Speed Magic

**User(s)** | Various

**Speed Magic** (高速操作 *Kōsoku Sōsa*) is one of the more rare Ki abilities found in Firdaus, due to the complexity and control one must master in order to use it without adverse effects on their body.

## Overview

Though the gifts this magic allows you to use is simple in explanation, when it comes to learning this magic it requires years of practice to fully master. In order for one to be able to use this magic, they need to overcome the biggest problem it poses: that the human body needs to maintain 22 millimeters of mercury blood pressure to move blood from your heart to the brain. When the body undergoes extreme acceleration this multiplies the amount of pressure needed to pump the blood from your heart to your brain, and so too fast of acceleration will not allow your body to do so, and so you will ultimately pass out from lack of oxygen to your organs. In order to combat this, a mage is able to use their Ki to aid the body in the vasoelastic adjustments to allow for a more gradual change in blood pressure during both acceleration and deceleration to prevent the body from passing out.

The human body can withstand a great deal of force, but it the effects of acceleration that prevent normal humans from overcoming the speed limits nature has placed on them. With rigorous study, mages were able to overcome these flaws with the use of Ki energy. By pushing Ki into their bloodstream mages are able to aid in the vasodilatation and vasoconstriction of their vessels to manually alter their blood pressure. This allows them to maintain the proper arterial pressure needed to pump blood to their major organs during times of extreme G force, thus keeping their physiological processes running. Their Ki is also used to strengthen the muscles in their neck, almost paralyzing their neck in place, to prevent whiplash of such a vital component of their nervous system.

Once a mage is able to achieve this regulatory expertise, the means of gaining speed is relatively simple. For speeds below the sound barrier (767 mph), any form of running stance is possible and by expelling Ki in bursts or streams from the pores in the body a mage is able to use that as a propellant to increase their speed. Ki expelled from the points of contact with the earth is vital in order to reduce friction with the ground, while still giving enough force to move the person forward with little resistance. With expert control in Ki release a mage is able to essentially move about freely in the world with speeds typically unattainable by normal humans or vehicles.

When it comes to speeds that break the sound barrier, a mage must be extremely cautious and adjust their body accordingly. When the sound barrier is broken the pressure waves coming from the person moving through the air changes from a typical circular pressure wave into what is known as a Mach cone of pressure waves. Typically the pressure waves emanating from an object will give the air particles ahead of it a notice to react to the incoming object passing through it. But when the sound barrier is broken, the object is now moving in front of these pressure waves, giving the air no notice of what is coming. This change in pressure will alter the typical behavior of aerodynamics against the mage's body and cause the runner to loose control of their body from the onslaught of air unless they alter a few things. For supersonic travel a mage will have to shift their center of gravity backwards by bending at the waist and leaning forward, aiming to get as horizontal as they can to help prevent erratic change in directions caused by the push of the air against their body. They must also ensure that their arms and shoulders can withstand the force of the air because they will have to extend them outside the Mach Cone, in order to "give the air some notice" that they are coming. Doing both these things will prevent them from nosediving into the ground, or being flung backwards the moment they break the sound barrier.

The downside that comes with supersonic speed is that a mage will only be able to travel in a straight line. Because of the numerous components they must focus on in order to compensate for their body being outside of the soundwaves they are producing, they are simply limited on the number of things that their brain can process. Their body is also unable to physically withstand the onslaught of force in supersonic speed for anything more than a few seconds. But when given the speed at which they travel, it is possible for them to traverse oceans or countries in that time so long as they have a clear path.