“Close your eyes Jestan! I will not tell you again.”, the whack of the wooden stick on his arm sent a sharp arrow of pain up it. But he didn’t wince, didn’t open his eyes. He felt proud for doing that. The ogre of a teacher stood in front of him, an ever present scowl of disapproval on his white bearded shaggy face.
“You must visualize the spell, you do not read from a book the power must come from within!”
From within! Was this old man crazy? It was bad enough he couldn’t memorize a spell now he was asked to do the impossible. He was trying to create a simple light cantrip and was having a hard time doing it. The old man wasn’t making it any easier with that dreaded stick of his either. He felt like taking that stick and shoving it up his-
“Jestan!!", in came the stick again. “Light the damn rock!”
‘I’m trying!’, he shouted in his mind. The veins in his temple stood out as he focused on the rock. Everything in the room faded from view, only the rock remained. If that old man hits me one mor..-
Stop it! Focus on the rock! He stared at the rock studying its every crevice and shape. He pictured it as a big boulder that he could throw at the old ma..-
Focus!
“You must picture it in your mind Jestan, imagine a glow surrounding the rock and try and draw the energy to do it from within yourself!”
His brow knitted in concentration as he felt a small spark within himself like a tickle. He imagined the feeling leave his body and stretch out to the candle. He then instinctively imagined the small bit of energy flow around the rock.
“Well done Jestan!”
He blinked looking at the rock.. He did it! The stupid rock glowed!
“Now finish with the dishes and clean my laboratory, and don’t take all day doing it!”, his enthusiasm quickly faded with a final whack of that damn stick.
