Another Hectic Day

Victor's newfound confidence and excitement about his writing abilities couldn't shield him from the everyday challenges that seemed determined to test his patience. The day started smoothly enough, but it wasn't long before things began to go awry.

As he sat down at his desk during a free period, Victor powered up his laptop, only to be greeted by a blue screen of death. "No, no, no!" he groaned, frantically pressing keys and hoping for a miracle. The laptop remained stubbornly unresponsive, leaving him no choice but to shut it down and restart it, praying it would cooperate.

"Of all the days for this to happen…" Victor muttered, drumming his fingers on the desk. After what felt like an eternity, the laptop finally rebooted, but his saved work was nowhere to be found.

With a resigned sigh, Victor pulled out a notepad and pen, deciding to jot down his thoughts the old-fashioned way. This was how he wrote most of the time before transferring words to his laptop so it wasn't much of an issue to him.

Just as he began to find his groove, there was a knock on the door. One of his students, Timmy, stood there looking anxious. "Mr. Revenant, I think I broke the printer in the library. It's making weird noises."

Victor stifled a groan and followed Timmy to the library, where the printer was indeed making alarming clunking sounds. He attempted to troubleshoot, but his efforts only resulted in a paper jam that turned into a paper avalanche, scattering sheets across the room.

"Okay, let's call it a day with the printer," Victor said, throwing up his hands in defeat as the librarian gave him a sympathetic look.

By lunchtime, Victor was determined to find some semblance of normalcy. He decided to make a quick meal in the teacher's lounge, hoping a simple microwave dish would suffice. However, his culinary skills—or lack thereof—soon became apparent.

He selected a pre-packaged pasta meal, but somehow managed to miss the step about removing the foil lid. As the microwave buzzed, he turned away to chat with a colleague.

Moments later, a loud pop followed by a smoky smell filled the room. Victor spun around to see sparks flying inside the microwave.

"Shit!" Victor exclaimed, quickly stopping the microwave and opening it to reveal a half-cooked, half-charred mess. He sighed, the smell of burnt pasta filling the air as he cleaned up his latest disaster.

Just then he noticed the approach of the principal, Mr. Howard, through the window.

'Oh damn, Mr Howard is coming! He won't let me hear the end of it...'

Thinking quickly, Victor turned to the Orb of Eternity, which he had cleverly hidden in his bag.

He concentrated, imagining the microwave back to its state before the accident. When no one was looking, he subtly placed his hand on the orb and willed time to reverse for the microwave.

Within the bag, the orb glowed up and the sparks coming from the microwave ceased. The smoky smell dissipated and Victor opened the microwave door to find his meal back to its original, pre-cooked state.

"What is going on here?" Mr. Howard raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing much, just trying to warm lunch," Victor displayed an innocent smile.

Mr Howard looked around but said nothing further while walking away with a slight shake of his head.

Victor breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that his quick thinking had prevented further disaster.

In the afternoon, a misunderstanding with a fellow teacher further complicated his day. Ronnie Rite approached him, looking confused. "Victor, did you switch the lesson plans for our classes? My students were expecting a discussion on the Sages Revolution, but they got a detailed analysis of ancient artifacts instead."

Victor slapped his forehead. "I must have mixed up the documents when I was fixing the printer issue earlier. I'm so sorry, Ronnie. I'll get it sorted out."

Ronnie laughed, clapping Victor on the back. "No harm done, Vic. It was a bit of a surprise, but the kids enjoyed it. Just try to keep your ancient artifacts in your stories, okay?"

By the time Victor returned home, he was exhausted. He flopped onto his couch, reflecting on the chaotic day. Despite his new discovery and growing confidence, life seemed determined to keep him grounded. He glanced over at the Orb of Eternity, which sat innocently on his desk.

"Well, at least you didn't cause any trouble today," Victor said, chuckling to himself.

