The day after the Council hearing Emberhold felt different. Not in any obvious way. The markets still opened with the clatter of crates and the smell of morning bread. The witches still floated above the cobblestones riding short flight glyphs. The adventurers still bragged loudly about dungeon runs as if the town square was their personal stage. But something had changed beneath the surface. People whispered more. They leaned closer when Evan walked by. They eyed the wooden case strapped to his back with curiosity and anticipation.

Permission
Legal permission
Limited and heavily watched yes but it was still enough

Evan returned to the plaza where he had first shown the relay crystals. This time he stayed away from the wide open fountain at the center. Instead he moved toward a smaller courtyard behind a pottery stall. The space was quiet shielded by cloth canopies that muted the morning light. A perfect place for a private test that stayed within the Council’s rules.

Waiting there were the mages the potion witch the beast trainers and a few adventurers who had helped him earlier. Their expressions carried a mixture of excitement and caution. The purple robed witch greeted him first her eyes glowing faintly like she had barely slept from eagerness.

Did the Council approve
Partially Evan replied They gave me permission to continue development but it must be supervised and structured No public displays No uncontrolled pulses

The adventurers groaned but the mages nodded with relief. One of them said That is better than a shutdown

Evan placed the case on a low stone bench opening it carefully. Inside the stabilized relay crystals rested like sleeping animals their runes glowing softly. The group stepped closer in awe.

The craftsman arrived soon after his heavy boots echoing across the stone floor. He carried a small bundle of carving tools which he set beside Evan.

Let us begin he said quietly Before the Council changes its mind

Evan took a deep breath and addressed everyone there
I want to form something new A small group the first creators of Magenet People who help test content build early paths and explore how magic interacts with the network

A young beast handler tilted his head Creators Like a guild
Not exactly Evan replied More like people shaping how others will one day communicate

The witch smiled And we get to be the first

Evan nodded
The First Creators Circle

They gathered around as he placed four relay crystals in the courtyard’s center forming a square. This was a smaller pattern than the earlier circle but more stable for beginner tests. He traced connection lines with slow precise movements each stroke guided by Insight Vision. The runes glowed faintly when aligned correctly.

All right Evan said Who wants to test first

One of the adventurers stepped forward holding his practice dagger. He breathed softly then swung the blade in a short arc leaving a streak of gentle golden light. Evan captured it with the recording sphere then transferred it to the closest relay.

The illusion jumped from one crystal to the next cycling smoothly. The group marveled at how clean and stable the movement looked compared to the earlier prototypes.

The witch followed next presenting a small potion that erupted into a burst of shimmering silver smoke shaped like a flower. The illusion captured perfectly and looped again and again across the relays.

One mage whispered This could redefine spell documentation

The beast trainers experimented with their companion animals letting the small feathered lizard perform spins flame flicks and gliding maneuvers. Every illusion recorded pulled cheers or delighted laughter from the group.

Evan watched the growing excitement. The network was small only four relay nodes but it worked. It lived. It breathed. More importantly the creators began noticing things he had not.

The witch pointed at a flicker in one relay Evan look It syncs smoother when the pulses start with soft color transitions
One mage added Hard bursts overload the third relay faster We should test pulse intensity
The adventurer asked Can we try multiple clips back to back

Ideas spark flew everywhere.
Evan’s heart beat faster.
This was exactly how early platform communities behaved.
Curiosity before rules
Innovation before regulation

They tested different angles different clip lengths and different mana intensities. The more they worked the more Evan realized something vital. Magenet was not just his creation. It was theirs too. A collaborative spark born from dozens of magical hands.

The craftsman watched with quiet pride arms folded. When the relay crystals finally dimmed from exhaustion he said softly This is the beginning of a craft older than you know A new branch of magic that will change more than illusions

Evan nodded exhausted but exhilarated
We have a lot to learn But we are building this together

They spent hours reviewing the data from the tests. Evan wrote notes while the mages documented mana readings and the witch sketched color patterns. Everyone contributed something different.

By late afternoon the courtyard shade stretched long and soft and the group slowly dispersed promising to return tomorrow.

Evan remained a while longer staring at the relay square feeling the weight of what they had begun. Insight Vision flared softly showing trajectories of influence possible future creator communities growing like trees branching across the kingdom.

He whispered
This is real
This is happening

He packed the crystals into their case and walked back to the inn.
Tomorrow the First Creators Circle would grow
And Magenet would take its first true step toward becoming a world changing network