Tales from the Rebellion

by PinkAtHart

A series of one-shot stories about the Eltarian Rebellion. If you've read my other Power Rangers fics, you're familiar with the Rebels. Here you'll find bits of history from the Eltarian Rebellion as well as the stories behind what made the Rebels end up following the paths they did. Featuring all of the Rebels you know from the Chosen fics universe and some new ones.

23. Twenty-Three: Arcana (Leffy & Jayla)

TWENTY-THREE: ARCANA (The story of the Arcana... Featuring: Zylora, Leffy, Clayten, M'Larr, Jayla, and the Hierophant. Heavily featuring Trex, with a lot of new insight into his experiences with the destruction of the Circle. Also featuring Zell, and many others.)

Everyone on Eltar knew the story of the Twelve. At first, the children born at half-hour intervals during the meteor shower were seen as a blessing upon the planet. In the end, they were viewed as cursed, and only spoken of in hushed tones.

Far fewer knew the tale of the Arcana. The prophecy of their existence remained hidden in the Great Wizard's personal book of prophecies for millennia, unseen by anyone but the man who had written it down to begin with.

The Twelve were in the spotlight from the moment they were born. The Arcana existed in secret, blending into society in different roles and only coming together as fate demanded it. This is the far less known Legend of the Arcana.

The very word arcana meant secret, yet another reminder that their destiny was never one meant for the public eye. The High Priestess found this ironic reminder both irritating and mildly amusing. As if they could forget they must protect the secrets, she thought.

She was born long before the others, meant to learn all she must before guiding them. Her name was Zylora, and she was part of the first generation of the Children of Eltar. The gifted young Sorceress was trained by Kenna herself. The First Sorceress knew the girl was meant for an important destiny, even if it was unclear to her what that might be.

When she was sixteen years of age, the Hierophant began speaking to Zylora. It wasn't a traditional entity. She was fairly certain it was a male, and he didn't speak in words, but somehow, Zylora understood his guidance. She had an affinity for Spirit, and she was positive this was the only reason the Hierophant was able to communicate with her. He was pure light, and he seemed to have knowledge of future events. Somehow, Zylora knew she must listen to him and never stray from her destined path.

It took her two centuries or so to finally find them. Although she sensed they had been born, Zylora knew she must let them walk their own paths for a time until circumstances brought them together.

L'Fellian of Eltar lived a quiet life, hidden from most by his parents. They hid his younger brother and sister as well, however, they could not hide his twin brother. Not only was Trex an extremely sociable boy, but he was also part of the Twelve. Although Leffy, as he was called, had also been born during the meteor shower, he was the only child not born on a half-hour interval. Not being meant for the great destiny the Twelve were believed to be part of, Leffy was left in seclusion with his family. No one was to know he existed. His father insisted it was safer that way.

As a boy, Leffy developed a bit of a complex. "There is nothing special about me," he once blurted out to his mother when he was eight. "I am simply the spare. I was born during a great event, yet I am not destined to be part of anything! My existence has no point."

His mother, Elzbeth, was horrified. "Don't you dare talk about my boy like that," she said firmly. She smiled at him kindly, with a mother's eternal patience. "My precious Leffy... You are perfect as you are. Do not doubt your existence just because your destiny has yet to reveal itself."

"But I am not special, Mother. I have no extraordinary gift. Trex can turn into a dragon. He is much like Father. I cannot even do that." He sighed.

"Your powers shall present themselves in time, my darling. Perhaps you simply take after me." Elzbeth used her Sorcery to create colorful spirals in the air. Born a Warlock, her magic was dark, but she'd rebelled against that life and run away to be with his father, Ignatius, a powerful Sorcerer with a past he never spoke of. She enjoyed using her dark powers to create things which were light, something the Warlocks had despised when she was a girl.

She worked closely with Leffy after that, and soon it became clear that he did have a strong affinity for dark magic. When he was thirteen, however, he discovered something truly unique about himself.

Leffy and Trex were wandering in the woods near their home. It was dark, and the twins stayed close to each other as they explored. Suddenly, they both heard an unusual sound. Something was growling.

Trex immediately tensed. "What's making that noise?" Leffy asked nervously.

"It's coming from over there," Trex replied. He pointed toward the shadows nearby.

The creature that came out was enormous. It had claws the size of Leffy's head. Its fangs looked like they could pierce through the thickest of surfaces. Its eyes were wild.

"It's a hezkan..." Leffy said softly. They'd only heard stories about the Eltarian Hell Cats. They were exceptionally dangerous and could destroy entire villages if they were so inclined. Most people who encountered them in person did not live to tell the tale.

"Leffy, stay behind me!" Trex shouted urgently. He shifted form into a dragon and flew into the air in front of his twin, bravely looking the creature in the eye and daring it to be stupid enough to try to hurt him or his brother.

"Trex, stop," Leffy said softly. He couldn't explain it, but he felt something usual when he looked at the large creature.

Trex ignored him, releasing a cloud of smoke toward the hezkan in warning. The next step would be fire, and Leffy suspected that wouldn't end well for any of them. "Trex! It's hurt," Leffy insisted. He moved out from behind his brother, cautiously approaching the enormous beast. "It's okay, Girl," he said softly. He slowly raised his hand before bringing it toward the creature. "All is well. I will not harm you," he continued.

His brother flew into a panicked frenzy, scorching the ground around him in warning while being careful not to hurt him. "Stop that," Leffy said, frowning at his twin. "I'm well. She is not going to harm me."

He touched his hand to the hezkan's fur. Its body was firm and muscular, but the fur was surprisingly soft beneath his hand. "Easy... Easy, Girl," he said soothingly. He spotted the problem then. An arrowhead was stuck in her underbelly, the only vulnerable part of her body.

"Poor thing... Okay... I need you to trust me, Girl," he said softly. "This is going to hurt a bit, but I promise you'll feel much better once I pull it out." He moved his hand lower before finally touching the arrow. As gently and quickly as he could, he pulled the arrow out. Blood spilled onto the ground, but not much. Even in the softest part of her body, the arrow could only pierce her so much. Leffy closed his eyes and used a healing spell his mother had taught him to close the wound and heal the creature.

To Leffy's amazement, the hezkan rolled onto the ground and exposed its underbelly to him. He smiled, petting her. Just like that, she shifted form into a tiny, fluffy tan kitten. She purred affectionately as he continued to pet her.

Trex finally landed on the ground and transformed back into a boy. "How on all of Eltar did you do that?" He asked in shock.

"I don't know... I just knew what she needed," Leffy replied with a shrug. "She's awfully cute, isn't she?"

"In this form, sure," Trex said with a slight laugh. "May I pet her?"

"You should probably ask her that. I mean, you did go all fire-breathing dragon on her."

"Apologies, Friend," Trex said softly, looking the kitten in her eyes. "I may have overreacted a bit."

The hezkan, still exposing her underbelly to Leffy, growled softly at Trex in warning. "He meant well," Leffy told her soothingly. "He thought you were going to harm me, and he is quite protective. Please forgive him. I promise he won't hurt you."

She seemed to consider this before she stopped growling. Leffy nodded at Trex encouragingly. Trex cautiously reached toward her before gently petting her head. She seemed to accept this and resumed purring.

"Do you think Mother and Father will object if I adopt her?" Leffy asked his brother.

"Object to you adopting a murderous beast from the depths of darkness and bringing it home around our younger siblings? No, why on all of Eltar would they?" Trex teased him.

"I cannot just abandon her, Brother... I feel as if we were brought here for a reason. I was meant to find her."

"If she stays in this dormant form, they may accept her," Trex said. "I can see this is important to you. I trust your instinct."

Leffy looked at her. "Would you like to come home with me, Girl?" He asked. She rolled over and rubbed her head against his hand. He smiled. "I think that is a yes." He scooped her up in his arms and snuggled her against his chest. She meowed softly.

The little ones were already fast asleep when the twins arrived home. "Mother, Father... I have found a stray in need of assistance," Leffy began. "I healed her... May I keep her?"

Elzbeth stared at the hezkan in confusion. "It feels rather... Dark," she said after a moment. Having grown up a Warlock, she was an expert on dark energy.

