A crack of thunder. The warmth of her house. The sound of a kettle hissing on the stove top.

Alexa's soul was filled with a roiling, hot rage.

The front door slammed shut. An older Alexa—13—entered the kitchen, chucking her raincoat on the counter. One of her cheeks had a bruise.

"Alexa…I'm very disappointed." Oliver emerged behind her in the kitchen doorway. "School suspension is not something I ever expected from you."

"For you," she mumbled, grabbing a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and pressing it to the bruise.

"What was that, sweetheart?"

"It was for you." She turned around to face him, her tone oddly calm despite the anger bubbling within. "David was making fun of you. He said you were insane, so I punched him. And then he got scared and punched back."

Oliver took a deep breath.

"Alexa…as rude as that was, it's not the boy's fault. I told you before; normal people don't understand. They aren't wizards." Alexa stiffened.

"Seriously."

"Huh?"

"Seriously? After all of this…after everything…you STILL expect me to believe that?"

No.

Oliver's eyes widened.

"Alexa, what do you—"

"I didn't punch him because I thought the other world was real, dad. I punched him because he was making fun of you, and I don't like my family being made fun of. I already know the stories aren't real."

"They were real," Oliver said. "Alexa, we've been over this. Why would I lie to you?" Alexa's hands began to shake.

"I don't know? Because you don't want me to grow up?"

Stop.

"I can't stop you from growing up, Alexa. You'll always be my little girl…but I respect that you are no longer a kid." He sighed deeply. "Look. Mom will be home from her trip in three days, so let's just wait until she gets back and—"

"Dad, I don't want to wait anymore." Alexa met his gaze. "I want you to tell me the truth."

"I am telling you the truth."

"No, you aren't." Alexa's grip on the frozen bag tightened. "Dad, please. All you have to do…is tell me it's not real. That's all. Just like with the tooth fairy. Just tell me you made it up, and I'll understand. I'll accept that all the times I've been made fun of—and the time I broke my arm—were because I was naïve and still believed in fairy tales."

"I didn't make it up, Alexa," Oliver said carefully. "It's real. Ding Dong Dell is real. Al Mamoon is real. Hamelin is real. I would be lying if I said they weren't!"

That was not the response she wanted.

Alexa felt hot tears prick at her eyes.

"I…I honestly can't believe you right now."

Stop it.

"My entire life has been hell because of your stories, dad."

"Alexa, don't swear—"

"And for what? They are completely phony! Nothing about them is real!" She threw the bag onto the ground. It hit with an icy thunk. "They .HAPPENED!"

"Alexa, please, they did so…!" Oliver started. "I-I can show you, too! If I can go find my wand—"

"I don't WANT to go," Alexa snapped. "I'm done with all of this. David was right; you are insane, dad. You are INSANE."

"Alexa, I will not have you talk to me this way." His tone switched from pleading to authoritative. "Go to your room right now. I don't want to talk about this until you've calmed down."

"W-why?" she cried out. "Why do you keep lying to me? W-why do you— "

"Alexa, your room. Now."

"I-I-I can't believe you would-"

"On the count of three. One…two…"

"AH! FINE!" She left the kitchen in time for her tears to start flowing. She raced up the stairs and to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. She sobbed loudly as she rifled through her desk drawer. She found what she was looking for: the necklace with a seashell on the end.

Don't.

Alexa clenched the necklace tightly in her fist. Her 'grandma's' necklace. The 'other world' necklace. Whatever.

She stared at the window through her tear-blurred vision. It was still raining outside, but the drop from her window to the backyard was not a long one. She locked her bedroom door for good measure, and then climbed out of the window.

Please.

Alexa was drenched by the time she made it down to the backyard of her house. She climbed over the fence and out into the street; it was completely empty, as everyone took shelter from the storm within their homes. She was in a trance, her clothes and hair soaking, her vision fixed stubbornly forward, as she made her way down the street. The hand holding the necklace was trembling.

