# Chapter 2: The Crystal Scam

Daniel sat in his folding chair, staring blankly at the stage. Four million people. The number kept repeating in his head like a broken record.

Around him, the other new mages looked equally deflated. The excited buzzing that had filled the convention hall just minutes ago had died down to disappointed murmurs.

"Don't look so glum," Nathaniel said, nudging Daniel with his elbow. "At least we're part of something bigger now, right?"

Daniel forced a weak smile. "Yeah, I guess."

On stage, Margaret Chen continued with her presentation. She was now explaining the registration process and the basic laws governing magic use. Public displays without a license were prohibited. Certain applications—like breaking and entering or assault—were strictly illegal. Magic users would be responsible for any damage caused by their abilities.

Daniel tried to focus, but his mind kept wandering. Yesterday, he'd believed he was special, unique, possibly even destined for greatness. Today, he learned he was just another face in a crowd of millions.

"Each of you will be assigned a preliminary power classification today," Margaret was saying. "This is based on initial testing and will determine your training requirements."

She clicked to another slide showing a pyramid divided into five colored sections.

"Magic ability falls along a spectrum. Most new practitioners begin in the Green Zone—basic ability with limited applications. With training, many progress to the Blue Zone—moderate ability useful in daily life or specific professions." She pointed to the middle section of the pyramid.

"Above that is the Yellow Zone—significant ability requiring specialized training. Only about fifteen percent of mages reach this level." Her finger moved up to the second-smallest section.

"The Orange and Red Zones represent exceptional and extraordinary ability, respectively. These top tiers make up less than three percent of the magical population."

Daniel perked up slightly. Maybe there was still a way to be special. If he could reach the upper zones...

"Following this orientation, you'll proceed to the testing area where your initial classification will be determined," Margaret continued. "You'll also receive your temporary practice permit and information about training centers near your home."

The presentation continued for another half hour, covering everything from magical ethics to who to call if something went wrong with a spell. By the end, Daniel's head was spinning with information.

After Margaret finished, the crowd moved toward a series of doors at the back of the hall labeled "Testing."

"Guess this is where they sort us," Nathaniel said, standing up and stretching. "Good luck, man."

"You too," Daniel replied, joining the slow-moving line heading toward the testing area.

The testing proved surprisingly mundane. Daniel was directed to a small cubicle where a bored-looking technician handed him a series of objects to manipulate with his telekinesis. The heaviest was a five-pound weight, which Daniel managed to lift about six inches off the table before it clattered back down.

"Not bad for day one," the technician muttered, making notes on his tablet. "Green Zone, upper range. With practice, you could hit Blue within a few months."

He handed Daniel a green badge clip that attached to his existing name tag, then gave him a packet of papers.

"Your results, temporary practice permit, and recommended training schedule," the technician explained. "The permit allows you to practice in private or designated areas only. No public use until you're licensed."

"How do I get licensed?" Daniel asked.

"It's all in the packet. Basically, complete the Basic Control course and pass the exam. Takes most people two to three months."

The technician was already looking past him to the next person in line. Daniel took his papers and stepped out through another door, finding himself in a large hallway filled with similarly dazed-looking new mages examining their paperwork.

He flipped through his own packet. Page after page of regulations, training centers, equipment recommendations, and warnings about unauthorized use. It felt like getting a driver's license, not discovering magic.

A small map caught his attention. It showed the convention center and surrounding area, with a highlighted section labeled "Mage Market." According to the legend, it was a gathering of vendors selling magical supplies, open during all orientation days.

Daniel still had several hours before he needed to head home. Maybe checking out the market would lift his spirits. At least he could see what kind of equipment real magicians used.

He followed the map's directions, exiting the convention center through its eastern doors. The June sun was high in the sky, warm but not yet scorching. As soon as he stepped outside, Daniel heard the buzz of a crowd and smelled food cooking.

The "Mage Market" filled the convention center's eastern parking lot. Colorful tents and stalls created makeshift aisles, with banners fluttering in the breeze advertising everything from "Beginner Wands" to "Enchanted Housewares." It reminded Daniel of the Renaissance fair his ex-girlfriend had dragged him to two years ago, except with fewer people in period costumes.

As he wandered through the market, Daniel noticed most customers wore the same green badge clip he did. Clearly, the vendors were targeting new mages fresh from their orientation. He passed stalls selling books, crystals, special clothing "guaranteed to enhance magical flow," and all manner of gadgets promised to "amplify your innate abilities."

