The next few months of Max's life were very stressful. He saw his dad less and his brother and sister were off in some school called 'Trink's School of Magical Machinations'.

He hadn't gotten a single letter from his siblings and that had worried him. He had no way to check up on them and all he could do was ask his father time and time again if they were alright for him to reply that they were fine.

His father was working with relationships between big families. Trying to make trade as profitable as possible without stepping on anyone's toes. None of the business talks that happened around the dinner table made any sense to Max but he was trying desperately to learn. I mean it was in his blood so how could he not be a natural? It was infuriating that it took so much effort to understand what it meant to be a Blacklock.

But there was one good thing that could be discerned by the last few months. His magic practice was making steady progress. At first, he was only able to hold light objects in the air for a few seconds but now he could do it for nearly a minute.

Max stared at the rubber mass in front of him and stared at it intensely.

'Why can't I move it in any direction but up? It should be the same thing. I'm just pushing up. Why can't I just push into a different direction?' Max thought to himself as he stared at it and made it gently lift a few inches off the ground before cutting his connection off from it and letting it fall.

He didn't need the mantra he had used before. He had trained himself not to do it no matter how hard it was to cast magic without it was. It would only hinder him if he had to use an incantation for everything even though it helped focus his thoughts. He didn't need it so he wouldn't use it. It was a crutch he had to get over using. It was the same with stretching his hand out and raising it when he was raising the ball. A gesture helped him focus but he shouldn't have to rely on it. So he stopped using it.

With all these extra constraints that he had self-imposed on his training, his magic was harder to progress than it was for a normal person but he knew he was making good progress. He had dedicated hours upon hours every day to it and it was returning dividends slowly but surely.

'The magic in my body hasn't gotten any larger in quantity... only in quality. It's gotten stronger but without more of it, I won't be able to do much. My limit is one minute. No matter how hard I have tried I can't get over that limit. Any further and my nose starts to bleed and my body starts deteriorating.'

'How do I get further?' Max pondered as he slowly moved his mind to the magic school his siblings had gone to.

'They had someone to teach them. I only have myself... Perhaps there is some literature on the matter?'

'Something I could read that would help me understand the nature of magic better?'

'Hmm'

---

He had spent hours trying desperately to find any information of magic in the mansion he lived into no avail. There wasn't even a single magic tome in the library and for a moment Max began to think they might not exist at all. That was until one fateful day.

Max was snooping around the library, trying desperately to find anything related to magic once more, but right before he was about to finish turning around the last row of books he stood stock still as he saw someone for the first time in the library.

His Great Grandfather sat comfortably in a velvet chair reading a simple-looking book. He lazily flipped the pages with simple gestures of his fingers that was until something seemed to catch his eye. He stopped flipping through the pages near the end of the book and his eyes became alert, beginning to quickly slide from side to side.

"Hmm... So that's how it is. I just need to apply a little more training into the will aspect of the aspect of soul and that should be able to help me with more stable casting when it comes to complex runic formulas." His great grandfather mumbled under his breath as he stood up abruptly and marched out of the room almost as if keen to try out a new trick.

'That book has magic in it!' Max thought to himself as he quickly ran towards the velvet chair and reached up to grab the older-looking handbook and began to flip to the first page.

---

Magic is composed of three main aspects which are as such: Mind, Body, And Soul.

This can and has been deduced by many philosophers throughout the ages through various means and anyone who denies this basic knowledge is to be shamed as a buffoon of the generations. (You know who I’m talking to you ‘The Grand Sage’!. Be ashamed of yourself for once! You. Were. Wrong!)

Anywho, the basic nature of these three aspects will be described throughout this book and made clear to even the ‘simplest’ of minds.

Let’s first start with the matter of the mind…

-Written by the Unknown Seeker of Knowledge, 1842

---

'So it would seem that magic is separated into three categories... That makes some sense. Hmm... What method have I been using to cast spells?' Max ponders as he continued.

---

The matter of the mind is anything but simple, just as none of the aspects are, but can be trained and deduced to simple terms for those who struggle to think from a higher plane’s view.

