Small Victories

Small Victories

Zelnard stood in the dimly lit classroom, clutching the small water crystal in his hand. The room was filled with the soft murmur of other junior mages, each one concentrating intently on the clay pots before them. The task was simple in theory: focus on the water crystal, channel its power, and make the water inside the pot swirl. But as with many things in magic, simplicity was deceptive.

The teacher, an old mage with a stern yet patient demeanour, walked between the rows of boys, offering guidance and correction where needed.

"Remember," he said, his voice low and steady, "the water is an extension of your will. You must guide it, coax it, but never force it."

For Zelnard, the process felt as natural as breathing. As he focused on the crystal, he felt the familiar pull of water magic deep within him. The water in the pot responded immediately, swirling faster and faster until it nearly splashed over the rim.

"Easy there, Zelnard," the teacher said, raising an eyebrow, though there was the faintest hint of a smile. "Control is just as important as power."

Zelnard nodded and relaxed his concentration. The water slowed until it spun in a smooth, gentle circle. He looked around the classroom to see how the others were doing.

Beside him, Jabar wore the determined expression of someone refusing to lose to a clay pot. His water had finally begun to turn, although it looked more like a sleepy puddle than a whirlpool.

Gavid, the youngest of the group, frowned so hard that his eyebrows nearly touched. Despite his greatest efforts, the water in his pot managed little more than the occasional ripple.

Across the room, Abah stared intensely at his own pot.

Something didn't seem quite right.

Without warning, bright orange sparks burst from the clay pot, followed by a loud SPLOOSH! as boiling water splattered across the table.

"AAAH!" Abah yelped, dropping the crystal as though it had bitten him.

The class erupted into laughter.

Even the old teacher couldn't suppress a chuckle as he bent down, picked up the crystal, and shook his head.

"Abah," he sighed with amused patience, "you've been trying to perform water magic with a fire crystal."

Abah's cheeks turned crimson.

"That... would explain a few things."

The teacher exchanged the crystal for the correct one before patting Abah gently on the shoulder.

"Magic rewards careful minds," he reminded the class. "Focus on the task at hand, boys."

The laughter gradually faded, the crystals glowed once more, and before long the classroom was filled again with nothing more than the quiet sound of swirling water and determined young mages chasing their own small victories.

Thy Quests
Based on the pictures throughout the chapter, do you think the teacher helped the boys improve? Explain your answer using evidence from both the story and the illustrations.