Piece Of Mind

Chapter 2


Novice spells need no fancy words, just mild concentration and the correct gesture.

Intermediate spells could be messed up if the caster didn't have their complete focus, draw the correct symbol, maintain a stance with or without gesture or say the provided incantation.

Powerful spells...

The incantation must have the specified inflection, and if your voice can't replicate it then that's your fault. Never forget the instructed rune or symbol that must be drawn or assembled, never. Think of nothing but the spell you need, even if you're moments away from death. Briefly detach yourself from this world, let your soul extract itself from your husk of a body for now. Be in the proper location, weather and time precisely as required.

There's a certain time of night magical flows even in those who've never tapped into their abilities. Alexander needed a single glance out the window to confirm that, although it didn't give him a confidence boost. He had to return to the steps before he actually felt guilt for not telling anyone his plan.

Step one: have your target(s) in X range.

Step two: shut your eyes.

Step three: speak the incantation with X tone, X pronunciation.

Step four: speak the incantation inverse with X pronunciation, X tone.

Step five: concentrate all thoughts on your targets, most effective with recalling recent interactions. If you trigger emotions, that has been suggested to improve the probability of success.

Just five steps, but Alexander kept reading over them almost... Hesitantly? He was lucky the spell he needed didn't require him travel to the outside end of the world, track down rare flowers or mediate for most of the day. There was the matter of a rune, but Alexander already had that covered tearing a blank page out of his journal.

He hadn't asked himself what he wanted in... How long? Alexander couldn't wait another day. If magic could rip him apart from his family, it could build a bridge. So, he planted his feet on the rune.

The worst thing that could happen was, what, singed feet or getting knocked into the wall by the built-up magic having no destination? Practicing magic for years just to have these small failures was more painful than any real injury he could give himself.

Few are aware of the blood in their bodies, and he would more than likely compare the energy to that. But it was actually invisible until summoned...Pulsing at first, it might cause a zap under the palm as it's rushing there and sometimes the magic is uncomfortably heated when at the needed level even forming ice.

Alexander didn't flinch at the burn anymore but wasn't sure if it actually improved his casting.

"Well, he's run through all of his requests." Alexander told her, briefly pointing his chin to Graham in the background checking over an actual list. "If there's something you want to add... Don't let me stop you."

Vee blinked at him for just a moment, but she couldn't have been confused. No, she just needed process time... She had eighteen years to think of how her reunion with her son would be, but while she didn't present a list shamelessly her eyes greatly softened as their eye contact wouldn't break.

"I want to hold your hand, Alexander." Vee was dignified as could be, although presumably the hand she wanted to take his with was clenched to her chest as if worried about it launching without an answer.

Alexander didn't know if it was due to only just now being around her, but he could tell her knuckles paled with each tremble. Did she love him? Is it possible to love the child you've barely known a month while learning to live without them for the rest of their life up to that point? A specific scenario, surely.

Alexander focused on all that because it helped make him feel less self-conscious, reaching out as his response. Then his mother's hand, smaller but surprisingly strong was spreading over his. She was definitely trying to send a message while he was gawking uselessly.

Did she love him?

The incantation was next. It wasn't something to practice out loud, risk accidentally casting. More self-consciousness attempted to sneak into his mind, distract him as if guards on night duty hearing this was the worst thing that could happen. He was speaking his main language, though it sounded like furious gibberish at the speed and intensity he had to speak. If he stumbled over a single section, it was back to the very beginning if he could even keep his progress intact.

The modest training ground got a lot of sun, but that was only one reason why Alexander chose a bench in that area to journal and quietly observe. Again, that could be considered weird behavior... So why was Rosella not calling him out, merely acting casual still rushing at the training dummy and striking it with all her might as if she were content to show off?

All he knew was magic, so before Alexander was aware he was writing notes about weapon combat. Even the running, rolling or leaping he couldn't imagine having the stamina to do this with an advancing opponent. This was nothing to Rosella, however. She was breathing heavier and flushed a deep pink when she made what could a fatal strike with that power when she noticed him and smiled brightly.

Rosella skipped to him and claimed the seat next to him. "You know, I've given old friends the basics of weapon training. I wouldn't mind teaching again!" She made sure to avoid subtlety.

Alexander had to overthink how to accept without making her ask too many questions. Or think he didn't want to because it meant spending time with her. Or-

If this much effort, this slow build up was because of three targets Alexander couldn't imagine doing this spell often. Even when the force of the magic in his hand was widening in scale and the heat was blazing in his face, he had to keep his voice strong and consistent. But it was working. The pounding temples, pricking tears, invisible lightning trapped in his palm with no escape? Minor setbacks.

