Chapter 2: A Flicker of Possibility
The rising sun painted the horizon in hues of gold and crimson, but Cedric barely noticed. He sat hunched over the workbench in his cramped room, his fingers tracing the faded blueprints Gareth had brought the night before. The diagrams were complex, showcasing schematics for mechanical devices Cedric could only dream of constructing. Yet, amidst the overwhelming details, he felt a surge of excitement—this was the foundation he needed.
"So, what's the plan?" Gareth's voice broke through Cedric's concentration.
Cedric glanced up to see his friend leaning against the doorway, holding two steaming mugs of tea. Gareth tossed one to him, which Cedric caught with a nod of thanks.
"The plan," Cedric began, setting the mug down, "is to build something that can channel magical energy without a mage controlling it."
Gareth raised an eyebrow. "You're talking about a magic amplifier? That's been attempted a hundred times, and it's never worked. Even the Mage King's researchers couldn't crack it."
"That's because they're approaching it wrong," Cedric said, tapping the blueprint. "They're trying to enhance a mage's abilities. I'm not. I'm going to create a system that bypasses the need for magic altogether."
Gareth whistled. "Ambitious. I like it. But where are you going to get the materials? I doubt the local blacksmith is selling enchanted cores."
Cedric smirked. "That's where you come in."
"Me?" Gareth placed a hand on his chest, feigning indignation. "You think I'm just going to steal magical components for you? What kind of friend do you take me for?"
"The kind who's already stolen blueprints from his father's library," Cedric said dryly.
Gareth chuckled, taking a sip of his tea. "Fair point. Alright, what do you need?"
Cedric leaned back, his mind racing. "We'll need a mana crystal—preferably a low-grade one since anything higher will draw too much attention. Gears, wiring, and some alchemical metals for conductivity. I can modify the design to work with whatever we can scavenge."
Gareth nodded thoughtfully. "There's an old scrapyard on the outskirts of town. Lots of discarded tech from the Mage King's workshops. If we're lucky, we might find something useful."
Cedric's heart quickened. The thought of sifting through remnants of magical engineering filled him with equal parts excitement and dread. He wasn't just trying to build a machine—he was trying to forge a future where people like him, born without magic, could still stand tall.
---
The scrapyard was a sprawling wasteland of rusted metal and forgotten machinery. Towers of broken constructs and shattered enchantments loomed over Cedric and Gareth as they picked their way through the debris. The air was thick with the smell of iron and grease, and the distant hum of mana-powered artifacts echoed faintly.
"Feels like grave-robbing," Gareth muttered, nudging a broken automaton with his boot.
"Call it resourceful," Cedric replied, crouching beside a pile of gears and wiring. He sorted through the mess, pulling out pieces that seemed salvageable. His hands trembled slightly, not from fear, but from anticipation.
An hour later, they had gathered a modest haul: copper wiring, a few rusted gears, and a mana crystal the size of a plum. Cedric held the crystal up to the light, its faint blue glow pulsing rhythmically.
"This will do," he said, slipping it into his satchel.
"Good, because I think we've overstayed our welcome," Gareth said, jerking his thumb toward the edge of the scrapyard. Two guards in the livery of the Mage King's court were approaching, their eyes scanning the area.
Cedric's stomach dropped. "Let's move."
The two boys ducked behind a pile of broken constructs, their breaths shallow. Cedric's mind raced. Getting caught here wouldn't just mean a slap on the wrist—it could mean imprisonment or worse.
"You're the brains, I'm the muscle," Gareth whispered. "What's the plan?"
Cedric glanced around, his eyes landing on a small, still-functional automaton lying a few feet away. It was battered, but its mana core glowed faintly.
"That," Cedric whispered, pointing.
Gareth followed his gaze and grinned. "You're insane."
Cedric crawled toward the automaton, prying open its chest plate to access the controls. The design was old but simple enough for him to understand. With a few quick adjustments, he rerouted the mana flow to its legs.
"Go," he whispered, pressing a final button.
The automaton jerked to life, stumbling forward and crashing into a nearby pile of debris. The guards, alerted by the noise, hurried toward the commotion. Cedric and Gareth took the opportunity to slip away, their satchels heavy with stolen parts.
---
Back in his workshop, Cedric spread their haul across the workbench, his mind already working through the possibilities. The mana crystal was damaged but still viable, and the wiring, while old, would suffice for a prototype.
"You're really doing this, huh?" Gareth said, watching Cedric sort the parts.
Cedric didn't look up. "I have to. If I don't prove myself, I'll be nothing but an outcast for the rest of my life."
Gareth leaned against the wall, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "You're already proving yourself. Most people would've given up by now, but you're out here building something that could change the world."
Cedric paused, his hand hovering over the mana crystal. Gareth's words filled him with a warmth he hadn't felt in months.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
"Don't mention it," Gareth replied, his grin returning. "Now, let's see if you can actually make this thing work."
---
The next few days passed in a blur of activity. Cedric worked tirelessly, sketching designs, soldering wires, and testing components. Gareth helped where he could, though his talents were more suited to moral support than engineering.
By the end of the week, Cedric had constructed a crude but functional prototype. The device resembled a gauntlet, its frame cobbled together from scraps of metal and wiring. The mana crystal was embedded in the palm, glowing faintly as it hummed with energy.
Cedric slipped the gauntlet onto his hand, his heart pounding. This was it—the culmination of his efforts. If it worked, it would be his first step toward reclaiming his place in the world.
"Alright," he said, taking a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."
He focused, directing his will toward the mana crystal. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, the crystal's glow intensified. Sparks of energy danced along the gauntlet's surface, crackling as they flowed into the air.
Gareth let out a low whistle. "You did it."
Cedric stared at the gauntlet, a mixture of relief and exhilaration washing over him. He flexed his fingers, and the energy responded, swirling around his hand like a living thing.
"It's not perfect," he said, his voice trembling. "But it's a start."
"It's more than a start," Gareth said, clapping him on the back. "This is your ticket back into the academy—and into the Ainsworths' good graces."
Cedric nodded, determination hardening in his gaze. The road ahead was still long, but for the first time, he felt like he had a fighting chance.
"Let them see what an outcast can do," he murmured, his voice filled with resolve.
And with that, Cedric took his first step toward reclaiming the life he had lost.