Kazimir took another request to help the local teacher, Sandine, who had made it back to class from the day she had missed. He was going to leave it to the professionals, but he couldn’t pass up helping again as it benefited him last time as well. Every experience was something to grow on.

He headed back up that same familiar path toward the school as the sun was gleaming off the nearby sea. The steeple a beacon of education prominently displayed. A young teacher was standing in the doorway of the school and waved as soon as Kazimir came into view.

“Good to finally meet you,” He said extending his hand to her.

“It’s my pleasure, I guess we already know each other’s names.” her reply was as inviting as he thought it would be. “Thank you for helping me last week with class. I’m glad you came to help me again.”

“Don’t worry about it. I had a good time and the kids were pretty well behaved.”

“Thank you. If you want to come in, we can get set-up, okay.” She said turning with a stack of books and notes in her arms. Making their way to the classroom Kazimir helped her prepare the room for the lesson by writing some things on the board.

“A lot of the students have been falling asleep in class lately. Mostly the ones in the back. I just need you to make sure they stay awake and are attentive.”

“Well, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. I’ll do my best.”

“Alright, Kazimir. The children will be here soon. Can you stand in the back and be ready to whip them into shape,” she said playfully with a silly fist thrust forward. A pause lingered a moment between them that they cleared away with a spurt of laughter.

A few minutes later the children entered. They waved at Kazimir who as he stood quietly in the back of the room. Waving back, he helped pull the seat out for the student that came closest to him.

Now it was time to get to work. Sandine began giving the class and suddenly he realized how difficult the task would be. It was all fundamental information and most of it were things he didn’t care to learn. He was there to make sure the kids were awake but half-an-hour in, his eyes felt heavy. He started to doze off while standing and began pacing around the room.

Finally, he saw his first case. From behind he saw the student’s head bobbing back and forth. Like it was dropping and instantly snapping him awake again. He watched the student’s head slowly drift downward. This time the student put his arms on the desk and crossed them. The tell-all sign of a person ready to disappear into the cozy nest of their arms and dream.

The student was two desks away from him and if he was going to keep himself awake as well, he had to make it somewhat entertaining for himself. So, he lifted his hand ready to conjure some wind.

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A gentle breeze started around the student that was dozing off. It swirled underneath his chair gathering momentum. He let it fade away as quickly as he conjured it. A disappointed sideways expression came to his face as he knew it would just cause a bigger distraction to do it that way.
Instead, he conjured a strong billow to whip across the students face. The kid gasped, rousing himself from his half sleep and looked around to see what it was. His eyes landed on Kazimir, who was gesturing for him to look at the teacher. The student shuck off the sleepiness and tried to pay attention.

Minutes ticked by before another student fell prey to tiredness. A lone warrior in the back of the classroom. Kazimir was once again starring out the window lost in thought. Thinking about life as a page. He even gave a small yawn. One that reminded him where he was and is duty. The Student in the back had already drifted away and luckily teacher Sandine didn’t look back.

He strode over gave a gentle poke on their shoulder. This was met with a shooing motion. Surprised, Kazimir stepped back and assessed what happened. He repeated the process with the same result.

“Alright we’ll do it this way then.” He conjured the wind and swirled it around the student’s book. It flowed underneath it and slowly lifted it higher and higher. The book landed with a startling crash on the table that grabbed the attention of most of the class. The student awoke shocked and uncomfortable form the stares.

“Sorry,” he said moderately embarrassed. Kazimir had made his point now and many of them were staying awake now. All except one that kept falling asleep. He was the first one that was woken up early. Kazimir returned to the desk and gave a light kick to the chair.

Once again, the student woke up and apologized to Kazimir. He leaned down to the student now, and asked, “Why are you so tired?”

The student looked down at his desk. His feet shuffled underneath one on top the other with his hands folded in his lap. “I didn’t go to sleep until late last night. Me and my friend.”
“Why didn’t you go to bed early?” Kazimir asked hoping to get to the bottom of it.
“I was practicing and it’s the only time I can.”
“Practice for what?”
“I want to….want to be a mage. Me and my friend since we saw you do magic. And you’re not the only one we have seen do it.” The child still fidgeted with his feet and sat with his head looking down.

Kazimir was touched by the sentiment and responded by putting a hand on the kid’s shoulder, “Listen. I am only a mage because I work hard and because I try at whatever it is I need to do. And without sleep, my body wouldn’t be able to handle doing magic.” The child listened intently, and a new smile adorned his face.
“Alright, I’ll try harder at school and get some more sleep, so I can be a mage too.”

The end of the school day finally arrived and Kazimir breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Sandine approached him a bit concerned her brow furrowed, "I hope it wasn't to much trouble." At the same time, she extended the reward to him.

"Not at all. A part of me sympathizes with them though. Education is important but some days can be tough." he received the reward money with a laugh and placed it in his pocket. "Until next time Sandine."

"yes, until next time Kazimir," She said as gleefully as they had just started the day. He turned and made his way back to the city. He hadn't eaten all day and there was a deep rumbling coming from within.

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