The Light in Darkness

Prologue

[AN] So... for starters, thank you for clicking this in the first place! I don't pretend to be a pro, but I do hope the story is readable and exciting enough that you'd stick around to see what happens. Comments are most welcome, praises, criticisms, complaints, guessworks, all of them! Just be nice, and no swear words. We are all perfectly reasonable, rational, sensible and mature human beings... right? Right.

<Units of Time>

Beat - Second
Breath - Minute
Cycle - Hour

Now... onwards, to adventure!

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When looked down from above, Cryallis is shaped like a rather lopsided five-point star which is stretched diagonally by its upper left and lower right. The terrain is higher in the northern side of the land, with the highest mountaintop covered in thick white snow all year round. The south, on the other hand, boasted massive plains and the most beautiful coasts with soft, golden sand. Water of deep green and blue color surrounds it, called Death Water by those who lived by the beach, or the Endless Water by the unimaginative normal folks. Reality scholars simply named it the Ocean.

Each of the star's arms are basis of five regions, – Magi's Camp, Solek Kingdom, Great Forest, Rogue's Hideout, and Shadows Land. Each region has their own ruling Crystals, and the boundaries would be generally defined by how powerful a given Crystal is. As a result, the boundaries between regions are never quite set and the landscape is in constant but subtle flux.

The Crystals are said to be gifts from the Stars and each hold great powers of its own. However, only the Keepers are allowed access to their powers, and there may only be one Keeper for each Crystal at a time. This duty would be inherited through bloodline, but it was passed down only when the former Keeper passes away or at the time of the Crystal's choosing. Who would inherit it was also entirely the Crystal's choice, and usually never known until the very last moment.

Curiously, the Crystals always appeared to know the best course of action, for although there were disputes over the inheritance problem, it ultimately all worked out in the end. As gifts sent down by the Stars themselves, the Crystals never failed. It was the mortal beings who were not so perfect.

The small crack appeared in the delicate balance when people's faith started to waver in the prolonged peace. Then one of the Keepers failed to leave behind a suitable successor. It was the Black Crystal, the most feared of the Five, and no one dared to step forward to take the duty. Abandoned and forgotten, all the Crystal could do was to wait for the right Keeper to appear, as it always did.

After over half a century's worth of wait, he came.

The dark wizard looked into the Crystal and the Crystal looked back. It could be said that both liked what they saw in each other.

"This day would be forever marked in history," the wizard said.

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<Five Years Later>

Large droplets of water fell heavily on the ivory buildings of the White City. It was the heart, or capital, as some might say, of the region Magi's Camp. This was where the greatest of healers were taught the delicate art of healing magic and where their powers would be the most effective. If the legends were to be believed, this was where life itself started.

The White City was, much to most visitors' initial disappointment, not entirely composed of white buildings. In fact, only one, called Astral Den, was as white as it could be. All other buildings were an assortment of lightly toned colours, which was more comfortable to the eyes under the bright sun. All in all, the city was a soothing sight in daylight while at night pure white Astral Den would lit up under the moonlight to guide those in need.