By the time I was more or less recovered, the city had already settled into its new sense of calm. The guards patrolled the city constantly to keep the Heartless in check. They never disappeared entirely, but they did not swarm the way they did in that initial attack which made them easier to manage. The citizens learned quickly to not travel alone and how to avoid the Heartless. As strange as it was, after a while we all more or less became accustomed to them. They were still dangerous and missing people continued to be reported here and there. But we were learning. We settled into this new normal and continued our routines.

Still, we took the threat seriously. We still could never determine the source of the Heartless. They seemingly had just appeared one dad, and now they were here to stay. My parents were very busy as they did their part to keep people organized. Recruitment for guards had gone up and luckily there were people willing to answer the call. Our allied kingdoms sent what support they could which was also a huge help. Apparently, there had been only a handful of sightings of Heartless around the world, but the vast majority were in our kingdom and especially the Ancient Gardens. We shared the information we learned from fighting them with our allies and in exchange they offered their own support. We were keeping things afloat.

Our city was safe. The mages of the Ancient Gardens were open to help from the guards and an outpost was created there. They did not have knowledge of the Keyhole either, yet they still took the warnings seriously. They said they were having success with various barriers and wards, but they were also still learning and experimenting. For now, the Gardens were safe and that was what was important.

For the first time, I actually attended council meetings as they were being held. I wasn't really there to participate. I was there standing off to the side. I was there just to observe and learn what I could. My father had gathered with other nobles, soldiers, and wizards in the area to discuss the Heartless problem. They came together frequently to talk about their options and what the best course of action to take.

Studying the Heartless was becoming just as important as fighting them. A group had organized specifically for this purpose.

"Fighting the Heartless isn't the problem," a wizard reported. "It's keeping them away. Even if their body is destroyed, they just reform again. The length of time seems to vary, but we've been essentially just fighting the same Heartless over and over."

There was some muttering around the room. The ones participating in the meeting were sitting at a large table. A few of them had laptops in front of them and they were typing things out on them. While our kingdom did have electricity and devices such as computers and phones, we also still used and relied on magic a lot. Both technology and magic were a part of our normal lives.

"Have we found no way to destroy them completely?" Someone at the table asked.

"At this point, no," the wizard said. "The most we can do is delay them and hope when they reform that they decide to go elsewhere."

This was not good news and the concerned faces of the others in the meeting reflected that. I was frowning along with them.

I was standing near some windows and looked down to the courtyard below. There was a group of Shadows bundled together directly below me, several stories down. They were attempting to climb up the wall and some guards were fighting them, stopping them from getting up very far.

I just watched them quietly. I knew they were coming for me. So far, the guards were keeping them away. How much longer could they do that?

I needed to be able to fight on my own.

As for me, now that I was awake, I wanted to begin my new life right away. My family did not comment much on my new attitude. I think they were just so happy I was alive that they didn't care how I acted. My parents were surprisingly supportive of my decision to learn how to fight at first. I realized soon this was mostly because they didn't expect me to stick with it, and they did not think I would actually fight the Heartless. I couldn't really blame them for thinking this about me. I hadn't ever really stuck to any sort of work or training before. They probably thought this was another phase. I gave them time to adjust. I knew it would be a long time before I was ready to fight either way. I was going to still be a beginner and fighting Heartless was dangerous even for the experienced warriors.

I wasn't really sure where to start. I was introduced to various teachers, soldiers, wizards, and sages over the next several weeks. I tried out things like swords and axes. Bows and arrows were interesting. After studying and practicing with everything I could get my hands on, I decided to focus on magic. I thought it would help me to be able to fight at short or long range, and I could also learn healing spells. That would give me another way to help instead of just offensive measures.

Magic would be hard to learn though, and I was starting completely from scratch. I was determined to do it, so I didn't mind the learning curve. Under the instruction of one of the court wizards, I started with a basic fire spell. It took two weeks for me to create fire and another two weeks even actually before I could actually get it to move towards a target. My range was very short though and even after it hit, it did very little. Even when the targets were made of wood.

