[The way alchemy works is always a bit tricky to explain; it's simply second nature to him by now, something done without a conscious step-by-step process, and as such putting it into words tends to be a bit...odd, give him a moment.]
Well, we can't create from nothing, as that would violate Equivalent Exchange, and that particular law extends to both materials and energy alike. One can use one's own life force as energy for certain things, but I imagine that would come with consequences like shortening one's own life span; I've seen someone else do it, at any rate, but I've never tried myself.
Amestrian alchemy draws the energy required for transmutations from the earth itself...seismic and tectonic energy and the like. There's a similar flow of energy through all things, living or not; rather than utilizing that energy to create something from whatever materials I have to work with, my alchemy is focused on manipulating the energy itself - forcing enough of an instability within whatever object it is I'm attempting to destroy that it explodes.
Equivalent Exchange still applies; given what I do, I think it's obvious why I would prefer to underestimate than overestimate what I'm capable of doing at any given time, as accidentally forcing a rebound would have...rather unpleasant consequences.
no subject
Well, we can't create from nothing, as that would violate Equivalent Exchange, and that particular law extends to both materials and energy alike. One can use one's own life force as energy for certain things, but I imagine that would come with consequences like shortening one's own life span; I've seen someone else do it, at any rate, but I've never tried myself.
Amestrian alchemy draws the energy required for transmutations from the earth itself...seismic and tectonic energy and the like. There's a similar flow of energy through all things, living or not; rather than utilizing that energy to create something from whatever materials I have to work with, my alchemy is focused on manipulating the energy itself - forcing enough of an instability within whatever object it is I'm attempting to destroy that it explodes.
Equivalent Exchange still applies; given what I do, I think it's obvious why I would prefer to underestimate than overestimate what I'm capable of doing at any given time, as accidentally forcing a rebound would have...rather unpleasant consequences.