The worldbuilding found in Rebecca Yarros' Empyrean Series has greatly expanded with the release of future Empyrean Series novel.

Yarros has structured Fourth Wing's magic system in a way that humans can only safely access magic through a unique bond with a dragon or gryphon—in which both creatures wield magic from the ground and channel power into their bonded human. However, during the quest squads' travels throughout Onyx Storm's narrative, it's obvious that the riders and their dragons are cut off from their magic while in the isles, as the land has no magic in the ground for them to channel from. But, this doesn't affect Andarna—and this theory suggests the irids' magic may operate differently than the Empyrean.

Onyx Storm Theory Reveals The Empyrean Should Draw Magic From The Sky, Not Ground

The Empyrean Magic May Have Changed After The Irids Left Navarre

Throughout Onyx Storm, the irid dragons—Andarna's seventh dragon breed—are capable of wielding magic, regardless of the isles' lands being completely barren and devoid of magic. Based on Fourth Wing's current magic system, their ability to wield magic on barren ground should be impossible. However, this theory suggests the irid dragons may be pulling magic from the sky instead. While on the isle kingdoms, each rider and their dragon are cut off from one another and their powers—but Violet curiously is not.

Throughout their missions on the isles, Violet still has the ability to communicate with her dragons and is seen on multiple occasions wielding her lightning signet where it shouldn't have been possible. The theory explains that this is because Violet is also bonded to Andarna, an irid dragon—who potentially has the ability to channel power from the sky. It's still unknown whether the Empyrean once operated in a similar manner, but given Empyrean translates to "heavens" or "skies", it may be a clue that the dragons need to channel magic from the skies once again.

All The Evidence For Onyx Storm's Sky Magic/Ground Magic Theory

In Hindsight, There Are Several Book Moments That Point To This

With Andarna's irid nature in mind, Violet could potentially access the power of the skies as well, and proof of the theory can be traced all the way back to the first book. At the end of Fourth Wing, Violet finds herself face to face with the venin, who comments on her ability to access power from the sky. This was at first believed to be in reference to her powerful lightning signet, but it's possible the venin knew all along what Violet and Andarna were capable of.

"Such untapped power. No wonder we were called here. You could command the sky to surrender all its power, and I bet you don't know what to do with it, do you?"

—Fourth Wing, Chapter 37

The wording during this scene is very specific, and the venin refers to Violet's abilities as "untapped power"—indicating that something aside from her lightning signet is not being utilized. Throughout Iron Flame, Violet is consistently referred to as "the one who wields the skies", and this theory finally gives that nickname more meaning. Yarros also spends time in Onyx Storm to draw parallels to this. Violet explains at one point that she has the urge to pluck magic from the sky, and in another moment she senses magic around her—regardless of the desiccated venin land below.

Violet can wield pure power, not just lightning—drawing a connection to the irids' proclamation that they are pure magic.

There are also several moments that may confirm Violet has been wielding power from the sky with her lightning signet. In Iron Flame, Felix is shocked to know that Violet has only ever wielded lightning from the sky itself, and later confirms Violet can wield pure power, not just lightning—drawing a connection to the irids' proclamation that they are pure magic. Several readers have also made connections between this theory and the Fable of the Barrens, which consistently warns about the dangers of wielding power from the ground instead of the skies.

This Fourth Wing Theory Could Explain Why Irids Are So Different From Other Dragons

The Irids Are Not Corrupted By Ground Magic

The irid dragons abandoned Navarre just over 600 years prior, at the same time as the Great War and the first six dragon riders. This confirms that something changed during this time, and while it might have stemmed from their dislike of war, it's more likely that changes within the Empyrean made the Irid leave. The irids are clearly very different from the Empyrean dragons, both physically and in their beliefs. Irids are iridescent and have the ability to camouflage into their environment, and also stay feathertails—forgoing a weaponized tail due to their belief in peace.

Empyrean dragons can choose their weaponized tail after the dreamless sleep, completing the transition from feathertails to adult dragons.

While it's unlikely that ground magic has made every Empyrean dragon in Navarre evil, it could play a role in why the irid first left. The irids have made it known they do not the Empyrean's choices to bond with humans and engage in their wars. And it's likely the Great War and the dragons who first bonded with humans did so by accessing a different source of magic—from the ground. This could also be a clue as to why the Empyrean dragons are dependent on humans to channel magic, and are prone to war and sometimes aggressive natures.

"Bonds are merely magical ties. You are irid. You are magic. Bend it, shape it, break it as you see fit."

—Onyx Storm, Chapter 53

Where the Empyrean are reliant on humans to channel the magic they can wield, irids have no need for a rider to access and implement magic. After the battle in Aretia, Leothan tells Andarna that the irids are pure magic, and explains that they have the ability to bend, shape, or break bonds—and likely all magic—to their will. Pulling magic from the sky would likely give them a different set of abilities than Fourth Wing's Empyrean dragons, which would explain their unique ability with bonds.

How Sky Magic Could Affect Future Empyrean Books (& Even Cure The Venin)

The Fable Of The Barrens Hint At One Possibility

The Fables have already pointed to the dangers of wielding magic from the ground over the skies, and it's possible there are ages within the Fourth Wing fictional tale that detail how to cure or defeat the venin once and for all. In Fourth Wing's chapter 37 epigraph, the fables state how one of the three brothers "commanded the sky to surrender its greatest power" and finally vanquished his jealous sibling who, in the story, was venin. The fables have already proven to be more than a work of fiction, and Violet's father has greatly impressed these stories upon her.

Knowing Asher Sorrengail left the fables for Violet as a guide, it's possible that wielding power from the skies holds the key to defeating the venin, or even potentially curing them—as readers have also theorized that adjusting their source of magic from the ground to the skies could heal the venin. But it's more likely Yarros is hinting that riders' signets will become greater weapons against the venin when wielding from the sky over the ground—especially knowing that Violet's sky-wielding lightning signet is the only ability to successfully kill venin throughout Onyx Storm and the entire series. It would certainly explain why the venin are so interested in Andarna – either they know she and the other irids hold the key to defeating them, or they want to learn how to tap into the sky's magic themselves.

Source: Reddit