Ignatius frowned. "That is because it is a hezkan," he said. "Which, I am certain, our son is well aware of... So, I must ask, why did you think it was a good idea to bring that monster into this house?"

"She's just a kitten, Father," Leffy said softly, forcing himself to meet his father's eyes. Trex was very close to their father, but Leffy was closer to their mother. He respected and loved his father, but he was an intense man at times and that made him intimidating. "I'm certain I can train her so she does no harm... She can protect us."

"I protect us just fine, L'Fellian. Feed her if you must, then send her back into the wild where she belongs."

"Father... I reacted harshly, transforming into a dragon to try to protect us, but Leffy seemed to know what the hezkan needed instantly. He sensed she was hurt and gained her trust almost immediately. They have a bond," Trex said respectfully. "Who are we to question that sort of thing?"

Elzbeth smiled then. "I sense the energy between them," she said. "Trex is correct, Iggy, Darling." She seemed pleased as she watched Leffy with the hezkan. "Sometimes, people are born with an affinity for working with unusual creatures. Perhaps our Leffy has discovered a new truth about his gifts."

"You think I have an affinity for working with hezkans?" Leffy asked in wonder.

"No one else could have tamed her in such a way. Most hezkans won't even approach people unless they are frightened and attack. They can be summoned in dark rituals, but the Warlocks are not kind to them. It has made them reluctant to trust us." She paused. "If you're going to adopt her, you must give her a proper name. I shall go into our kitchen and find something for her to eat."

Leffy knew he had won when his father sighed. "Just don't let it on the couch," Ignatius said after a moment.

"She can stay?" Leffy asked in shock.

Ignatius offered him an amused smile, something that always softened his features and put his family at ease. "Yes, Leffy. She can stay." He walked away.

"Welcome to the family," Trex told the hezkan, who growled slightly at him in response. Leffy laughed. He could tell Trex and the hezkan were going to have a bit of a love-hate relationship.

"What shall I call you?" Leffy asked. He looked deep into her eyes, and then the name just came to him. "Velmara," he decided. "Your name is Velmara."

Velmara meowed at him in response before purring again. He decided that meant she'd accepted her new name. Elzbeth returned with food then, so he set it down in front of Velmara and fed her before ultimately retiring to the bedroom he shared with his twin. Velmara immediately jumped on his bed beside him, curling up near his head before they both fell into a content sleep. That night, he dreamed of a card from the traditional Tarot deck... The King of Wands.

The same night, in another village, on the other side of Eltar, a different teenager was about to discover a unique gift of his own.

Clayten had been born during a monsoon that destroyed his village and four others in the area. Although most of the people had not survived, he was one of the lucky ones, and his neighbors considered this a great miracle and an omen that life would continue and they would one day be blessed again despite their collective tragedy.

As a boy, he was rather emotional. He laughed easily. His emotions flowed like Water, which he showed an early affinity for. He was beloved by many, and he brought joy and calm to the traumatized people around him. He was creative and full of ideas no one else would ever have entertained. He could take things that did not seem to add up to anything of value and solve nearly any problem presented to him. He was never restrained by conventional logic or boundaries.

A storm was moving in that night. Clayten loved storms. They seemed to inspire him more than anything else. He went out to the edge of the water, never one to hide from such weather. He saw a ship on the ocean and realized it was in trouble as the waves became treacherous and the ship began to rock too violently.

"They need help..." He realized. He touched the water, trying to calm the sea. It responded to his touch by wrapping around him frantically, but he couldn't seem to stop the waves. "Magic..." He mumbled. Someone was deliberately causing this storm.

He didn't stop to plan as he jumped into the water. Clayten was an incredibly strong swimmer, but with the sea so out of control, he couldn't guarantee being able to keep from drowning. Still, he had to try. He knew if he got closer to the water around the ship, he could use his affinity to combat some of the waves crashing against the ship.

As he reached the ship, an enormous wave crashed down upon him. He was pushed beneath the surface of the water. He struggled to break the surface and get air into his lungs, but the water continued to push him down. He had never been unable to control water before, but this water had been swept into a frenzy.

Suddenly, an enormous squid-like creature grabbed Clayten in its tentacles. It pulled him closer to the center of its body. He was terrified, but the desperate and determined look in the creature's eyes caused him to trust it. Clayten held onto the creature for dear life as it rushed toward the surface. When he finally felt air hitting him, Clayten struggled to catch his breath.

"It's a kraken!" Someone shouted from the boat, pointing toward the creature that had just saved Clayten's life.

"We're all going to perish!" Another cried.

"Noble Kraken, thank you for saving me," Clayten said. "Help me save these sailors as well?"

The kraken did not object, so Clayten assumed that meant he had agreed. He rode the kraken even closer to the ship until he was able to touch the wood it was made from. The kraken turned to face the wave threatening to finally capsize the ship.

"Hop on!" Clayten shouted.

"What? Are you mad?" The first man who had spoken asked. He was dressed in a Captain's uniform.

"We're here to help! The ship is going down, but your lives do not have to end. Climb on. I promise it is safe," Clayten insisted.

Another wave hit the other side of the ship. "The hull is compromised. We're taking on too much water!" A young sailor said urgently. "Captain, we must abandon the ship!"

The Captain sighed. "Very well. Men, proceed in an orderly and quick fashion!" He instructed.

The crew began to leave the doomed vessel, climbing down ropes onto the kraken. They held onto its tentacles. Shockingly, the kraken allowed this, seeming to understand the urgency of the situation.

The Captain took a final look at his ship before sighing and joining his men on the kraken. "Alright, Friend," Clayten said. "Please take us to the shore."

Somehow, the kraken was able to move through the increasingly dangerous sea toward the shore. The waves followed it, seeming to prove Clayten's theory that this storm was no natural event. After several terrifying minutes, they finally reached the shore. The men let go and ran onto land, some dropping to their knees and sobbing in relief. The Captain nodded at the kraken.

"Thank you," he said humbly, removing his hat and bowing respectfully to the massive, terrifying creature.

Clayten finally got off of the kraken. He stroked it a few times before saying, "I very much appreciate your assistance."

Call upon me whenever you require, the kraken seemed to say in his mind. I shall answer.

"Why would you offer such a thing?" Clayten asked in confusion.

You are meant to call upon my kind. It is destined, Page of Cups.

Page of Cups? Clayten repeated.

You shall understand one day. When the time comes. With that, the kraken returned to the sea.

Clayten returned to his village with the sailors and was celebrated as a hero. He smiled, having a feeling that the adventure had barely begun.

Deep in the mountains lived another boy. His name was M'Larr, and he had never heard of Leffy or Clayten, nor did he know of the events which had occurred two years prior in their lives. He was a simple boy, raised to be studious and logical. Sometimes, he saw things too plainly and missed the bigger picture, but he was a hard worker and a fierce warrior from the time he was very young. He was born one night as tornadoes raged throughout Eltar, destroying much in their path. He was protected because his parents hid in the mountains as his mother went into labor. His mother died when he was a toddler, and his father raised him alone in the very mountains that had granted him the ability to be born safely. His nearest neighbor was the infamous Stone, and even he lived nearly thirty miles away. He saw him occasionally, but he hardly qualified as more than an acquaintance M'Larr knew could be trusted in an emergency.

He wanted to escape from his lonely existence because he longed to be something more. It wasn't that M'Larr lived a bad life. He had all he needed, and his father was a good man, but M'Larr felt like he was meant to do something grander with his life. On the eve of his fifteenth birthday, that opportunity presented itself.

He'd climbed higher than he ever had before. M'Larr knew every inch of the lower and mid mountains, but he had never ventured too close to the top. He had an affinity for Air, and he longed to explore the higher land, but his father had cautioned that it was dangerous. There were monsters up there, or so he had been told. Still, something drew him there that day.

As the wind blew fiercely around him, M'Larr saw an extraordinary creature flying toward him. It landed mere inches in front of him. "You're... You're a gryphon..." He realized.