Please don't.

She arrived at the riverbank. The current was particularly strong from all the rainwater.

"DON'T!" Alexa's soul had no voice. It was like trying to yell during a dream, only to find your vocal chords don't work. But she couldn't stop, no matter how futile. She couldn't.

Alexa held up the necklace in front of her. An immense rush of disdain swelled up in her chest.

"Please! DON'T DO IT!"

Everything. Cruel stares and snide remarks from classmates. No friends. A broken arm. A fear of heights. A school suspension. It was all because of this, wasn't it?

It was all because of HIM.

Alexa flicked back her sopping hair, as her tears mingled with the rainwater.

"Dad, I…" Her voice cracked, full of pure, boiling, unstoppable anger.

"DON'T SAY IT!"

"I…"

"IT'S NOT TRUE!"

"I…I…" She pulled back her arm, slackening her grip on the necklace.

"I HATE YOU!"

Splash!

The necklace vanished beneath the very depths that had taken her grandmother's life.

Alexa's lungs ached and her eyes stung from all the crying. But somehow, she managed to break into a fresh wave of tears as she fell to her knees. Mud splashed about her, but she didn't even care.

She didn't care about anything.

Feverish heat coursed through her, but never in her life had she felt so cold.

"I'm sorry…so sorry…sorry…"

Alexa's soul was dim. It had never felt so dim before. She had never felt so utterly horrible before. She wanted to stay in the palace and never face her father again.

The door appeared at the edge of the bank. Alexa couldn't find it in herself to care. She watched, numbly, as the edges of everything turned white.

A crack of thunder. The warmth of her house. The sound of a kettle hissing on the stovetop.

The front door slammed shut. An older Alexa—13—entered the kitchen, chucking her raincoat on the counter. One of her cheeks had a bruise.

Emotion still flared through her soul, but she was too tired to muster the strength to react. This…this had been one of the last memories she made before her father vanished. Every since that night, nothing had been the same between them. The mocking continued in class, but Alexa stopped fighting back. She hadn't apologized to her father. He did. She didn't accept it. It hadn't been until the night of Oliver's disappearance that she ever snapped like that again. The night that had brought her here.

And now…she knew he was right all along. But she had let doubt crowd her mind and her heart. He had not been lying to her. She had been lying to herself.

Her soul was lost. Even when the door appeared again, she could not go through.

A crack of thunder. The warmth of her house. The sound of a kettle hissing on the stovetop.

The front door slammed shut.

"I deserve this," she thought bitterly. She deserved to be forced to feel this pain, over and over. It was the only way she could face herself after everything. It was the only way she could face her father again.

A crack of thunder. The warmth of her house. The sound of a kettle hissing on the stovetop.

…

A crack of thunder.

...No.

No.

Alexa couldn't be here.

She had to leave. She had to go be with Kolton and Tiny again. She had too…

...but did she deserve it? It was all her fault. It was all her fault. What was the point?

There was no good in her. Only despair.

…right?

"…not true."

Alexa heard a voice. It was not her own.

"…all make mistakes…"

It was foreign. But there was something so distinctly familiar about it.

"…fight…"

"…fight on…Alexa …fight…"

It sounded like her father's voice.

"D-d-dad?" her soul wondered weakly.

"Come…find me…I am waiting…"

"W-where are you?"

"Do not lose hope…do not let the darkness invade your soul…"

"D-dad, why are you—"

"Do not…make my mistake…"

Alexa listened to the words. She watched the memory in silence. She felt the rage and the betrayal and the anguish. She saw the door.

She moved alongside the riverbank, towards the door.

Closer. Tiny's entire body shaking from happiness, as though the small form could not hope to contain so much enthusiasm.

Closer. Kolton and his smug grin, a look she had come to simultaneously hate and adore.

Closer. Her dad. A warm smile, open arms. Unconditional love, no matter what horrible thing she did. Love.

