Thomas added a few final touches to the laboratory’s décor. His final student was… one with a short attention span, and a horribly short temper. The grey stone walls had been plastered with the illusion of red wallpaper. Curtains hung from the ceiling, occasionally flapping about as a timed breeze blew in from one of the many orbs that Thomas had arranged just for the occasion. Cody was easily distracted by both movement and the color red- as stereotypical as it was. Perhaps it had to do with the head trauma he suffered. It was hard to say.

The trial of choice was a large stone horse, reared back on its hind legs.

Thomas glanced over his shoulder towards the large clock hanging just over the door. The boy wasn’t the most…diligent creature. Nor the most polite. His lateness was expected but it was nearly twenty after by then.

The man sighed and limped his way over to the doorway. There he stood for another three minutes before the door opened up and the bull boy stomped in. He was dressed in a thick pair of jeans that, despite their quality, had already worn through their knees. Under his thick leather coat (ironic…leather) he had a padded vest and a thick cotton shirt. He’d come alone, strangely enough. Most children had arrived with their dragons.

Thomas lifted an eyebrow and glanced between the bull boy and the clock, allowing the silence to sink in. Cody didn’t seem to notice. The bull was too busy looking around the room, as expected. Oblivious to his teacher’s frustration and oblivious to his tardiness.

“Ahem.” Thomas shut the door slowly and stepped into the room after Cody.

“We gonna get something’ started or what? Can I jus’… get my report card n’ go home?” Cody turned to face the magic teacher.

“Hm… your patience is encouraging.”

The bull snorted around his nose ring and rolled his eyes. Definitely an encouraging child. Thomas stepped into the room and pointed his staff over towards the statue.

“If you’ve been studying this should be simple for you.” He instructed quietly, “Simply lift the statue. Focus… and lift the statue. Over your head, wait to the count of three, and lower it down to the ground. Remember how-”

“Pick it up, over mah head, an’ back to th’ ground. Right.” Cody rubbed his hands together and stepped up to the statue.

“…boy do not get ahead of yourself.” Thomas waved a hand through the air. Cody froze in place. “You must focus. Control the flow of energy through your body. Lift with your legs, not your back. First channel the energy into your arms and legs, as your body becomes taxed, send energy to that place. Focus….this is the most important part of any skill.

Cody was unfrozen, though he seemed frustrated by having any part of him restricted. He turned to Thomas, his eye blazing as he crouched down to the base of the statue and tightened his trip around the base.

Thomas stepped back and readied his staff. No doubt this one would let his pride blind him- if he wasn’t blinded by the staged distractions around him.

Cody closed his eye, drew in a deep breath, and threw his weight upwards. Thomas was surprised that the boy threw his legs into gear, his back remained straight as a post. The boy’s aura surged into his arms, shoulders, and into his legs. His knees trembled under the weight as he huffed and snorted, but slowly the statue lifted up past his chest and eventually up over his head.

“One…”, Thomas counted out calmly, “Two…three. Very well.”

Cody bit down on his lower lip but otherwise remained standing under the statue. His chest heaved with the enormous effort that the task demanded of him.

“…Cody. You can lower the statue now.”

The boy looked right through him, instead his single eye remained locked forward. It was almost as if he was lost in his own world. The strain, the stress, and the pain surging through his limbs had been completely removed from his consciousness. The boy’s mind was growing faint, exhaustion blurred the edges of his awareness, eventually filling his vision with black dots.

Thomas snapped his fingers, sending a jolt through the boy’s mind. Cody trembled, the way he might after waking from a daze, and snorted once more.

Slowly and carefully, the bull lowered the statue down to the ground and stepped back. He swayed on his hooves, blinked sluggishly, and fell backwards. A bubble of air caught him just inches from the ground and slowly lowered him back.

“Showoff…”, Thomas stepped forward, shaking his head. He hadn’t practiced…but he was very aware of how to use his abilities. It was a dangerous trait- perhaps a deadly one. “Well there’s good news and bad news.” Thomas announced to the boy’s unconscious body. “You pass. But I’m sending a note home to your mother.”