Chapter 45: Producing your flame!!!
"Welcome to the fire nation evaluation 101, I want you all to create your flames and hold them in your palms, let me see how far you all have come."
"Remember what I taught you last session, to create your flames, you are to clear your mind, create that spark within you, let it grow to a ball of fire, impress that ball of fire on your palm, feel the flow of power from within you until you see the fire come to life on the palm of your hands, then hold that flame till I say otherwise"
The fire nation teacher said as he moved around the class to inspect everyone's flame.
One after another, the students were producing their flames, except for Lancelot Jr and a few others who had a look of confusion.
"If you have not produced your flame go outside!", The teacher commanded, and out of 20 students in the class, 5 went outside including Lancelot Jr.
"We have a strict rule in this class, producing your flame is your criteria for staying in this school, if you can't produce your flame before next week, your studentship will be automatically terminated, even if you are here on scholarship..."
The teacher enunciated the last phrase while looking at Lancelot.
After the class, Lancelot Jr took some history classes, he also took time to attend some other element nation's classes, but he wasn't disturbed as he was allowed to watch.
After the first part of the school program, it was time for lunch, Breakfast was usually held before the general assembly so that students can start the program with a subdued appetite.
Lancelot Jr entered the cafeteria for lunch, he was able to quickly identify the cook to whom
he was well accustomed, he rushed to where he stood and bowed,
"Good afternoon sir..."
The cook had a smile as he quickly grabbed the plates he had reserved for him,
"Gabriel you're here, quickly take this and have
a sit",
Lancelot took the plate of well-served rice and stew and sat down to eat.
Every single spoon full that he ate felt like paradise because Lancelot Jr was truly hungry.
The meat was a chicken lap placed on a separate dish. He tried his best to clear off all the meat present, leaving behind the bones.
After eating the meat, he then stood up to return the plates as a smile of satisfaction appeared on his face,
"Sir, your food tastes so delicious,"
He said with a smile as he met the cook, who
smiled in return,
"My name is Mr. Bane, you can ask of me in case you don't see me around, principal Gladys has entrusted your feeding to me, so make sure you make her proud".
He then rubbed Lancelot Jr's head after speaking and smiled.
Lancelot Jr got out of the cafeteria and went to the training ground where a lot of students were practicing.
He knew he had to produce a flame before the next class and he didn't know what to do.
He wanted to make both of his moms proud, he needed to be stronger, but what could he do.
He found an isolated spot on the training ground and sat there to meditate and contemplate on how to imbibe the teachings he had received.
As worry continued to grow in him, he then heard a voice,
"To produce the flames, you need to clear your mind",
He looked around unsure where the voice came from, he even got up and looked around,
"l am your spirit speaker and I'm here to help you, calm your nerves and follow my instructions"
Lancelot Jr was truly unsure how to take the whole thing in, what was a spirit speaker?
Where did the voice come from? He had no clue, but he remembered how that instinct had always helped him, so he decided to listen.
He calmed his mind and started to follow the instructions given by the voice,
"Good, now stretch your hands forward, allow the heat to flow through you" he did so without hesitation.
At that moment Rick the metal nation boy and his two followers from beast nation suddenly noticed him and came around,
"Look, even a fool wants to meditate, what do you think he is doing?" The forest nation boy to his left named George laughed,
"He is trying to clear his bowels' ,
They continued another round of laughter, at this point, Rick wanted to reach out and pull him by the shirt.
Lancelot Jr was agitated, he wanted to leave the spot where he was, but the voice calmed him down,
"Don't allow them to distract you, just release that flame' ,
Lancelot Jr did as he was told and allowed the flame to flow through him like a channel till it got to his palm and he unleashed it.
At this point, his flame made contact with the hands of Rick whose hands were within touch, immediately the skin was scaled black, and burnt to such an extent that he had to produce
steel to protect his hands from being totally burnt off.
He withdrew his hands and put some distance between himself and Lancelot as he noticed the black soot on the surface of the back of his hands.
"That serves you right" came a voice from behind, a teacher who had witnessed the scene . It was the same teacher that stopped the bullying before the first class.
He was also the cook named Mr. Bane. He gave Rick and his boys a look of disgust as he watched them move away reluctantly.
Rick was extremely furious as his hatred for Lancelot Jr reached a whole new high but he had to hide his wrath and calm his feelings for the time being.
Lancelot Jr continued to follow the voice to produce the flame without listening to the commotion going on in the outside world, almost like everything that had happened was none of his business.
Some others were also looking at the scene, and at this point, Principal Gladys was present to witness Lancelot Jr producing his flames.
She checked on him from time to time when she had the time, he was her investment after all.
"Principal Gladys, you have such a high expectation of him, he barely had his first class and he already can produce a flame, this is a real genius, I only told them that anyone who doesn't produce a flame would be expelled and he rose to the occasion, you're right to ask me to put pressure on him".
The Principal was smiling like she won a lottery,
"Yes Mr. Cromwell, this Kid is going to put the spotlight on our tiny school, he is the spark I am trying to light in the heart of the continent."
"He will go on to become a national treasure before the emperor, putting my name on the history board and the wall of fame."
She smiled again as she could not hold back
her happiness, she felt she had found a real treasure this time.
She then turned and walked away with Mr.
Cromwell following her in tow.