The Aspect of the Mind encompasses all magic that is created with the intent to affect a mind or change one’s mind. Simple examples of these terms are that of illusion magic that changes an individual’s perception or senses that directly correlate with the mind and the nervous system. For the latter term, it can simply be directed to making your memory better, A hard feat to accomplish but simple to understand.

There are many instances of magic that directly correlate to mind magic but not all magic is mind magic. I know this is a simple statement but it is quite profound in nature. This speaks on a greater term that matters cross-wise. It is easy to say that each of the three aspects of magic has instances of magic yet all magic is not included in just each individual aspect. Though an interesting thing about a spell is that it can directly correlate with one aspect of magic or multiple aspects of magic. To say it in the simplest of terms possible, a square is a rectangle but a rectangle is not always a square. To put that into context mind magic can be an aspect of a spell but the spell may not always just be of the aspect of mind magic.

-Written by the Unknown Seeker of Knowledge, 1842

---

'It wouldn't seem that I use mind magic like nothing I can do affects the mind. Only the physical objects in the world.' Max thought before continuing the book.

---

Next is the matter of the body. This is the simplest form of magic and the one easiest to be learned. To keep it short, unlike with the aspect of the mind, it is all physical manifestations of magic. From anything from a spell of light to a spell of darkness. Fire and Water, Earth and Air, Lightning and thunder. yadayada etcetera etcetera. The list goes on and on and even a novice should understand the implications of what is the aspect of the body.

-Written by the Unknown Seeker of Knowledge, 1842

---

'This is probably what I have been using so far. Manipulating matter/physical objects and extensions of the world. Not introspecting into myself or others like mind magic seems to be portrayed as.'

---

Next is the matter of the soul. Though this matter is the most mysterious and hard to explain I think I have found the perfect example to explain it to someone who does not know the art of the soul.

Determination is the simplest form of magic of the soul or at least form of the soul in general. The aspect of the soul is what makes you… well, you. Soul magic is something we all use though not to a degree that is truly… magical. Though one would say one’s own will and intent to be something marvelous indeed. I believe that gets the general concepts of the aspect of the soul threw to almost anyone taught. Now to move on to the 9 major categories of these aspects…

-Written by the Unknown Seeker of Knowledge, 1842

---

'Hmm, this is tricky... Perhaps this is how I activate the magic I have been casting? I don't use any physical means to cast a spell and perhaps that is for the best. Soul magic seems more unique and complicated than the other methods at least.'

'And 9 Major categories of these aspects... Three for Three. It seems as if Three is a magic number haha.'

---

There are three categories underneath each of the aspects of magic. This small list should give you the information you need to know to understand the general basis of what each of these mean and how they apply to magic in a general sense.

Mind-

1: Willpower : Protection of the Mind

2: Manipulation : Manipulation of the Mind

3: Ingenuity : Improvement of the Mind

Body-

1: Gesture/Proof of Intent : Control of Magic

2: Material : Ascendance of Magic

3: Vococular/Vocal: Focus of Magic

Soul-

1: Faith : Power greater than one’s own

2: Study : Power learned

3: One’s own will/determination : Power as strong as one’s soul

Now that, that is out of the way I believe it is time to dip into the more complicated meanings of these things…

-Written by the Unknown Seeker of Knowledge, 1842

---

'These terms and definitions... are absolutely confusing!'

'So the mind has three aspects underneath it or categories as he calls it... Willpower is based on the protection of the mind so effectively from illusions or similar effects? Then there is Manipulation which, as its name suggests, means to manipulate the mind... So willpower protects against manipulation. Makes some sense. Then there is Ingenuity which seems the more confusing of the three. It says that it is based on the improvement of the mind. Does this mean memory or speed of thought or something similar or adding new capabilities to its repertoire, things that are not natural persay?'

'And then there is the body which is much simpler but still confusing nonetheless. Gesture/Proof of Intent seems to mean the use of one's hands to control magic or something similar to that. Then there is Material which it says is the Ascendance of Magic... Does that mean that it is focusing on making magic more powerful through the use of components perhaps? Hmm... Then there is Vococular/Vocal...'

"What the hell does Vococular mean?" Max mumbled to himself as he scanned the page for an explanation.

