The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts

...or tormentors, guides, or destroyers of mankind. In that world, the Law of Continuity—the normal, predictable sequence of nature—is suspended by the interference of the higher Law of Fantasy original: "Fantasia".

Unfortunately, this realm of enchantment is in every way comparable to "fairy gold" In folklore, fairy gold is treasure that appears valuable at night but turns into dry leaves, stones, or flowers in the light of day., which is likely its currency. It cannot survive the light of day, the scrutiny of the human eye, or the balance of reason. When these tests are applied, its paradoxes fall flat, and its contradictions become ridiculous. Its inconsistencies lack brilliance, and its mathematical wonders turn out to be nothing more than wordplay. Its life-prolonging potions original: "elixirs" fail to work even as simple laxatives original: "purges". Its attempts to turn lead into gold original: "transmutations" do not even need a professional assayer’s analysis to be proven false. Its magic words are revealed to be clumsy corruptions of dead languages, losing all power the moment they are translated and understood. One must not try to grab hold of summoned spirits or planetary beings, for they tend to vanish, leaving only empty robes behind—and unlike the prophet Elijah’s cloak, these robes carry no power This refers to the biblical story in 2 Kings 2:13, where the prophet Elijah’s mantle (cloak) fell to his successor, Elisha, granting him spiritual authority..

This brief comparison shows that there are at least two ways to look at Magic and its mysteries. First, there is the simple and unified view held by those few remaining believers within the "charmed circle" whom logic hasn't stopped from entering. Second, there is the view from the outside world—a more complex and varied perspective, though it is often only considered more "reasonable" because we assume it to be so.

There is also a third perspective, where one legend is weighed against another and one miracle is replaced by another. In this view, it is not a matter of natural laws persisting despite the laws of fantasy. Instead, the "Bogeyman" original: "Croquemetaine," a French monster used to scare children is explained away as the Devil original: "Diabolus". The magical symbols of fairyland are reinterpreted through the lens of Hell original: "Infernus". This is the logic of the Church—the Law of Bell, Book, and Candle A reference to the ritual of excommunication or banishing evil spirits. and the Law of Exorcism—which historically reached its peak with the public sentencing and execution of heretics original: "auto-da-fé," literally "act of faith.". For those who hold this view, the world of wonders definitely exists, with the only question being how the Holy Tribunal The Inquisition or church court. judges it. To them, magic is not what it appears to be,