Mana (BTEF)

Mana, also known as Qi, Prana, or Life Force, is a mysterious substance often mentioned in the Ben 10 universe. This is an explanation of what it is, created by Binkatong for use in her series. This is by no means the correct explanation, and you may ignore this as you wish, though you are also welcome to use this in your own series.

What is Mana?
Mana is, in the simplest terms, any matter or energy that vibrates faster than the speed of light. Also known as tachyon energy in more technical circles, mana is a fundamental building block of the universe as we know it. Though it is just as real as any other type of energy and can interact with “normal” matter, mana exists in negative space-time, causing it to be difficult for most low-level intelligent beings to sense with their measurement instruments. Mana can touch and interact with regular matter just as easily as regular matter can, as well as photons. The only reason that mana constructs are not visible all over the place is that mana is typically found in the form of a colorless, odorless gas.

States of Mana
Unlike normal matter, rather than gaining energy as it moves faster, mana looses energy as it moves faster. Therefore, the faster a mana particle vibrates, the more solid it becomes. Mana has 4 states of matter plus energy:
 * 1) Plasma: This mana is dangerously close to reaching the speed on light and becoming regular matter. Typically used by mana manipulators when creating regular matter objects from mana, as it requires the least energy transfer to do so.
 * Gas: The second slowest type of mana, as well as the most common. Though it is gaseous, this type of mana matter has an almost crystalline form (hence the effectiveness of crystal when casting magic.)
 * 1) Liquid: Liquid mana tends to stick together in semi-orderly ways and has a very strong surface tension, causing it to flow more like a viscous blob than water. This is a state very often used by mana manipulators, as it is flexible and doesn’t shatter, but has form unlike gas. Examples include an Anodite’s mana hair, as well as Gwen’s mana whips.
 * 2) Solid: This is the lowest energy type of mana matter, and has a construction sort of like glass, only much tougher. While it is very, very strong, it can still be broken, and when it breaks it shatters. Often used to make shields and mana projectiles and other constructs.
 * 3) Energy: Mana energy is an energy that jumps between all particles of mana in the universe. By sending programmed energy signals through it, mana manipulators can cause chain reactions in this energy that moves the mana matter in the way they desire.

Uses for Mana
Because it vibrates faster than light, mana is typically used in shorter range FTL communications and travel.

Many races use mana as an alternative energy source due to the fact that it is so easily cultivated from space, and gives off extremely high amounts of energy if cooled down into regular matter moving just below the speed of light.

Though most are unaware of this, almost every species has an individual mana field, which is used to protect the internal systems from mana disturbances. This field more often than not is also used as a blueprint for the growth of the organism. This is why mana is so vital to life. Often times, sapient beings also use this field as sort of an extension of their brain, allowing more room for memory storage, critical thinking, analysis, and emotional reasoning. Creatures with advanced enough mana fields may also be able to consciously or unconsciously it, and in extension the mana around them.

Magic
Mana can be manipulated through use of magic, which is basically aiding one’s natural mana manipulation potential though the use of sound/speech, physical movements, and other physical objects (typically crystals [explained above] and plants [which have natural mana movement paths along them from when they were alive]).

Most magic, or at least magic that has any sort of immediate physical effect on the world, requires a certain amount of magical potential to perform. This is because the magic user has to supply a sufficient amount of energy in order for the mana being manipulated to break the “light line” (the point of separation between positive and negative space-time, the speed of light) or else the mana will not be able to turn to regular matter and manifest in any physical form. This limitation separates magic into 2 basic categories:
 * Light Magic: Magic that does not require breaking past the light line, and therefore does not have immediate physical effects. This sort of magic is performable by beings of low magical potential, such as the average human, if they have the correct components. This includes things such as luck spells.
 * Heavy Magic: Magic that does require breaking the light line, and therefore has immediate physical effects. Things such as elemental manipulation, levitation, summoning, teleportation, portal creation, energy beams, and other such things are all Heavy Magic.

Energy Beings
(To be added)

List of shows with this explanation for Mana
You do not need any permission to add your series to the list. If you like this, feel free to use it.
 * Ben 10: Eternal Forms
 * KrisTen