"Is this a common practice... Or did you make it up?" Alexander was annoyed with his own hesitating words, but it could be fifty-fifty.

His father, somehow radiating more warmth than the actual sun, responded with a hum Alexander wanted to interpret as more playful than dismissive as he determinedly scribbled. Come on, this man wasn't difficult to read. At least... Alexander was so sure the first moment they spoke to each other.

He felt out of place again, although Graham was the one to bring him out to the shore. They were all alone, free to say whatever.

Graham had a plan; the papers and quills he provided made that obvious. At least enough Alexander could play along.

"It's symbolism." Alexander said for him, eyes locked on his thumb crinkling the parchment. "Throw out all your issues to sea. For the love of all that is good, let them drown because we're over this."

"Adding to that: we could show each other what we wrote..." Graham's voice couldn't keep the nervousness out.

Alexander knew he should have assured him that was okay... For him to do. He could feel Graham's intensifying insecurity around them, heavy as expected.

In the end, neither of them could talk it out. The entire bonding opportunity was wasted as neither even showed what they wrote, although with Graham slowly reaching back to get a better throw Alexander had a peek at what he'd written.

You'll never make up for lost time, that section of a larger note was actually appropriate sinking with Alexander's one simple line of when you're home, everything will just fall into place by itself.

The magic finally showed itself, manifesting wildly dancing bluish green fire barely larger than his head casting the whole room in a pretty glow Alexander would have admired for a moment if it didn't feel like it was going to burn his hand to a crisp. He had to let go, and so it unleashed floating to the ceiling before exploding just like that after all the buildup.

He barely made it back to the bed before he collapsed, any lingering problem with luxury forgotten as he collapsed in a state he couldn't even call sleep.


Vee left the first pleasant slumber she had in days all too soon, groggily trying to fend off the blueish green light in what should have been their dark bedroom. But when not even the pillow blocked it out, she had to open her eyes.

Graham's face was the first thing she saw; he seemed to be totally peaceful, blissfully unaware of the annoying single spark flickering on his temple. Even in his sleep, he was searching for her body again and that brought the gleam right to hers... The offensive but oddly painless light spreading, only fading when her energy dropped, and she cuddled him as well.


Rosella drowsily sat up, disoriented and unsure of anything else but the blueish green light that had been dancing above her eyes. Her tired brain thought it was a good idea scrubbing furiously, hoping to dull it. Holding the pillow over her head, crawling all the way under the blankets, retreating to the equally dark dressing room... It stayed until her energy ran out, mercifully letting her crash on the mattress rather than floor.


Graham woke up to the same ceiling, eyes burning all the way to the sockets and the scents of breakfast wafting through the thinnest cracks in doorways. He just lied there for a moment, skeptical about participating the morning when he realized something important.

Vee was gone.

He had nightmares about this. It probably reflected deeper problems... Anyway, the dreams had a tilted feeling like the castle he tried to navigate was constantly leaning over and the rooms acted like they were going to be cliché and loop only to have the audacity to give up showing the entire castle was empty. Meanwhile, the view from the windows showed people he couldn't reach. Normally, the only escape was waking up. A scream confirmed he wasn't dreaming.

Graham launched out of bed, throwing back annoyingly longer hair than he was used to. It seemed like the world was trying to hurl random obstacles at him, particularly Rosella's possessions scattering the floor in an only slightly more organized way than she left them as a child. He couldn't be sure it was all panic of hearing the scream of his wife that allowed him to run the fastest he'd ever done and be able to jump over a lot of the items.


Vee knew something was wrong the moment she didn't wake up to Graham, still groggy, admiring her like a goddess tumbled off the clouds and landed in bed. He never said those exact words, didn't have to, the expression was so loud it could break the walls. And not waking up to that was just off.

Oh, and there was also the matter of Alexander's voice coming out of her throat when she spoke drowsy questions to the otherwise empty room.

That had her eyes fully opening despite the burning sore.

But when she bolted from the bed, gracelessly falling and picking herself back up to reach a tiny square of a mirror her son insisted was all he needed all the way across the room she saw his face staring back with not only her horror but the whites in his eyes flaring red with faint tear streaks underneath.

When she began studying the reflection testing herself to believe this was real, she caught sight of the sheet of parchment in the background shimmering a familiar blue green. Going to retrieve it, her own scream pierced her ears.


