Introduction to Healing

"Hello Kayn. Your mother tells me great things about you, but I do not teach just anybody. You must prove yourself to me. Then and only then will you be able to become my disciple. Until you can call yourself a disciple where you will call me master, you will only call me teacher. Do you understand?" Lydia sternly spoke to Kayn since she wanted to get her point across.

"Yes Teacher, I am eager to learn about the healing arts and I am sure that I can prove myself to you!"

"Well in that case, tell me what you know about my field and mana manipulation in general." Lydia wanted to know what Kayn's knowledge was before she could make any decisions about where to start.

"Teacher, I don't know much about healing arts, which is why I wanted to learn from someone respected in the field. I know the basics and generals of mana manipulation as taught to me by hired tutors before as I am to attend the academy where my sister currently is."

"Well, I at least appreciate your honesty. Let's start with a little introduction to healing then. Which element or elements do you think are capable and useful to the arts of healing?" Lydia questioned as she raised an eyebrow to Kayn.

"Well, I know that anyone who has a mana core can perform healing cantrips, such as healing a cut or minor wound. I would assume that those who can perform the best healing spells would be of the light element though." 

"It's good that you know anyone with any stage core can perform these spells, but now you have to apply that to the rest of the field! Yes, those with fire, dark, wind, or other aptitudes tend to focus on fighting or other practical applications, but any and I mean any element can be used for healing arts.

"The only reason you typically see light and, as my element indicates, water being the main two, is due to the availability of spells and ease to understand how they affect the body." 

Lydia stated this as she wanted to make it clear to Kayn that any element can be used for healing, it relies on the user and how they can manipulate their mana for healing.

"As I hinted on just a second ago, most people also don't use their own self-made spells and utilize those that are passed down to them or purchased. Many healers and mages in general are unwilling to share their personal spells, and only pass them down as a legacy to another.

"I am the same as them, I will teach you basic spells everyone has access to for various elements, but I will not teach you my personal spells or research that I have painstakingly discovered."

As Kayn looked at her serious expression saying this, he realized that this world was quite different compared to his previous one when it came to sharing ground breaking medical advances with the world. These people didn't want to gain the fame of their discovery, but rather be the sole individual capable of performing it, thus monopolizing it.

"Kayn, you must realize that the same applies to any spell. Most people who are specialized in fighting, much like your father, also do the same. The only difference with your father is that he doesn't use specific spells for his lightning as his manipulation is of the highest tier.

"Those with enough experience and knowledge can guide their elements, not just activate them with a predetermined spell pathway."

Kayn pondered on her words for a minute before thinking how he could apply that to healing arts so that he could prove himself to his new teacher and be accepted.

"So theoretically Teacher, no matter what my element, if I can determine its functions and how to guide it in the body to the extent it performs how I imagine it to, I could do anything?

"Since individuals with mana cores rarely get sick once they reach the second stage, I can use knowledge from the first stage to apply towards the higher stages.  If specific nutrients can be administered and directed towards certain areas of concern with a specific elemental mana, then the healing can be sped up without relying on a high tier healing spell. Thus, emulating a more natural, but expedited healing process?" 

As Kayn continued to talk, he was getting more and more excited. He felt like his mind was moving faster than ever and continued to flood him with new ideas. He even forgot to continue acting and talking how a 7-year-old should.

"I'm not exactly sure what you are thinking or speaking of, but theoretically yes. Though I will tell you that no one has studied the different races bodies that in depth to understand everyone in and out for specialized spells like that. Most spells that are distributed are generic for all races in their humanoid form because regardless of how they heal, most humanoid lifeforms are similar on the inside.

"As an example, a powerful healer with a strong core can regenerate limbs, but there is still a rehabilitation period where they need to get used to their new limb and build up the previous strength they had." 

A new light had appeared in Lydia's eye. The boy in front of her may not be able to put anything into practice yet, but his ideas sounded interesting to say the least. Thinking up to this point she decided to make her next move. And took a small scroll out of her bag she had brought with her.

"This is a tier 0, attribute-less, minor wound healing spell. It can be learnt and taught to even those without a mana core. Generally though, a mana core makes the practice of tier 0 spells easier since the body has a capability of storing a certain amount of mana in its dantian. This spell instead requires so little mana that the ambient mana that runs through the body is enough.

"The only issue is the ability of the individual to manipulate the mana in their body. They must be able to activate the pathways learned from the spell to push the mana along and towards the wounded area.

"I will give you one month to learn and be able to apply this spell to yourself. I don't expect you to be able to use it on another during this one month. Anyone I take as my disciple must be able to perform this task in the given time frame. If you fail, I will not teach you. If you can apply it before your month is up, you can have your mother or father contact me and I will come back to observe your spell in practice."

As Kayn's eyes lit up looking at the scroll in front of him before opening it, meanwhile Lydia just felt pity for the boy.

'What I didn't tell him is it normally takes years to feel the mana in one's body before they can perform tier 0 spells without a mana core and most non-core adults are never able to. I've given him a nigh impossible task, but it's a task my previous disciples have had to perform, it's just they all had at least a stage 1 core.'

"I will take my leave now. Oh, I should also mention that you don't actually need to have a wound for the spells effect to show on your skin, so don't go injuring yourself."

However, just as she said this, she watched Kayn take a small knife from his desk, that was most likely used to open letters, and create a small cut on his forearm before closing his eyes.

Lydia looked at him in incredulity. She had just told him he didn't need to be injured for the spell effect to show, but yet after only a minute or two of looking at the spell he cut himself.

'What does this kid think he's doing? All he has done is injured himself without being able to heal it. No one can learn a spell to such a degree so fast, not even tier 0. Especially someone who has no experience feeling the ambient mana in their body or a core.'

As Lydia sighed, she opened her mouth to speak once more. "Kayn, let me heal that for you before I leave, otherwise your mother might not be-".

Her words caught in her mouth as her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Right in front of her eyes, the wound was slowly closing and the skin was merging itself back together. The spell effect wasn't there, which is normally a small glow, but the wound was closing none the less.

"How?" This was the only word Lydia managed to get out once Kayn reopened his eyes.  He looked visibly drained, as if he was about to pass out, but there was a smile on his face when his head suddenly hit the desk.

Hearing the loud thump, Zerana decided to enter the room and seeing Lydia standing to the side with mouth agape and Kayn passed out face down on his desk, she decided to ask what happened with some anger in her voice.

Without moving her eyes away from the unconscious boy in front of her, Lydia said one line. "I will teach your son everything I know." It took about half a minute before Lydia regained her composure and turned toward Zerana.

"Your son is fine, just exhausted. I will come back tomorrow after the morning meal. Ensure your son doesn't do any strenuous activities before his lesson with me."

Though Zerana was still confused about what was happening, she was joyous none the less and easily agreed to Lydia's terms and walked her out of the house.

Zerana went back to the study where Kayn was still asleep and lifted him to take him to his bed.

'I knew you were going to be a trouble maker.' Zerana thought with a big smirk on her face.