The gryphon bowed its head to him, dropping its front legs so its face was close to M'Larr. Surprised, the boy touched its face gently. It locked eyes with him, and suddenly, M'Larr had an incredible vision of flying through the sky, protecting Eltar from harm. Without stopping to think, M'Larr climbed onto the gryphon's back. Its wings spread out and it took off flying. M'Larr sat upon the gryphon's back, soaring through the clouds, feeling nothing but air surrounding them.

"This is incredible!" M'Larr cried in awe. The view was extraordinary. He'd rarely left the mountains and had no idea of the beauty Eltar possessed. The gryphon flew over various villages, forests, and oceans, showing M'Larr things he'd never dreamed of before.

They landed in the middle of a village which was on fire. A man stood casting spells. The destruction came from him and the army of fiery demons he seemed to command. The people of the village were trying to fight, but it was clear this was a peaceful farming community. They weren't used to violence.

M'Larr thought of the stories his father had told him of warriors from his home planet, a war-torn land that had been destroyed prior to Eltar's creation. His father had been a young boy when his parents fled the planet in search of peace. He remembered tales of brave Knights who battled with swords and brute force in addition to magic. With sticks they found, his father had taught him to duel as though holding a sword, but he was certain the real thing would be quite different. He was about to find out.

Much to M'Larr's shock, a sword materialized out of thin air. It seemed to be calling to him. You are the Knight of Swords, the gryphon seemed to be saying. This belongs to you. Save these people and prove you are worthy.

It was madness and defied all logic, but so did flying away on a gryphon's back, so M'Larr decided to go with it. He jumped down and ran toward the sword. It seemed to hum in his hands as he picked it up. As the man came toward him, he raised his sword.

The man laughed. "You think a sword can save you?" He asked. He manifested one of his own, bowing to M'Larr sarcastically before adding, "Let's see what you've got, Boy!"

The duel began. The sword was far sharper and heavier than the sticks he'd trained with, but M'Larr adapted quickly. It seemed natural in his hands. He soon realized he could meet nearly every move the other man made, just like he'd learned to meet his father's. He was good at guessing the next move his opponent would make.

"Be careful! He's mad from working with vizu!" A woman warned frantically.

M'Larr had heard of the evil little creatures. He knew they could cause madness, and he also knew defeating this man would be difficult. Sure enough, he seemed to fly into a blind rage, attacking much quicker and less predictably.

The gryphon jumped in front of him and lowered its back legs. M'Larr jumped on its back, still holding the sword. They flew around the man until M'Larr had a better shot, and he was finally able to impale the man with his sword.

The people of the village had mostly run inside, desperate to hide, but some had witnessed the events. They applauded and thanked M'Larr. He didn't stick around to answer questions about where he had come from. Instead, he flew away on the gryphon's back, cementing his place in history as the mysterious boy who'd come from the sky and saved the defenseless people of the tiny village before vanishing, never to be seen again.

The same night, in the middle of the village bordering Eltar's largest city, a princess sighed in boredom. She wasn't really a princess. Eltar had no royalty. However, her mother had been the Queen of a planet that had been destroyed in a war. She was the only surviving member of that royal family and had raised her daughter as a princess was expected to be raised. Jayla hated every second of it.

She longed for adventure. Although she had an affinity for Earth, Jayla was a bit wild and unpredictable. People couldn't understand how someone so impulsive worked with the most practical of the Elements, but they soon realized the girl had a gift for seeing things others did not. When it seemed there was no clear path to follow, Jayla always found the way out of the darkness. She was excellent at guiding others to make the right choices, and she kept a clear mind in the face of chaos. When people were unable to make a choice among themselves, Jayla always seemed to know what the right decision was. More than this, Jayla had a kind heart. She had far more wealth than she would ever need, so she donated it to the people of Eltar who needed it the most. She was known for being charitable and generous, and this endeared her even more, especially to the lower class.

She'd been born during a horrific earthquake. The moment she drew her first breath, the ground had stopped shaking. Although buildings fell and many places were destroyed, no lives were lost. She was deemed a protector of the planet before she could even crawl or speak. She rose to the occasion, taking her role of protecting others seriously even though they seemed to only want her to protect them in theory and not action. Much like the Star Princess, Jayla was sheltered and everyone tried to protect her from anything which might be dangerous to her. She was to smile, wave to the people, and bless them with her mere existence... And she despised this role.

Jayla was rebellious by nature. She refused to sit around doing nothing, so whenever possible, she ran off and had adventures on her own. One day, she found herself walking through a cave. The people had always warned against entering this cave. Those who tried tended to vanish. To Jayla, it sounded like an incredible adventure waiting to be seized. Armed with sarcasm, a quiver of arrows, and a bow, she ventured into the dark, ominous cave alone.

Casting a quick spell for light, Jayla followed the glowing ember deeper into the cave. It wasn't until she reached the center of it that she discovered a natural room full of what could only be described as treasure and ancient relics. The trinkets were gold, silver, and bronze, and some looked to be quite old. Jayla bent down to touch one of them and examined it. The pendant was pure gold, and it seemed to glow as she held it. A strange symbol was carved into it.

"A pentacle..." Jayla realized aloud.

You think you are a Queen... A voice hissed in a mocking and threatening manner.

"Nope, not a Queen... Just a reluctant Princess," Jayla replied with her natural snark. "And don't think that means I cannot defend myself." She may not have any training in hand-to-hand combat, but Jayla's sorcery was strong, as was her affinity for Earth, and she'd been teaching herself to use a bow and arrow for the last eight years. She was a pretty gifted archer.

Prove yourself. Now is the time, the voice insisted. It still sounded like it was hissing. She was confused. Where was the voice coming from?

Suddenly, the cave began to shake. Rocks fell around her rapidly. If she didn't do something soon, she'd be crushed. Startled, Jayla stumbled before touching the ground. Focusing all of her energy, she connected with her element of Earth and calmed the earthquake, willing it to stop. It didn't take long for it to work.

A creature emerged from the shadows. It was the largest thing Jayla had ever seen, and it slithered toward her slowly. The giant snake's tongue protruded from its mouth and waved in the air as if it were laughing at her. It picked up speed when it noticed her looking at it, racing toward her and opening up its enormous mouth.

Jayla cursed and readied an arrow, preparing to shoot the monster in the eye. She knew what it must be. Only a basilisk could be so large, and facing a basilisk would explain why no one ever returned from exploring the cave. They could kill if you made direct eye contact with them, and their venom was also deadly. Her only chance of survival might lie in blinding the monster.

She was about to shoot it when she sensed something strange. She could almost feel the basilisk's pulse in her chest. It called to her. Instead of attacking, she put her weapon down and faced it directly. "Are you certain you want to do this?" She asked. "I will not bow to you or cower in fear. I don't think you actually desire to harm me."

Foolish girl! You will perish, as did all the others, the basilisk replied.

"Unlikely. I'm not like the others," she replied calmly.

The basilisk tried to attack her legs. Jayla easily hopped out of harm's way. It wove around her for a moment before striking again. Somehow, Jayla knew where its attack would come from, and once again, she escaped from harm. The basilisk seemed both intrigued and angry at this development. It opened its mouth again and tried to bite her head off. Jayla managed to avoid it once more.

Impossible! Who are you? It demanded.

"I am Jayla, of Eltar... And you are rude and cranky. Would you like to talk about it like a civilized being? Or are you hungry, perhaps? What do you snack on? The souls of the innocent? Tell me, how does one season an innocent's soul? Salt? Pepper? A bit of blood?"

The basilisk moved in front of her so quickly, she couldn't avoid it. Trusting her heart, Jayla did the craziest thing she'd ever done in her life and looked the basilisk straight in the eye. To her amazement, she didn't die or turn to stone or do any of the other things it was rumored meeting the gaze of a basilisk would cause.

It hesitated, searching her eyes for something. After a moment, it seemed to nod. Queen, it hissed. Indeed.

"I told you, I'm a Princess, and only in title," Jayla said casually.

No... You are the Queen of Pentacles. And I am at your service, it replied.

"That really won't be necessary," she replied.

My kind are meant to serve you, Queen. I am our leader. Suddenly, several more basilisks came out from the shadows. They seemed eager as they circled around her, and for a moment, Jayla thought she was about to be eaten, but then she realized they were all just excited and trying to catch a glimpse of her.

