The Flare

The Flare was a cataclysmic event that occurred in Wistania during the botched invasion by the Minsans. It gave tens of thousands of people, mostly Wistanians, redsight in a single day. Not much is currently public about who is responsible for the Flare, and neither Maaya nor Lt. Keun were able to answer basic questions about it in Lingon and the First Survivor.

The Flare began after the destruction of a red ajmastone, which flashed a bright, red light across the sky. Any person who saw that light became redsight. The Flare likely originated somewhere near the center of the Wistanian island as Maaya says that Rauzal was closer to the source than Dazal was, and thus Dazal had fewer victims. Minsan soldiers were ordered to confine themselves in a dark place that day, therefore a majority of them were safe from the effects.

Aftermath
All those who saw the flash of red light became redsights. Redsight is best understood as a neurological disease that turns one's vision into shades of red and gives the victim uncontrollable urges toward violence and destruction. Redsights have increased strength, stamina, speed, and endurance. Immediately after the Flare, the redsights ran loose and independently, creating havoc everywhere they went. Then, for a few days they disappeared, and then reappeared organized and under the command of the zaun ajma Wanara.

The city of Rauzal killed all their redsight population "without discrimination" immediately after the Flare while Dazal sought to find a cure.

There was a second flare event a few weeks later, caused by Ggudi who broke another red stone for Wanara. However, this event occurred underground and likely did not give any new people redsight.