Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 96: Mirror, Mirror

Chapter Ninety-Six: Mirror, Mirror

Magic was turning out to be a pain in the ass.

After their conversation earlier, Vordt had handed him a seed and given him yet another seemingly impossible goal.

To make the seed grow.

Then he had left with a muttered promise to return in a few hours.

Growing a plant using magic was easier said than done, especially since he was having issues focusing thanks to his anxiety.

His biggest problem was actually turning out to be the most annoyingly simple thing in the world: he couldn't consciously use magic without first slipping back into the stream of magical energy within himself, but once he was there... well, not only did he constantly lose track of time, he couldn't get out too easily.

Drawing his mind back to a present state of consciousness with the blue river of magic in tow was harder than pulling out the brilliant ball of energy behind it.

If he could only get past this one problem, he had a feeling that using magic wouldn't be as hard as he'd originally anticipated.

The storm passed on while he struggled, and when the singing finally fell silent, focusing was easier.

After using up two of his allotted hours, he somehow managed to draw his mind back into awareness while being suffused in the ocean of blue energy.

Elated with his success, he envisioned the growth of the plant, first, then began to sing the way his uncle had instructed.

Bright high notes, jumping about in playful staccato with little tempo to order the seed in line.

But beneath the seemingly random melody was a central order, one that soon ignited into a roaring conflagration of deeper notes, notes that consumed even as they gave heat and light and life. The melody was gentle and hungry and selfish all at once, and as it became steady, Xaphile connected with the seed he'd planted in the ground.

He felt the brilliance of new life sparking with his song.

After a few seconds, it sprouted.

He was so shocked to see it slide out of the ground that he lost his focus, but the trance broke during the slip and he was abruptly pulled out of his head.

"Shit," Xaphile hissed, letting out a dismayed groan. "I almost had it."

His mind just wasn't good enough to multitask. He knew, in a deeper part of himself, that he could have held the strain of magic had he been stronger, but he wasn't stronger.

He was just himself.

"Practice," he muttered, lifting a hand and touching the stem poking out of the ground. "With practice, maybe I could do better."

"You could," said a voice.

Xaphile jumped and swiveled just in time to see Vordt approaching him. When their eyes locked, he shrank back, since the man's irises reflected the moonlight creeping into the hollow tree. He swallowed when his uncle sat down not too far away from him.

"You managed to complete the task I gave you, if only barely," Vordt said slowly, eyes lingering on the sad little plant that had sprouted under his influence. "I wasn't expecting you to get this far, but I'll admit that my expectations are more than a little off with you."

Xaphile stared at him. He stared back.

"I tried," he said, and gestured at the plant. "My focus breaks way too easy, though."