"This is normal progression," the wizard told me. "Don't be discouraged."

I tried not to be. But as weeks went by and it seemed I couldn't even start a wooden target on fire, it was a little frustrating.

My studies continued. I kept telling myself I needed to be patient. That true power takes time and effort. I was just worried that I would take too long and just become a burden to those around me.

I didn't tell anyone the Heartless were being drawn to me. A few times over the course of those weeks, Heartless managed to get past the guards. They kept breaking into the castle and tried to find me. More guards would fight them off from inside. My daily activities were interrupted several times. I knew they were constantly hunting me.

It was a wonder the paranoia never got to me.

While I didn't tell them the reason, it didn't take my parents or the guards very long to notice the pattern. I could only wave it off as a coincidence so many times. They came up with their own solution to the issue.

"I don't want a bodyguard!" I snapped.

"Until you can fight the Heartless," my father insisted, "you need someone else to protect you!"

"There are other people in this city that need protecting," I said. "The Ancient Gardens need defending too. You need every fighter you can get out there. Don't take them away from those positions to guard me!"

"We have more fighters coming in from all over the country," Father persisted. "Enlistment rates have gone up. Everyone is doing their best to help in the fight."

"We still need them out there instead of just babysitting me," I defended stubbornly.

"It's not a babysitter," he argued. "You have been in danger too many times. We need you to be kept safe. In case the Heartless get inside the castle walls again, I want to make sure you have another line of defense. That's all."

In the end, I couldn't convince him against it. The guard was instructed to keep someone near me at all times. My concern was not only taking a guard away from another part of the city that they were needed, but if they were so close to me that they'd be in more danger than they'd be otherwise.

Roperto and Nathan were already lost because of me. I didn't want anyone else to get hurt.

Roperto and Nathan both had graves made for them. I visited them and offered flowers and my apologies. I wondered if they could hear me at all. I wondered if having your heart taken was like death or if they lived on inside the Heartless. Which would be worse?

A few months had gone by since that initial incident. I focused primarily on my magic studies to try and keep myself and my kingdom safe. I wanted to do my part. I was convinced this was what I needed to do.

So, the lack of progress became frustrating.

I wasn't accomplishing anything!

I went from teacher to teacher. Just whatever magic user was free at the start of the day was asked to assist me for the day. I was still trying to get the basics of fire magic. Primarily, magic could be used by channeling a book, a wand, or a staff. All had their advantages and disadvantages. I wasn't really having much luck with any of them though. I was able to create fire, ice, and lightning magic, but they didn't seem to do much, if any damage.

My teachers said it was normal and to give it time, but no one seemed to give me an explanation as to why I couldn't do more. I began wondering if I should have pursued a weapon instead. At least if I swung a sword, I knew it'd cut.

I seemed to take to lightning magic quite quickly compared to the other elements and tended to practice that more. It seemed to do more than the others but still I couldn't damage or burn targets more than a light charring.

My life would take another turn one day.

That day, I was out practicing. I had a mage there helping me. The bodyguard I had been assigned was keeping watch off to the side. As normal, I was hitting my target with my attacks, but they only shook a little. Sometimes I'd see smoke coming off them. In comparison, when the mage would shoot fire at the target, it would burst into flame and leave behind a small pile of ash.

"Fire!" I yelled, pointing a wand at the target. A ball of fire did shoot from the wand and hit the target dead on. But the fire soon went out with no indication it had been there to begin with.

I grunted in my frustration and lowered my arm. The mage just nodded to me.

"It's fine, it's fine," she tried to assure me. "Do not lose confidence. Magic feeds off your emotions so you must keep them in check."

I took a deep breath. "You're right, I'm sorry," I apologized. "I will keep trying. Thank you."

I pointed the wand again. Before I could use the next attack though, someone else chimed in.

