Reawaken: A New Age

[Diamond-Eyed]

The Story

A long time ago, magic was well and truly alive. People in the more populated regions tended to ignore its existence, but those who lived closer to the wilds knew how to deal with it. Celebrations were held at both the summer and winter equinoxes, as well as at the ends of the spring and fall harvests, to please the earth spirits who could get a bit touchy if ceremony wasn't followed. Fishermen and sailors went through certain acts and threw little gifts into the rivers and lakes so that the spirits there would remain cheerful and good tempered. Housewives would leave a little food and drink out for the wee ones, so that at the very least there were no tricks played and at best little gifts were given in return. All knew that the Great Beasts were never to be hunted or hurt, and that sometimes the Great Beast isn't the amazing stallion which is pure white and stands shoulders above the rest of the herd, but the unusually clever little pony with the large ears and the leaves stuck in its tail. They knew when to put the cold steel and salt away so as not to hurt or insult anything they shouldn't, and when those two were the only things between themselves and something that was hungry and had far too many teeth.

Still, there were problems. Periodically one needs a road built for trade, but the trees that were felled would grow again overnight. One can't always avoid insulting a water spirit, which at best results in tangled nets, and more often brings about death. Sometimes cold steel and salt weren't enough protection. It could be a problem when something that lives hundreds of years is insulted, as they tended to take it out on not only those involved, but their descendants as well. Most often, there was a dispute over what was man's territory and what Magic ruled. And around the edges man was loosing ground.

The Steel Mages have never been well liked. All their power comes from ripping it away from somewhere or someone else and placing shackles and chains on it. They always have a tendency towards madness, and are as power hungry as they come. But, they have always been powerful, and they did have the means to bind all magic, though they couldn't kill it. And all they demanded in return was that any person not already trained in magic who still had some little gift after the binding was to become apprentice to a Steel Mage. This rule was to always be enforced, even generations after there were any magic users other than the Steel Mages. While unliked, the Steel Mages were seen as less of a threat to humanity in general than the Magic was. And so, all those in power agreed to their demands.

So, the Magic was bound and humanity was allowed to widen its boarders without fear of mischief. All magical talents were greatly diminished after the binding, and those who had them hid it, for fear of being forced into choosing either suicide or becoming a Steel Mage. Unsurprisingly, most who can choose suicide. The Steel Mages grew stronger and there was more call for their talents as they are now the only ones who can use any form of magic. People got used to it all and things settled down.

And then some kind of infection started spreading, although so slow as to be barely noticeable. Oh, one didn't start coughing or any such nonsense. There were no fevers and it didn't directly kill those infected, though there is some argument there. It started out small. Some girl who was a bit too free with her favors would quickly become more than just a little free with them. It became an obsession with her and nothing could shame her. A lad who felt put upon by his parent's wishes and their watching over him would start doing outrageous acts of defiance and foolishness. Even if his actions ruined himself, he was willing to do it out of spite. A person who had a slight tendency to lose their temper, and would usually get into quite loud arguments over things, would degress until they were attacking people at the slightest provacation. Eventually it became so that it was hard to tell what the sources of these changes in behavior were. A lad who had been sweetly courting a lass, all right and proper and above reproach, would force himself on her and beat her senseless if she refused. A woman who had always been considered a good mother, patient and caring to her children while her husband was off working, would strike her children and leave them out in the forest to die. They all became completely different people.

The worst was when they weren't completely different people. Oh, one who knew them could tell that they had changed, though they may not have been able to put their fingers on what was different. It couldn't even be recognized by any lessening of their morals. Half the time vices which that person was known for would seemingly disappear from their character. The only real difference that might be seen was that the person may have become more private, or went out by themselves more often than usual. In these few cases it would eventually be found out that these people had been committing horindus acts of depravity, all while smiling and acting like fine, upstanding people. In these cases the people were crafty, had a far longer reach, and caused more damage than those who seemingly took leave of their senses.

One of the more craft variaty tried to recruit a Steel Mage. As power hungry as the Steel Mages are, and those seemingly infected always became stronger, faster, and even better looking, he was violently against any such union. No one quite knows what happened really. One day things are going about as usual, though with spreading whispers about strange madness gripping certain people, and the next the earth shook and the heavens fell, everyone within a hundred leagues of the city where the Steel Mage cast his magic toppled over dead, and the bindings set on the Magic generations ago broke.

Now the Magic is back alive and no one knows how to deal with it. There are many dead with no explanation, and whatever that mage did didn't work, because the strange madness is spreading just as insidiously as ever. Now what are we to do?