Animus magic

Animus Dragons are born with magic powers over physical objects, and if they put in enough energy and are desperate enough, small animals. SeaWings, NightWings, and IceWings have been confirmed to have (or had) animus dragons, although it is very possible that SandWings have them as well. Qibli said IceWings and SkyWings haven't had animus powers in a long time, hinting that they might have had animus dragons.

Abilities

Animus dragons can enchant objects to do nearly anything - from levitating, creating an object that can visit someone's dreams, forcing an entire structure to collapse, to finding a specific dragon, even when the animus dragons themselves does not know who they are. However, every time an animus dragon uses his or her power, they lose an increasing bit of their soul and risk going mad.

Animus History

• Albatross: A SeaWing animus dragon named Albatross built the SeaWing pavilion in the Summer Palace over the course of a decade before going mad and trying to kill everyone in sight, an event known as the Royal SeaWing Massacre.

• Stonemover: A NightWing animus, Stonemover, figured out a way to transfer the soul loss into his scales, gradually turning them into stone. He described it as, "turning the magic upon itself". However, he was already weak from creating tunnels that lead to somewhere else. Stonemover enchanted a fox named Dinner to bring him the food he needs, for he is too weak to do it himself. He may have created the Obsidian Mirror, and did something to it when he left so that it didn't work as well. He also enchanted the NightWing tunnels.

• Darkstalker: A half NightWing, half IceWing animus, born also with strong powers of mindreading and seeing the future. He created the three dreamvisitors, and eventually became obsessed with power and attempted to take over the tribe as king. His beloved, Clearsight, and his best friend, Fathom tricked him with an animus-touched object and was finally defeated. However, based on Moon Rising, he may not be as evil as first was thought.

• Fathom: Animus SeaWing, best friend of Darkstalker until he tricked him into enchanted sleep. Swore to his sister never to use his powers after the Royal SeaWing Massacre, but used them once to stop Darkstalker,

• Orca: An Animus SeaWing, she had enchanted one of her sculptures of herself to kill other female dragons in her bloodline, so she could rule forever. After challenging her mother, Queen Coral, for the throne she had died. Queen Coral put her enchanted sculpture in the underwater Royal Hatchery, where it proceeded to crush the Queen's egg.

• Scarlet's Companion: Was with Queen Scarlet in Winter Turning. Apparently not a "real animus." The meaning of that description most likely refers to Darkstalker's scroll, since somehow they found it.
• Prince Arctic: Darkstalker's father, a Icewing prince that fell in love with a Nightwing named Foeslayer, and he new he could never be with her unless he ran away from his tribe. A few days before his "Gifting Ceremony" her and him slipped out of the Ice Kingdom together. The facts about where they ran away to are unknown, but they did have one egg and that was Darkstalker. But Darkstalker claims that his father used his power behind the other Icewings and was already insane. He also claims he had no choice but to kill him.
• Queen Diamond: All that is known about this Animus is that she created the chains to Foeslayer's prison. She was an old Icewing Queen that ruled in ancient times. She enchanted Foeslayer's chains so that she could be killed multiple times over and over again because killing her once was not enough for Diamond. The chains could be set free though, but only by the frost breath of a member of the royal Icewing family.

Effects

Albatross died after he went insane and was stopped by a spear to his chest. Stonemover has his body turning slowly into stone when he turned his powers against themselves and it is unknown if Thorn has noticed that he is dying. Orca partially proved her insanity and will for power by enchanting a statue to kill the heirs of the Sea Kingdom. Princess Anemone might go completely crazy and become the next Albatross in books 9 and 10. Darkstalker has put his animus powers into a scroll, so he does not go insane from using it.

Known Animus Dragons

• Albatross (SeaWing)
• Anemone (SeaWing)
• Arctic (IceWing)
• Darkstalker (NightWing/IceWing hybrid)
• Diamond (IceWing)
• Fathom (SeaWing)
• Frostbite (IceWing)
• Orca (SeaWing)
• Stonemover (NightWing)

Trivia

• Animus genes run in the royal family of the SeaWings, and used to in the IceWings.
• The actual definition of animus is motivation to do something (enchantment of objects in the books), a hostile or ill feeling (The affect of the use of powers on an animus dragon), and a term for the masculine part of a woman's personality.
• The IceWings genetically bred animus magic into their dragons, and set up a system so every animus only uses their animus powers once so they don't go insane.

Gallery

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• File:Darkstalker.JPG
• File:Orca headshot.png
• File:Prince albatross01.png
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• File:Stonemover&sunny.jpg
• Stonemover
  Stonemover