History: Clow Reed

In the late 19th century, the magical world was rocked by the advent of the greatest sorcerous genius since the turn of the Age. He earned a number of titles, some humble, and some anything but, but every wizard today now knows of him. He is called World-Smashing Genius, Greatest Mage To Ever Live, Magus Magnalium: Clow Reed.

Clow Reed was known as a doer of the impossible. For his magister's masterpiece, he created the magic beasts Yue and Keroberos, drawing power from the Sun and Moon. It would turn out that the creation of true magical life would be among the least of his works, for he went on to fuse the seemingly irreconcilable principles of Eastern and Western magic into his own, new practice - carving that form into the world in the self-named Clow Cards, 52 artifacts of varying function but universal wonder.

With his mastery established, Clow went out into the world with his companion - the exact relationship was never clear - Yuuko Ichihara, to do a Master's work; to ease the burden of life's pain, to root out and vanquish suffering and evil, and to unravel the secrets of the world. Perhaps it was necessary for such an impossible man to be born; for in his travels, Clow Reed finally unraveled the secrets of the Gateports, magical gates that had long been the terminals between Mundus Magicus and the Earth. They were not only that, he said; they could lead to worlds much further away, with the right circumstances. But the energy needed would be tremendous...the sort of power that could shatter even the rules of the universe.

As it happened, a great resonance of magic power would occur in the year 1882, when the sacred tree Bontou in Japan would resonate with a number of other sacred sites around the world, releasing vast, unthinkable amounts of magic. Normally, that power would be lost; harnessing so much energy was immensely difficult, and sure to attract attention. It would also be necessary, for a scheme as audacious as Clow's, and so he and his companions set to work; though some say Ichihara, a known practitioner of time and space magic, was the true brains of the operation.

Regardless: Attention they received, as a mighty demon and his minions descended on Clow Reed's ceremony, and set the Mage of Wonders to battle. In the end, the demon lay defeated, and Bontou's power was open for use...while Clow Reed cradled a lifeless Yuuko Ichihara in his arms.

Even great men grieve. Unable to contain the strength around him or the despair in his heart, the Greatest Mage in History implored the worlds themselves for his friend to open her eyes once more, and was answered. The miraculous energy gathered together drove through the sacred geometry of Clow's spell, casting like a spear into the heart of the universe and beyond. The ancient gates that had sealed away the Earth from all contact bent, twisted, and finally blew away, shattered by a mystic force greater than had been seen since the turn of the Age - an impassioned, reckless attempt to seek the impossible miracle of Clow's wish from other worlds.

When the light faded, Clow Reed and Yuuko Ichihara were gone - apparently, unmade by the audacity of Clow's power. Yue and Keroberos soon followed, pausing only long enough to distribute their master's belongings before vanishing from the world stage amid the tide of rising chaos: For when the gates were torn open by Clow Reed's world-smashing wish, the door to Earth was opened once more. the powers of darkness kept at bay for millennia were once again free to prey upon the rich blue world. Darkness ravaged magical girl and mage alike; the world fell immediately, and direly, out of tune.

But hope does not quail before mere discord...and Tuners would soon rise.

For more information, please see: History: Modern Times, History: The Tuner Organization, History, Theme Primer, Theme