Magic Circuit

**Magic Circuits** (マジック・サーキット|) are a pseudo-nervous system that spreads itself through the body of most living things and what qualifies an individual to be a user of the arts. They have two basic functions; one is to convert Life Force into Magical Energy and another is to allow their owner to access **Magic Fomulae**, that is, Thaumaturgical Foundations. They also are paths that connect the material world to the astral plane. To perform mysteries, a Magus sends a command and Magical Energy to a Thaumaturgical Foundation through his Magic Circuits and activates one of **Magic Fomulae** (魔術式) included in the Foundation.

## Mechanisms

Magic Circuits reside within the soul of a magic user, and what is found on the body is just a physical expression of them that stretches itself throughout the body in a fashion similar to the nervous system.

They are composed of core components, which are the actual Circuits so to say, and bypasses that connect those components to the brain. Magic Circuits do not change and once damaged they cannot be repaired. Because organic activity is necessary for the operation of Circuits, it is a common mistake to think that they are literally a part of the magus body. There are rare occasions in which the Circuits continue working even after the practitioner’s body has ceased all vital functions. In these cases, destruction of the brain is necessary to stop the Circuits. Their Quality and Quantity are ranked through letters like Thaumaturgy, and their Composition often varies between magi.

Like any other organ, the number of Magic Circuits that one possesses is determined at birth and cannot decrease or increase naturally, meaning that those from older lineages will be more powerful, but it is possible to change that number artificially through a number of methods.

For that and other reasons, lineages of magi seek not to tamper with the Circuits of their members while they are alive, but rather try to produce descendants with the greatest "extra" number of Magic Circuits possible. Note that number is not everything, and quality and precision of the Circuits are also an important factor that differs from lineage to lineage.

A normal person rarely acquires Magic Circuits but in these cases they are considered as sudden mutations, akin to an evolutionary spark.

Still, the Circuits are ultimately something unnatural and in the end their activity will cause pain and numbness to the magus. Their very presence in the body is something uncommon and an ordinary person will have next to none,

Magic Circuits are “opened” when magical energy is run through them for the first time. Based on their experience at that first time, a magic user will make their own mental trigger to activate their Circuits at will from then on. For this reason, the triggers are different from each other and in an extreme case, self-injury can be regarded as a switch. An unexpectedly large number of magi have sexual excitement as their triggers and moreover many of them rely on drugs.

An example of such mental triggers include:

* Saku: **Wind blowing through a forest**
* Raiden: **A raven perched on a tree**
* Marlynn: **A shooting star**
* Sven: **The roar of a bear**
* Tybalt: **The beat of a dragon wing**

It is possible for a magic user to convert parts of their body into temporary magical circuits, this process is known as **Dividing**. An extremely dangerous act that is rarely done on fear of its outcome. The act of dividing is to "make" a new circuit temporarily by altering the nerves in your body and neurons in your brain. The slightest chance of failure would result in the body breaking down internally and a major brain haemorrhage. Even when successful however it is comparable to having your skin slowly peeled by razor wire.