Queen, they hissed in unison. You are the first to prove worthy. We vow to serve you whenever you are in need.

"Well... How can I say no to that?" Jayla asked with a shrug. This adventure had turned out quite differently than she'd expected, but she felt an odd sense of peace being surrounded by the dangerous creatures.

Wear the talisman. It belongs to you, the leader told her.

"Okay... Um... Do you have a name?" Jayla asked curiously as she put the pentacle talisman around her neck. She felt incredible power and a sense of peace as she did this.

We do not have traditional names, it informed her.

"Fair enough... I'm going to call you... Bassie," she decided. Bassie the Basilisk was an almost comically terrible name, but the basilisk seemed to appreciate it anyway.

One day soon, we shall ride into battle together, Bassie told her. Until then. With that, it slithered away. The others followed.

Jayla knew somehow that everything was about to change. She went back to her home and resumed her life as if nothing had happened, but she couldn't stop thinking about the basilisks and their unusual encounter.

Two more years passed. During this time, Zylora watched the four teenagers closely. She knew she'd finally found the Arcana. While she and the Hierophant were meant to act as mentors to the four of them, she knew these teenagers were the ones meant to fulfill the destiny the Hierophant had told her about long before. These were the children he'd been training her to guide. Her first step would be approaching their leader, the King of Wands. Unfortunately, Leffy's life was about to turn upside-down.

Although he'd never met Talon, Leffy heard about him frequently from his twin. Trex was incredibly close to Talon, who also possessed the gift of turning into a dragon. That was why it left Trex devastated when Talon died in a freak accident.

"It wasn't an accident," Trex whispered. "He was fireproof... How could a fire have killed him? He should have been able to escape."

"You mustn't say such things!" Ignatius snapped at him, startling both twins.

"Father..." Leffy said softly, not understanding what would have made him so angry.

"It is not safe. Do not speak of such things, Trex! Swear to me!" His father insisted.

"But, Father, I am certain Talon was murdered," Trex said, his voice trembling.

"I have built many shields around our home so he cannot hear us, but you are not always here... And I cannot allow him to hear you say such treasonous things. He'll kill you, and he'll find the rest of us as well."

"Who will, Father?" Leffy asked because Trex seemed too stunned to respond.

"The monster who raised me," Ignatius replied. He never spoke of his history.

"I thought you had no family," Leffy said in confusion.

"I never said he was family. We shared no blood. I do not know if I ever had kin. He would never answer that question... He simply held me hostage for nearly a century. He wasn't even always there. I was left to fend for myself at times, although I came to prefer that, even if it initially meant I was left starving and vulnerable... In the end, it made me tougher... Stronger. He was cruel, abusive, and furious that I would not use my powers for evil."

"Who was he, Father?" Trex asked softly.

"I won't speak his name. I can never risk him finding out about you children or your mother. I escaped from him. I am finally free... And I shall never give him the satisfaction of knowing what became of me after I escaped from his clutches. This matter is settled."

"But, Father, if someone has killed Talon, we must seek justice," Trex insisted.

"Let this drop, Trex! I know exactly what became of Talon. It is the same thing which happened to Elgan. Neither death was natural. This loss is a tragedy for all of Eltar, but if that monster realizes anyone suspects him, he will simply kill them as well. We must not speak of it. Not until there is evidence to force him to pay for his crimes. Swear to me, Trex. Swear you shall not speak of this again."

Trex was in tears, but he nodded solemnly. Leffy squeezed his hand to comfort him a bit. Trex smiled at him sadly. Leffy had never seen such sorrow in his brother's eyes before. He'd always been the happier of the two, optimistic and eager to embrace the world beyond their modest home. It hurt Leffy to see pain in Trex's eyes now.

Not long after, Serafine was killed, and her brother was executed for the crime. Trex didn't make any claims of injustice, but Leffy knew he suspected Ash had not committed the horrific slaughter. Leffy couldn't blame Trex for being suspicious. After all, Ash was known to be one of the gentlest Eltarians in history. It seemed unlikely he'd be capable of such a horrific act, even if the vizu story made a lot of sense. Still, neither twin spoke of their suspicions aloud. After all, their father had made it clear how dangerous that would be.

Ignatius changed after Serafine's death. He hadn't handled Talon's untimely demise well, but when Serafine was killed, he became enraged. It seemed strange that he'd be so upset by the deaths of two people he'd never met in his life. Leffy had thought it was because he knew how much Talon meant to Trex, but it seemed deeply personal with Serafine's death.

One night, Leffy and Trex noticed their father gathering weapons. "Father... What are you doing?" Leffy asked.

"I'm going to handle this," Ignatius said with determination in his voice. "No one else shall be harmed by this bastard."

The word was strong and he practically spat it out. His father was quick to gather weapons and even raise them in defense of his family, but he'd never seen him quite like this. "Father... Please, let us come with you. We can help," Leffy said.

"Yes. We should do this together," Trex agreed.

"No. This is far too dangerous, and I cannot risk him finding out about you," Ignatius insisted.

"Iggy, my love... Do not go," Elzbeth plead. "You are not thinking rationally. You vowed you would do everything in your power to avoid him."

"I cannot sit back and watch him destroy innocent lives any longer, Beth!" He shouted. "He cannot be allowed to continue to get away with these crimes! People are not toys for him to play with and discard when he tires of them!"

"Father, are you going somewhere?" A tiny voice asked.

Ignatius tried to hide his raging emotions as he spun around to face Lianna, his youngest child and only daughter. She wore an innocent, inquisitive smile on her face.

"Yes, my sweet girl," Ignatius replied indulgently, pulling her into a tight hug. "Your father must go on a journey... Please know that it is your bright smile which will get me through while I am away."

"Is it dangerous? May we come along?" Russ, the youngest boy, asked as he heard this.

"Not this time, I am afraid, my brave boy... Keep an eye on your sister and protect her while I am away."

"Always, Father," Russ replied stoically. He might be young, but he took orders from his father quite seriously.

Ignatius gave Russ a tight hug as well after releasing Lianna. "Now, run along to bed, you two. It is quite late," he said firmly.

"Yes, Father," Russ said. He gripped Lianna's hand in his own.

"Goodbye, Father," Lianna said, kissing him on his cheek. "Be safe." She allowed Russ to guide her back to her room.

With the younger ones gone, the mood turned deeply serious again. "Father, please, don't go," Trex said urgently. "I have a terrible feeling, deep in my core."

"You just lost two people you cared for deeply, my boy," Ignatius said. "Your concern is understandable. Be strong, Trex. I must do this."

Leffy had a bad feeling as well. "Father... We are seventeen years of age. Surely, we are old enough to come with you and assist," he said.

"I'm sorry, Boys. Truly... But this is something I must do alone." He hugged both of the twins. "Protect your mother and your siblings until I return," he added firmly.

"Yes, Father," the twins replied dutifully in unison.

"Now, go on. Off to bed." He sent them to their room.

Trex went into their room, but Leffy snuck back out to spy on his parents. He had to know what his father's plan was. It seemed like he was saying goodbye, and Leffy was afraid he didn't believe he would return.

"Iggy... Please... I implore you to remain here, where it is safe, with your family. This is the life you have made for yourself, the path you chose... Do not return to that monster," Elzbeth begged.

"I am not the frightened, fragile boy I once was," Ignatius said. "I shall face him as a man." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely. "I love you, my darling... And that is my strength. That is what makes me different from him. He can never know love. What he did to Serafine proves that."

"He's too powerful now, my love... Even more than he was when he raised you."

"He did not raise me, Beth. He tortured me while occasionally feeding and clothing me. The things he put me through... The way he tried to turn me into a warrior for his cause while he repeatedly tried to break me... That cannot be considered raising a child."

"I know what Zell did to you, Iggy, and I hate him for it... But serving yourself up to him on a platter is not the way to seek justice for the things he has done."

Zell? Leffy thought. The Great Wizard had raised his father? Or, rather, abducted and tortured him for nearly a century? How was that possible? Zell was a great man. Wasn't he?

"Shhhh! Do not speak his name," Ignatius said stubbornly.

"He cannot hear me. My shields are strong. You know this," Elzbeth reminded him gently.

