The Last Thunderborn

Vartika took out her communication device and tapped it. Instead of displaying a video, the screen showed a layout similar to a computer, with several folders neatly organized. She tapped one of them and scrolled through the window like a touchscreen. Ranav leaned in for a closer look. The device was crafted from pure Adamantite, and a royal insignia was forged in gold at the top. This was the first time he had seen such an advanced communication device, it functioned like a computer, no… like a tablet.

"Here, look. This is your name and identity. I'm a Royal Constable. I receive news from all over the kingdom," she said.

Ranav felt a wave of frustration wash over him. "Why did that old man have to advertise this? I was just helping him because I treated Usha as a friend. If I'd known this would happen, I would've just let him die. He was the first patient outside my family, and now this mess. I need to be more cautious," he muttered under his breath.

Despite his low voice, Vartika caught the gist of his complaint. "Wait, are you saying you've never treated a patient before? What about your master? Didn't she teach you healing magic?"

Ranav sighed. "Master guided me in learning healing magic, but I'm not as proficient as she is. She didn't want me showing off my skills to the villagers. She said if they found out, they would constantly bother me and interrupt my magical progress. I need to meditate and awaken all six elements first. Only after that will I be able to join her at her shop. So, I only practiced healing on my family."

Vartika tilted her head. "Do you have any sick family members?"

"No, they're all fine. I just examined their bodies as healthy specimens and used them to study how things work inside the body. Whenever I encountered something I had trouble understanding, I modified my scanning spells accordingly. That's why I'm better at diagnosing problems than healing them outright. The old man's case was urinary dysfunction. Other healers might have overlooked that small detail, but it could have been the cause of his death. For me, it was easy to detect because I already knew what a healthy body part should look like. That's why the treatment seemed simpler than it actually was."

Vayunisha chimed in, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Mom said you have elven lineage. Who's the elf… your father or mother? No offense, I'm just curious. I've never seen an elf before."

Ranav replied, "Neither. But if you're asking about my pointy ears, then it's from my mother's side."

Vartika narrowed her eyes slightly. "I heard that you're the only one in your family to awaken. If your mother had elven blood, then according to what I know, she should be a mage."

Ranav shook his head. "My parents aren't mages. I don't know about my grandparents since my parents never talked about them. But my two sisters awakened recently, so we might have three mages in the family in the future."

Vayunisha was about to ask something else, but Vartika stopped her with a raised hand. "Okay, enough for now. Everyone eat properly. We can talk later."

After breakfast, Vartika handed a book to Ranav. "This is a basic book on Summoning Magic. Go to your room and finish it by the afternoon. I'll teach you summoning magic once you're done."

Ranav took the book and headed to his room. Closing the door behind him, he copied the contents into his magical library and started reading.

That afternoon, Vartika called Ranav to their family training ground behind the house. A maid led him there, and as soon as he arrived, he saw Vartika stroking the head of a white wolf while feeding it chunks of meat.

Ranav paused, startled by the sight, but then walked over. Seeing him approach, Vartika said, "Ranav, meet Glacius. He's a Moonborne Wolf… my contracted summon. And Glacius, this is Ranav, my nephew."

The wolf sniffed the air a few times, his eyes widening in surprise. Almost immediately, he straightened up and lowered his head, as if submitting to Ranav.

Ranav, though surprised by the wolf's behavior, greeted him, "Hello, Glacius. Nice to meet you."

Vartika urged the wolf to finish his meal. Once Glacius ate the last bite, she created a portal and sent him through it.

Ranav turned to her. "Aunt Vartika, I think your summon is stronger than you. He gave off an oppressive aura."

She chuckled. "Yes. When I first contracted him, he wasn't this powerful. But over the years, he's surpassed me."

She gestured for him to follow her. "I wanted to introduce you to my summon and teach you the basics of summoning. Did you finish the book I gave you?"

Ranav nodded. "Yes, I just finished it."

Vartika smiled. "Good. That'll make things easier to explain. Summoning magic is the art of calling forth beings from neighboring realms and forming contracts for mutual benefit. It's not a simple discipline… it requires precise knowledge, unwavering concentration, and an understanding of the cosmic forces behind it. To wield summoning magic properly, you must first understand the world you're summoning from, the summoning method itself, the risks involved, and the necessary preparations."

She paused, watching Ranav's expression before continuing. "Our world isn't an isolated existence. It's part of a greater cosmic structure with layered dimensions and energy planes. The beings we summon come from one of these planes, specifically the closest one to us."

Ranav frowned. "The book mentioned something about summoning mages calling this place the Prime Material Realm."

Vartika nodded. "That's correct. This is the physical world where we reside. It's rich in natural mana, which helps sustain summoned beings. However, the laws of nature here are stable, which means beings from other realms experience restrictions or suppression. The only way they can remain here permanently is through a soul contract. I'll explain that in detail later."

She gestured to the ground. "Summoning requires a summoning circle, a spell that creates a gateway between two realms. We call this gateway the Astral Veil… a liminal space between worlds that acts as a passage for summoned beings. If a summoning process is interrupted while a creature is passing through the Astral Veil, the being might be lost, enraged, or even incomplete. That's why summoning mages need high mana reserves. Even if you succeed in summoning a creature, the moment your mana depletes, they'll be forcibly sent back to their original realm."

Ranav listened intently as she continued. "The realm we summon from has three distinct regions. The Region of Beasts and Spirits is home to magical beasts, spirits, and some other friendly creatures. The Abyss Region is extremely dangerous, it's where eldritch beings, chaos creatures, and abominations reside. And then there's the Draconic Region, which is home to powerful dragons that exist beyond conventional elemental magic."

She studied Ranav's reaction before adding, "For a first-time summoner, one needs to create a summoning circle and step through the Astral Veil and venture into that world to find a suitable creature to form a contract with. But here's the real problem… time flows differently there. One hour in our world equals nearly a thousand hours in that land. If you stay there for what feels like a thousand hours, only one hour will pass here. However, your body and soul will still age according to that world. The longer you stay, the more lifespan you lose here. That's why it's crucial to find a suitable summon quickly, form a contract, and return immediately."

She paused for a moment, then said in a serious tone, "A contract may sound simple, but it's far from it. This will be a soul contract… one that lasts a lifetime. It remains unbroken unless one party dies. The lifespan of most creatures on that planet is far longer than ours, so in most cases, summoning mages die before their contracted beings… unless the summoned creature perishes in battle."