based core is used to animate the body. Chapter 3 Part 6
Elements have a large translucent crystal body and take the form of an animal or plant, often one specializing in mimicry. The Elements themselves also specialize in , being capable of blending in with their surroundings. The internal structures of the Element are inefficient copies of those of regular living creatures, made from a carbon base and with a high specific gravity. Chapter 2 Part 6 Chapter 2 Part 9
The Elements are driven by a magic-based core in the center of their body, shaped like a , which indicates the type of power it can use. The colors and powers of the cores correspond to the four elements; fire (red), water (blue), wind (yellow) and earth (green). Some variants are noted to be more common than others, with fire being common and wind rare.
Elements are also classed according to their size, with the minimum size of each class being twice the minimum of the previous class; Class 1 being 3m, Class 2 being 6m, Class 3 being 12m and Class 4, initially assumed to be the largest, being 24m. The largest Elements seen are Class 6, which can measure over 100m.
While their structures are based off regular creatures, Elements can continue to move even after sustaining damage which would kill a normal creature. However if their core is destroyed, the Element will cease functioning and fall apart at the joints.
Though possessing considerable strength due to their size, camouflage and elemental powers, Elements have a number of weaknesses. The activity of Elements is reduced in temperatures exceeding 42 degrees Celsius, which greatly limited their movements during the 55 degree heatwave, restricting them to cool, dark places during the day. Chapter 1 Part 3 Chapter 3 Part 1 Driven by supernatural power, the Elements are vulnerable to Imagine Breaker. One touch to the body will destroy the core, though it won't immediately and completely destroy the body itself.
The Elements can follow commands and are apparently capable of emitting killing intent unlike machines, but lack the intelligence to carry out certain tasks; while they can climb stairs and break down doors and windows, they can't open locks, turn doorknobs or use ladders and ropes. They can also self-destruct on command, leaving nothing but a pile of white sand-like particles. Chapter 1 Part 4
===Crystal Tower===
The is a structure which appeared in the center of School District 7, acting to guide the Elements descending into Academy City from space. Breaking through from below a domed stadium, the tower was 200m tall and 30m thick at its base, thickness reducing further up the tower like an inverted icicle. The tower resembled the Elements when seen from a distance. Chapter 2 Part 5
Elements entered Academy City by dropping down from space at night when few were looking. In order to achieve a pinpoint landing on Academy City, as well as an angle of entry such that they won't be deflected outward or burn up in the atmosphere, they required guidance from the surface. The Crystal Tower carried out this function by intermittently sending up an optical signal into space from the center of the city. Chapter 2 Part 4
With a structure similar to that of the Elements, the Crystal Tower was vulnerable to Imagine Breaker and began to collapse on touch.
The true function of the Crystal Tower however was actually as a decoy to draw out and identify potential threats, as well as a trigger for a counterattack. While the enemy's attention was focused on the conspicuous tower and space-drop, their base of operations would be tracked and then destroyed by a coordinated attack to cut off their supply line before moving in to finish them off.
===Variants===
Type 	Class 	Element	Details
 	1 	Fire 	A 3m tall mantis with a scythe for a front leg and a core at the center of its chest. As well as its scythe, it can attack with a flamethrower-like stream of fire with the stickiness of heavy oil, bursting out from its scythe in a half-circle over 20m.
Hishigani crab	2 	Unknown	A 6m Element modeled after a hishigani crab with a diamond shaped shell and giant pincers which can impact like a body blow at the tip.
Maneki-gumo 	2 	Wind 	A 6m long arachnid Element with eight legs, multiple eyes and clicking mouthparts. It can fire a gust of wind like a solid wall, and jump between stories, cracking asphalt on landing.
 	3 	Water 	A 12m tall octopus with eight tentacles and a round, inflated head with its core in the center. This Element can fire a laser-like shot of ultra-pressure water, capable of slicing through metal and reinforced concrete. It can also make use of its tentacles to pursue and bind opponents, as well as quickly detaching them if the need arises. In the middle of the heat wave, the Element also makes use of its water losing momentum and raining down on hot asphalt, creating a smokescreen of white steam which also wears down an enemy's stamina like a sauna, leaving them at risk of dehydration and heatstroke as well as rendering them vulnerable to its other attacks.
 	Unknown	Unknown	A type of Element which Kakine Teitoku defeated. Chapter 1 Between the Lines 2
 	6 	Water 	This 100m long Element has a reptilian silhouette with long vertical pupils, four legs and a tail longer than the rest of its body, based on a lizard and giving the impression of a flightless dragon. The light from its core is visible from a long distance. As well as breaking down walls and buildings with its body, the Element can also attack with an ultra-high pressure water shot capable of blowing away a metal pedestrian bridge and the roofs of buildings. Chapter 2 Part 7
 	1 	Unknown	Spider-based Elements which appeared during the assault on the Crystal Tower. Chapter 2 Part 8
 	1 	Unknown	Octopus-based Elements which appeared during the assault on the Crystal Tower.
 	6 	Wind 	A crocodile around 100m long, with jaws lined with countless teeth which could likely bite through a whole building, let alone a rooftop. One was dropped as reinforcements for the Crystal Tower.
 	6 	Fire 	A 100m scorpion Element, called in among reinforcements to protect the Crystal Tower.
 	6 	Earth 	A 100m mantis Element, called in among reinforcements to protect the Crystal Tower.
 	1 	Unknown	An Element which moved to attack Touma as he was reaching for the Crystal Tower and was crushed in the collapse.
 	1 	Unknown	An Element resembling a stick bug mimicking a tree branch, used by Ellen as a test subject for methods of reducing the Elements' movements. Chapter 3 Part 2
Unnamed 	0 	Unknown	The smallest Element, rice-sized with small wings, six legs and a small, sharp stinger. They act to gather information from their surroundings before transmitting it to a base station, resembling a mini-Crystal Tower, which then sends it to Kihara Yuiitsu, via ultrasonic waves produced through oscillation. Chapter 3 Part 5
 	6 	Fire 	A 100m-long Element based on Eupithecia (Hawaiian inchworm) moth larva (the original less than 5cm long and capable of extending its 'neck' in less than 0.1 seconds), with a plesiosaur-like silhouette.
 	1 	Unknown	An Element of which a swarm attacked the Kamisato Faction on their way to the Windowless Building.
 	Unknown	Unknown	An Element of which at least one attacked the Kamisato Faction on their way to the Windowless Building.
==Chronology==
===Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index===
====Element Arc====
Following her initial acquisition of the World Rejecter on December 5th, Kihara Yuiitsu unleashed the Elements to draw out Kamisato Kakeru and the Kamisato Faction. In order to slow the Elements down, Fran caused a 55 degree heat wave in the city, restricting their movements. For the next few days, the residents of the city suffered due to both the Elements and the heat wave, with a few groups and individuals fighting against them. When Kakeru and his faction eventually confronted Yuiitsu below the Windowless Building, she cannibalized the remaining Elements for her own version of the Anti-Art Attachment.
====Kamisato Rescue Arc====
After the battle, Yuiitsu had no further need for the Elements and commanded them self-destruct. After confirming the threat of the Elements was past, Useful Spider began reconstructing the city. Chapter 1 Part 5
==Gallery==
Ni r64.jpg|Class 1 Element design, for Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Volume 16, by Haimura Kiyotaka
==References==
Category:Beasts and Beings
Category:Terminology