Forgotton artifact

44

Over the centuries, the artifact had been forgotten in a dust-covered chest in the Archmage’s study at the magical academy of Ankh-Morpork. Generations of magisters had come and gone, and no one cared to question the relics buried beneath old scrolls and broken wands. It was there that a curious student of magic discovered it — a smooth, indestructible globe set within a finely crafted collar. The accompanying description was brief but enticing: an artifact designed to enforce and amplify the bearer’s power. To a young scholar, weary of being overlooked and hungry for recognition, such words did not sound like a warning. They sounded like opportunity. The globe shimmered faintly, almost expectantly, and the collar felt strangely warm to the touch, as if eager to be worn. The promise of greater strength, sharper will, and undeniable authority whispered through the student’s thoughts. Taking it felt less like theft and more like destiny — and fastening it around the neck seemed not like a risk, but like the first step toward true power.