After his father left the room, Ranav examined the stone ring closely under the dim glow of the lantern on his desk. The ring was plain, unremarkable, and almost disappointing in appearance. No intricate designs adorned its surface, nor did it emit any hint of magical energy that Ranav could sense. It was simply a dull, grayish band of stone. Yet, as a family heirloom, its value was undeniable.
Ranav's thoughts wandered to the famous Rainbow Sword, a legendary magical artifact renowned for its radiant aura and intricate design. One glance at its picture in a book had been enough to declare it extraordinary. But as he turned the ring over in his hands, scrutinizing it for several minutes, he found nothing about it that set it apart.
With a resigned sigh, he slipped the ring onto his finger. "I guess I'll have to rely on myself to figure this out," he muttered. The idea of asking Nanima briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it, remembering his father's strict warning to keep the ring a secret.
"I could check Nanima's study for books on magical artifacts," he thought. "She might have something useful there." Satisfied with this plan, Ranav extinguished the light and climbed into bed, the ring still snug on his finger.
The next day, Ranav resumed his training beneath the Ashoka tree. His routine began with honing his Mana Sense, followed by deep meditation. Today, however, his attention shifted quickly to his light magic. His star circle glowed brightly within his spiritual sense, its seven stars aligned and radiating a soft, white brilliance.
Feeling satisfied, he turned his focus to the purple stars, the ones that had eluded him since he first encountered them. Hours passed as he attempted to reach for them, but the stars remained distant and unyielding, slipping away the moment he tried to grasp even one. Exhausted and frustrated, Ranav decided to call it a day.
"Purple doesn't match any element I've read about," he mused, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Light is white, darkness is black, fire is red, water is blue, air is green, and earth is brown. There's no mention of purple anywhere."
His brow furrowed in thought. "If purple represents a new element, what could it be? I need Nanima's guidance. But I haven't visited her in over a month… She's going to scold me for sure. Hopefully, activating light magic will soften her mood."
Returning home, Ranav found his family bustling with preparations for their family feast. Vivita was at the dining table, arranging a vegetable salad.
"Lil' bro, food's almost ready. I thought you'd forgotten!" she teased, her eyes sparkling.
"I didn't forget," Ranav replied, grabbing a fresh set of clothes and heading for the pond behind their house.
After a quick bath, he joined his family at the dining table. Meals with meat were a rare treat in their household, and everyone eagerly savored the hearty lunch.
Later that afternoon, Ranav retreated to his room, deciding to take the rest of the day off.
The following morning, Ranav woke early, his mind set on visiting Nanima. After wolfing down a bowl of porridge, he informed his mother, "Mom, I'm heading to Nanima's before she goes to the shop."
When he reached Nanima's home, the sun was still low in the sky, and the morning air was filled with the chirping of birds. He knocked on her door.
"Little imp, you remembered the way to my house?" Nanima teased as she opened the door. But her expression quickly shifted as she examined him closely. "Oh, gods! You've activated light magic already?"
"Yes," Ranav replied with a proud smile.
"Come in," she said, stepping aside. "Did you eat breakfast?"
"I did."
"No problem. You can share some with me." She motioned for him to sit at the dining table before heading to the kitchen. A few minutes later, she returned with two bowls of steaming noodles.
"You've surprised me, Ranav," she said between bites. "Awakening your magic in less than two months is remarkable. I expected four months at the earliest. Geniuses at the Academy usually take six."
Ranav shared that he had completed his star circle two days earlier and even demonstrated his light spell. Nanima nodded approvingly.
"Good. But you need to refine your casting. Right now, you have to close your eyes to connect to your star circle. With practice, that will become unnecessary. Speed and efficiency in battle can mean the difference between life and death."
She outlined a rigorous training routine. "Cast your spell continuously until you exhaust your mana. Meditate to replenish it, then repeat. This will strengthen your stars and help them level up. When all seven reach the next level, you'll be ready for healing spells. That's when I'll help you awaken your second element."
Hesitating, Ranav decided to share his observations about the purple stars in his spiritual sense. Nanima's expression froze.
"Purple stars?" she repeated. "Are you sure?"
Ranav nodded.
Her eyes widened in shock. "You've awakened two elements at birth! That's incredibly rare, even among legendary mages! This changes everything. But listen to me carefully: you must keep this a secret. Talented mages are feared more than they are respected. Hiding your abilities will keep you safe."
Nanima fell silent, her gaze thoughtful. "Purple… I've never heard of an element associated with that color. It might be something entirely new. Have you made any progress with them?"
Ranav shook his head. "I've tried, but they're far harder to control than the light stars."
"Keep practicing," she advised. "Non-traditional elements are always more challenging. Now, come with me to the study."
In her study, Nanima handed Ranav two books: Basics of Light Magic and Primary Light Spells.
"Read these thoroughly," she instructed. "They'll deepen your understanding and improve your casting. I need to head to the shop, but we'll have lunch together."
After she left, Ranav immersed himself in the books. The basics were clear and well-illustrated, making them easy to understand. The spell descriptions, however, required more focus and would benefit from hands-on practice.
"I need to practice these spells," he thought. "But I'm not sure if I'm allowed to cast magic here. I'll wait until Nanima returns to ask."
With time to spare, Ranav began searching for a book on magical artifacts. It wasn't long before he found one, its cover embossed with a golden rune. Smiling to himself, he settled in to uncover the mysteries of his plain yet intriguing stone ring.