"So, it's true," the voice said. "The pampered princess is learning how to fight."

I looked to see who was talking. It was a tall man wearing a dark red, leather coat. I wasn't sure how long he had been there. He had shaggy black hair and wasn't clean shaven. It was hard to guess his age based on how messy he looked, but I would later learn he was in his early thirties. He was leaning against a stone column lining the courtyard.

He had an amused smirk on his face. I didn't recognize him.

"Can I help you, sir?" my bodyguard asked him, apparently noticing him for the first time as well.

The man held a hand up to him and stood up from the column.

"Don't worry, I come in peace," he said.

The man moseyed over towards me. He put a hand up to his scruffy chin and looked me over.

"Quite a change in attire," he said. "Every other time you were wearing something more… frilly."

I looked down at myself. He was right. Along with my personality, I had changed my entire wardrobe after that first Heartless attack. Looking at too much lace and frills made me feel oddly guilty about my old self, and so I got rid of most of the old clothing. I had only worn a skirt once when I needed to be formal and mainly wore pants. This was mostly to be comfortable during training though.

I looked back up at him. "Is that okay?" I asked him.

He didn't answer the question. He started slowly circling me, still looking me over head to toe.

"You sure are different," he commented. "Very different."

He stopped in front of me again. I peered up at him.

"I'm sorry," I said. "Have we met before?"

The man laughed. He put his hands on his hips.

"A few times," he told me. "Last time I was here, I was asked to show new magic to your family. Right in the middle of it, you got up, stomped your feet, and said I was the most boring 'magician' ever. You whined to your parents until they let you leave."

I frowned and felt myself blush as I tried to remember the event. I couldn't remember it exactly, but it sounded very much like how I would have acted. I had no reason to doubt it happened exactly the way he said it had.

I bowed to the man apologetically. "I am very sorry for my behavior," I uttered. "I should not have disrespected you like that." I looked up at him again by pulling my head back but kept my body in the bow. "If there is anything I can do to make it up to you, please just tell me."

The man stared at me, looking surprised. We just stared at each other for a long moment.

"The stories are true," he observed. "You have changed."

I stood up straight, sighing. "Yes, that person is not who I am anymore," I responded. "I cannot change what I have done but can only make amends as I am now." I looked down at my feet sheepishly. "There are… many people I must apologize to…"

The man continued to stare at me. Then he suddenly turned to look at my target.

"You aren't doing it right," he said.

I looked back at him. "Doing what right?" I asked.

He pointed at the target. "That should be a pile of ash," he insisted. He glanced back at me. "You aren't doing it right."

I looked over at the target curiously. The mage that had been teaching me seemed to take offense to his comment and folded her arms stubbornly.

"There was nothing wrong with how she performed," she argued.

"Yeah," he agreed snidely, "other than she's doing it wrong!"

The mage started growling at him as stepped right up to me. He ignored her. He took my right arm where I was holding the wand and lifted it in front of me with the wand pointing straight up.

"Let's start from the beginning," he explained. "Wands are nice. Small and lightweight so they are easy to keep on hand. You don't have to worry about summoning it. They can give light increases to MP and magic power but can't quickly alternate between different types of magic. Still, they have their place."

The man then tilted his head at me, giving me a hard look. "But is that what you want to use?" He asked.

I just blinked at him. I don't think I fully grasped the question. He gave me a moment but then continued.

"If you had your choice," he clarified, "and you do, is that what your preference would be?"

I studied the wand in front of me closely as I considered the question. I had practiced with the three standard magical weapons at one point or another. I had settled for a wand just because it was easier to get my hands on and was quick to use. Books gave a greater increase to magic ability, and it's simple to switch from one type of spell from another. They can even give quicker casting times. The only downside was that the quicker casting really drains MP and can often times slow down the recharge time.

But books didn't interest me either.

"A staff can sometimes have slow casting time," I thought aloud, "but increases MP and magical strength. They can be heavy and usually aren't easy to carry around like books or wands, but the upside to that is they can then also be used as a weapon so you can still fight during MP recharge."

