As established in the previous chapter, it is extremely hard to perform any magic, specially if it has to be done in a practical manner, without the use of a circle properly inscribed in spellpaper.

  [Remember: Spellpaper is the base of all modern magic]

  Therefore mages use gloves that contain two sheets of spellpaper within them, along with another sheet that they have in close proximity (Usually at 3 mili-leagues, but good mages can have it a bit further away). The sheets within the glove contain two simple spells, one sends the magic metabolized by the mage (See chapter 2 for how that is done) into the spellpaper sheet that contains the spell that is to be cast, and the other reads the position of the glove in order to cast it properly.

  If you, dear reader, have ever seen a fight between mages, be it as an spectacle or because you were in a rather nasty situation, you may have noticed that they don’t just point to whatever they have to cast a spell towards, but do in fact use more than a single pointing finger.

  That serves two purposes: First, one finger, usually the thumb, acts as a trigger for the spell (otherwise mages would just be casting them all the time) and the other four act as a power divider. If a given mage uses two fingers, they’re dividing the power of the full spell by two, and each charge casts half of the magic of the spell; if three fingers are used, that means a division by three, so a third would be use for each charge, and so on. Once all charges are spent, the mage has to wait for the spellpaper’s power renewal mechanism and then can begin casting again.

  Example: Let’s say that a mage who only wears one glove is going to cast a fireball towards a target, and they use only one finger. That would mean that the full potency of the spell would impact on the target, maybe destroying it. But the mage would have to wait for the renewal to cast again with the same power, leaving them defenseless for a very short time. On the other hand, if the mage fires with one finger out of three, they can cast it again twice.

  Important: Once the division of the spell has been done, it cannot be divided further. Dividing a fireball spell in two and then changing it to three after the first casting will result in severe burns. Think of it as trying to push steam that is highly pressured already through far smaller pipes, it will cause the system to break down.

  Now, you may be some smartypants and think “What if I just wear more than one glove? Wouldn’t that make it so I can cast it more times without having to wait for the renewal?”

  Yes, and no.

  A glove can only connect with one sheet of spellpaper at any given time. If you’re using two gloves to cast the same spell, you will need two sheets, one for each.

  Although, on another hand, you may use connected spellpaper sheets to give you extra charges by casting the spell multiple times. This is not recommended to do under any circumstance due to heavy risk of either overloading a single system of magic or causing heavy casting drain on the mage. If you’re going to do it, ask a professional spellpaper manufacturer to make one that is ready to stack, and do not put more than three. And, of course, the spell has to be the same one.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  [IMPORTANT: Do NOT stack different spells on top of each other; the spellpaper only has one exit port, so the programmed magic of later spells has to go through areas that were not made for it and can, almost surely, end up causing deadly consequences.]

  Security measures:

  - Make sure that the gloves are always in a good physical condition. Do not treat them like normal gloves to wear, any small hole or tear on its fabric can not only lead to spells not working as intended but can end up causing injuries to the mage.

  - Keep all spellpaper sheets in well-fitting frames to prevent deformation. And keep those in good conditions.

  - Most gloves are set so that certain movements of the thumb act as casting mechanism, but not all of them, always check with the manufacturer and memorize any extra gesture or position that you may need.

  Legality: While the unauthorized carrying of swords is banned throughout the entirety of the continent of Casen, most countries do allow for wearing mage gloves as long as the mage registered as part of an international guild, such as the League of Tirmana or The Brotherhood of the Living Moon. These gloves are traceable and illegal use of them is a crime. Some countries, however, like the Kingdom of Godesa, require an specific authorization from the government to even possess a pair, so always check local legislation. [For a map of legal use of gloves on the continent, check figure B in page 212]

  Tips:

  - Using a fitting glove is always better than one that is either too tight or too loose. Proper casting with one requires good hand movement.

  - Overusing a glove can lead to hand numbness and bone pain. It is recommended to only use it for work or training with it. Remember: It is not a normal piece of clothing, and thus, it is better if treated as not fashionable.

  - If a hand injury is sustained while wearing the glove, it is always better to go to the doctor while still wearing it. Non-dry blood can create anomalies in the flow of magic, so removing the glove on your own can be dangerous. [See chapter 1, on the physical effects of magic (Part 3 of the chapter)]

  - Always check if the manufacturer also offers repairs. While any specialized technician can repair a mage glove, it is always better if it is done by those who made it.

  - Ditto with alterations.

  [“Lightning in your hands and how not to get burned!: An Uninterested Beginner’s Guide to Magic.” (Pages 193-194)]