There are four elements in Berserk, each composed and governed by small, distinct entities called Elementals.
Description
They are miniscule in size and may live in large quantities for greater advantage. They dwell in large swarms upon not only compatible magical tools or weapons (granting divine protection to users) but also live in sanctuaries, thus granting divine protection to worshippers or habitants of the area.
Types
Sylphs
These spirits take form of tiny angels with wing-like hands, although they are described by Serpico as "transparent insects". As explained by Schierke, "spirits which resonate or are compatible with energy (heat)", meaning they govern over matter in gaseous form. As spiritual bodies of the atmosphere (Air/Wind) and being the heart of the wind that flies throughout the skies, they call upon the air and wind as tool and weapon.
Their powers include the ability to sweep away swords and arrows from the actual target. They can also grant the ability to glide and fly in the air, granting greater freedom of mobility. They are able to break falls by creating an updraft to decelerate the falling speed of a person or object. These abilities are shown from the powers of the Sylph Cloak. They can also attack in form of a swirling gust of razor-sharp wind, able to slice and cut enemies' flesh cleanly into pieces even at quite a distance away without the weapon needing to touch them. This is seen from Serpico's Sylph Sword, made from the Great Eagle's feather and a carved rune branch.
Salamanders
These spirits are in the form of tiny lizards of flame. They are not further illustrated by Schierke, only mentioned indirectly as "spirits which resonate or are compatible with energy (heat)".
Their powers include the ability to hurt enemies with a burn like the flame of Hell's inferno. They can also be used to kindle candles and fuses of bombs, serving as a ignition tool.
Undines
These spirits are in form of tiny fish-like beings (perhaps more like a mermaid) with fins and streamlined bodies. They are not further illustrated by Schierke, only mentioned indirectly as "spirits which resonate or are compatible with fluids".
It is said that the lapping waves can crush even the rocks and crags. Water droplets can penetrate stone with time. Winds can also erode away things made of stone to form sand. When bound with magic to provide it with the sharpness of the needle, water can split metal or perhaps even diamonds.
Gnomes
They are not yet shown but can be inferred. These spirits come in form of tiny dwarf-like figures or dolls, perhaps much like the Mud Golems used by Schierke as protectors of Flora's Tree Hut. They are not further illustrated by Schierke, only mentioned indirectly as "spirits which resonate or are compatible with individual or solid bodies".
Elemental Lords
High-level elemental spirits can manipulate these entities at will, while weapons with magic properties such as Serpico's Sylph sword and Isidro's Salamander Dagger can only harness their powers by appealing to their respective elementals.
For each elemental there is a King, as illustrated by the Dark Horse translation. Schierke claims that they were also referred by the Holy See's religion teachings as the Four Angels.
The Elemental Kings are:
King of Air / Atmosphere: Ate - also given the title of the Lord Of The East
King Of Water / Ocean: Ve - also given the title of the Lord Of The West
King Of Fire / Sun: Gedula - also given the title of the Lord Of The South
King Of Earth / Land: Markt - also given the title of the Lord Of The North
Other Entities
Other entities are shown throughout the manga/anime, which include:
The Lady of the Deep Water
The Lady of the Deep Water is the water spirit which is enshrined on the hill where the Enoch village's church was. It takes the form of a female angel with wings of water and has order over the Undines. It was worshipped by the ancestors of the habitants of Enoch but was gradually forgotten when the church of Holy See was built in its sanctuary's place. However, it still accepted to purge the trolls, orcs and kelpie out of the village, drowning and killing them in a rushing flood of water.
Schierke has warped into the Astral Plane when the Enoch village was under the troll's attack and found a sanctuary on the hill where the church was. It declares itself as "the kindred of water, the spirit of the river that runs through this land" and that "it is pledged to obey its ancient covenant (promise/contract) to purify and wash away the evil spirits that defile the land, carrying the wicked souls into the dark realm of death."
Rotting Root Lord
Schierke visits the Astral Plane at the Qliphoth where she makes a pact with the Rotting Root Lord to destroy all of the trolls by decaying them into nothingness. The Rotting Root Lord was a spirit of darkness and, as forewarned by Flora, seemed to be a very difficult spirit to control.
Blaze Wheel
The Blaze Wheel Spirit, Magatsukami is a great flame spirit which resides in battlefields. It is "a relative of miraculous scorching flame Shakuen that spureth Hell fire and layeth ruin and flame upon battlefields", as it declares when it is in possession of Schierke's body which she lent in return of its help. It seeks the enemies of Guts' Team as "sacred offerings which will be reduced to ashes beneath the rut of the Guren (Crimson Lotus, also known as Hell in Buddhist mythology)".
At the docks at Vritannis where monsters were summoned to attack and destroy the city, Schierke channelled into the Astral Plane, sought after, found and thereby called upon the aid of the Blaze Wheel. As the Spirit of the the Hell Inferno and was able to creat mass destruction, as shown in its attack upon the Daka army when it took its toll upon a nearby water wheel, which bursted into flames and rolled upon the Daka army, trampling and burning the Daka to the ground.Berserk, Volume 36, Episode 272.
It also lent its power as response to Schierke's request, inhabiting and channelling its power over hellfire into Guts' Berserker Armor and Dragonslayer sword. This newly bestowed power granted to Guts was said to allow him to "burn his enemies asunder with its ferocious hellfire". As a result, Guts was cloaked in fierce flames which was able to protect him from the water snake protector, Kundalini's water beam attack, rendering the water from the shot harmless. He was able to force through the beam, even into the mouth of the water beast's mouth and into the body. Creating a great explosion from the Dragonslayer, it tossed the Kushan sorcerer and cut down the true form, the relatively tiny mystical water snake entwined around the sorcerer's body from the summoned water beast.
With the help of Serpico and his Wind equipment, the combo was able to cut down and destroy Kundalini's true form, the mystical water snake, resulting in the defeat of the sorcerer.