"He cannot, but the children can... Come here, L'Fellian. I know you're there," Ignatius said.

With a sigh, Leffy walked toward his parents. "Leffy, you know better than to listen to our conversations like that," Elzbeth scolded him.

"Apologies," Leffy said. "I was concerned for Father's well-being and had hoped hearing your conversation would put me at ease." He hesitated. "Father, is it true? Is the Great Wizard the monster you described?"

Ignatius sighed. "Yes... However, you cannot be allowed to remember that. I'm sorry, Leffy... Please know I do this with love." With that, he reached into his son's mind and erased his memory of the conversation, leaving Leffy in a bit of a trance. He sent him off to bed.

That was the last time Leffy ever saw his father alive. When he hadn't returned three days later, Leffy and Trex went in search of him. The twins followed some unknown energy that seemed to be calling to them until they found a severely bloody corpse in the woods. It was clear he had been brutally tortured for at least a day before the killer had discarded him like trash.

"Father..." Leffy whispered in horror as he rolled the body over and recognized the talisman he wore around his neck. His face had been beaten beyond recognition.

Trex let out a scream of anguish and rage before immediately turning into a dragon. Fire burst from his mouth, forming a circle around Leffy, trapping him with their father's corpse.

"Trex! Stop it!" Leffy cried.

Trex continued scorching the ground. Finally, Leffy chose to ignore his brother, pulling their father's corpse into his arms gently. He stared into his eyes, vacant of all life, and whispered, "I'll look after them, Father. I promise. I love you, and when I find out who did this to you, he shall pay." With a trembling hand, he closed his father's eyes.

That seemed to get through to Trex, who dropped to the ground and returned to his natural form. He fell to his knees, sobbing so hard Leffy was certain he was going to explode. Forcing himself to be the strong one, Leffy released his father's body and ran to his twin, wrapping his arms around him.

He didn't say anything. There weren't words to adequately address all they had just lost and what they were both feeling. Instead, he held Trex tightly, refusing to let him go, until Trex's breathing eventually returned to normal.

In silence, the twins worked together to carry their father's body home. They set him down gently away from the view of any windows. Trex stayed with him while Leffy walked into the house. "Leffy, you're covered in blood!" Russ said in alarm.

"I'm well, Russ. It is not my blood. Go to your room. Stay there with Li-Li until I tell you it is safe to come outside," Leffy said.

Russ took Lianna and retreated to his room. Elzbeth came toward Leffy and looked at him in horror. "Leffy... What's happened?" She asked.

"Mother... Trex and I found Father," Leffy said as gently as he could.

"Is he... Is he hurt?" She asked. It was clear she understood the blood belonged to Ignatius, but it seemed her mind would not allow her to process that the cause was worse than an injury he could recover from.

Leffy took a deep breath. "Father is gone, Mother. He has perished," he said, forcing himself to keep his tone steady. He kept all emotions off of his face, maintaining a blank expression as he delivered the unthinkable news.

"No... No, you must be mistaken..." She said softly.

"He's outside, with Trex... We didn't want the others to see him..."

Numbly, Elzbeth followed Leffy outside. When she saw the shape Ignatius was in, she shook her head. "It is not him... It cannot be... He is severely beaten. His face is... It is wrong. That's not your Father," she said firmly.

"Mother..." Leffy said. He sighed. Then, he motioned toward the talisman she'd made him long before their children were born. "There is only one of those in existence, Mother," he said gently.

"No! No... It... It must be a trick... It cannot be..."

"Feel his energy," Leffy said firmly. "Feel him, Mother. It is Father. I know you don't want to believe this is true, but it is."

Trembling, Elzbeth touched the body. Then, she let out a cry of grief and began to sob, collapsing into Leffy's arms.

"It's alright, Mother," Trex said soothingly. "You have us. We are here. We shall face this together," he added as bravely as he could, even though his own grief was clearly overwhelming him.

Together, they broke the news to Russ and Lianna. Leffy held Lianna as she sobbed into his chest while Russ clung to Trex and begged him to tell him it was all a mistake. None of them slept that night. Their mother didn't speak a word after she cast a spell to make their father's body burn. She spared the two youngest children from seeing him, but Trex and Leffy stood by her side and watched their father's body until it was nothing but ash.

Trex slowly began to sink into the deepest depression Leffy had ever seen him fall into. So did Elzbeth. Russ and Lianna tried to keep their spirits up, but it was hard when everything around them was falling apart. As Trex began spending more and more time away to be with the Twelve, and their mother slipped deeper into darkness and barely managed to go through the motions, Leffy was forced to basically take over caring for his younger siblings.

This would continue for the next several months, and Leffy managed fairly well. Then, one day, he returned home to find that something felt deeply wrong. Russ and Lianna were in the woods gathering flowers and herbs, and Leffy was grateful because he knew something bad was coming. He rushed to Elzbeth's room and found her lying in bed. She was clutching the talisman Ignatius had always worn in her hands.

"Mother?" Leffy asked cautiously. She was too still. He knew that. Still, he had to try. She didn't respond, so he shook her gently. She was cold to the touch. "Mother! Mother, wake up!" He cried. He tried in vain to revive her, but she had perished some time before. The shattered glass from a potion bottle lay on the floor beside the bed, and he understood what must have happened. He also found her journal, smudged from tears which had dried before he'd come across it. Written on the last page was a very simple note.

I cannot remain here without him. He was everything. Please understand, and accept my apology. I love you, my children. I always will, but my time to remain in this life has ended. I see no light. I see no way to continue.

"How could you?" Leffy demanded furiously. "You still had us, Mother! Your children, who loved and adored you, and who need you! We still need you! Come back, damnit! Come back!" He shouted irrationally. He knew she couldn't just spontaneously revive, but he couldn't accept that he'd truly lost her.

Finally, he broke down and cried at her side. The glass from the bottle dug into his knees, but he didn't care. He stroked her hair gently, trying to comfort her even though she was gone. Velmara curled up at his feet, making soft whimpering sounds as she rubbed her head against his free hand, trying to soothe him. He pet her softly, still stroking his mother's hair.

After several minutes of this, he stood up. He carefully picked out the shards that had stubbornly stuck into his flesh before cleaning up the entire mess. He threw away the glass and cleaned up his blood before covering his mother with her favorite blanket.

Trex... I need you, Brother, he thought.

Trex seemed to sense the urgency. He changed form into a dragon so he could fly home, significantly decreasing how long the journey took. As soon as he saw Leffy, he knew something horrible had happened.

"What is it?" He asked softly.

"Mother is gone," Leffy said numbly.

"Gone?" Trex repeated.

"She perished. I have cleaned everything up. I thought I should tell you before our siblings returned."

"Perished? Leffy, slow down. Tell me what happened."

Leffy handed the journal to his brother. Trex read it and realization dawned on his face. "She... She took her own life?" He asked.

"She did... I do not think we should tell Russ and Li-Li that. They should not have to live with the knowledge that she abandoned us... That we were not enough to keep her here... Don't you think it's better to spare them that pain?"

"Leffy... You are in shock," Trex said softly.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps I simply cannot process any more tragedy." He shrugged. "Do you wish to see her before Russ and Lianna return?"

Trex nodded. He followed Leffy to the room. Leffy refused to go inside again. He went and hid her journal instead. When Russ and Lianna returned home, Leffy and Trex sat them down and broke the news. This time, Lianna reacted by crying herself to sleep in Trex's arms. Russ went into practical mode instead.

"Who will care for us now?" He asked Leffy.

"Well, I will, of course," Leffy said. "Me and Trex. You'll always have us."

Russ seemed to sadly accept this. "I am tired. I would like to go to sleep now," he said before walking to his room. Leffy stood outside of the door and listened to Russ cry softly in private. He decided it was best to leave him to process his grief on his own.

"Can you stay with them? I need air," Leffy said to Trex.

"Of course," Trex replied. "I'm going to keep Li-Li with me tonight. I don't think she should be alone."

Leffy nodded. Then, he left. As soon as he was outside, he began running. He couldn't breathe. His chest burned, but he continued to run, desperate to escape. Velmara chased after him, eventually shifting into her true hezkan form so she could keep up with him. When he couldn't run anymore, he collapsed against her, sobbing into her fur.

