War And Throne

Chapter 11 : Master Jael's Warning

How could he not be surprised? The master saw Nail trying to create a huge fireball without him? That's wrong, absolutely not allowed. This fire element was quite dangerous.

"Nail, what are you doing?" Master Jael ran forward, his eyes blazing brightly, and his jaw had already hardened. "Stop what you're doing!" He shouted again. 

Nail gasped in place, and immediately the fire in his hands stopped spreading, Nail stood still with his body facing the master. 

Darren saw the anger emanating from Master Jael. Things were about to get heated, he guessed. Darren turned to look at Nail, his friend was on the verge of trouble. 

"Master Jael looks angry," Cassie said, whispering beside Darren, her voice was low, but Darren could still hear Cassie's voice clearly. 

"That's right, I'm of one mind with you, Cassie." Darren's head nodded. 

Nail pressed his lips together, while Master Jael was still galloping towards the young man. Nail gulped his saliva roughly, knowing that he was entangled in the shackles of trouble. 

Master Jael apparently did not step closer to Nail, the master stood in front, his body erect. "Nail, come forward," he said loudly as he waved his hand, telling Nail to hurry up. 

"Yes master!" Nail waddled over, trying to stay okay, he acted normal as if nothing had happened. Even though, his mind was already churning, Nail knew that the master was going to give him something. 

Either a punishment, a warning, or he could be expelled from the training camp outright this time.

Nail didn't know which was true, but one thing was for sure, he wasn't going to get anything good, he was in trouble. The master was already waiting for him ahead, his knife-sharp gaze already piercing Nail, until the young man could only resign himself to what awaited him ahead. 

"He shouldn't have done something stupid like that." Cassie spoke back to Darren. 

Darren's head turned, watching Cassie. "Well, you're right, Nail was in too much of a hurry, he should have waited for Master Jael to return." 

Cassie snapped her fingers. "Instead of practicing the fire element by himself, we shouldn't do that, especially without master Jael present." 

"That's it, Nail." 

Cassie shrugged her shoulders, "we'll see what happens, Nail is a fool, an idiot even." Her words ended with a long, harsh sigh. 

All the students returned to their seats and lined up neatly as before, instantly moving without being given any orders. Not to mention that the master's mood seemed to be turbulent and not okay. 

Master Jael was not an angry man, he was even kind, he would patiently teach his students a lesson. However, if the master was angry, it meant that something serious had happened that he didn't like. And Nail, the hairless boy, had messed up. 

The master closed his eyes as Nail stood before him. Master Jael regulated his breathing, he filled his lungs with oxygen liberally, before slowly expelling it. Master Jael was visibly holding back anger.

"Nail, now explain to me what you were doing just now." 

Sharp, heavy words finally slipped freely from the master's mouth. Everyone listened, muting their lips, watching to see what would happen. 

Nail remained silent, he looked down, wetting his dry lips. No matter how much he held back his trepidation, it would all fail once he faced the master. 

"Did you not hear what I just asked you, Nail?" Master Jael grabbed Nail by the shoulders, squeezing quite tightly. 

Nail looked up. "I-I heard it, master." 

"Then why are you silent?" 

Nail swallowed again, for the second time in front of the master. Nail's gaze weakened, his body still trembling. "I made a mistake." 

"You realize that your actions were wrong?" asked Master Jael. 

Nail's head nodded. 

"Then why did you keep doing it if you knew you were wrong? Explain it to me." 

Nail was now silent. 

"Nail..." 

"Because I'm curious, master," Nail replied quickly, his eyes closed. Now, he really looked like he was holding back fear. 

"You knew it was wrong, but you did it anyway. Don't you know how dangerous your actions are? The fire element I'm going to teach you and your friends about is an important and dangerous element. Nail, you can't just do it on your own without being accompanied by me or an adult." 

"I'm sorry, master." 

"You disappointed me, Nail." 

"I am ready to accept any punishment as long as master forgives me, I promise not to make a similar mistake, I swear, master, help me." Nail's voice trembled, and his gaze glazed over. 

Master Jael let out a long sigh. He gestured to the back and said, "Take your seat now, join your friends."

