Night had fallen, and the cabin was silent except for the occasional whistling of the trees, unsettling. Elias sat on a log his brow furrowed in concentration as he fumbled with the ring. The soft glow of the moonlight illuminated the frustration on his face.
He had been at it for hours, trying to figure out how to use the ring. The process was maddeningly difficult, he thought the ring required precise movements, and with one arm, it was hard to control.
"Come on, work with me here," Elias muttered, attempting to focus his energy on the ring. He tried to visualize the steps he needed to take, but the ring remained inactive, stubbornly refusing to respond.
He gritted his teeth, adjusting his grip. "I know you can do this… just need to figure it out," he whispered, more to himself than to the ring. But no matter how he tried, the ring stayed silent.
Hours passed, and the strain of repeated failures began to wear on him. Elias sighed heavily, rubbing his tired eyes. "I give up," he muttered. "clearly this thing wasn't meant for me."
Then, just as he was about to set the ring down in defeat, a faint glow began to emanate from it. Elias's heart skipped a beat. He adjusted his focus and the ring flared to life, its portal opening for the first time.
"hah... I did it!" Elias whispered in awe, his voice trembling with excitement. He couldn't believe it. The ring had actually responded. But before he could fully grasp the moment, the portal flickered and quickly snapped shut, leaving him staring at the now-dormant ring.
"No, no, no… Don't close now! C'mon" Elias pleaded, trying to coax the ring back to life, but it remained unresponsive. The brief success left him both thrilled and frustrated. He had activated it, but now it was gone again.
With the first light of dawn creeping into the cabin, Elias finally let out a weary sigh, placing the ring aside. The struggle had left him exhausted, but he couldn't ignore the sense of accomplishment from his small victory.
As morning broke, Elara stirred and slowly got out of bed. She shuffled into the main room, her eyes half-closed. "Papa… morning," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
Elias glanced at her with concern, wondering if she had sensed his late-night struggle. "Did you sleep well, sweetheart?"
Elara shook her head, yawning. "I feel like I didn't sleep at all…"
Before Elias could respond, he turned his attention back to the ring, still lying where he left it. He picked up his axe, deciding to distract himself by practicing with it. He needed to stay sharp and adapt to his handicap, both for their safety and for any work he might find.
As he swung the axe, Elara, still groggy, wandered over to where the ring lay. Absentmindedly, she picked it up and toyed with it in her hands.
Suddenly, the ring activated, the portal bursting open with a bright flash of light. Elara jumped back, dropping the ring in shock. "Papa! What's happening?!"
Elias's heart stopped. He rushed over, staring at the active ring with wide eyes. "Elara, step back!" he said urgently, pulling her away from the glowing portal.
Elara stared at the ring, her eyes wide with fear and wonder. "Did… Did I do that?"
Elias, still in shock himself. "uhmm.. I think so… do you know how you did it?"
Elara nodded, trembling slightly. "a little, it seems familiar, Papa…"
As the ring's portal flickered and finally closed, Elias let out a shaky breath. He knew now that the ring was more powerful than he had realized and that it would take more than just determination to master it. But one thing was clear: he couldn't let Elara get caught up in its mysteries.
"Let's put this away for now," Elias said, slipping the ring into his pocket. He turned to Elara, who was still looking at the spot where the portal had been. "How about we focus on something else today?"
Elara hesitated, then nodded. "Okay… But Papa, that was Soo beautiful like magic."
Elias smiled, though inside, his mind raced with questions and concerns. "really now? well then why don't you head inside."
The memory of the ring's sudden activation lingered in both their minds. Elias knew they were on the brink of something extraordinary and dangerous.
As Elias practiced with the axe outside, Elias couldn't shake the thought of the ring's sudden activation. He replayed the moment in his mind, trying to understand what had triggered the portal. It was then that a memory from his old life began to surface a conversation he'd had with his friends back in his original world.
They had often talked about magic in games and shows, how it always needed some kind of energy source, like mana, to function. The more powerful the spell, the more energy it required. Elias had always thought of it as just fantasy talk, something that only existed in stories. But now, he really was in some sort of story, he wondered if there was some truth to it.
