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The war had left terrible scars on the Empire's body. Its shadow loomed even over places it had never touched. I saw ruined castles, pillaged towns, and villages where only women and children remained. I won't recount my adventures during this time, as they aren't central to my story. All I will say is that after three years of wandering, rumors of a new mage guild brought me here, to the city of Kaldenburg.

During Kaldenburg's siege, two mages were trapped in the city and forced to fight alongside its defenders. These two saved the life of Count Eglemar and helped him escape during the final assault. His Lordship was so impressed by their abilities that he wisely suggested that, had he more magicians at court and in his guard, he might have repelled the attackers. The mages humbly proposed that instead of hiring random wandering mages, His Lordship should establish a place where those with the gift could gather and teach their own. Thus, the Kaldenburg Mage Guild, which had once existed long ago, was revived. The estate allocated to the guild was vast, but it had long been in disrepair.

When I arrived in Kaldenburg, I passed the tests and was accepted into the guild. Soon after, I was promoted to a high position and began training neophytes. My days of wandering had ended, and I had found a new home and purpose. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, until one night, an old friend reached out to me.

That night, as I was preparing for bed, my chest of belongings began to glow with a bluish-green light, and I heard a muffled sound, almost like a voice, coming from inside. Startled but not panicked, I decided against calling for help and opened the chest. At the bottom, I found the source of the glow.

It was Filnar's Mirror, and it was active. Its surface had shifted from a reflective mirror to a cloudy window with a glowing blue border, and the needle at the top emitted the brightest green light I had ever seen. The image in the mirror was hard to decipher—it looked like a mix of fogged glass and ink running off parchment. But as soon as I picked it up and focused my powers on it, the image sharpened. I saw a dimly lit room and a blurred figure filling the space. I immediately recognized the light fur and realized, with great joy, that the owner of the second mirror hadn't changed. For a brief moment, I could clearly see his green eyes and the black spots around them.

"Johann," I called out, and from the other side, he said my name in a distorted voice, as if speaking through a helmet.

"Yes," I replied, but then Johann’s voice broke into fragmented speech. I only managed to catch the question: "Where?" I barely had time to say the name of the city and mention the guild before the image became unreadable, and the connection was abruptly severed. The needle dimmed, the blue glow vanished, and the mirror returned to its usual metallic sheen, with my own faint reflection in the surface.

Several weeks passed after that "conversation." The mirror remained dormant, and I had no idea how to make it work again. I assumed my message had never reached Johann. The thought of never seeing my old friend again saddened me, but the feeling quickly faded as I became consumed with other concerns. So, I was taken by surprise when, some time later, I received word that my old friend from Castal was searching for me.

Johann Safaxer had changed in the nine years since I last saw him — he now resembled a nobleman far more than he had in our guild days. But what immediately caught my attention was his right hand: its hair had turned black for reasons unknown. When we spoke, however, I realized he was still the same golden-haired dog I had formed a close bond with years ago—or so I thought at the time.

He greeted me with a handshake and then pulled me into a friendly hug. Anticipating my curiosity about his hand, Safaxer promised to explain everything in due time, but he first wanted to hear my story.