Techniques

In order for hunters to use the pre-crafted paper spells correctly, they must learn a number of different sets of moves. All actions must be swift and meticulous or the technique will not work. Taught alongside these five techniques is how to effectively conduct and use a null. These techniques are taught to students in one of the classes at the ghost hunter academies. When igniting a spell, the paper dissolves in a wash of green light not visible to normal humans.

Intangibility:

This technique allows users to pass through spirits as well as solid objects like people and buildings. This is the first technique that a student learns, to teach them to sustain their energy for a given amount of time (like spiritually holding their breath). When conducting the move the user will hold the spell in their hand, usually in front of their face, though the position of the hand is not important for those that are more experienced. This technique can be maintained only as long as the paper itself. Once it dissipates, the spell will end and the user will become solid. This spell does not usually last for longer than thirty seconds.

Invisibility:

A student will take a paper spell and hold it between their first two fingers, the other fingers down, and touch the paper to their forehead with their hand nearly parallel to the ground. Then they will strike downward forcefully. As they do so, the paper dissipates, the air wavers, and the spell-user becomes invisible to humans, though they can still be seen by spirits. People who have trained at the academies and have been taught to increase the density of the spirit world can still see them on some level due to their aura. There is a time limit of about five minutes on its use before another spell is needed. By touching the paper to the forehead of another person, this spell can turn other people invisible as well. This technique is most often used when a person needs to conduct a spiritual matter in a place where there are other people and therefore do not wish to be seen.

Greater invisibility is a technique taught to students who have begun their secondary training at a Hunter Academy. This technique allows hunters to become invisible not only to normal humans, but to spirits as well. It will also make the person completely invisible to anyone with any spiritual ability. Not only does it cause the user to be invisible to normal sight, but to spiritual sight as well, blocking off others' ability to see any trace of their aura. This technique is performed by igniting more than one spell simultaneously. Greater invisibility leaves the user spent and tired, so it should not be performed frivolously. Students of other career paths are not forbidden to learn this technique, but it is only formally taught to hunters. Students of other career paths may join a hunter-specific course for the purpose of learning this technique if they so choose.

Force Fields:

Solid footing is imperative in this. Despite the force field, if the spell-user has weak footing they may still be knocked to the side. After taking out a paper spell they will bring the paper up to eye level, let go for a second, and then push forward with both hands, fingers together, palms out. The spell-user must keep their hands in place for the entire time they require the force field. The strength of the force field and how long it lasts is a mixture of the time it takes for the paper to dissipate (i.e. how much energy was stored in it to begin with) and the ability of the spell-user. It can be done one-handed as well, though this usually makes it harder to hold the field. If the force field is needed for a longer period of time and the person is able to do it, they may grab another paper spell, keeping the field up with one hand, and replace the used spell. This is sometimes risky because the timing has to be right. Force fields block both physical and spiritual matter.

Telekinesis:

Pushing an enemy requires a great amount of skill and is one of two techniques taught specifically to students who have manifested a mask. While holding a spell, a student brings their palm up so that the side of their hand is in front of their face at about eye level, five to six inches away, and in the center of their line of sight. If the object they wish to move is small(ish), they then make a small chopping motion (as if to a neck), still keeping their hand relatively close to the body. If the spell-user is pushing a larger object (like an entire person instead of just their foot) then they will need to thrust their arm in the intended direction rather than simply chopping with their hand.

The right hand is mainly used to push things left and vice versa. Both hands can be used to push two different objects in opposite directions; the only difference is that the hands are not centered. Instead they are about five to six inches apart. Objects can be pushed forward as well. The spell-user will strike their hand forward, rather than chop sideways. Through more complicated training a student will be able to be more versatile and creative in how they conduct the spell. Spell-users who have had much training in telekinesis will sometimes use this technique as a "strength enhancer" (i.e. A ghost hunter will punch a spirit while performing this technique. While they wouldn't actually hit the spirit any harder than normal, the added force of the telekinesis would knock the spirit much farther than would a regular punch.) Note: this will not give spell-users the ability to lift heavy objects. It is a technique that is executed swiftly. Knocking a heavy object out of the way however, is possible.

A spell-user locks on to the object in their mind. It can be an entire ghost, a person's leg, or even a door. With experience in this technique comes the ability to lock on to and push larger objects. This is the only technique where a null can't be used effectively, because the opponent will not know the exact object that the hunter has locked on to.

Clairvoyance:

Clairvoyance is the act of seeing/feeling something that isn't there but was at some point in the past. It cannot be used to see the future or read minds. There can be no distractions and the spell-user must have a clear mind. The spell-user takes a paper spell in hand and places it upon an object. They need to know what they are looking for and when it occurred or else they will only get a string of random occurrences and/or emotions. This technique follows the same train of thought as the stone tape theory, which theorizes that buildings and objects record events during times of high emotional stress such as murder, though it doesn't always have to bad. (Note: Actual theory that I found out about after I made this; google it.)

This is the second technique taught only to students who have a mask. It is the most dangerous of the techniques because of the chance of the spell-user getting lost within what they are seeing and loosing their place in this world. The spell-user must wear their mask on their face to help root them in who and where they are. Also, another spell-user must be present to act as an anchor and create a null if necessary. This technique is only to be used when there are no other possibilities available.