Ranav took a deep breath to calm his mind, his heart pounding as he stood before the altar. The room was brightly lit, with luminous stones embedded in the walls casting a soft glow. The Awakening Stone in front of him pulsed faintly, a sphere of glowing energy resting on a pedestal of ancient carved runes.
He placed his both palms on the cool surface of the stone, its temperature sending a shiver up his spine. The sensation wasn't just cold… it felt alive, as if the stone was observing him, testing his resolve.
"Now comes the most important step," he thought, closing his eyes. "I have to connect with my spiritual universe."
He directed his focus to the center of his eyebrow. With a deep inhale, his consciousness shifted, and he found himself in his spiritual space.
The vast expanse stretched endlessly before him, filled with dull gray star clusters that floated like silent witnesses to his potential. Among them, his familiar purple star cluster and the white star circle stood out, glowing faintly but steadily.
A sudden pulse came from the Awakening Stone beneath his palms, sending a wave of energy surging through his body. It raced through his veins, lighting up every nerve like fire, before pouring into his spiritual universe. Ranav's entire being vibrated with the force of it.
His gaze snapped to the gray stars closest to his purple cluster. Slowly, as if awakening from an ancient slumber, the dull gray stars began to shift. Colors rippled across their surfaces, like a rainbow caught in a storm, before settling into a radiant silver color.
He counted carefully- seven stars in total, gleaming with a brilliance that seemed otherworldly. They formed a new cluster, separate from his existing stars, but their presence felt oddly connected to something beyond his spiritual space.
"What is this element?" Ranav whispered to himself, his voice echoing in his mind. "Why are these stars silver? Is this another mysterious and useless element like my purple stars?"
As he focused on the stars, a strange sensation washed over him. They felt... distant, as though tethered to another realm. Yet, they were undeniably a part of him.
His initial excitement was dampened by a pang of disappointment. "But where's my Darkness element?" he thought, frustration creeping into his voice. "Master will be so disappointed. Without it, I can't become a complete healer." He clenched his fists. "And what about my finances? I was counting on this to become self-sufficient. I even thought of contributing some to my family. Now I'll have to wait until the next awakening to try again."
He sighed, pushing the thoughts aside. "Maybe Master can explain this silver element. I just need to be patient."
But just as he was about to remove his hands from the stone, a sudden jolt of energy surged into him like lightning, giving him no time to react.
Ranav's body trembled. World energy poured into his body through his pores, flooding his veins. He involuntarily took a deep breath. The luminous stones surrounding the room flickered momentarily before returning to normal.
A new, mysterious force entered his palms, coursing through him like the previous awakening. It flowed into his spiritual universe.
"What the fuck!" Ranav cursed internally, startled. Discarding his doubts, he dived back into his spiritual space.
Ranav's heart raced. "What's happening now?"
Another star cluster was forming. This time, the dull gray stars near his white star circle flickered ominously. Slowly, their color deepened, darkened, until they became a glossy black.
A chill ran through him, but his fear quickly turned to excitement. "Black stars! Darkness! I've done it… I've awakened my Darkness element!" he thought, a wide grin spreading across his face.
The cluster exuded a cold, dangerous energy, like a shadow waiting to strike. Yet to Ranav, it felt oddly comforting. "Finally, I can train as a healer. Master will be very happy." His previous disappointment vanished, replaced by joy.
As the new stars settled, he noticed their energy felt different, more primal, as if connected to the very fabric of reality itself.
When the awakening finally subsided, Ranav opened his eyes, his body trembling. Sweat dripped from his brow, but a faint smile played on his lips. He had done it.
"Calm down, calm down…" Ranav told himself, struggling to focus. After regaining his composure, he examined the newly formed black star cluster. It was cold and ominous, exuding a dangerous aura.
"The guidance worked! I have to thank Arvind Krushna. Master will be thrilled to hear about this," he thought, stepping back into reality.
The door suddenly creaked open, and the thin girl poked her head inside. "Is something wrong? I felt spiritual fluctuations outside," she said, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.
Ranav shook his head, trying to appear calm. "Everything's fine," he said.
"I can't tell her about the fourth element," he thought. "No one should know about this."
The girl stepped inside, her eyes darting to the flickering altar. "Looks like you awakened the Darkness element as your first. That's unusual, most people awaken Light first."
"What?" a deep voice boomed from the doorway. A middle-aged man with a commanding presence entered, his sharp gaze fixed on the altar. "The family specifically requested Fire. I even charged extra for it."
The girl stiffened. "Master, the boy requested Darkness. I had to adjust the setup accordingly."
The man turned to Ranav, his expression stern. "If your family disapproves, there will be no refunds. And awakening Darkness first… it's a risky choice. Controlling it as a first element is no small task."
Ranav quickly interjected, "There's been a misunderstanding. Darkness is my second element. I've already awakened Light."
The man's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Second element? At your age?" He studied Ranav closely. "Are you related to Countess Vedika Rawat?"
"Yes," Ranav replied curtly.
The girl's face paled. "I-I think I made a mistake. He arrived early, and I assumed he was here for the previous appointment..."
The man sighed. "Never mind. The awakening was a success, that's what matters." His gaze softened. "I'm Arvind Krushna. To awaken two elements at five years old... remarkable. If you continue like this, you might awaken all six before you're ten."
Ranav bowed deeply. "Thank you for your help, Sir. Aunt Vedika speaks highly of you as the best awakening specialist in the kingdom."
Arvind chuckled. "Vedika, speaking highly of me? That's rare. She usually threatens me by mentioning her sister. Ha Ha Ha." He laughed heartily. Then asked, "Have you stabilized the star circle with your Light element yet?"
"Yes," Ranav replied.
Arvind's eyes gleamed. "Can you cast a healing spell?"
Without a word, Ranav raised his palms and cast a basic healing spell, the ethereal green light dancing between his hands.
Arvind's expression shifted to one of admiration. "Impressive control for someone so young."
Before Ranav could respond, another man burst into the room. "Archmage Krushna! Can you help us find a healer immediately? There's an emergency mission but all our healers are out of the city!"