Demons (魔, Ma?) are defined as:[1]
- Those existences that, while being of the Laws of Nature (自然の法則, Jizen no Housoku)?), distort the flow of such by the exercise of unnecessary powers.[1]
- That which gives rise to distortion merely by occurrence. Consequently, they are suppressed by way of exorcism (退魔, taima?) upon identification.[1]
Overview
Different species and types fall under this designation, but to those under the proper current, demons are perceived as evil. Humans, demons, and heroes exist in a cyclical order of superiorities wherein humans are incapable of defeating demons, demons are defeated by Heroes, and Heroes are regulated by humans.[2] There exist also humans, who by way of their own acts (lit. "sins; worldly preoccupations / fixations / absorptions; karma") are subsumed into the category of Demons as a result of losing their humanity.[3] There are also Gods, familiars and Magical Beasts who are considered demons.
They are not to be confused with Daemons[4], a more specific variety of existence. Yet the manner of existence taken by "Daemons" and "Demons" is in essence indistinguishable from that of a higher-order lifeform (高次元生命体, kou-jigen seimeitai?, lit. "higher-dimension lifeform") that inhabits a different sphere of civilization (異なる文明圏, koto-naru bunmei-ken?) upon a different planet (異なる惑星, koto-naru wakusei?).[3]
In sum, said existences can, per the recognition of the Universe of Awareness (認識宇宙, ninshiki-uchuu?, lit. "the universe derived of observation / perception"), no longer be discerned as "human." Their existences would approximate to that of the horrors (邪神, jashin?, lit. "evil god") of a certain fictitious Mythos popular in the 20th century.[3]
Examples of demons include:
- Len, a succubus who has grown strong enough to be considered a demon.
- Crimson Red Vermilions such as Kouma Kishima
- Oni Kind
- True Daemons, creatures born as demons who summon forth further demons.
- Touko Aozaki's Sealed Box, containing a demon from myths.
- The Gorgon
- Asterios
- Kaie Karyou
- Kiara Sessyoin, who reached a state close to that of a True Daemon.
- Avenger, a man-made demon.
- Sukeroku
- Mages who turned themselves into Vampires
- Vortigern
- Dead Apostle
- Sea Demons
- Gigantic Horror
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2
[] Colorful Moon Tsukihime: Ma Ma (魔?)
① Those existences that, while being of the Laws of Nature (自然の法則, Jizen no Housoku)?), distort the flow of such by the exercise of unnecessary powers.
② That which gives rise to distortion merely by occurrence. Consequently, they are suppressed by way of exorcism (退魔, taima?) upon identification.魔
①自然の法則にありながらその流れを歪めるモノとして必要とされなかった力を行使するモノ達。
②発生しているだけで歪みである。故に退魔は即座にこれを禁じる。 - ↑
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2
[] Fate/EXTRA material - Encyclopedia: True Demon [Circumstances], p.190 True Demon [Circumstances]
Even in the world of Extra, the concept of Demons (悪魔の概念, akuma no gainen?) is by humanity treated as the greatest of obstacles; so as God is to omniscience and omnipotence (全知全能, zenchi zenou?), so as demons as an existence are to mortal levels of awareness and impotence (人知無能, Jinchi Munou?, lit. "human intellect and impotence").
They are as an abyss (淵, fuchi?) that lies within arm's reach, yet decisively beyond comprehension.
Distinct from those demons from Stay Night, which exist only as imitations, the real thing -- Enfleshed Demons (受肉した悪魔, juniku-shita akuma?, lit. "Incarnated Demon") are that with which humans are incapable of competing 太刀打ちできない (tachi-uchi-dekinai, lit. "incapable of crossing swords"?).
(※ There is in record only a single instance in which an Enfleshed Demon was forced to disperse (退散, taisan?, lit. "disperse / retreat"), but that's a different story.)
In general, demons are existences that take possession, utilizing the corpus of a human to incarnate (受肉, juniku) and take action, but in the event that the psyche (精神, seishin?) of the human host (苗床になる人間, naedoko ni naru ningen?, lit. "the human that becomes a seed-bed") cannot withstand the strain, it is commonplace for self-annihilation (自壊, jikai?) of the host to occur, dispersing the essence of the demon into the vicinity.
