Item from Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas
The magical energy harvested from Vanir during the Drop — Midgard's power source, the Asteri's food supply, and the single greatest lie holding civilization together.
Firstlight is the engine of Midgard's civilization — it powers everything from streetlights to phones to defensive wards. Every Vanir generates firstlight during the Drop (the ritual of making their power permanent), and a portion of that energy is tithed to the city's power grid. Citizens are told this is civic duty. The truth is that firstlight is how the Asteri feed. They are parasitic beings who consume magical energy, and the Drop system was designed to harvest it at the moment of maximum output. The entire civilization — the technology, the infrastructure, the religious significance of the Drop — was built to feed them. The firstlight grid is a farm, and every Vanir is livestock. Discovering this truth is what gets Danika killed and what sets Bryce on her path to revolution.
Firstlight manifests as blue-white luminous energy that flows through conduits, powers technology, and illuminates Midgard's cities. In its raw form, it looks like liquid starlight — bright, slightly warm, and hypnotic. In the city's infrastructure, it runs through visible veins in buildings and streets. At high concentrations, it produces a faint humming sound and a sweet, ozone-tinged smell.
Also known as: Firstlight, The Light