Cascade of darkness

"Funny how it's the unexpected that brings your soul a real desire for change... like now for example, watching your best friend bleed out whike their eyes are fixated in disbelief on the blade you still hold in your hand, as the specter of his possession hovers over the soon to be worm buffet, leering and salivating at you. Kinda hits you right in the heart strings... Ya know? No....you don't know. Fuck you... anyway...moving on.."

Alright. I know you are all screaming to know why I just shanked my best friend into the next world, but if I told you now, you noobs wouldn't even know what I'm talking about, so think of the next little bit as your kindergarten style crash course on the world that u walk through every day, and never see.or shall I say never look at, because alot of it happens and is going on right in front of your secure, slightly bored, groundhog-day- is -my- life, faces. You Harry potter/ Twilight fans need to either back out of this book and go hide under your bed, or listen up real, real good, Cuz this will not resemble a high school version of the notebook with vampires in it... bummer, I know...

Let's start from the basic beginning. What you call "Magic", is actually the most misunderstood concept in the history of the world. Don't be mad at yourself for not knowing that. Instead, be mad at yourself for assuming you knew, and never looking into it for yourself. "Magic's" misconstrued and bastardized present meaning has been an intentional disinformation act by those running things to Make sure they are the only ones with such power. And believe me....they have it.
So "Magic" like you Sunday video gamers call it, is actually a very large, diverse and complicated subject. It's almost like saying "science". It doesn't tell you what area of the broad spectrum we are talking about.  And it's not called "Magic" by the insiders. It's called (in this country and by The Order) The VAX. We will get a little bit into why later. Be patient. Don't make me send you newbies to bed early, or whatever else really scares you innocent types.

Now the VAX is very complicated. I don't have time to spoon feed every concept and nuance to people who won't believe this all happens and still think they are in for a fairy tale that will leave them feeling like a sparkly unicorn took an upper decker behind their eyeballs and covered them in fairy sploosh. So I'm going to be moving fast through this and you are going to have to pick up more info on the go. The power of the VAX depends on many things. First of all, the person welding it. Some just seem to have an innate talent for it, and progress further and faster. Others show an aptitude for specific things like potions or fire or telepathy or whatever. The time spent studying it obviously matters, therefore a fight beyween two equal candidates is usually resolved by the more experienced one just like in your world of sports entertainment. But there is always a clever youngster out there who has a good idea that can knock the seasoned vet on his ass and take his lunch money.

The first rule of using the VAX is simply this. Every advantage gives you a disadvantage, and u must decide if the advantage out weights the disadvantage. Exactly like during my SWAT and Special Operations days. For example, when conjuring anything, you must make a sacrifice. Both literal and metaphysically speaking. Something small, or something you are particularly adept at may just chip away at your stamina or strength. Something bigger or of more power may require you to destroy something important or nostalgic to you. Mom's locket she wore her whole life and gave to you may be the only thing that's personal enough to you to stop something straight out of H.P. Lovecraft's worst acid trip nightmare. Which moves us on to weaponry. Now.... I know what you non information retaining potatoes out there are thinking "the dude gots magic. He can just magic himself a weapon and melt/freeze/tickle the bad monster to death..."