There exist also humans who by way of their own acts (業, gō?, lit. "sins; worldly preoccupations / fixations / absorptions; karma") are subsumed unto the category of Demons as a result of losing their humanity; but these creatures that are said to have become Fiends (魔人, Majin?) cannot be considered True Demons.
In the world of Extra -- whether by way of Demonic possession, or in the circumstance that one's own actions bring about a transformation -- the phenomenon whereby a True Demon is birthed unto the world has, as of present day in 2030, not been brought successful fruition even once.
Though the classifications of "Demons" and "Fiends" do exist, their manner of existence is in essence indistinguishable from that of a higher-order lifeform (高次元生命体, kou-jigen seimeitai?, lit. "higher-dimension lifeform") that inhabits a different sphere of civilization (異なる文明圏, koto-naru bunmei-ken?) upon a different planet (異なる惑星, koto-naru wakusei?).
In sum, said existences can, per the recognition of the Universe of Awareness (認識宇宙, ninshiki-uchuu?, lit. "the universe derived of observation / perception"), no longer be discerned as "human."
Their existences would approximate to that of the cosmic horrors (邪神, jashin?, lit. "evil god") of a certain fictitious Mythos popular in the 20th century.
In the True Route of CCC, a certain individual that has undergone transmigration did indeed manage to reach this realm, but owing to a slight mistake, they were capsized from the Seat of Divinity (神の座, kami no za?).真性悪魔【事柄】
EXTRA世界にあっても、悪魔の概念は人類にとって最大の障害として扱われる。
神が全知能であるのなら、悪魔は人知無能の存在。
手の届く範囲にありながら決して理解できない淵だ。
stay nightにおいて悪魔は偽物しか存在せず、本物————受肉した悪魔に人間は太刀打ちできないとされる。
（＊受肉した悪魔を退散させた例は一件のみ記録されているが、それはまた別の話）
たいてい悪魔は憑くものとされ、人間の体を用いて受肉しようと働くが、苗床になる人間の精神が耐えられず、周囲に魔をまき散らして自壊するのが通例。
中には自らの業によって人間でなくなってしまい、結果的に悪魔のカテゴリーに含まれる人間もいるが、これは魔人化と呼ばれるもので真性悪魔ではない。
EXTRA世界において、悪魔憑きであれ、自らの業で変化したものであれ、真性悪魔を生み出した現象は２０３０年現在、一つの成功例 もない。
悪魔、魔人化、と銘打ってはいるが、その在り方は異なる文明圏、異なる惑星に住まう高次元生命体と変わらな い。なにしろこの認識宇宙における『人』でなくなったのだから。
その在り方は二十世紀に流行した、とある創作神話における邪神の在り方に近い。
ＣＣＣの真ルートで変生した ある人物はこの域に達しながら、些細なミスによって神の座から転落した。 - ↑
[] Jonnobi: Demon Demon (Terminology)
The 6th Imaginary Aspect. Existences born of the wishes of humans, passively (受動的な, shuudou-teki-na?, lit. "as acted upon") called forth by human desire. Manifest phantasms (実像幻想, jitsuzou gensou?) that take form via the aggregation of ideation (想念, sounen?, lit. "thoughts"). For materialization (実体化, kittaika?, lit. "manifestation to material") to occur, "a form fabricated by humans" is necessary. Not True Demons, but existences that obtain being by the imposition of a Designation (個体名, kotai-mei?, lit. "unit designation").
As Demons attain true freedom upon receiving a Designation, it is a general rule that the naming of Demons is not an act to lightly engage within.
Temporarily setting aside the outcomes of engaging with such, Demons may be assessed as allies of humanity, who exist so as to empathize with and resolve the sufferings of humanity.悪魔（用語）
第六架空要素。人間の願いによって生み出され、人間の願いによって呼び出される受動的なモノ。モノの想念が集まってカタチをなした実像幻想。実体化には『人々が創造したカタチ』が必要。真性悪魔ではなく『個体名』になるもののこと。
名前をつけてしまうと本当に自由になってしまうため、悪魔を安易に名付けてはならないという決まりがある。
結果はどうあれ、人の苦悩を理解し取りのぞこうとするもので、見ようによっては人間の味方。