He pulled out his notepad and began to write, determined to find solace in his creative work despite the day's setbacks. As he wrote, he felt the familiar thrill of creating something new, a reminder that even in the face of everyday challenges, his passion for writing could always light the way forward.

Victor's thoughts wandered back to the day's events as he scribbled in his notepad. The printer debacle had been embarrassing, but he had managed to laugh it off. He found himself smiling at the memory of the librarian's sympathetic look as they both tried to untangle the paper mess.

Shaking his head, Victor tried to focus on his writing. He was working on a new story, one involving a female character discovering a magical leaf that heals any injury. He imagined the intricate details of the leaf, its golden stream gleaming under the light, and the ancient runes etched on its greenish surface.

As he became engrossed in the narrative, he felt a familiar excitement bubbling up inside him.

However, his concentration was broken by a loud growl from his stomach. The pasta fiasco had left him without lunch, and he realized he hadn't eaten since breakfast. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was already well past dinnertime.

Determined not to have another microwave disaster, Victor decided to try cooking a simple meal. He rummaged through his fridge and cupboards, eventually settling on making scrambled eggs and toast. "How hard can it be?" he muttered to himself.

As it turned out, cooking was not one of Victor's hidden talents. He managed to crack an egg so hard that it splattered across the counter.

While trying to clean it up, he accidentally knocked the salt shaker into the bowl, spilling far too much salt into the mixture. Undeterred, he proceeded to whisk the eggs with vigor, splashing yolk onto his shirt.

"Great, now I look like a roadside beggar," Victor sighed, wiping his shirt with a dish towel.

He poured the egg mixture into a pan, turned the heat to high, and watched as it began to cook. Distracted by the need to find a clean shirt, he left the pan unattended for a moment too long.

When he returned, the eggs were sticking to the pan, turning a suspicious shade of brown. He scrambled (pun intended) to salvage what he could, but the result was far from appetizing. The toast fared no better; it was either too burnt or too undercooked. With a resigned sigh, Victor sat down to his sad-looking meal.

"Well, at least it's edible," he said, forcing himself to take a bite. The overly salted, slightly burnt eggs did little to lift his spirits. As he chewed, he couldn't help but think about how easy cooking always seemed in the movies. He was never really able to get the hang of it even in his college days.

After finishing his meal—or rather, abandoning it halfway—Victor decided to take a break from his writing.

He picked up the Orb of Eternity, turning it over in his hands. The smooth, cool surface was comforting, and he found himself lost in thought. The orb had already proven to be a powerful tool, but he still had so much to learn about its capabilities.

Sitting back in his chair, Victor gazed into the orb, pondering its mysteries. He had already used it to age and rejuvenate objects, but what else could it do?

His mind wandered to the stories he had written, particularly the one about the mirror that showed glimpses of the future.

"I wonder…" he mused, focusing his thoughts on the orb. What if it could show him the future, just like the mirror in his story? The idea both intrigued and frightened him.

Victor took a deep breath and concentrated, willing the orb to reveal what lay ahead. The orb's glow intensified, casting an eerie light around the room. The surface shimmered, and images began to form within its depths. At first, they were hazy and indistinct, but gradually they sharpened, revealing a scene that made Victor's heart race.

He saw himself on a grand stage, performing magic tricks for a captivated audience. The crowd's applause was deafening as he conjured objects out of thin air... made people float and vanish with a flourish. Victor's future self seemed confident and in control, basking in the adoration of the crowd.

However, the scene took a darker turn. As the applause died down, the crowd's expressions shifted from awe to suspicion.

Whispers spread through the audience, and Victor saw figures in the shadows, their eyes locked on him with intense scrutiny. Panic set in as he realized who they were—sages, drawn by the display of his abilities.

The scene changed again, and Victor saw himself being taken into custody by the sages, their faces stern and unyielding.

He was led away from the stage, the once adoring crowd now a distant memory. The vision faded, and the orb's glow dimmed, leaving Victor sitting in the dim light of his apartment as his mind raced with what he had seen.

"What was that?" he whispered with trembling hands.