There. She pushed on the door. It opened up into a hazy space. She walked through. It shut behind her.

"W-wow!" Alexa felt the sensation of falling as her soul plunged downwards. She had no idea where she was headed, but as she did, all the senses of her previous memories flooded her at once: coffee, rainwater, mowed grass, a rushing river, warmth.

Despite the great speed at which Alexa fell, she landed gently. There was a set of purple double doors in front of her. She was hesitant to go through—she had an understandable fear of doors at this point—but she forced herself to. As she pushed, she realized she had a pair of faded hands; her body had returned, but only in part.

Alexa emerged into a pure white room. She stiffened, preparing herself for more memories to fill the room with color, but it never happened. At the end of the room, a figure appeared.

Alexa took a few steps to get a better look.

It was Oliver.

"D…

"DAD!"

She couldn't help herself; she rushed straight to him and threw her arms around his robes.

"Dad, I'm sorry," she babbled, not caring for how mushy or embarrassing her words were. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! You were right. I was wrong. It's real. This world is real! I…I don't hate you. I love you, dad. I love you!"

Her dad laughed softly. But…it was not his laugh. It was different.

"I apologize, little one," he said, even as he returned her embrace. "But I am not your father."

Alexa pulled away to look at him. She studied his chestnut hair, warm blue eyes, and gentle features.

"You…aren't?"

"No. My name is Lucien." He gave her a soft smile. "It is such a pleasure to meet you, daughter of the Savior."

Though his voice was booming and powerful, it lacked any hint of malice.

"Lucien…" Alexa's eyes widened. "L-Lucien! From dad's story! You're dad's soul mate!"

"Not anymore," Lucien admitted. "I severed the link between our souls long ago. What remains of me has existed here, in the void, for many years. It was Alicia's spirit that suggested I consider…lending my power to other magic-users, as many long-deceased wizards have in the past. And I constructed this palace as a way to test their strength."

"Lending your power?"

"Yes. I'm sure she would be thrilled to know that it will be her granddaughter that I am assisting."

"Wait," Alexa started, "you…you were the voice I heard in the final memory, right? You knew I was here? In the palace?"

"I received a clearer image of you the closer you came to this room, it's true," he said. "And I could see your memories. When a soul becomes disconnected from a body, there are many risks. One of which is losing yourself in your own darkness; I met such a fate, when I became the Executor. You managed to feel your own darkness and still avoid that fate. Well done."

"With your help," Alex added, but he shook his head.

"The strength was always in you. I merely gave you a nudge. But now, I think it's time you return to your body. I'm sure your friends are worried about you."

He smiled again, although this time it looked a bit sheepish.

"I must apologize in advanced; I am not as strong as Mornstar, or Astra. I don't know that I can counter powerful magic, but I can protect you from it." The spirit looked up thoughtfully. "As for offensive spells…well, I have always been awfully fond of Cloudburst. So, who knows? You might be able to land more critical hits with that." He gave her a wink.

"Spells," Alexa echoed. "W-wait, you mean you're going to—"

"Hold out your hand," he instructed her. Alexa tentatively did as she was told. Lucien collected a small, glowing crimson orb from within his robes and handed it to her.

"For you…this is a wand core." It pulsed warmly in her palm. Alexa looked back up to thank him, but his form was beginning to fade.

"Lucien?" she wondered. "W-wait, please don't go!"

"Don't be silly," he chided gently, his ghostly outline still smiling. "I am not leaving at all. In fact, I shall be accompanying you for the remainder of your journey…in spirit, that is."

Alexa watched as more of his outline seeped away…and streaming into the orb she was holding.

"I am looking forward to traveling alongside you, child of the Savior," his voice added faintly as the rest of his form faded away. "I trust you will use my power to the best of your abilities."

And just like that, Alexa was left alone again…aside from the orb in her hand.

It was the final component to making her new wand, and her reward for surviving the Palace of Memory.

The Spirit of Lucien.