After the harrowing humiliation, Saul made his way home in silence. The jeers and scorn of his tormentors still echoed in his mind, their cruelty having left not only wounds upon his body, but scars upon his pride. Yet beneath the weight of shame, a quiet fire stirred within him a fierce determination to prove them all wrong.
Lost in thought, he was suddenly drawn back to the present by a voice that seemed to part the heavy fog of his musings.
"Saul, is that you?"
The voice, warm and familiar, caused him to turn. It was Miss Rob. Surprise flickered across his features, quickly replaced by a flicker of relief.
"Hello, Miss Rob," he murmured, offering a faint smile though the weight in his chest made it tremble.
She approached him swiftly, concern etched deeply into her features. Her gaze swept over the bruises and torn robe that betrayed the extent of his ordeal.
"What happened to you?" she asked, voice tight with disbelief. "Who did this?"
Saul instinctively attempted to draw his robe more tightly around himself, but it was futile. The damage was too great, too visible. The anguish on Miss Rob's face deepened as she grasped the cruelty Saul had endured — a cruelty far beyond what she had suspected from the students she taught. She had known of the bullying, yes, but never imagined it could descend into such savagery.
"Are you all right?" she asked again, her voice low and thick with concern.
However, Saul chose to remain silent, struggling to marshal the words that might translate his shame and pain into speech. After a moment, she asked gently, "Are you headed home?"
He nodded wordlessly.
"Then you are coming with me," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Saul hesitated, but her presence, firm and caring, cut through his reluctance. He acquiesced, and the two walked together to her modest abode. Upon entering, Saul was guided to a small sofa. The apartment, though humble, radiated warmth. A few framed photographs adorned the walls which were of Miss Rob in her youth — but what captivated him most was a showcase filled with an array of crystals, each glimmering faintly as though alive with quiet energy.
"I'll be right back. Make yourself comfortable," Miss Rob said kindly, disappearing into another room.
Drawn to the shimmering beauty of the crystals, Saul couldn't resist walking up to admire them closely. Each one seemed to whisper its own story. As he gazed, a genuine smile crept onto his lips for the first time in what felt like days.
"They're not as special as they seem, you know," Miss Rob's voice called gently from behind, startling him. She had returned and now sat on the sofa, her eyes twinkling with soft amusement. "Come, sit here," she beckoned, pointing to the empty chair beside her. Saul joined her, feeling a sense of comfort in her presence.
"I think they're extraordinary," Saul said. "They may not seem like much to others, but there's something about them... something that draws me in."
Miss Rob regarded him with a gentle smile. "Perhaps you perceive what others cannot. Sometimes the smallest things hold the greatest wonders — just like you."
Saul looked away, a faint blush warming his cheeks.
"You know you can talk to me," she said, more seriously now. "I suspect what you said in class today might have led to... this." Her gaze moved to his bruises.
"No, it's not like that," Saul replied at last, his voice subdued.
Miss Rob felt a pang in her heart as she saw his upset face. She had watched Saul's journey from prodigious arrival to bullied outcast. Her words in class had been intended as a sober reminder of reality, not a blow to his spirit.
"These levels," she began, "they aren't meaningless. They represent mastery, discipline, the ability to channel power with precision — your actual capacity. Right now, you're still at the beginning. All your knowledge, however vast, is still potential. It must be honed."
She leaned back slightly, her voice taking on a more reflective tone. "When I was where you are now, breaking even a brick with my bare hands seemed impossible — the most basic feat of a human-level occultist. Miss Rob confided in Saul, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. "But then, my teacher shared a remarkable piece of advice that changed everything.
He told me 'Don't let your arm know you're striking a brick. Imagine it's a feather.'"
She chuckled softly at the memory. "It sounded absurd — yet it worked. A shift in perception can unlock great power." I progressed to the second class after a few more practice.
"I understand," Saul said. "But I had skills even before coming here."
"And those skills will serve you," she replied gently. "But progress demands patience. I didn't gain mastery overnight. Now, as a Heaven-level occultist, I control the element of fire."
As she spoke, She raised her hand, and with serene grace, a mesmerising flame flickered to life in her palm — bright, controlled, and beautiful. With a wave, the flame vanished. She stood and walked toward the open kitchen. From where Saul sat, he watched as she extended a hand, raising a glass into the air and guiding it to the counter, then causing a jar to pour juice into it — all with effortless command.
Saul was captivated as he witnessed the display of powers. Miss Rob's effortless control over these fundamental elements revealed the depth of her knowledge and the years of dedicated practice required to attain such mastery. "It took me more than twenty years to reach this point," she said. "You're at the base of the human level now. To become a spiritualist, you must first master the three levels: human, then earth, and finally heaven." Miss Rob confided, her voice carrying the weight of her journey's trials and triumphs.
She gestured toward the crystal shelf. Saul followed her gaze — and only now did he notice the sheer multitude of them. Thousands. Yet not one sparkled.
"It took the power of all these to reach where I am," Miss Rob said. "I'm not telling you to abandon your dream, Saul. Only to understand what it truly demands just to reach halfway towards becoming a spiritualist." Their powers encompass all the universal elements, making it a monumental achievement.
Her tone softened. "Your ambition is admirable. But before leaping toward the stars, plant your feet firmly on the path before you."
Saul nodded slowly. Her words, rather than discouraging him, had awakened something deeper — respect for the journey ahead.
"Thank you, Miss Rob," he said earnestly. "I think I should be heading home now. It's getting late."
"Of course," she replied. "But drink this first — it will help heal your wounds."
A short time later, Saul left her apartment. Though the sky above was unchanged, something within him had shifted. His stride was purposeful as he returned home, determination burning quietly within.
Once inside, he moved swiftly to his bedroom. His hand reached for a familiar box hidden away in the cupboard. Placing it on the bed, he opened it with care, revealing a collection of crystals — his own. They lay nestled in velvet, each one a memory, a stepping stone on the path he had walked.
There were nearly a thousand, though many had lost their luster — their energies drained in his pursuit of growth. To progress from novice to adept, one had to absorb the essence of dozens, even hundreds. They had borne silent witness to his efforts, and to the secrecy with which he had trained. For four years, the world believed him idle. None knew how deeply he had studied, how quietly he had prepared.
But now, it was time.
Saul's determination to regain the title of genius burned within him like an unquenchable flame. He reached into the cupboard once more and withdrew a second box — one he had never shown anyone. Inside lay five radiant crystals, each pulsating with elemental power. These where the core crystals; Reserved only for the most advanced occultists, they held the potential to elevate one's abilities to extraordinary heights
He settled back on the bed a mixed of excitement and apprehension filling his heart.With his gazed fixed on the glowing red gem — fire incarnate. It shimmered with potential, its aura alive with promise.
"These are meant for those far beyond my level," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else. "But if I'm to rise again—if I'm to reclaim what was lost…"
He took a deep breath.
"…this is my time to shine."
Drawing a deep breath, he brought the crystal close, feeling its energy resonate through his very being. The power of fire surged within him.
With a resolute glint in his eye and a quiet smile upon his lips, he awaited the coming of tomorrow with unwavering patience and defiance in his heart.