To be a mage

In the world of the mages can cast their magic through various different means.

To firstly cast a spell there was a magic chant, a specific set of words that invokes some unique spells that one might or might not need to cast the spell associated with it.

There was chant less magic that worked the same as how Elio casts magic, through sheer imagination of the spell and the precise mental drowning of the spell.

There was another method that people called mixed casting method in which the spells were cast with the help of chants as well as the imagined spell structure, and on the higher levels, this method was more effective.

Aside from that, there might also be personal spell casting methods that might be unique to the individual caster. 

There is a chance the caster might or might not be able to cast all spells the same way as they do some certain spells, but that was a natural limitation of human abilities.

"Is that really a wand?"