The Thunderborn Chronicles: Rise of a Healer

Ranav turned the pages of the book, his eyes skimming over detailed diagrams of magical artifacts. The section on weapons was extensive, with entries on swords, spears, shields, and some unknown weapons, but they didn't hold his interest. He flipped ahead until he found the section on rings.

The text described a variety of rings: storage rings, elemental rings, spellcaster rings, enchantment rings, regeneration rings, and others. Each had its own function and significance. Excited, Ranav devoured the information on rings, his curiosity growing with each sentence. After finishing the section, he carefully returned the book to its place.

"Which type of ring are you?" Ranav wondered aloud, slipping his ring off his finger and holding it up to the light. It looked unremarkable, but appearances were often deceiving. "There's only one way to find out."

He bit the tip of his finger, wincing as a droplet of blood formed. He pressed the drop onto the ring, his heart pounding in anticipation.

The moment the blood touched the ring, a brilliant purple light burst forth. It enveloped the ring, then his hand, and finally his entire body. Ranav gasped as a warm, soothing sensation spread through him, as if the ring was probing every fiber of his being.

"This... wasn't in the book," he thought, stunned. The sensation wasn't painful, but it was unsettling, like the ring was inspecting him on a cellular level.

After some moments, the purple light faded, and the ring returned to its original appearance. Yet something was different. Ranav felt a faint connection with it, as though the ring had become a part of him.

"So, we're connected now," he mused, slipping the ring back onto his finger. "But why can't I sense any information from it? The book said I should be able to learn about its properties through this connection."

He closed his eyes and focused, attempting to probe the ring with his spiritual sense. Again and again, he tried, but each attempt ended in failure. Frustrated, he sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"Could this have something to do with my purple stars?" he wondered aloud. "The ring's glow and my stars are the same color. But the book didn't mention any link between stars and magical artifacts. It only talked about spiritual sense."

With no answers forthcoming, Ranav sighed. "I need Nanima's help. She might know something, but Dad told me not to reveal the ring to anyone. I'll have to ask him if it's okay to tell her." Resolving to bring it up later, Ranav returned to his studies on light magic.

About an hour later, Nanima's cheerful voice called out from the front of the house. "Ranav! Are you still buried in those books?"

Ranav quickly got up and joined her in the kitchen. She was already busy chopping vegetables, her movements quick and efficient.

"Let me help," he offered, grabbing a nearby basket of herbs.

"Thank you," Nanima said with a smile. As they worked side by side, she casually asked, "How's the studying going? Light magic is complex, isn't it?"

"It is," Ranav admitted. "But I'm starting to understand it better. I still have a lot of questions, though."

"Good. Questions mean you're learning," Nanima said, her voice encouraging.

Over lunch, Nanima patiently answered Ranav's doubts about light magic, explaining the intricacies of mana flow and spellcasting.

After they finished eating, Nanima led him to the lounge. "I'd like to help you practice light magic," she said, "but I have a meeting with the Mage Association soon."

"The Mage Association?" Ranav echoed, surprised.

Nanima chuckled. "You didn't think I just stayed here tending to villagers all the time, did you? The association oversees magical matters across the kingdom. I've been a member for years."

She reached for her storage ring and retrieved a small, round device. Ranav watched in fascination as she placed it on the table.

"This is a communication device," she explained. "It allows mages to communicate over long distances. The association uses a larger version for group meetings. Here, let me show you."

She tapped a sequence of runes on the device. Moments later, a glowing screen appeared, displaying the image of a pale, elegantly dressed woman seated in a luxurious room.

"Naria!" the woman exclaimed. "How delightful to see you! What's the occasion?"

Nanima smiled warmly. "Countess, I wanted to introduce you to my new disciple. Ranav, come here."

Ranav hesitated, then stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Countess. I'm honored to meet you."

The countess gasped, her eyes widening. "Naria, he's so young! You didn't tell me your new disciple was a child!"

"He's four," Nanima replied, amused by the countess's reaction.

The countess laughed. "Well, young man, you're always welcome at my estate. Naria, you must bring him along next time!"

After the call ended, Nanima looked at Ranav with a twinkle in her eye. "See? Even the countess is impressed with you."

Ranav blushed slightly. "She seems kind."

"She is," Nanima agreed. "But enough about that. Go back to your studies. We'll practice later."

Later that afternoon, Nanima took Ranav to a clearing near the pond. "Let's see what you've learned," she said. "Start with ukukhanya ibhola."

Ranav concentrated, forming a glowing orb of light in his palm. It wavered slightly but held its shape.

"Good," Nanima said. "Now, I'll teach you a more Tier-0 spell: ukukhanya ummese."

She demonstrated, conjuring a knife of hard light that floated above her palm. With a flick of her wrist, the knife shot forward, cutting through the air and changing direction as her hand moved before dissipating at a distance of over fifty feet.

Ranav mimicked her movements, forming a light knife of his own. When he tried to launch it, however, it barely traveled five feet before vanishing.

"Not bad for your first attempt," Nanima said. "With practice, you'll gain better control and range."

She then showed him ukukhanya imcibisholo, creating a dozen light arrows and firing them in a spread. "This is great for crowd control," she explained. "But it uses a lot of mana, so only attempt it in emergencies."

Ranav tried the spell, managing to summon three arrows that vanished after a short distance.

"It's a solid start," Nanima said encouragingly. "Keep practicing, and you'll improve."

As the lesson ended, Nanima said, "I'll be traveling to the capital soon for association matters. While I'm there, I'll look into your purple stars. I'll send someone to inform you after I return. In the meantime, focus on mastering light magic and strengthening your star circle. And remember, don't reveal your magic to anyone."