The man smiled at me. "So why are you bothering learning magic with this thing?" He asked.

I shrugged, looking at him. "They always said a staff was hard to handle and I should start small until I get the hang of it," I told him.

"Well, what do they know?" He scoffed. "They still haven't taught you to do this right to begin with!" He took the wand from me. "We don't need this thing anymore." He lightly flung it over his shoulder, tossing it away carelessly. "Let's do this right."

He was still holding my right arm. He lifted it to where I was holding it almost straight out and with my palm facing upward.

"But let's do without a tool for a second," he instructed. "It's a little harder to focus without something to channel the magic through but see if you can make a flame for me. Right here."

He released me. I looked down at my hand. I wasn't sure where he was going with his request, but I took another deep breath as I tried to focus on creating a flame.

I concentrated. I brought my fingers together above my palm and then relaxed them again. The flame sparked to life, creating a fire ball that floated above my hand.

"Okay, good," the man said. "Now put your other hand over it. What do you feel?"

I glanced at him, still puzzled at what he was doing. But I lifted my left hand and waved it over the fire ball carefully.

"It's hot," I said, shrugging a little.

"Very good," he mentioned. "Now this next part is important. Pay attention." I looked back up at him. He pointed straight up. "I want you to throw your spell straight up above you. It'll go up a ways, and then fall back down again. You can't be a chicken for the next part. You are going to catch it when it comes back down."

"Catch it?" I asked, still confused.

"That's dangerous," the mage interjected. "She'll get burned."

The man pointed over to my wooden target. "Did that thing get burned?" He challenged. "She'll be fine." He faced me sternly. "Do it. You'll see."

I studied him skeptically. He wasn't making much sense to me during any of this, but he seemed confident in his magic at least. I wasn't experienced enough to question any other magic user. Everything else I had tried had failed. So, I did what he asked.

I lifted my right arm straight up, sending the fire flying right above my head. I watched it carefully as it flew upward a couple meters and then started falling back down towards me like he had said.

I nervously reached out for the fire ball as it got closer. It touched my hand, and I took hold of it and lowered it back down in front of me.

I stared at it, surprised.

"What do you feel?" The man asked.

"It's…" I said slowly, "barely warm…"

"That's right," he acknowledged.

I looked up at him, desperately looking for an answer. "But…" I struggled, "it's still on fire! What's wrong with it? What did I do wrong?"

The man bobbed his head towards the mage. "She was right in one thing, at least," he mentioned. "Magic comes from you and your emotions. You have to want it to work before it does."

The fire ball started to go out. It got smaller and smaller until it disappeared.

"I do want it to work," I defended.

"Only enough to get it started," the man explained. "You seem to think that the magic stops once you cast your spell. But that spell belongs to you. It is you. You have to power it the whole time its active. You have the magic started, but you don't follow through."

The man suddenly turned and pointed two fingers towards the target. He created a fire ball that flew from his hand towards it. Once the fire made contact, it roared into a giant flame that quickly consumed and destroyed the target. He then calmly looked back at me.

"That spell was mine," he said. "I owned it, I fueled it, I controlled it, I finished it. You can cast any spell you want, but if all you do is the casting, you won't get results."

I pondered this for a moment, watching the flames from his attack as they started to die down, leaving nothing behind.

The man waved a hand at the bodyguard who had been silently watching. "Go get another one, will you?" He asked.

The bodyguard didn't object. He went off to get another target which he set up where the last one had been. But I started shaking my head.

"I'm not sure I understand," I admitted.

The man lifted his hand in front of me. A staff appeared in front of it which he took hold of. He had summoned it. He held it up to me.

"This may be a little strong for you," he stately casually, "but you need to feel the spell the whole way through. Take it."

