Nisha observed the young man before her with a mixture of pride and quiet satisfaction.
"Excellent work," she said, stepping closer. "Now we move to the next phase - basic shaping."
She manifested a ball of darkness, then slowly began molding it. "Start with simple forms. A perfect sphere, first, it's the most natural shape for water to take. Then a cube and a pyramid, which will teach you precision and control over unnatural forms."
The boy nodded, already focusing intently on his suspended droplet. She could see the sheer concentration in his eyes, the way he approached each challenge, no matter how simple, with methodical determination.
She offered a few more advice at the beginning and then settled back to watch.
The first dozen tries failed predictably. The droplet would start to shift, then suddenly collapse or dissolve entirely.
But what caught attention wasn't the failures; it was his response.