____FlashBack._____
Elias sat on the couch, his eyes glazed over as Tony rambled on about his latest obsession: Dungeons & Dragons. The room was cluttered with empty soda cans and snack wrappers from their latest gaming session, but now, the conversation had taken a turn into territory Elias found utterly uninteresting.
"Okay, so, in D&D, magic isn't just like… waving a wand and saying some words," Tony explained with the enthusiasm of someone who had just discovered a treasure trove. "It's all about spell slots, components, and get this mana. You know, like an energy source that fuels the spells. Without mana, you can't cast anything."
Elias nodded absentmindedly, not really paying attention. He was more focused on the thought of grabbing another soda from the fridge than on whatever Tony was going on about.
Tony, oblivious to Elias's disinterest, continued. "So, wizards, for example, need to study their spellbooks and prepare spells in advance. They have to use their mana wisely because if they run out, they're pretty much useless until they rest. And then there are sorcerers they don't need books because they've got innate magic abilities, but they still need to manage their mana, or they'll burn out."
Elias stifled a yawn, hoping Tony wouldn't notice. "Uh-huh," he mumbled, trying to sound engaged.
"But the cool thing is," Tony pressed on, "there are different types of magic, and each one has its own source of power. Like, druids draw their magic from nature, while clerics get theirs from their gods. And don't even get me started on warlocks they make pacts with powerful entities and—"
"Yeah, yeah, sounds… complicated," Elias interrupted, trying to steer the conversation away from the labyrinth of D&D mechanics.
Tony chuckled, finally picking up on Elias's lack of enthusiasm. "I know, I know, it's not everyone's thing. But trust me, it's awesome once you get into it. It's like… magic isn't just something that happens. It has rules, a system. There's a logic to it, even if it's all make-believe."
Elias nodded again, more out of a desire to end the conversation than agreement. "Sounds like a lot of work for something that's supposed to be fun."
Tony grinned. "Maybe, but that's what makes it interesting. Magic has consequences, you know? You can't just cast spells willy-nilly. There's always a price to pay."
Elias rolled his eyes playfully. "Well, you can keep your spell slots and mana. I'll stick to games that don't make my brain hurt."
Tony laughed, finally letting the topic drop. "Fair enough, man. But if you ever change your mind, I'll be here to explain it all again."
"Yeah, I'll… keep that in mind," Elias said, already thinking about anything else but magic systems.
_____End of FlashBack_____
"Magic… mana.." Elias muttered to himself, his mind racing with the possibility. Then suddenly screams "Tony you're a genius, magic.. how the hell did I not realize? of course, what was that thing again.... Right mana, it needs mana to work here right?"
He glanced over at Elara, who was playing with wooden sculptures. She had been the one to activate the ring, and she hadn't even meant to. Could it be that she had some innate ability, something that allowed her to tap into whatever energy this world used?
"Elara," Elias called out, his voice filled with sudden urgency.
She looked up at him, curious. "Yes, Papa?"
He walked over to her, crouching down to her level. "Do you remember what happened this morning with the ring? And can you explain what exactly happened?"
Elara nodded slowly. "Yes?… I didn't mean to do it. It just happened, but i felt great after holding it like it was taking away my sickness"
Elias nodded, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and anxiety. "I think… I think you might have a special talent, Elara. You might have the ability to use magic."
Elara's eyes widened. "Magic? Like in the fairytales?"
Elias smiled, though his mind was still racing with questions. "Yes, uhmm... something like that. but I think there's something special about you, Elara."
Elara looked down at her hands, still holding the axe. "So… I can do magic?"
Elias nodded, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's possible. But uhh... Why don't you hold this ring for now and.. don't try to move."
Elara's face lit up with excitement. "Yay... I'm a fairytale princess!"
Elias chuckled softly. "Ok then princess.. now stay still and hold this alright, but... try not to do what you did last time."
Elara nodded, but the excitement in her eyes didn't fade. As the ring continue to take in elara's mana, Elias's mind kept returning to the idea of magic and mana. If his theory was right, then this world was far more complex than he had ever imagined.
He would have to tread carefully, but the discovery filled him with hope. Perhaps, with Elara's talent and the ring's power, he could find a way to return home.
Elias thought to himself "Maybe... With this.. but what do I do with her illness." he continues to stare at the ring and elera making sure she's fine, as it took plenty of elara's mana.