Magic

Magic

Chapter 1: The Definition of Magic
The energy known as magic is inherent to every sentient being in the universe. However, the ability to utilize magic can only be used by those who have both the inherent magical ability to do so, as well as the mental strength required of a mage. The act of using magic requires the user to project their will onto the fabric of reality space-time that permeates throughout the universe. When casting magic, the mage uses their specific magic type as a conduit for this projection and this type of magic the mage wields is shaped by a variety of things, such as the mage’s personality, personal history, as well as the mold of their device (more on this later).

Chapter 2: The Three Methods
There are three methods to cast magic. The first and oldest method is the most traditional way of casting, where the mage projects their consciousness into the vast web of reality space-time in order to bend reality to their will. Once an incantation is spoken and mana is expelled from the mage’s body, the spell can be released. However, this is the most dangerous form of spellcasting as only the most mentally sturdy of mages are capable of projecting their will onto the entire universe. While spells cast using this method were extremely powerful, they cost a large amount of mana and the incantation times were very long, as well as proving very dangerous to the mage involved. Those that did succeed in the casting process risked serious mental feedback or outright death. It was for this reason that the magical device was invented and gave rise to the second method, which combined traditional incantations while using the device to stabilize the mage’s mind, lowering the fatality of rate for mages. However, the long incantation times and high mana costs remained. After a while though, mage-smiths devised a way to lower mana costs, fatality rates, as well as shorten incantation times. Instead of forcing a mage to project their consciousness upon the reality space-time, this third method of spellcasting allowed for the device to instead have executable spells whose incantations were stored in the mage’s device. Once the stored spell, or “program” is executed by the mage by reciting the name of the spell, the rest of the spell is cast by the device by rewriting it into a formula using physics and mathematics. By using the mage’s mana as a fuel source, the device is able to cast these spells at a much faster speed than most mages can handle. However, compared to the first method (known as the Old Method), these spells are notably less powerful.
Chapter 3: On the Magical Device
	The Metaphysical Magical Stabilization Device (otherwise known as the MMSD or simply the Magical Device) was invented by a magical scientist around one thousand years ago as a way to not only to make casting faster, but also safer. Early devices utilized a method casting known as the Hybrid Method, which used the device as a stabilizing force on the caster. After the invention of the magical device as well as the Hybrid Method, widespread usage of devices as well as the discovery of a great many more mages in the universe. This would then evolve into the New Method (or by the scientific community, the Modern Device Casting Method), which was invented several hundred years ago and allowed for the changing of magical casting from that of a form of mental projection into that of a rewriting of the quantum fabric of the universe’s reality space time. By utilizing programs instead of spells, this new incantation method would not only increase the amount of mages in the universe, but also would become the prominent method of the majority of mages, those some would still use the Hybrid Method.
Chapter 4: Creating a Magical Device
	The process to create a magical device is long and complex. In its early history, devices had to be custom made for their wielders, creating a dynamic between the teachers of mages, the mages themselves, and the device smiths. As a result, the secrets of the construction of a device would be kept secret and would vary from smith to smith. However, in the modern era, practices have changed so that each device is created from a standardized mold (whose shape is chosen by the mage) afterwhich it is installed with the system that is mandatory for all New Method devices.

Chapter 5: Contractions
	In the early history of the magical device, schools and traditions of mage-training were often connected with device smiths, most of whom trained under a master smith who taught the trainees their craft. Over time, this eventually evolve into a practice where once a mage had finished their training (a regimen consisting of the strengthening of a mage’s mental strength as well as physical strength), he would be paired with a device smith who had also finished their own training and be given their own device (before this, mages in training were given practice devices). These mages would then undergo a process known as Contraction, where the mage is injected with a vast amount of mana from their master. This process is immensely painful for the mage but if they survive, their latent energies are awakened, giving them the magical and physical strength, endurance, and agility that is characteristic of mages. During the Contraction process, a mage is bound to their device in a process known as Binding. After the Binding process, the mage is bound to that particular device for life. In the case of a mage’s device breaking, the mage would suffer extreme mental feedback, severely damaging not only their casting ability but also their mental state. This was a common occurrence in the past but was rectified with sturdier devices.
Chapter 6: Programs
	As stated before, quick, low mana spells are written into a magical device for quick recall and casting. One of the drawbacks of programs as opposed to traditional casting methods is that programs can only execute spells whose effects are possible under the normal laws of physics. This dramatically restricted the freedom at which a mage can control their spells’ effects. In the past, the number of programs stored on a device differed from smith to smith but was usually in high numbers in order to give mages more freedom in the programs they could store on their devices. However, this led to mages suffering mental feedback due to running out of mana too quick. According to the modern mage ranking system, devices with a higher storage amount are assigned to mages with higher rankings (and as such, larger mana reserves)

