Elementum-circulatory system

Every eleman has two systems of vein-like tubes than run through their bodies. One is the circulatory system, which carries blood and lymph through the body. The other, unique to elemental creatures, is the Elementum-circulatory system (ECS). This system carries the liquid element produced by elemental beings through their bodies. The elementum-circulatory system, although it flows through the entire body, has specific ports, areas of origin, and storage.

Furthermore, it is commonly mistaken that the ECS and the ability to control elements arise from similar roots. This is incorrect, as the actual control of particular elements, rather than their production, comes from an unexplainable phenomenon known as elemental affinity.

In the case of mixed elemen, the actual composition of the ECS can vary in a case-by-case manner. For more information, please see below or visit the article on mixed elemen.

Ports
The ports are area where elements are produced by elemen. Although some elemen have the ability to force elements through anywhere in the ECS via pores and openings on the body, most can use only the ports that exist on various limbs. The most commonly used port is in the palm of each hand. These ports of composed of a large, thin pouch beneath the skin, where the liquid element can easily exit the body by rapidly evaporating. Once it touches the air, the liquid element takes the force of whatever is being conjured by a particular elemen (e.g. fire for flame elemen). This reaction is instant and with practice, takes little to no concentration on the eleman's part.

There are variations of ports among different elemen. For lightning elemen, these ports are known to run along the fingers and can be much smaller in size, allowing for greater precision in controlling the release of lightning. Garden elemen are the most extreme difference, however, with most of them having the ability to release liquid element from various parts around their body aside from the basic ports. This is due to the nature of garden elements, which involves the transfer and control of life itself (for more information, please refer to the article on garden elemen).

The other main ports are located along the base of the feet. These ports can have a wide variety of uses. For aqua elemen, they are ideal for the practice of water-walking, which allows them to run or sprint across certain depths of water without sinking all the way through (although it should be noted that the ability to walk on the very top surface of the water is a myth). Wind elemen use these for traveling along strong currents of wind, usually with the support of their wings for maintaining balance. Lightning elemen can drive excess electricity into the ground and quell a lightning storm, and flame elemen can clear flames away as they walk. Finally, one of the most famous uses, is how garden elemen can walk and cause entire fields to bloom with various forms of life (see Kikura (city) for more information).

Areas of Origin
There are many different parts of an eleman's body that can be considered the origin of the liquid element, but because of the nature of the ECS, more than one area is required to produce the necessary result. The first area of origin lies within the elemental-duodenum. When food passes through an eleman's stomach, specific enzymes will break down the unessentials and allow them swift passage into the small intestine for basic digestion. Things that are left become necessary "fuel" for liquid element via the elemental-duodenum. The unbroken down food travels through the organ where it is then absorbed into the ECS. This organ tends to differ for each breed of eleman.

Aqua
For Aqua elemen, their diets tend to be rich in dairy such as milk and cheese. Although the specific food digested and the food absorbed is unknown, Aqua elemen typically drink a glass of water with every meal to strengthen the intensity of their water output. It is also believed that the calcium in milk encourages bone density, which keeps bones strong against the force of water. Furthermore, refined sugars are never consumed in large amounts due to their ability to cause dehydration. Some elemen go as far as to say it is toxic to Aqua elemen, an idea upheld by the strict regulation and age limits barring the consumption of foods containing refined sugars.

Garden
Due to the nature of Garden elemen and the life element, not enough study has been conducted to properly label what food is absorbed and what is merely consumed. However, most garden elemen tend to be vegetarians due to the large surplus of organic gardens surrounding the Cities of Garden.

Wind
Although the specific enzymes are unknown, it has been well-documented that wind elemen who gain excess weight are unable to produce wind element as skillfully as their slim-figured peers. As such, many wind elemen live off of vegetables, grains, and lean-meats. High fat and high sugar foods are avoided for daily consumption. However, because of the nature of wind element, it is not believed that skinnier elemen are better at controlling wind. Wind elemen, although they can create high intensity winds from nowhere, typically use their affinity to wind and instead focus on controlling the air that is already there. It is widely believed that wind elemen have the greatest control over their element compared to all others for this reason.