"It means to call magic through one's eyes or vision. This is a fairly complicated method but this book isn't meant for the faint of heart. It is perhaps the most complicated book on the market for learning the basics of magic. It's a work of art but it is seriously confusing with methods of thought that are hard to understand even for myself." A gruff voice echoed from behind him.

Max jolted upwards as he closed the book in a matter of seconds.

"Gramps!" He shouted out in surprise as he turned to find his great grandfather looking at him with a twinkle in his eye.

"No no no Max. Open the book up once more. You must finish the page you started at least." His Great Grandfather laughed before sitting next to Max on the large velvet chair.

He gently opened up the book to the first page and guided his finger to the portion of the book in which Max had been reading at.

"Ah yes. Vococular and Vocal methods. It means to call magic outwards and focus it through your vision or voice. Generally sounds work in general but that is far too complicated for a novice. What do you think this means Max? How do you think it works?" Gramps asked gently as he tapped the paper gently.

Max thought for a few seconds before trying to come up with an answer.

"To call magic with one's vision or voice... To focus it... To channel magic through one's vision or voice and in a way guide magic through the starting process?" Max asked gently.

"Hmm. It could be said to be that way though I would say that it focuses magic throughout the entire process of casting a spell. I know it's hard to understand what I mean when you aren't able to cast magic yourself but you will learn through theory in no time."

"Now on to the next category. Faith." He slid his finger down the page and rested it gently next to the word faith. "Power that is greater than one's own... What do you think this means Max?"

"Perhaps it is similar to the view of religion itself?" Max questioned as he thought over what he knew of religion. "People often think that there is a bigger purpose. A greater meaning. Perhaps that is what the power of faith truly is. Power from a concept that is bigger than one's self."

"Yes... I do believe that that is true in a way. Very insightful young man."

"Now study. A power that is learned. What does this mean?" He said while moving his finger a notch down.

Max thought for a minute straight.

'Perhaps that studying makes our power grow? No that doesn't make sense.' Then something seemed to click in Max's brain.

"The power of study is simply knowledge. Perhaps it's that Knowledge enriches the soul or something similar to that but one way or another our magic grows with our knowledge. Learning more magic and ways to grow stronger in itself a sort of power."

"That is also true but not entirely correct. The category of Study happens to be based on enlightenment. It does Enrich our souls and purifies them but it isn't necessarily based on knowledge. It's more based on... an epiphany. Yes, spontaneous knowledge and study. Though knowledge is key to this."

"Now one's own Will/Determination. A power as strong as one's soul."

His grandfather didn't even need to ask what he thought before Max began to think the words over.

"Determination or one's will is what defines our souls integrity?" Max asked hesitantly.

"In a way." He said before looking at the curious child in front of him. 'He has it. Just like I used too. That spark. That Joy.'

"Then perhaps determination or our will is our soul and as they grow it makes the soul grow stronger. Faith is unstable, it can be turned to ash in seconds, but your own determination or will is much harder to get rid of. Its a more... stable category of the soul. And it shouldn't lose out to the others its just that it happens to be one harder to cultivate in my opinion. I mean it is quite hard to change owns own will. It would be like changing and growing something that had been set in stone from years ago." Max continued answering as his thoughts delved deeper into confusion. It was all opinion that he was stating and nothing that could be magically proven yet by him. He didn't know a thing about magic theory and was only swinging in the dark.

"Interesting Max. You have hit the mark. Your determination and will is something that must be grown from a young age and usually takes on a special form if left untrained. That is why us Blacklocks don't train our children a way of creating their view on the world thus creating their will and influencing their determination."

"Can you guess why?" Onyx Blacklock said as a warmth slowly flooded his chest. It was not a feeling he felt frequently after all. Excitement and anticipation is hard to find in someone who has seen most that the world has to offer.

"So that we are each unique?" Max questioned. It seemed simple to him.

"Correct Max." Answered Max's Great Grandfather before he gently closed the book with a wave of his hand which was received with a light look of curiosity in his grandchild's eyes.

"That concludes today's lessons. Meet me in here at precisely noon tomorrow if you would like to continue where we left off."

Max's smile could only be described as that of a dream come true as he nodded enthusiastically and went upstairs to practice magic with a new found desire.