Here is the thing: 9 has many divisions, for it is the perfect self-referential number. This shows ony one of them.
5 +1 + 3
He holds 1 wand, on his left hand 3 are behind his cautious gaze.
On his right hand, he is wary of the 5. But by the will of his one wand, have the eight in the card before become grounded. Will is on the earth, and in the earth, but the battle has been hard.
1, 3, 5 are all sacred numbers, and with the "8" formed of 3 and 5, we have 8. This is the formula of the Pentagram brought to equilibrium of the trinity.
In the Three of Wands, the Venturous One sets out to the world, taking hold of his own will from the many, without even looking at it. He knows, by Virtue, which is his. Add one and we get Four. In the Four of Wands, and we get the marriage. The Venus in Aries of the work of one's aspiration as the mode of self-identity. The Will of Fraternity, and union.
In the Five of Wands, the motley bunch try to fomulate a pentagram, but their story is the same as two many chiefs, not enough indians.
Add one and we get Six. In the Six of Wands, one comes with authority, as from a wedding. He sets the others in order, resolving 5 unruly into order. This is done by aligning one with his own, and letting the others pair up as well. He however divides even the one aligned to his own, so he can keep his one among the three distinct, even as he did on the 3 of wands. When he found another with 3 wands, he added his one to the other three, and those become the boughs under which the Magician perfoms the marriage of opposites.
5 = Geburah
1 = Kether
3 = Binah
The path between is The Chariot, the canopy of which is also held up by four posts. It is the Uniting path of The Triangle with the Pentagram (of which the Cross is also a symbol). Cheth is the building of a fence / defining the right for a place for your own reality. This is the building of the chariot, which is the vehicle of the Magician's Operation, The Throne of the Priestess, The Perch of the Devil, and the Wings of the Angel depending on which direction you are facing. It is between the pillars, but this card shows that vertical connection between Geburah and Binah, only which you rotate the card 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Then you see, here is the Fate of the Herculean Knight of Wands, after his steed is gone from him, and he is left with only the Stave of Signoir Gualdi. This is the ordeal of Philosophus, to dweel from strict practice to the the tower he built, and consent it to fall.
He rules the last decan of Scorpio, to first two decans of Saggitarius.
7 of Cups, 8 of Wands, 9 of Wands. His fate in the The Hands of the King, when he joins with The Queen of Pentacles who would have the Staff from him.
He bears a bandage on his head, for he has recieved the final wound ; compare to the story of Chiram Abiff. This is the Will of the Magician that he ever manifests, RECLAIMED. But it is imperfect, it will by virtue of its own multiplicity continue onto 10. For another will come with their own wand, and try to take the whole of the bundle with them,.. consensual reality robs you of the opportunity to manifest your uncontested imagination. But this is the condition of humanity...
I say often, this card is being able to throw fireballs in your dreams, with the bitter knowledge that grenades are illegal when you wake up (10 of wands).