Rosella used to sneak into bed between her parents. She thought she got away with it since they reacted confused in the morning, but after doing it for a week in a row even at five she suspected they knew all along. Later, her father's depression had him withdrawing and forcing himself to stay awake, so Mom was alone when it was very obvious neither of them wanted to be apart. Rosella had sleepovers with her even when she could be considered too old; it made her mother smile, so she didn't care about normality.

She, however, didn't remember a sleepover last night... Let alone possessing Dad's body.

This could be a dream, but even if it wasn't and she somehow triggered magical ability overnight there was comfort knowing the target was a family member. She leaned over to Mom, hoping she would have answers. She shook her shoulder delicately, Dad's voice barely a whisper encouraging her to leave the peaceful slumber.

Mom opened her eyes and took one look at her- Um- Dad? And she screamed.


The locked door was burst open with ease that wasn't even shocking considering the pair of guards using just shoulders to break through, lances pointed at whatever threat invaded the king and queen's bedroom.

But they had no way of knowing Alexander was the one curled up, still trembling on the floor blankets surrounding while also joining Rosella peeking around the guards attempting to get in on the drama too. Specifically, the Alexander in the doorway was lost for words with his sister.

One guard pressed her finger to where her lips would be, ominously moving around the room assuming their attacker might be hiding. The other guard hurried to Alexander's side, trying to make only minimal noise as he helped Graham steady him. Alexander stopping trembling much sooner than he realized, but there was so much tension in the room he couldn't stand it.

"It's okay!"

The guards froze while Rosella and himself looked to each other as if begging the other to explain. Alexander took this chance to at least slightly compose his mother's state, assuming from casual observation she disliked losing dignity. He swept hair out of the eyes and exhaled rather than scream again.

"I fell." He explained as in depth as possible.

The guards' faces didn't need to be visible to show their skepticism. Graham and Rosella were equally falling victim to the suspense, hands wringing. The second Alexander couldn't be bothered.

"Understandable." The male guard finally said neutrally, lance returning to his side.

"It was the wine last night, wasn't it?" The female guard said way too chipper, lance returning to her side too. "Please be careful, Queen Valanice! I've been told that batch was mistakenly made stronger than most we usually receive."

"Please let us know if you need water or-" The male guard actually stumbled back when Alexander rushed over and pushed at his arm with the raw force he genuinely didn't expect his mother to have.

"Thank you- You're so thoughtful- Find something else- Move on with your lives-"

It could have been the stress of this entire morning, being wrongfully addressed as his own mother or the idea the guards might be quenching their thirst while carrying weapons, but something made Alexander connect to that surprising strength and send both guards out before pulling his lookalike and Rosella inside and slamming the door yet again.

Four faces looked around helplessly to each other, every one familiar but not in a comforting way. Alexander didn't forget the spell, not that anyone's thoughts were audible. He had read that spell book cover to back so many times he knew which two spells were placed beside each other and for what reason. Sweat gathered on the face he shouldn't be wearing, and even without reading their minds he at least knew they were going to change their opinion of him.

How could parents want a son who responded to their attempts to get to know him with casting magic on them against their will? But it seemed so necessary at first. Was he crazy for still thinking so? He didn't have to ask how Rosella could want a brother like him... Just having a brother was a novelty, that much was obvious.

The longest, soul-crushing silence weighed on the room before the second Alexander held out a piece of parchment with flickering remains of magic. Only Alexander stepped up, wanting nothing more than to cast an invisibility spell this time when he accepted it slowly.

"I just wanted to get it over with." Alexander told them, flinching both from the concerned gazes and using Vee's defeated tone. "You see, this rune requires five crossed lines down the middle, and I missed one."

His own hands reached out to hold his shoulders, but if he had to compare the feeling to anything it was just like Vee squeezing his hand. So, he looked up at himself, the identity crisis only increasing to see his own eyes tender and loving... But that was his mother in there. He still felt like she should be disappointed in him for this, shame sending his eyes to the crumpling rune in hand while he attempted to find a voice... Anything without choking.

"What did you do, Alexander?"

The question pushed him to force a voice with some strain.

"Last night... I couldn't take it anymore; I need to understand all of you." Alexander shut his eyes before going on, honestly dreading to know their reactions now. "All of you want to establish a bond with me; you've made that much clear. I go along with it, but we've made no progress. When I think I understand someone, I slide back. And you just won't let me know where I went wrong."

He expected Rosella to cut in. If not her, Graham would definitely rush to assure him after previously failing to understand him in return they could go at their own pace, and everything could be fixed with the power of familial love and various cliché lines hopefully no one believes.

Alexander should have trained himself to lose that belief by now.

"I wanted to cast a mind-reading spell." Alexander finished as his mother's voice faded. "Otherwise, I can't see us getting past this."

