What is this I am writing in Italics?

This has caused some confusion already amongst my friends so I thought I should explain what I am doing here.The novel I'm writing is currently called The Legend of Seven. This is also the name of the book within the novel. Its important to make the distinction between the novel and the book within the novel. The novel I'm writing is a fiction fantasy. It is about the main characters quest (I guess you could call it) to obtain of of the seven weapons of legend. Each weapon gives the bearer the power over a certain element. If you've been following, you'll know that the first four are the basic elements: earth, wind, fire, water, heart. Ok, not heart, I just a felt a stab of nostalgia there, moving on... So those are the first four, and in the first book we learn that the weapon of earth is the sword, called the Tieraspada. Without giving too much away, this is the first weapon obtained by our protagonist.
The book, The Legend of Seven is owned and read by our protagonist. I'm still not sure whether it will make it into the novel, so I am including parts, if not all of it, on here. Problem is of course, I don't know exactly what I want to put into it or when. It suffices me to say that the book is about the legend of how the powers of the Seven came to be, and how they are obtained. I've loved things like Greek and Egyptian (thank you Stargate) mythology, so its a great experience to be able to create my own. And so our story continues...

But to say that they waged war against men would be folly. To say war would be to indicate that the opposition stood a chance against these elemental beings. It was simply an elimination of a factor in the equation. The lieutenants drew from within their power to find those that abused their gifts. They thought first to commune with them, to convince them of reason, of moderation, of peace. To their utter surprise, the mortal men fought against the lieutenants, turning the powers of the elements against their masters. It was futile, but they would not see it, they sought only the preservation of their own power. The lieutenants would not be defeated; they, being immortal beings, could not succumb to the powers of magic, or of time. With regret, they began to destroy the betrayers of their gifts, destruction being the only option with no way of removing the power from men. The lieutenants would soon learn of a new sect of magic users who were different.
Even before the lieutenants could act, a group of magicians, four sons and three daughters of man, had begun the elements' campaign. They were seven, one for every element, who had grouped together to rein in the chaos that had ensued around them. They too, quickly learned that most could not be reasoned with. But they never fought alone, nor did they travel alone. They became enemies of many around the land, and they were hunted. But unlike most other magicians, they were never alone. As such, they were able to defeat their enemies; for every element has its opposite, every element has its weakness. But as the concourses of enemies grew, their hope and chance of not only winning this war, but surviving it, grew slimmer by the day. For they too, were mere mortals.

The Legend of Seven, chapter 1.