"Are you alright?" A girl asked.

Leffy was startled, which made Velmara react. She looked at the girl and growled in warning.

"Is that a hezkan? Wow, impressive pet you've got there," the girl commented. "I'm friendly with basilisks myself."

"Go away," Leffy said softly.

"I would, but you and your hezkan are in my way," she said lightly. "Besides... You're crying. That suggests you might need some assistance."

"I don't need anyone," he said harshly.

"Everyone needs someone. Let's start over. I'm Jayla. What's your name?"

"Leffy," he said, realizing she wasn't just going to leave anytime soon.

"Leffy? That's unusual."

"It is short for L'Fellian, but no one really calls me that."

"Well, I suppose it is a mouthful." She smiled at him. "Why are you crying, Leffy?"

"Why are you nosy, Jayla?" He replied.

"I'm terribly bored, which makes me curious about others. Also... You seem quite upset, and I can't bring myself to leave you here with that broken look on your face."

"My mother has perished," he found himself admitting, although he wasn't sure why.

"How horrible... I'm truly sorry for your loss," Jayla said. "No wonder you are so sad."

"I'm not sad. I'm angry."

"Angry?"

"She left us... We lost our father mere months ago, and now our mother has left us, too."

"Oh, Leffy..." She sighed, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. For some reason, this soothed him deeply. He felt connected to this stranger. "Normally, I have a sassy comeback for all things, but such tragedy is not to be mocked. I am certain she did not mean to leave you."

"The note she left behind says otherwise... But my younger brother and sister shall never see it. Only my twin knows the truth. I cannot hide things from him."

"She took her own life?"

"Yes. Apparently, without our father, she had no reason to stick around." He sighed as more tears began to fall. "I lied... I'm angry, but I'm sad as well."

"Of course you are. Death is hard, and suicide is... Complicated."

"It sounds like you speak from experience..."

"I lost a friend three years ago... He ended his life, and I wasn't sure how to feel afterward. I felt guilty, sad, and angry with him for leaving instead of coming to me or anyone for help. It was impossible to figure out how I really felt."

"How long did it take?"

"I don't know... I'll tell you when I get there." She smiled at him sadly.

"You still grieve?"

"I do... And you shall as well... However, it does get easier, I suppose. You get used to your new normal, and you find people you can lean on for support."

"My brother and I are the eldest. We have to be strong for our siblings. He is away often, working with the... Never mind that. He has responsibilities. Regardless, I am the one who must hold the family together. There is no one for me to lean on."

"So lean on me."

"We just met, Jayla."

"Precisely. I have no preconceived notions of who or what you are meant to be, so just be you, Leffy... Whatever that may mean in the moment."

For once in his life, Leffy didn't feel like being responsible. He pulled Jayla closer to him and kissed her deeply. Jayla let out a small squeak of surprise before falling into the kiss. She responded, seeming to enjoy herself as their lips became better acquainted.

When Leffy finally pulled away, Jayla smirked at him. "So, that's who you were in the moment?" She asked. "I don't mind that Leffy so much. He can visit whenever he wants to." She winked.

To his complete and total shock, Leffy began to laugh. It was soft at first, and then it grew into something wilder and untamed. He sounded almost manic as he finally released everything he had been feeling since his father's death. Somehow, Leffy knew Jayla had saved him from completely losing himself.

Jayla and Leffy began to meet up frequently after that. "The King and Queen are getting along well," Zylora remarked. "As they should. Now, to bring them together with the others... Is it time, Hierophant?"

Yes, Zylora. Now is the time. They must come together, before it is too late, the Hierophant replied.

She approached Leffy and Jayla first. "It is good you are together. It saves me a trip," she said without further explanation.

"I beg your pardon?" Leffy asked.

"My name is Zylora. I've arrived with news of your destiny, if you care to learn more."

"What a peculiar introduction," Jayla said with a laugh. "Tell us more."

"In due time. First, we must unite you with the others. Follow me."

Jayla and Leffy exchanged a glance. "Should we?" Leffy asked.

"Of course we should," Jayla said. She practically dragged him along.

They traveled pretty far before stopping at a village by the sea. There, Zylora approached her next charge. "Clayten of Eltar, meet Leffy and Jayla. You are all going to be wonderful friends once I introduce you to the last one," she said.

"Um...?" Clayten responded in confusion.

"Oh! Yes. My name is Zylora. I'll be your High Priestess. Follow me. Destiny awaits."

Surprisingly, Clayten did not object as he joined the journey. He simply shrugged and went with it.

Finally, they arrived in a village. Chaos had been unleashed. Leffy tensed as he realized an evil spell was attacking the village. Hundreds of small demonic forces seemed to be targeting the innocents who lived there. "Where have you brought us?" He demanded.

"To your final test before I can explain," Zylora said. "Good luck." She looked toward the sky. A gryphon rapidly flew toward them.

Leffy was stunned to realize there was a boy riding on the gryphon's back. He jumped down with his sword and sprang into action, attacking the creatures that were wreaking havoc.

"That's M'Larr. He's the other one," Zylora said. "Now, go prove yourselves!"

Leffy had no idea what was going on, but how could he protest when so many lives were in danger? The four of them battled, trying to protect the people of the village. Jayla fired off arrows and slowed them down. Clayten used water magic to wash away some of the creatures and to help protect some of the innocents who were caught in the middle. M'Larr was alternating between jumping off of the gryphon's back so he could stab the creatures with his sword and riding it to other locations. Leffy resorted to magic, casting dark spells to draw the attention of the creatures.

They zeroed in on him, racing toward him like a psychotic army of toddlers who had consumed too much sugar. "Maybe I should have thought that through," Leffy mumbled. It hardly mattered now. He braced himself to battle against them, knowing he had no other choice.

"Leffy! Here!" Zylora shouted. She tossed him a long staff of some sort.

"What's this?" He asked.

"A wand. Use it well!"

"Use it well? I don't know how to use it at all," he pointed out.

"Sometimes, it's best to learn by doing. Good luck."

Leffy sighed and decided he really had no choice but to trust his instinct. He closed his eyes and cast a powerful spell. The wand began to vibrate in his hand. He held onto it and used it to focus the energy he'd raised before releasing it upon the monsters. They screamed in protest before turning to dust.

"By Eltar! How the hell did I do that?" He demanded.

"You learned by doing," Zylora said with a grin. "Nicely done. Come, Children. We must hurry." She led them away. M'Larr looked as confused as the rest of them felt, but he shrugged and followed above them while still riding the gryphon.

They stopped walking when they reached the woods. M'Larr and the gryphon landed. Cautiously, he dismounted the creature and walked closer to the others. "What's going on?" He asked.

"M'Larr... You did beautifully. You ride that gryphon with skill," Zylora said. "My name is Zylora. I am the High Priestess."

"The High Priestess of what?" Jayla asked.

"Of the Arcana, of course."

"The Arcana? Like in divination decks?" Clayten asked.

"Exactly. And you, my children, are the rest of the Arcana... Well, aside from the Hierophant. He has no physical form, but he speaks to me."

"You take orders from a disembodied voice?" Leffy asked, raising his eyebrow at that. He was just about ready to take Jayla and leave.

"He's more than that... Something happened to him, and unfortunately, it left him unable to exist in a traditional form. He won't give me much information on that. The point is, he's very wise, and he came to me when I was a young girl to guide me so I would one day be able to guide you."

"You're still a young girl," M'Larr pointed out. "And quit calling us children. You look about five seconds older than us."

"I am immortal. Trust me, I'm a lot older than I appear to be," Zylora replied.

"What did this... Voice tell you to do?" Jayla asked.

"The Hierophant had a vision, in the future... Well, it's the past now, I suspect... But it was the future from when he came to me."

"I am terribly confused..." M'Larr mumbled.

"You're speaking of time travel?" Leffy asked. One of the Twelve had the power to control time, so he knew time travel was possible because Trex had often discussed how his friend wanted to expand his powers so he could move freely through the time line one day.