Chapter 7: The Definition of Mana
	Mana is the measurement of a mage’s magical reserves. Because of this, mana is also used as a way to determine someone’s magical aptitude, because those with larger magical reserves are capable of casting more powerful spells. It is for this reason that the modern mage ranking system equates larger magical reserves with a higher rank. Because magic is merely metaphysical and invisible to the naked eye, mana has no visible form but residual mana can be sensed by other mages. Additionally, those with extremely high mana reserved can be observed having mana leaking out of their bodies, though this is a very rare occasion. Due to mana’s (and by extension magic’s) role as a building block of the life force of all sentient beings as well as the underlying framework of the our reality, mana expelled by mages is used to replenish lost energy in the universe.

Chapter 8: Mana Reserves, Primary and Secondary
	In a mage’s body, there exists two types of mana reserves, the primary mana reserve and the secondary mana reserve. Due to the fact that mana is closely linked to a person’s wellbeing and life force, the mana levels within a person’s body directly equate to how healthy they are. The primary mana reserve is the one normally utilized by mages in order to cast magic and as a result represents energy expended during daily actions. This reserve is easily replenished via rest and necessities such as food and drink. However, if a person’s primary mana reserves are emptied, they will suffer severe mental feedback. On the other hand, a mage’s secondary mana reserves are only used through the full power state (more on this in the next chapter) as well as functions that ensure the mage’s survival. The sicklier a person gets, the more and more their secondary mana reserves deplete. It is for this reason that mages have their enhanced endurance, agility, and strength; because they have a larger secondary mana reserve than the normal person. However, it is also for this reason that many run-of-the-mill mages cannot control their full power state and as a result is very lethal to them.

Chapter 8: On the Full Power State
The full power state is a state in which the mage utilizes their full magical power to release their entire arsenal of spells. This utilizes both the primary and secondary mana reserves in order to fuel this extremely-mana intensive state. This is usually fatal or at the very least extremely risky for most mages and can only be activated subconsciously (i.e. a situation of high stress). However, high level mages have been shown to activate the full power state on their own accord for a set amount of time and suffer minimal mental feedback.
Chapter 9: Magic Types
While a mage’s magic type is grown throughout their life as their personality and personal history changes, the rarity of a person’s magic type differs from person to person. The magic type that is chosen is the way in which a mage projects their will upon the quantum fabric of reality spacetime as detailed in the above chapters. Magic types usually conform to a certain “aspect” in the physics of the universe and as a result vast aspects like time and space are extraordinarily rare. At the same time, magic types such as machine, crystal, and poison also exist, as well as other types like barrier, restriction, and reinforcement.

Chapter 10: The Risks of Magic
In the early history of magic, incantations were extrmely risky due to the high chance of severe mental feedback onto the user. Although the magical device has eased those problems, mental feedback still is a risk of casting magic as the user feel its effects after exhausting their primary mana reserves. Minor mental feedback symptoms include slight discomforts such as spottiness in the eyes, headaches, stomach pains, or soreness in the legs, arms, fingers, shoulders, or neck. More common symptoms include temporary blindness or deafness, major migraines, joint pains, uncontrollable spasming, soreness, the need to vomit, difficulty breathing, bleeding of the nose or eyes, and numbness. Severe or major mental feedback can result in major mental damage in key areas in the brain that have to do with mental processing, amnesia, the inability to move certain joints or limbs, permanent blindness or deafness, muteness, or in rare cases death. Also, the extended use of the full power state can result in the mage’s death through the expending of their entire secondary mana reserves.