The Hidden Truth and The Gift of the Twelve
The five new Mega Wizards—Luna Frostborne, Liora Greenhaven, Aria Harmonix, Skyler Aeris, and Lyra Timekeeper—walked in silence beside the priestess, their minds still reeling from the flashback of the Twelve's final battle. The story had been both fascinating and terrifying—heroes who had given everything to save Valvyx, a god who had shattered their world, a rift that had split Elyria in two. Their eyes were wide with wonder as they absorbed every word the priestess spoke.
She continued to explain the world's history as they approached the patriarch's chamber—how the Sanctuary had been rebuilt in the Argentum Spires, how the patriarch had guided the mages through decades of uncertainty, how the search for the cosmic fragments had never stopped. But as she spoke, a truth none of them—not even the priestess or the patriarch—knew was playing out in the shadows of the past…
THE UNTOLD PAST: A GOD IN HIDING & A BOY WHO WATCHED
Nearly a century ago, on a hill overlooking the heart of Elyria, a young boy no older than ten huddled behind a cluster of rocks, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and wonder. His name was Elias—the patriarch in his youth—and he had snuck out of his village despite his parents' warnings, drawn by the impossible light that was painting the sky with colors that had no name.
From his vantage point, he saw everything. He watched as the twelve robed figures—each one surrounded by their element—stepped forward to face the mountain-sized deity that had descended from the cosmic storm. He saw the Mega Water user raise a tidal wave that stretched to the clouds, the Mega Ice user sprout glaciers from the earth, the Mega Lightning user strike with a bolt that split the sky in two. He held his breath as the battle raged for three days and three nights, the ground shaking so hard he could barely keep his balance, the noise so loud it made his ears bleed.
He watched as the twelve wove their powers into a single beam of starlight that burned through the god's dark matter body. He saw the deity collapse, heard his final shriek of pain, and felt a surge of hope rise in his chest. They did it, he thought, tears streaming down his face. They saved us.
But then came the explosion.
A flash of light so bright it blinded him for a full minute erupted from the battle site. Elias fell backward, covering his eyes, his body trembling as the shockwave hit the hill, sending rocks flying in all directions. When his vision finally cleared, the god's massive form was gone—replaced by a shower of dark matter and cosmic energy that drifted through the air like ash. The twelve figures were nowhere to be seen.
What he didn't see—what his eyes, still blurred from the light, couldn't catch—is what happened next.
Amidst the shower of energy, a single, human-sized figure materialized. It was slightly smaller than the deity's original form, slightly less imposing, but its body crackled with power that matched that of any one of the Twelve. Its eyes were cold as dead stars, its face twisted into a snarl of fury.
A group of mages was already racing toward the battle site, their robes billowing in the wind, drawn by the explosion's light. The god's new form tensed, its hands curling into fists. Revenge will come, it hissed to itself, its voice like grinding stars that only it could hear. But first, I must reclaim my true power. I will not be defeated by mortals again.
With a flick of its wrist, it tore open a rift in the air—a gap between observable universes that glowed with dark energy. It stepped through, and the rift closed behind it, leaving no trace of its existence.
Elias stumbled to his feet, his heart heavy with loss. He had seen the Twelve fall, had witnessed the birth of the rift that split Elyria apart—but the god's escape had happened in the blink of an eye, hidden by the afterglow of the explosion. He would spend the rest of his life reliving those moments with his Rare Time element, searching for every detail he had missed—but the truth of the god's survival would remain hidden from him, and from everyone else, for a hundred years.
For a century, the god hid in the gaps between worlds, waiting, planning, gathering the scattered pieces of his core. Now, with new Mega Wizards emerging in the Argentum Spires, his patience was finally running thin.
BACK TO THE PRESENT: THE PATRIARCH'S CHAMBER
The silver doors of the patriarch's chamber swung open, and the group stepped inside. The ceiling's starry pattern seemed to shift as they entered, as if greeting them. The old man behind the stone desk looked up—his silver hair flowing like water, his eyes holding the weight of the century he had lived, his Rare Time element humming softly in the air around him. When he saw them, he smiled warmly and nodded in approval.
"Luna, Liora, Aria, Skyler, Lyra," he said, his voice deep and clear, carrying the weight of authority and kindness. "You have proven your worth in the training grounds. Every trial you faced, every obstacle you overcame—it all led to this moment."
He gestured to a tall pedestal behind him, and the group's eyes followed his hand. On top of it lay five intricately designed robes, each one shimmering with a soft, elemental light that matched their respective powers: frosty white for Luna, emerald green for Liora, golden for Aria, blue for Skyler, and silver for Lyra. The fabric seemed to glow from within, woven with threads that looked like spun starlight.
"These are the robes of the previous Twelve Mega Wizards," the patriarch explained, standing and walking toward the pedestal. "They were crafted by the Twelve themselves, long before the battle with the God of the Cosmos. There are twelve in total—not just these five."
Skyler tilted her head. "Twelve? Where are the others?"
"Three are already in use," the patriarch said, a small smile touching his lips. "Kael Elastor—the Mega Rubber user—Nova Aetherwynd—the Mega Neutrality user—and Riven Nexusborn—the Mega Connection user. They were the first three to complete their trials and join the Sanctuary. The remaining four… we keep them safe, waiting for the day the new Twelve will be whole again."
He lifted one of the robes—the emerald green one for Liora—and held it out. The fabric was light as air, yet felt as strong as steel. "These robes will protect you from magical attacks—even powerful ones. But more than that, they will hide your faces behind a shimmering veil, shielding your true identities from those who would seek to do you harm. In a world where Mega Wizards are both revered and feared, anonymity can be your greatest weapon."
Luna stepped forward, her white eyes wide with awe as she took the frosty white robe. "They're… incredible. You can feel the power in them."
"Indeed," the patriarch said, as the others gathered their respective robes. "They carry the essence of the Twelve—the courage, the sacrifice, the hope they had for Valvyx's future. Now, that future is in your hands."
Each of them held their robe close, feeling the familiar hum of their element resonating with the fabric. The air in the chamber grew still, filled with unspoken promise and weighty responsibility. For the first time, they truly felt like they were part of something bigger—part of the legacy the Twelve had left behind.