"Yes. The Hierophant is from this time... Or, he was... I believe he may have perished somewhat recently. Again, he will not tell me," Zylora said. "He says it is best I do not possess such details, for my own safety."

"If he's dead, how does he still speak to you?" Jayla asked.

"It is his past self... A remnant. Very little of his essence remains. I no longer feel him in this time, unless he is speaking to me. This shard of his soul that calls itself the Hierophant exists outside of time."

"Why did he seek you out?" Leffy asked.

"He says he must correct a great wrong in the universe... Something is out of balance, and that force is trying to prevent all of you from your destiny."

"Our destiny... And what, exactly, is that?" Clayten asked.

"You're meant to stop a great evil from occurring, my children. No one may know what I am about to tell you. This part of the woods is sacred, and no one can hear us here. You are about to learn many secrets, and you can tell no one."

"So, tell no one. No one can know. And no one can hear us. But, I mean, we can tell our villages, right? And my mother? She is from a royal family, after all. We can trust her, right?" Jayla asked. She waited for Zylora to frown at her before she smirked. "I'm kidding. It's a sacred secret we must protect. We get it."

Zylora nodded. "Now that I've drilled the importance of secrecy into you all... You must take a sacred oath before we can continue."

"Seriously? You want us agreeing to take an oath when we don't have any real details? All because a voice in your head said we should?" Leffy asked. "I am reluctant, to say the least."

"Your caution is wise, but unnecessary in this case."

"Why should we believe you?" M'Larr asked.

Zylora opened her arms. The elements began to flow around them. The energy was incredibly intense. Fire wrapped around Leffy. Water swirled around Clayten. Air lifted leaves in spirals around M'Larr. Flowers and vines burst from the ground as Earth created a cocoon around Jayla. Finally, Spirit flowed through them all before Zylora began to glow.

"You have a Spirit affinity," Leffy acknowledged aloud.

"I do... And that is why you should believe that the Hierophant is not a figment of my imagination," Zylora replied. "If you wish to learn the Universe's greatest mysteries, you must put your trust in your teacher. I am humbly asking that you put your trust in me."

Leffy looked at the others. "This is madness... It seems irrational," M'Larr said.

"Yet you wish to agree because you desire the truth," Jayla said. "I believe we all feel that way. My friends... I know this seems strange and unusual, but perhaps we could all use a bit of that in our lives. You feel her power, and how it flows with ours. Perhaps we should give her a chance."

"I agree," Leffy said. "I... I cannot explain why, but I trust Zylora."

"I'm in," Clayten replied. "I never overthink things anyway. I find that only holds me back."

M'Larr nodded. "Very well. Count me in, too," he said.

Zylora smiled at them. Suddenly, candles manifested around a cauldron that also seemed to materialize out of nowhere. "Whoa! Nice trick," Jayla commented. "Can you teach us how to do that?"

Zylora laughed. "Perhaps in time," she said. "Now, focus please." She began to cast a powerful circle. The energy was unlike any Leffy had ever felt before. She motioned for him to step forward. He hesitated before deciding it was too late to turn back now.

"Hold your hand over the cauldron," Zylora said softly. He did. "And, please forgive me," she added. Without hesitating, she made a small cut in his palm.

Leffy cried out in surprise and mild protest, but it didn't hurt that much. As his blood fell into the cauldron, an image appeared. It was the King of Wands he'd dreamed about four years earlier.

"My God..." He whispered.

"L'Fellian of Eltar... You are the King of Wands, meant to lead with wisdom and a fierce desire to do what must be done. Do you swear to guard the secrets of the Arcana with all that you possess and to commit to the journey that is waiting to begin?" Zylora asked.

"I swear," Leffy replied with a slight nod. He had no idea what was coming, but it felt too important for him to ignore that he was on the right path.

Your destiny has yet to present itself, his mother's voice echoed in his mind.

This is it, Leffy thought. This is the path I was meant for all along! I have a purpose after all... I am not simply the spare twin. He almost laughed with relief, but managed to remain focused.

"Clayten of Eltar..." Zylora called. Clayten stepped forward and held his hand over the cauldron without hesitation. He barely reacted when she cut his palm. "You are the Page of Cups, a noble, creative young man not restrained by the traditional limitations of logic and so-called reality. Do you swear to guard the secrets of the Arcana with all that you possess and to commit to the journey that is waiting to begin?"

"I absolutely do," Clayten declared eagerly.

Zylora nodded, letting Clayten return to his previous position. "M'Larr of Eltar..." Zylora said. M'Larr walked toward her. He flinched slightly as she cut his palm. "You are the Knight of Swords, a logical yet impulsive person with impressive reflexes in battle. Do you swear to guard the secrets of the Arcana with all that you possess and to commit to the journey that is waiting to begin?"

M'Larr took a deep breath. "I do," he replied after a moment.

Zylora dismissed him as well. Finally, she said, "Jayla of Eltar..." Jayla eagerly joined her by the cauldron, fearless as she offered her palm to the High Priestess. "You are the Queen of Pentacles, a generous yet fierce woman who guides the confused and undecided toward the correct path when all seems lost. Do you swear to guard the secrets of the Arcana with all that you possess and to commit to the journey that is waiting to begin?"

"Without question, I do," Jayla said seriously. She beamed at Zylora as the High Priestess closed the circle, sealing the spell and their oaths forever.

"And now, my Arcana... I can tell you the truth," Zylora said grandly.

"Story time!" Clayten said cheerfully. He sat on the grass with his legs crossed, eagerly waiting for more information. The others shrugged and sat down as well.

Zylora seemed to see something the rest of them did not. She nodded before she began to speak. "About thirty years ago, a prophecy was written. Only one entity has seen it, and that is the one who wrote it to begin with. He has worked hard to hide it from the world because he deems the future it predicted unacceptable and feared if people knew, they would stand in his way as he tried to prevent it," she began.

"What was the prophecy?" Leffy asked.

She took a deep breath before reciting, "In one year, over the course of four major natural events, the Arcana shall be born... Unknown to most, a star that seems dim in the moment compared to those around him shall come into existence during a meteor storm that brings twelve more who have a destiny that shall be known to all. A monsoon shall bring about a glorious light that will bring hope to the people in the darkest of times. A night of tornadoes shall bring forth a force of Air itself who will fly into battle with no hesitation and protect the innocent. Finally, when the ground itself shakes endlessly, one shall be born to cease the destruction and save the people. As they grow, the children shall become a King, a Page, a Knight, and a Queen. Together, they shall train in secret until they grow strong enough to stop the army commanded by one with more secrets than any."

"Wow. Is that all?" Jayla asked lightly.

"I have never heard the full prophecy before now," Zylora admitted. "The Hierophant shows me many things, and I understand them, but to get a prophecy across with only abstract thoughts is difficult... He had to show me a direct vision of the prophecy as it was written down."

"So... Why did the person who wrote it down decide it needed to be prevented?" Clayten asked.

"Obviously he's the one we're supposed to stop," M'Larr said. "The one with more secrets than anyone else... So, who would that be, exactly?"

"Well, if we knew that, it wouldn't be a secret, would it?" Clayten asked.

Suddenly, Leffy felt like he should know the answer to the question. "It's... It's whoever my father was raised by," he said. "The man who killed him."

"You think your father was involved in all of this?" Jayla asked.

"Yes. I feel it in my core... I think I know something more than I realize, but I cannot access the memory..."

Zylora touched his head. Then, she frowned. "Your memory was taken... By your father," she said.

"My father? But why would he do that?"

"To protect you. You overheard something that wasn't meant for your ears, and he feared for your safety. Unfortunately, I cannot figure out what that was. His magic was quite strong. If I dig too deeply for it and try to recover it, I may drive you mad or damage your mind beyond repair."

"Gee, thanks, Father," Leffy said in frustration.

"He had good intentions, Leffy... You weren't meant to know at that time."

"Yes, but now we need the information."

"And we shall find it. I promise, the Hierophant and I shall guide you."

Their training began after that. The Arcana met in secret, telling no one what they were up to. Leffy allowed his family to believe he'd simply fallen deeply for Jayla and they were running off on romantic adventures. Of course, Leffy did have strong feelings for Jayla, but he was still trying to figure out whether it was love or simply a powerful friendship that involved a lot of random kisses for no apparent reason.

