So, for the past couple of years, I've been working on a creative project, that has ultimately been based around elements. I've come up with a method of making specific kinds of weapons and other stuff using said elements, but one thing I've always had trouble with was deciding what I want/need as a sub-element of Air.
In my little system, there are the four basic elements, and then there are eight more, 4 of which are based on the mixing of these elements (but not crossing them, like crossing fire and water, and crossing earth and air... Simply doesn't work with what I have), and then their being another form of the element, based solely on one of the four main elements alone. To a degree, this was always easy. But, I've always had a hard time thinking how to go about deciding what to use as a "pure" sub element, as I call it, for Air. So here are a couple thoughts I had, and I'd like some opinions:
One idea I juggled at first was Sound as an element, and the utilization of sound in various ways, from weapons, to magic and other things. But I found later on that Sound could easily be worked into Air itself, like just another aspect of it, much like how wind is simply an aspect of Air. But, I have recently thought of using Sound again as a separate element.
Another I used for a long while was using Aether as an element for Air, which makes sense in ways, but I could never decide upon how I wanted to utilize it. There were a few ways I wanted to utilize it, and at one point I even decided to try and utlize all three... Which I found out recently was a major pain to keep organized and keep a specific theme going within the element. Such things were utilizing the literal translation of Aether as the "upper air", and using the power of cosmological bodies like stars, planets, the moon, etc. Another way was utilizing it as a spirit or phantom like aspect, giving the user ghost like abilities, or abilities pertaining to life and death. The other was simply as a non-element that copied the aspects of the other elements, but didn't have the weaknesses or strengths of those elements.
In keeping with the second idea of Aether, I also thought of using a Spirit or Soul element, giving the users powers related to specifically spiritual, etheric, and esoteric themes, like ghost-like powers or powers over death, etc.
Yet another is Sky, but I can't seem to come up with anything other than utilizing storms, but I already have an element for that as well.
So, what are your guys' opinions? Which element should I use and why? If you think I should use another element, tell me why and I'll take it to consideration. Any and all responses are welcome.