I took it from him. The weight surprised me a bit once he released it and I almost dropped it. I had to catch it in my other hand. It was about a meter long and was mostly black. The end of it had a white crystal sticking out of it. I quickly understood what he meant by it being strong. I only had been holding it a few seconds and I could feel extra magical power running through me.

The man went to my side started moving my arms until he had the staff pointed at the new target the bodyguard had just set up. The bodyguard started walking away from it.

"Widen your stance a bit," the man told me. "Be careful when you shoot it off. This might have more kick than you're used to."

I adjusted my legs as he told me. He then stepped back from me and clapped his hands in front of himself.

"Now," he ordered, "you are going to cast another Fire spell. But this time, you are not going to stop casting it once you get the fire to appear. You have to want it. You want that fire to go out there and burn that target. You have to be determined. Don't get frustrated. Don't get angry. Those emotions make magic go crazy. Cast that spell and will it to burn that thing. Really want it to happen. Focus on it until it does."

His explanation still seemed pretty vague to me. In at least the basic sense, I more or less knew what he meant about thinking it was done when the spell was cast. I usually just activated the magic and just sent it off.

So maybe I was missing something.

I took a couple moments to prepare myself and try to wrap my head around what he was saying. After doing all I could, I sent out my spell and a fire ball shot out of the staff.

The man had warned me the staff could have more of a kick to it than I was used to, and he was right. Once my fire shot out, the kickback threw me off balance and even made me stumble back. But even so I kept my eyes glued on the fire ball.

Burn, burn, burn! I pleaded in my mind.

I felt a glimpse of what he was trying to tell me. In a way it felt like I was sending out a piece of myself out into that spell and I was holding onto it the whole way. We were connected. The fire ball hit the target.

And finally, the thing caught on fire.

I squealed in excitement, lifting the staff awkwardly. "I did it!" I cried. Then the weight of the staff threw me off balance and I had to catch my footing again.

The bodyguard and the mage started to applaud while the man just smiled a bit. I watched the target burn for a moment before turning back to him. I lowered the staff in front of me and bowed to him again.

"Thank you!" I stammered. Honestly, I was on the verge of tears I was so proud of myself. "Thank you so much! I was getting nowhere on my own."

The man hesitated, but then started to laugh as he stroked his chin again.

"My, my," he said. "You really are a whole different person, aren't you?"

The man took the staff back from me as I stood up straight. He sent it away and it disappeared again. He then held his hand up to himself.

"You may not remember," he offered. "The name's Malik. I travel the world learning all about magic and you won't find anyone out there that knows more about it than me!" He put his hands on his hips again and puffed up his chest. "Vander told me you were learning magic and how to fight. I just had to come see it for myself, so he asked me to come teach you."

"He did?" I asked.

"I wasn't sure I wanted to waste my time on a snobby princess," Malik admitted, looking me over again. "I wasn't sure if you deserved to learn from someone as great as me."

I frowned. I bowed my head sadly.

"You're right," I said. "I don't deserve it. Your kind of talent is wasted on me."

"Hey now," Malik teased, waving a hand at me, "I've already decided to train you. Don't try to talk me out of it."

I looked up at him. He leaned forward a little, lining his face up to mine to look me in the eye.

"I won't take it easy on you though," he promised. "I expect nothing less than obedience and respect from my student. Do as I say, when I say, and do it perfectly and I'll turn you into one of the most powerful magic fighters around. If you think you'll be able to keep up with me, that is."

I couldn't be sure what his magic training would entail, but he had already helped me in the short time he had been teaching me. Surely, he had much more to offer.

I nodded to him, accepting his offer.

"I will do my best!" I tried to assure him. "Thank you so very much!"

Malik smirked. "All right," he agreed. He started walking way. "First thing we need to do is get you a staff. If that's what you want to use, that's what you will use! Hopefully we can find a good one in this town."

I quickly turned to the mage and thanked her for what she had done for me thus far. I then hurried to follow after my new teacher.

There was going to be a lot for me to learn, and somehow, I was confident I found the best one to teach me all of it.