Having journeyed well more than a mile in Myra Helkey’s shoes, it’s probably helpful to pull back the curtain a bit to explore her particular and somewhat unique brand of magic. As our main heroine, Myra is a mage. She possesses the ability to use magic through specific curses. What’s more, she is marked with a very personal permanent magic in the form of her unique tattoo as name curse. What kind of magic user is Myra? And what makes her magical tattoo special?
The Kinds of Magic
To better grasp Myra’s magic, we need to first understand the general ways in which magic may manifest in her universe. In Helkey’s Arisen Worlds setting, the source of all magic is wisps — which are the house of an individual’s spirit or soul. Wisps as soul-houses possess both power and the signature nature or personality of a being. Devil magic, demonic magic, and angelic magic rely on wisps directly, though each form of magic manifests in its own way. Demonic magic devours wisps to inflict transformations, harm and horror. Devil magic dominates wisps — forcing them to serve as slaves, food and energy, and as a power source. Angelic magic sacrifices a person’s own wisp energy to form magics that vitalize, enable, commune and protect.
Separate from these is the magic of mages. Mages are unique in that their wisps connect to the universal spirit of the multiverse. A kind of wisp as oversoul. This worlds-given magic is more mutable and versatile than other forms. It also comes from a deeper wellspring and so is only limited by an individual mage’s ability to store it. Mages set intentional channels for their magic through curses. And curses can come in the form of chanted or written words and symbols. Mages are typically human. Although angelic and diabolical mages are not unheard of, even if they are rare. Demons are anathema to the multiverse — so its magic forsakes them.
Myra Helkey is a mage. Her origin is a bit of a spoiler, so we won’t reveal it now. Though you may have guessed some of it based on what you now know about her parents — Beatrice and Mori. Suffice it to say that she basically operates by the same rules as other mages in the use of her magics. Though, unlike other mages, she also possesses a specifically crafted magical tattoo linked to her own unique wisp.
Magical Tattoo as Name Curse
Myra’s name curse is Infernum Clavis or Helkey. It is a whirl of ancient letters inscribed into her left arm in the form of magical channels and written with a special ink. Both the language of the curse and how it was crafted is yet to be revealed. However, what I will say is that Infernum Clavis is just part of the lettering. The rest is of dancing characters that are presently without form.
Infernum Clavis is linked to Myra’s wisp. It serves as a store-house for magical energy from the worlds-wisp. This gives Myra an extra well from which to draw to form magical spells. So she packs a bit more ooomph and endurace than is typical for a mage despite her young age. But that’s not all. This magical tattoo possesses two more special powers that have proven very useful thus far. The first is the Helkey’s ability to easily open Hell Gates. We saw this property in action during Chapter 5. The second is its signature ability to steal benevolent wisps from devils and then to protectively draw them within the bounds of its form inscribed in her flesh. For these innocent and good souls, Infernum Clavis is a refuge. Malign souls can also be taken by Infernum Clavis from Hell. These ill-intending wisps are banished to the house of Myra’s shadow. There they reside as tiny shades flowing through her larger one — also kept safe but separated.
As you have probably already guessed, this soul-stealing from devils who have built their fortunes on taking mortal souls for themselves makes Myra quite the threat to the denizens of Hell…
(Want to read the first Chapter of Helkey? You can find it here.)
(Looking for something else? Check out Helkey Contents.)
Scribbler’s Fantastical Workshop 
robertscribbler
/ March 26, 2021Updated to include a few edits and minor corrections.
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