Daniel checked his wallet. He had about seven hundred dollars in his checking account—most of his remaining money until next payday. He probably shouldn't waste it on magical trinkets, but...

"You look lost, young man."

Daniel turned to find an elderly woman watching him from behind a small table draped in deep purple cloth. Unlike the other, flashier vendors, her stall was simple and unadorned. Various stones and crystals lay on the tablecloth, along with a few metal pendants and small carved figurines.

"Just browsing," Daniel replied automatically.

The old woman smiled. She had to be at least eighty, with silver hair pulled back in a tight bun and deep wrinkles lining her dark brown face. Despite her age, her eyes were sharp and alert.

"First day as a recognized mage, yes?" she asked, pointing to his green badge.

"That obvious, huh?"

"We all start somewhere." She gestured to the simple display. "I'm not like these other merchants with their mass-produced trinkets. Everything here is one of a kind. Special items for special people."

Daniel almost laughed. After this morning's revelation about just how un-special he was, the sales pitch seemed particularly hollow. Still, something about the old woman's direct gaze made him step closer to her table.

The items did look different from what he'd seen at other stalls. Each crystal appeared unique, with different shapes and colors. Some of the metal pendants looked genuinely old.

"What do they do?" he asked, curious despite his skepticism.

"Different things for different people," she replied. "Magic isn't one-size-fits-all, despite what they tell you in there." She nodded toward the convention center. "The right focus object can make all the difference in developing your true potential."

Daniel picked up a smooth green stone. "So this is, what, a focus object?"

"That's a jade worry stone. Good for meditation, but not what you need." She studied him for a moment, then reached under the table and brought out a small wooden box. "I think you might be looking for something more like this."

She opened the box to reveal a crystal pendant hanging from a leather cord. Unlike the raw crystals on display, this one had been cut and polished into a teardrop shape. It was mostly clear but had a blue-violet tint that seemed to shift as she lifted it from the box.

"This is a rare focusing crystal," she said. "Very old. Very powerful for the right person."

Daniel reached out hesitantly. As his fingers neared the crystal, he could have sworn he felt a slight vibration, almost like a hum.

"May I?" he asked.

The woman nodded, and Daniel took the pendant. The moment it touched his palm, the crystal seemed to warm slightly. It had to be his imagination, but it felt... right somehow.

"What does it do exactly?" he asked, turning the crystal to watch how it caught the light.

"It helps focus and amplify magical ability. Particularly useful for telekinetics." She nodded toward his badge, which clearly displayed his magical specialty.

"How much?" Daniel asked, still holding the crystal. He knew he should put it down, walk away. This was probably just tourist trap junk marked up to ridiculous prices.

"For that particular piece... six hundred dollars."

Daniel nearly dropped the crystal. "Six hundred?"

"It's one of my rarest pieces," the woman said calmly. "The crystal itself comes from a very special location in Brazil, a mine now closed. And the cutting was done by a master craftsman who was also a powerful mage. But if it's beyond your means..." She reached toward it.

Daniel pulled the crystal back slightly. Six hundred dollars was ridiculous. But the crystal felt so... perfect in his hand. And if it actually worked, if it helped him advance more quickly...

"Does it really work?" he asked.

"Try it," the woman suggested. "Focus your ability through it."

Daniel looked around. There was an empty paper cup on the ground near the stall. He focused on it, trying to lift it like he'd done with the objects in testing. The cup wobbled, then rose a few inches before dropping again.

"Now try with the crystal," the woman said. "Hold it in your non-dominant hand and focus through it."

Daniel felt silly, but he clutched the crystal in his left hand and tried again with the cup. This time, the cup shot upward so fast it nearly hit him in the face. He jerked back, startled, and the cup clattered to the ground.

"Whoa," he said, staring at the crystal. Had that actually worked, or was it a coincidence? He tried again, this time with greater control. The cup rose smoothly and hovered exactly where he wanted it.

"That's... that's incredible," he said.

The old woman smiled. "As I said, the right focus object makes all the difference."

"Alright, okay. I'll take it," Daniel said before he could talk himself out of it. He needed any edge he could get if he wanted to move up from the bottom ranks of mages.

He pulled out his debit card. The woman shook her head and pointed to a sign: "Cash Only."

"Oh," Daniel said. "Let me find an ATM."

Ten minutes later, he returned with six crisp hundred-dollar bills, wincing as he handed them over. That was most of his money until payday, but it would be worth it if the crystal helped him advance.