Nail blinked, but instead of being stunned, he couldn't believe what he had just heard. 

"Nail, what are you waiting for? Were my words unclear enough that you needed further explanation?" 

"I heard it master." 

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Let's go back to your place." Master Jael folded his hands together and pointed behind him with a chin gesture. 

Nail hurriedly turned around, and he hurriedly stepped over, sitting beside Darren as before. Nail breathed with relief, finally free from the grip of the fear that had shackled him. 

Nail took a deep breath, eyes closed, controlling himself to regain his composure. That was until a nudge from Darren startled the young man. 

"You should be grateful that Master Jael is still kind to you, you're not being punished." 

Nail replied, "Right, I'm lucky this time. God, thank you!" 

"You are so stupid if you know Nail, you need to realize that Master Jael would be angry. It's a good thing you didn't get punished or told to get out of here." 

"Don't say that, Cassie, I shudder at the thought." 

Cassie sneered, "that's why, being a good student, like me for example, you don't do anything unnecessary, especially if your actions are stupid and fatal, like what you did earlier, you were smart enough to make a giant fireball that can be ridden without master Jael." Cassie shook her head. "I really can't get enough of you, even though Darren and I warned you not to try that, but you ignored our words. Honestly, I'd be happy if Master Jael gave you a punishment Nail, to deter you." 

Nail had opened his mouth to reply to Cassie's words, but a pat from Master Jael stopped that. Everyone quieted down and looked toward the front.

"Everyone, listen up!" Master Jael called for the attention of the twelve students. "Everyone look over here, I have something to say, especially Nail." 

Hearing his name just mentioned, Nail's body straightened. 

"I wanted to ask you guys, were my previous words unclear? While I go to hear the information conveyed by the King, I ask you to read a book, just read a book, isn't that clear?" 

Everyone silently looked down, no one gave an answer, but they were all listening to what the master was saying. 

"I have also said that the fire element that I will teach is not easy, we need time and full concentration to make the fireball, let alone a fireball that we can ride on. If it's wrong, everything can be fatal, and if it's not done carefully, you can get hurt. That's why you need me, this is what I'm here for, to guide, supervise, and give you direction, you can't just go around practicing what you don't know. I'm disappointed, I really am." 

If one student makes a mistake, everyone suffers. That's how it often happens, and this time it was the same, all the students got a long note from the master.

"I just told you to read, it's that simple. It would be foolish of you to do what Nail did earlier, don't be reckless kids, you still need guidance, remember that!" 

Silent for a moment, the master said nothing more, he looked at all his students. His chest was already churning, all his emotions had gathered in it, and his head was already heating up. 

"This is the first time I've been so disappointed in you, really. You guys are unbelievable. I'm pretty sure if I'm gone much longer, it won't just be Nail who'll make the fireballs, but all of you, what Nail does will be followed by the others. Why?  You guys must be curious. So, it's lucky I came early. If that had happened, I can't imagine how much chaos it would have created." Master Jael massaged his head, which suddenly felt dizzy. 

"This fire element is indeed dangerous, I already said that. And why do I want to teach it to you? Because you are already at the fourth level, you have done enough small lessons, and it is time to learn something more serious. But it seems I was wrong, you're not ready at all." 

Master Jael said again, "Reflect on my words before we continue the lesson. And as for Nail, you'd better understand and not make the same mistake. Everyone, do you understand?" 

"We understand, Master!" All the fourth-year students answered loudly and in unison. 

"Good, have you read what I told you to?" 

"We have a master!" 

"And I want you to read it once more, this time try to be serious, do it right now." 

The instructions given by the master were immediately followed by all the children. A few minutes later, they had finished carrying out the order. 

"I don't want to get angry with you guys, I just want you to understand, I won't get angry if you fulfill your obligations, follow the rules, and do what I say. Yes, it's as simple as that. And now, it looks like I'm going to postpone showing you how to make a big fireball properly. That's it for this lesson, that's all, and thank you. You can go back to your homes, we'll continue the lesson in two days." 

A cry of disappointment was immediately heard.