“Concentrate, Max. A ball of fire in the hand is basic,” said Esther.
Max felt his frustration growing as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. They'd been practicing for an hour. The only thing he'd been able to create was a tiny flame from his thumb. It was pretty cool for about five seconds, but he needed something bigger. He closed his eyes and concentrated. His hands grew warm and he pictured a ball of fire in his palm.
When he opened his eyes again, the fireball was there. It was small, but it was definitely fire. There was no pain, only warmth. He looked up at Esther and smiled. “I did it.”
“Congratulations, Max. The more you practice, the easier it will get. Soon you won't need to concentrate so hard. It'll become second nature to you.”
He watched the little ball flicker in his