The woman placed the crystal back in its wooden box and handed it to him. "Use it wisely," she said. "Practice regularly, but start small."

"Thank you," Daniel replied, carefully tucking the box into his pocket. "I will."

He wandered deeper into the market, stopping occasionally to examine other items but finding nothing as compelling as the crystal. Eventually, he found a small food court area where vendors sold overpriced hot dogs and lemonade. He bought a hot dog, trying not to think about the fact that the seven dollars it cost represented more than one percent of his remaining funds.

Finding an unoccupied bench in a shady spot, Daniel sat down and pulled out the crystal. He held it up to the sunlight, watching the way it seemed to capture and intensify the rays.

A group of teenagers sat at a table nearby, all wearing blue badge clips—one tier above Daniel's green. They were laughing and showing off, one of them making a small ball of water dance between her fingers while another created tiny wind gusts that ruffled napkins.

Daniel looked around for something to practice on. He spotted a discarded soda can about ten feet away. Holding the crystal in his left hand as the vendor had suggested, he concentrated on the can.

It rose smoothly into the air and drifted toward him, stopping to hover right in front of his face. Daniel grinned. This was way easier than his attempts this morning. He made the can spin, then dance in a circle.

Next, he tried something heavier. A nearby trash can. It was supposed to be bolted down, but the bolts must have been loose because when he focused, the entire can tilted and lifted about an inch off the ground. Daniel's head throbbed with the effort, but he managed to hold it there for several seconds before setting it back down.

This was working! The crystal really did help. Maybe with this, he could advance quickly through the ranks, maybe even reach Yellow or Orange zone someday.

Two men walked past his bench, heading toward the food vendors. They both wore red badge clips—the highest tier. Daniel tried not to stare. These were the elites, the top one percent of mages. What would their powers be like?

The men stopped at a lemonade stand, and Daniel could overhear their conversation.

"Another orientation day, another batch of newbies getting fleeced," said the taller one, a bald man with a thick beard.

His companion, shorter with close-cropped gray hair, laughed. "Did you see the line at Crystal Connections? They must make a fortune on orientation days."

"It's the same every time," the bearded man said. "Some vendor convinces them they're buying rare magical artifacts that will unlock their true potential."

Daniel's stomach clenched. He clutched the crystal box tighter.

"The crystal scam is the worst," said the gray-haired man. "Selling those training amplifiers for ten times what they cost at MageMart."

"Training amplifiers?" the bearded man asked.

"Those clear quartz pendants with the blue-violet tint. They're entry-level focus tools, help stabilize telekinetic energy. Useful for beginners, sure, but they sell for maybe sixty bucks at any magical supply store."

Daniel felt sick. Sixty dollars. He'd paid ten times that amount.

"The worst part," the gray-haired man continued, "is that they tell people they're rare ancient artifacts or some nonsense. I've seen vendors claim they're 'attuned to your specific aura' or 'carved by ancient mage kings.'"

"And the newbies believe it?"

"Every time. After orientation, they're desperate for anything to make them feel special again. Finding out you're just one of millions hits hard."

The men moved away with their drinks, still chatting, unaware of Daniel sitting frozen on the bench.

He'd been scammed. Completely and utterly taken in like the naive idiot he was. Daniel pulled out the box and opened it, staring at the crystal that had seemed so magical just minutes ago. Now it looked like exactly what it was—a mass-produced piece of quartz, probably worth a fraction of what he'd paid.

But it had worked, hadn't it? His telekinesis had been stronger when using it.

Or had he simply tried harder, concentrated more? Maybe even unconsciously given himself permission to succeed because he believed the crystal would help?

Daniel covered his face with his hands. First, he'd discovered his magical awakening wasn't rare or special. Now he'd blown six hundred dollars—money he couldn't really afford to lose—on a trinket available in any magic shop for a tenth of the price.

He sat there for a long time, the realization of his foolishness sinking deeper with each passing minute. Eventually, he pulled the crystal out again. Even knowing it was nothing special, he still felt that slight warmth when he held it. Maybe that was just the placebo effect too.

With a sigh, Daniel slipped the cord around his neck and tucked the crystal under his shirt. Scam or not, he'd paid for it. Might as well use it.

He lifted his hand, concentrating on the empty hot dog wrapper on the bench beside him. The paper rose and danced between his fingers. At least that still worked.

Daniel sat dejectedly on the bench, absently floating his overpriced crystal between his fingers, watching the light play through its facets as it spun in midair.