He opened his eyes when he felt someone else approach. When he looked to his right, Rosella was there physically but the equally tender gaze was someone else. He knew it was his father because he was also hesitating as he hovered a hand over his shoulder or arm; he needed to psyche himself up for this.

"I can't imagine it was easy learning how to read... Him. But I'm sure whatever 'mistakes' you made were entirely false; I wouldn't be shocked if he wanted you to doubt every small interaction. If that's what happened, of course you can't overcome it after spending so little time with us." Graham said, taking Rosella's voice into low... Almost grief.

Vee took over then, wrapping her arms so loose around his back she might as well have been aiming for the air. If pulling herself in a vague embrace brought on an existential crisis, she ignored it. Alexander was rigid and attempting to avoid wishing for death while even Rosella leaped over taking Graham's hand and placing it atop his head and sweetly brushing hair.

He should have opened a portal under his feet. So, what if he would be squished under the castle foundation? The scorch of shame felt deadlier than any combat spell.

As if they were the ones with mind-reading ability, Vee and Rosella moved away like nothing happened. They left Graham still struggling because it was such a common occurrence.

Before they said anything flowery and wretched, Alexander blurted a quick question to get back on track. "Aren't you upset about losing your bodies?"

The three just smiled.

"Mind-reading spells are right next to body swapping as powerful magic." Alexander tried again, hearing a rise of panic for them in Vee's voice. "The more targets you have, the stronger the caster should be! I think I only pulled that off last night because I was desperate!"

"Alexander..." Vee spoke again. "We accept you; I hope we've made that clear over and over. Just like your father said, you might not-"

"You know who I am?!" Graham cut in, ruining the moment as he should.

"Well!" Rosella blurted; the attacked reaction perfectly suited to Graham. "I think this body is working for me; I can't believe you weren't thrown off!"

Vee looked between both, sighing in a 'suffering' way which Alexander believed until a smile that truly didn't belong on his own face appeared.

"Listen to me!" Alexander shouted again, bringing all eyes back to him. "Right now, all of our souls have been misplaced! We can't go on like this; no one can! There are consequences for using these more dramatic spells; mind-reading was a rare exception of no harm coming to extended use! But if we don't fix-" He cut himself off seeing widening eyes all around, Rosella subconsciously dragging her parents on either side and linking her arms through theirs as if daring the afterlife to send for them.

"We won't die; that's too over the top." Alexander made sure to point out, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the three quiet and relieved breaths.

Alexander turned away from them, feeling pressure in his whole face. He just hoped he wasn't building up to be emotional, because he had more to fill them in on. "I'll have to read the consequences for leaving this spell active, but in case it hurts you three somehow... I want you to know I never want to cause harm somehow. We'll explore why later, okay? Right now, just take my word for everything and help me undo this. I know this is the worst thing that could happen to you-"

"Um?" Graham spoke up, making Rosella's voice eerily small. "My life was like hell the entire time you were taken from us. I'm not suffering right now, though."

"Right, as long as we're all together then even what might be emotional trauma for everyone else is just another Monday." Vee mentioned, fair weather as possible.

"Alexander, we want to understand you. We've all got problems, and even me and Mom don't always know what we're doing! If we're flawed, that's okay because we're together!"

Alexander's arms folded with a shudder, though he was glad they couldn't see the disgust he must have had on Vee's face. He didn't know how to tell them he imagined if poets were trapped in a room with nothing to do but play catch with ideas-

He composed himself best he could – horribly – and whirled to them holding out the parchment. Of course, the rune was still bright, and it would be until the spell was no longer active. He directed their gazes to it, hopefully having stuffed emotions in the depths of the tallest and most theoretical bottle for now.

An infuriating bell could be heard summoning them for breakfast, but they needed to know the basics of the rune. Because, as Alexander attempted to explain in a whirlwind before anyone else burst in, that rune was their enemy. As long as it was glowing, the spell was active and usually lower priority spells could even be removed if whatever they were attached to was destroyed. Even if they burned or drowned this parchment, there was no certainty they could avoid trouble just like that.

Alexander could see their expressions shift from worry to determination. He was instinctively judging them, but at the same time they all needed to be aware of the problem and ready to stop it. He would have to do more research on removing runes, not to mention "consequences" for the disregard of proper soul placement.

Mind-reading would have worked; Alexander didn't think he would ever be convinced otherwise.

But if he had to be stuck like this, he was quick to make a mental note to keep an eye out for ways to pretend alongside them this wasn't going to be completely horrid.

His family had some misplaced confidence, but hopefully it wouldn't be long before it was removed.


TBC