Flame
Flame elemen are far different than other element in the sense that their elemental-duodenum functions more as a second stomach rather than an extension of the small intestine. Food that takes longer to digest is almost always re-routed to the second stomach, where it is preserved in a special type of enzyme until flames become necessary. The liquid element is then pumped through the organ where it reacts with the enzymes to raise it's boiling point far above the norm. This is also the reason flame elemen tend to have a higher body temperature than other elemen. The main source of energy come from the enzymes, which can only be released and then flourish around food as it digests. For this reason, flame elemen tend to eat meals high in protein and fats, because it allows for a long-lasting source of fire. Once a new source of food comes in, the enzymes are fully absorbed into the ECS and the food continues its way through the digestive tract.

However, although this has been scientifically proven, it is rarely put into use for the flame elemen of Stendrion, where meats high in fat are very rare. Instead, flame elemen eat meals that are rich in carbohydrates, which burn at a rate that is much faster than protein. This results in flames that are far more breif. However, the quick-digestion also produces fast-acting enzymes that can replicate at a faster rate. The end result is stronger and hotter flames with a lower burn life (they don't last as long).

Lightning
The lightning elemen are generally considered to have one of the most peculiar diets because of their constant need for sugar. Although first pioneered by a group of different breeds of elemen, the art of making refined sugar became one that only caught on for the lightning elemen. This was because, as it was quickly discovered, the refined sugar seemed to only benefit the lightning elemen. When they eat, their food is broken down to sugars and non-sugars. Non-sugars are quickly digested, whereas all sugars are reserved for the elemental-duodenum. Here, they are directly absorbed into the ECS. Natural sugars from fruit and foods are easier for their systems to absorb, however, refined sugar is much more powerful and allows for near-constant use of their electricity. In fact, it is a widely debated topic as to whether flame elemen or lightning elemen use their elements more often in their everyday life.

However, due to it's addictive properties, lightning elemen are known to go through withdrawal-like symptoms if they are without it for too long. Although similar conditions exist for other elemen, it seems most prevalent in and around Jet City (see elemental withdrawal for more information). This has spurred many anti-refined sugar groups to sprout up around Jet City, who suggest that the eleman-made product is a perversion of the natural process of creating electricity.

Furthermore, lightning elemen typically are advised not to relish in diets that are high in fats and protein. Because there are superfluous to the making of electricity, it it widely believed that they may also hinder the control of lightining. However, such studies surrounding this hypothesis have so far been inconclusive.

Storage
Throughout the ECS are small pockets where loops of vein-like tubes form clusters. These clusters are though to be where the liquid element is stored before and after it has been charged by the food absorbed via the elemental-duodenum. There are two types of clusters. The first stores pure liquid element that has not been given energy from food. These loops occur mainly around vital organs, with most of them being found within the ribcage. The exact purpose of these areas of storage are unknown, as there is no reason for excess liquid element to be stored. As such, some of these clusters may be safely removed should the need via surgery arise (such as the case of organ transplants or the removal of unhealthy tissue). The actual area of origin for the pure liquid element itself is debatable, although many scientists agree that the brain plays a key role in its production.

The second type of clusters are for liquid element that is ready to be used through ports. After gaining energy from the elemental-duodenum, the liquid element rests on the many vein-like tubes that make up the ECS. Unlike the circulatory system, not all of the ECS contains liquid element at any given time. Most elemen rarely fill their entire system, and it is thought that doing so consistently causes wear and tear on the person's system (more on this below). When not in use, the liquid element is balanced throughout the body. When an eleman is ready to use their particular element, the ECS moves the charged liquid element towards the hands and feet (although more skilled elemen can change when and where the liquid element moves through their body via elemental affinity).

Injuries to the ECS
Although the lines connecting the ECS to ports on the body may be severed, there has never been a documented case of an eleman becoming seriously affected by the release of pure liquid element from their own bodies, of those of surrounding elemen. The true amount of liquid element in the body is so low and insignificant that the release would be unnoticeable. Furthermore, only liquid element that has passed through a port can become a viable element once exposed to air. The reason for this is thought to be a chemical compound found in the ECS ports that causes the liquid element to boil, but how this allows certain element to release elements without the use of ports is unknown.

The way damage is brought to the ECS is generally thought to be related to the storage of unused liquid element. This has been well-documented in flame elemen, whose short life span have been attributed to this (which is generally aggravated by a very poor diet).