Arrays

**Arrays** or **magical formations** are permanent spells with no personality or will of their own that require a long casting time and that can be placed in a specific spot for a time. They are like a spell programmed to perform a complex function. The more complex the array, the greater the number of functions it can perform at once. Arrays need to be circular to contain the mana in a stable form. Wardens specialize in arrays.

No mage can walk away from their lab for too long because all the spells and even the arrays they are imbued with needed a sliver of mana and maintenance from their owner to keep working properly. Also, without someone operating the defensive system, anyone competent enough can disable them one layer at a time and pillage the abandoned lab.

## Principles

**Multi-layered arrays**

* Arrays can be combined to have their runic inscriptions fit into each other's blank spaces. It allows them to combine their powers to increase their versatility by several folds. These formations are capable of blocking different kinds of magic according to how and where their runic inscriptions meet. Normal arrays are static in their position and can only be turned on or off, but multi-layered arrays are all the same magic circle so that based on which of its sections are powered up and those that aren't, they can seal specific elements within their premises. These kinds of arrays can't protect from all the possible threats at the same time, but require much less maintenance and a far less powerful energy source to be fueled.

**Temporary vs. permanent arrays**

* There is a significant difference between temporary magical formations (like those that had been used to protect Count Lark's house) and permanent ones (like those surrounding the Verhen family home). Both need a lot of time to be cast and a proper energy source but while the former once damaged needs to be redone from scratch, a permanent array self-repairs just by replacing its energy source.
* Magical formations like the one that had surrounded the Lost City of Kolga need maintenance only if it takes damage beyond repair or if it endures an attack for too long. Both events can be prevented by simply switching the near-exhausted mana crystal with a new one.
* The presence of a mana geyser, cuts off permanent arrays' mana crystals' expenses and provides the arrays with a steady supply of world energy. They would need maintenance only in the case a powerful attack cripples their runes' integrity.

**Destroying an array**

* Countering an unknown array is almost impossible; the only option is to identify its key points and use them to bring it down. Destroying an array is always risky, especially if one is blocked inside it, since it means twisting the energies coursing through the formation into chaos, turning the mana flow against itself until its structure collapses. The stronger the array, the greater the risk for the consequences to be explosive. The Disarray spell can be used to achieve this effect.

**Casting multiple arrays**

* For a mage, keeping more than one array at the ready is impossible and so is casting a second one for another mage without them taking their time to study how the first mage had organized their formation. This is because in the case two arrays are to overlap badly, the second one would simply fade into a waste of mana. However, a Warden can make use of the runes the two arrays have in common to shorten their cast time at the expense of the duration of both magical formations.

**Detecting arrays**

Usually, an inactive magical formation is impossible to detect without wasting the mana necessary to cast an array detecting spell and the time to study its findings. However, this can be mitigated through the use of an artifact such as the Eyes of Menadion, which can reveal hidden arrays as well as their focus points, making it child's play to destroy and deactivate the magical formations.

## Types of Arrays

### Awakened Arrays

Unlike fake mages, Awakened can alter an array's properties. They can make a magical formation's casting time shorter, strengthen its effects, and expand/shrink its area of effect - it's all a matter of properly rearranging the energy nodes and words of power. Old and powerful Awakened are capable of keeping together incomplete spells and alter their patterns at will, allowing them to achieve powerful arrays with much greater ease.

Awakened can use Silverwing's Hexagram to practice their mana flow and control over the elements by cycling the control of each element while keeping their mana output at the same level.

#### Impossible Arrays

Awakened arrays are referred to as **Impossible Arrays** by fake mages. Arrays such as Silverwing's Hexagram defy the constraints of normal arrays; they disappear as soon as they are no longer supplied with mana and appear relatively quickly. There are several records of impossible arrays all left by past Magi. Fake mages use them as training material for multicasting and, to the wider community of fake mages, are considered nothing more than magic tricks.

### Elemental Arrays

Normal Arrays are comprised of all elements and their effects depend on the runes they are inscribed with. Elemental Arrays, however, are forged out of a single element. They are less versatile in their use but are easier to sustain. Nalrond's village of Rezars had used these elemental formations to protect their village as they have no maintenance cost and are safe for children.

### Portable Arrays

A technique invented by Raagu Drerian passed down to her former disciple Athung Soranot. It allows the caster to compressed magical formations to the size of a frisbee and wield them around their wrists and behind their back. Portable arrays allow the mana to take physical form, relieving the mage's mind from the burden of keeping the magical formations at the ready. They can carry them around, spending a minimum amount of energy to maintain the arrays active, and only needs to input the dimensional coordinates of their area of effect to activate their powers. It combines multiple casting methods that allowed the mage to greatly reduce the time needed to complete an array.

### Spirit Arrays

Mixing Spirit Magic with arrays not only makes it possible to cast them faster, but also add further levels of complexity and protections.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 1377: Ancestral Powers (Part 1)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chapter 292: Growing Hostility (Part 2)
3. ↑ Legion on Discord
4. ↑ Chapter 1333: Poke and Pillow (Part 1)
5. ↑ Chapter 1284: The Mark of the Lich (Part 2)
6. ↑ Chapter 854: Xedros (Part 2)
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Chapter 1362: The Verhen Mansion (Part 2)
8. ↑ Chapter 283: Call (Part 1)
9. ↑ Chapter 1510: Learning from the Past (Part 2)
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Chapter 758: Meeting (2) (Part 2)
11. ↑ Chapter 746: Fallen Cores (Part 2)
12. ↑ Chapter 886: Elemental Arrays (Part 2)
13. ↑ Chapter 1517: Final Test (Part 1)
14. ↑ Chapter 1518: Final Test (Part 2)
15. ↑ Chapter 1142: Merfolk (Part 2)
16. ↑ Chapter 984: Blood Judgment (Part 2)
17. ↑ Chapter 400: Wrath (Part 2)
18. ↑ Chapter 465: Impossible Magic (Part 3)
19. ↑ Chapter 502: Fury (Part 2)