Shards

Prologue

A new generation of wizards prepared for their graduation from the school of magic in Melodia. All of them have been nurturing their shards for 16 years. To graduate, they must present their shard and use it to link to the grand shard at the edge of town on a cliff. A shard is a small rhombus shaped piece of glass that comes in all colors.  As the students wake up from bed, one didn't get any sleep, for his mother is extremely ill and requires constant attention. Zedus and his father spent an entire night of no sleep in fueling the shard of his mother.

A shard can't be allowed to be drained of its magic, as it serves as a life force for all wizards. Once a shard loses all of its magic, it is vulnerable to breaking, resulting in the wizard reaching the brink of death. Each wizard is given only one shard and that shard is embedded into their body. They are free to release it at any time if they wish to link to other shards or in the case of Zedus, to fuel a shard in danger. Zedus and his father finally replenished the shard of his ill mother. She can now stand and attend her son's graduation day.

They exit their house, got on their carriage, and made their way east to reach the city. Zedus lives in a forest with giant trees shadowed by mountains due to the fact that his father was the head of research in shards for the city. Shards grow where there's a lot of nature and little exposure to human aroma. So his father practically lived at his job. After riding for half an hour, they made it to the city gates to split ways.  

The city of Melodia was more lively that day than any other day. The castles and buildings all over the place decorated with giant floating shards. Witches flying out cheering on any student they see. Restaurants giving away free breakfast to any student in need. Streets filled with a lot of citizens wearing merchandise from the wizard school. The whole city wanted to let their wizards know that they had their full support. Zedus still disliked coming to the city as it was too packed for his taste. 

Zedus took the school train along with the rest of his graduation party, while his parents took a portal that takes them to the stands of VIP members. As the professors wait for their students to arrive, they start preparing the great shard. The cliff serves as a shield as it overshadows the ocean. As the waves rise to the cliff, beams of light start emitting from it making their way into the city. The students can see the phenomenon of the great shard as it finally reveals itself from the ocean. A giant rhombus with all the colors you could think of floating in the sky. Just for a glimpse though, for the train enters a tunnel that will soon end up underneath the stadium where the great shard is.

The stands are packed with parents who are eager to see their children become one with the city. Everything is prepared, the great shard in the air, the city council ready to guide students, and the mayor ready to register in shards. The students arrive at a station where they made their way to their designated post. Finally, the students are transferred through telepathy 100 feet above them, spawning them facing the great shard.

As the mayor gives the order for the students to extract their shard, Zedus begins to feel nauseous and weak. All the students extract their shards, Zedus barely manages to extract his. It's vibrant and  as strong as the rest of the graduation party. The mayor starts calling for the students to finally connect to the great shard. The first student is called up and the mayor pulls out a ring. He aims the ring at the great shard and absorbs power from it, only to give it to the presented student's shard. The beam rapidly shoots out of the young girl' shard back into the great shard. It's a success. She is now a full fledged wizard of Melodia.

More and more students meet their shards with the great shard, then comes Zedus. The crowd is clapping and cheering as all their children are blooming with blessings from the great shard. Zedus walks up with his shard and again starts feeling nauseous, but he is determined to get through the graduation. The mayor once again raises his ring to the great shard and the beam comes out. The mayor transfers it onto Zedus' shard and the unexpected happens. Zedus' shard bursts.