Daybreak

It had been a noble goal, the creation of a singular source of magical power, strong enough to power a city for decades. Lighting was to be powered by magic instead of oil. City defences were to be automated, eternally vigilant golems standing guard and protecting the citizens without need of food, water or rest. Even horses were to be retired; the carts they normally pulled would pull themselves. The city of Ardentus would be an example of the power of the Shadow Crystals and how to harness them to benefit the world.

The city's mages toiled for months on end preparing the ritual, collecting Shadow Crystals, and ensuring that the city was prepared. Scribes and bards from all over the land came to Ardentus to witness the unveiling of the "Shining City". Standing atop the specially constructed tower, one hundred of the most powerful mages of Ardentus gathered around the portal where the magical nexus would be contained. Many hundreds more, mostly acolytes to the masters, were stationed within the tower to lend their power to the ritual. As the masters chanted, the nexus flickered and came to life. It slowly grew in intensity, filling the portal and the hearts of the onlookers with excitement. The lights around the city began to glow, and the crowd in the streets below cheered; a singular voice so loud it could be heard by the mages at the top of the tower. However the cheers were short lived.

The nexus began to push at the edges of the portal, applying more and more pressure to the wards designed to contain it, until they finally succumbed and the nexus burst outward like an exploding sun. The mages on top of the tower were flung over the edge, falling to their death a hundred metres below. The crowds ran, but it was of no use as all those caught out in the open were felled as the magical forces tore apart their bodies and souls. Desperately, the acolytes and remaining mages within the tower attempted to shut down the nexus, and when that failed, concentrated on providing what magical shielding they could to themselves and the people below. But they too fell….

Gorgus stared at his hand. He had been one of the acolytes in the tower of Ardentus when that ill-fated ritual had left it a charnel house. He could no longer actually see his hand; the nexus had robbed him of his sight. However the nexus had also left him with the ability to detect auras and latent magical energy, and his hand glowed as though illuminated from the inside. Shadow Sight, another survivor had called it. It seemed it was an unwanted gift shared by all who had made it out of that disaster alive.

Since that day a year ago, Gorgus had travelled the land with a number of other survivors, looking for a priest or a mage willing or able to restore their vision. They had visited the legendary healer Zhanna Mist and the awe inspiring mage Nishaven, along with a dozen others. However no one seemed to be able to repair the damage and eventually that knowledge nibbled at the sanity of his companions. One by one they took their own lives. Gorgus himself had stood at the cliff face ready to leap, however he had pulled himself back from the brink at the last second. For he realised that death would not only rob him of his sight, but of everything else.

So instead he sat in this backwater pub, staring at a jug of mead he couldn't really see, and resigning himself to a life of half-vision. At least most things gave off some kind of energy he was able to detect, so he wasn't completely invalid. Still, without colour and depth, it was easy to get confused, especially in busy areas. Not to mention he was unable to read unless the text was magical or ordained, thus trapping some power within the letters. Gorgus sighed as he took another swig of the brew.

A gentle hand touched him on the shoulder and he looked up. The figure in his vision was of a woman, and she glowed as brightly as any person he had ever come across. Whoever she was she was a mage of significant power. Her equipment and clothing was enchanted as well, and combined with her natural energy, she was almost as bright as the nexus. "May I sit?" She asked, her voice a soft purr.

"Um, please." Gorgus replied. He looked her over again and from what he could make out, she was wearing a heavy cloak with a long cowl. Considering how warm it was he found this odd, and could only surmise she was concealing herself for some reason. "Can I help you?"

"Well, I think I can help you." The woman replied. "I know what happened to you at Ardentus, and I think I know how to restore your vision."

Gorgus was stunned. No one had ever even claimed to know the extent of his problem, let alone how to fix it. If this woman really could help him….

"What would you have me do?" He asked, holding back his excitement.

The woman leaned forward. "Walk with me, and I'll explain."

Gorgus struggled to keep up as the woman pushed her way to the outskirts of the town. She seemed in a desperate hurry to get out of the populated areas, and with his limited sight it was very hard to keep up. Once they had moved away from the town centre he was able to keep step with her and she started speaking.

"The accident at Ardentus did more than give you Shadow Sight. It also turned you into a magical amplifier." She began. "Basically any lingering magical power in your vicinity is naturally augmented by your presence. In essence you have become a walking Shadow Crystal."

Gorgus was genuinely surprised at that, he had seen little concrete evidence of this effect, but he had to admit there seemed to be a lot of magical power around since the accident. He had always put it down to the Shadow Sight making him more aware of it. "So, you want me to augment a ritual of yours?"

The woman nodded. "Exactly. You're quite intelligent." She paused before continuing. "I am experimenting with portals, linking cities to allow rapid transit between them. It will have huge benefits for trade, as well as militarily. Unfortunately with so many Crystals going toward the war effort, I am unable to procure enough for my needs. But with your natural ability, you can augment the ones I have to an acceptable power level."

"If you can restore my sight, I will do all that I can to help you." Gorgus replied.

"Thank you." The woman replied. "Our work will have a real impact on the lives of so many."

With Gorgus now allied to her cause, Majiya could move forward with her plan. She had been searching for a survivor of Ardentus for a long time, and now she finally had one. The promise of restoring Gorgus' sight made him easy to manipulate, and as long as she kept her true agenda hidden there would be no problem keeping him in line until it was too late.