A few years passed. Then, tragedy struck as the Twelve began to die. At first, it seemed to be a random series of events, but it soon became clear they had been betrayed. Trex's depression was growing worse as more of his friends perished, but one day, Leffy saw a look on his face he'd never seen before.

"What happened?" He asked. "Has someone else perished?"

"Yes," Trex replied numbly. "Lo was killed... And our traitor was revealed to us."

"You found out who did it?"

"It was Drezz... He killed them. We caught him with Lo after we figured it out..." Trex still sounded detached.

"What will become of him? Have you turned him over to the Guard?" Leffy asked.

Trex shook his head. He wouldn't look at Leffy. "Trex... Brother... What happened today?" Leffy asked softly.

"I killed him..." Trex whispered so softly, Leffy barely heard him.

"What? No... No, Trex, you couldn't have..." Leffy said stubbornly.

"Kenton impaled him first, and I shoved my sword in as well... We... We had to..." He still sounded numb. It was clear he was in shock.

"My God..." Leffy pulled his twin closer to him, hugging him tightly. "It is not your fault, Trex. If he was truly the one who killed the others, he had to be stopped..."

"He... He was our brother... And we killed him... We're killers now, too..."

Leffy wished he knew how to comfort his twin, but what could he say? He had just killed one of his best friends. "I'm sorry, Trex. I'm so sorry I was not with you," he said softly, stroking his brother's back in a soothing rhythm.

Trex's depression continued to grow worse. Leffy was afraid to leave him for long unless he knew he was with the remaining members of the Twelve. More often than not, he missed training sessions with the Arcana because he was terrified if he left his twin alone, he'd come home to find that Trex had followed in their mother's footsteps.

"You are not living your life..." Trex said one day.

"What life? You're the only one around here that has one of those," Leffy said lightly.

"I know you are involved with something, even if you do not tell me what it is. I assume there is a reason you cannot, and whatever it is, Jayla is involved. Regardless, you have all but ceased going to see her."

"You need me. You are my twin. That takes priority." He paused. "I am worried about you, Trex."

Trex nodded. "I know you are..." He sighed. "All is well, Brother. You may resume your life. I shall not leave you."

"Trex-"

"I know you fear I may end up like our mother. I fear that as well at times, but her actions are the reason why I shall not give in to any dark urges I may have. My family still needs me. I cannot leave you all." He paused before offering up a slight smile. "Besides, it would be cruel to leave the little ones with just you to guide them. I could never punish them like that," he teased him.

Leffy looked into his eyes. "Do you promise me if I leave here, I will not return home to discover you no longer breathing?" He asked.

"I swear, Leffy. I shall not leave you."

Satisfied, Leffy resumed his training. Trex seemed to begin doing slightly better, but then his friends began to die again. The first one was explained away as a simple tragedy. Zymon was killed by a stampede several people had witnessed starting naturally not far from where he'd been. No one questioned it, but the death hit Trex hard. Zytann died in a blizzard, and Zell explained he'd lost control of his powers.

Trex was barely speaking at all at that point, but he did begin ranting to Leffy one night. "Zytann had better control than any of us... I know the Great Wizard is wise, but this feels wrong, like Talon did," he said.

It had been a long time since Trex had mentioned Talon. "Do you think he was murdered?" Leffy asked.

"Yes. Yes, I do," Trex said. "Perhaps it is paranoia because so many of my friends were murdered, but..." He sighed.

"Is there another traitor?"

"I'm afraid there may be... But how can I even think such a thing? We have all grieved these losses..."

"I'll look into it for you, Trex," Leffy said. "I have... Friends. We may be able to discover what is happening."

Trex nodded. "I would be grateful, Brother," he said softly. "I am exhausted. I must rest now."

Leffy knew Trex never slept anymore. They still shared a room, after all, since neither could stand the idea of sleeping in the room where their mother had perished. He also knew he was genuinely exhausted nearly all of the time because of his crippling Depression. He let Trex walk away because he didn't know what else to do.

"My brother's friends are dying," Leffy said when he met up with the Arcana.

"I thought they caught the traitor?" M'Larr asked.

"Yes, but others have perished," Leffy explained. "Someone else is involved, and he is still killing."

"I heard one was killed in a stampede. That's hardly murder."

"Someone probably saw the stampede and pushed him into it," Clayten said casually as he chewed on a sugary snack. "I mean, it would be convenient and no one would question it... It's the perfect crime."

"Leave it to Clayten to think outside of traditional ideas," Zylora said. "I happen to agree, however. The Hierophant believes the Twelve are being destroyed by the one we're meant to battle."

"If the Twelve are still being killed off, then why would the Great Wizard rule Zytann's death an accident caused by his powers getting out of control?" Jayla asked.

"Well, it's a rational enough explanation," M'Larr replied. "He died in a blizzard. It was an icicle, from what I've heard. On the surface, it looks like exactly what he says it was."

"But he's supposed to know everything," Jayla protested. "He ruled some of the other deaths as natural disasters or freak accidents or whatever, too, didn't he? That's his go-to answer on a lot of things."

"Even experts get things wrong at times," Leffy said, but something didn't feel right.

"Or, our Great Wizard is actually pulling the strings and he's behind all of these unusual deaths," Clayten said with a shrug as he took another bite out of his snack.

"It's truly amazing how casually you make such Treasonous accusations," Jayla said with a laugh.

"It's not as if anyone can hear us here," Clayten pointed out. "Besides, it's only a theory. I could be wrong."

"You just implied the Great Wizard is some sort of psychotic, homicidal maniac who covers up his crimes with ridiculous explanations," M'Larr said.

"Yes... And? I mean, it's as good a theory as any other, isn't it?"

"It's better," Leffy said suddenly. "It makes so much more sense... If he's involved in all of this... If he's the one behind all of the suspicious deaths he explains away either on his own or with Zutan and Jezzeff's help... Everything would fall into place."

"Wouldn't someone have noticed if the leader of our entire planet was actually evil?" M'Larr asked.

"The man with more secrets than any other..." Jayla said suddenly.

"What?" Leffy asked.

"The prophecy... Which was made by the very secret-keeping man we're supposed to stop... Who do we know who writes more prophecies than anyone? Oh, for the love of Eltar, how did we not see this before?" Jayla demanded.

"The Great Wizard... Oh, my God..." Leffy said softly.

"You're right," M'Larr said in horror.

"Actually, technically, Clayten's right. I just expanded it so you'd all see it, too," Jayla replied.

"This entity the Hierophant has been training us to battle is the Great Wizard?" Leffy asked aloud, trying to make sense of that. "How are we supposed to defeat the most powerful being in the Universe?"

"Together, of course," Clayten said as if that should be quite obvious.

"Together," Jayla agreed. "We can do this. I mean, not only do we all have some pretty interesting skills, but we come with friends." She whistled. Several basilisks slithered out of the deeper part of the woods.

"Basilisks, gryphons, krakens, and hezkans answer when you call," Zylora agreed. "These entities do not work with just anyone, yet you have all managed to befriend and even tame them. No other Eltarians possess such unique companions in battle. He will not expect you to be able to use them. After all, the prophecy did not mention that you would have powerful beasts fighting at your side."

"I have to warn Trex... He's in danger," Leffy said.

"He already knows he's in danger," M'Larr said. "The problem is that we still don't know who the second traitor is."

"We could spy on them... See if we discover anything," Clayten suggested. "The Twelve don't know us. No one does, really, except perhaps outside of our own villages. They wouldn't notice if we were around. They don't even know Leffy, despite being his twin brother's friends."

"Our father didn't even want Trex involved with outsiders, let alone me. He wouldn't keep Trex from his destiny, but that didn't mean I could tag along. I didn't belong with them anyway," Leffy replied.

"So Clay's right. No one knows us. We can spy on the remaining members of the Twelve and try to identify the traitor," Jayla said. She looked at Zylora. "Would that be a misuse of our powers?"

"Not at all," Zylora said. "Stopping him is what we must do. That includes stopping those he controls."

And so, they agreed to begin spying on the few remaining members of the Twelve. There were only four of them left, but they were still known by their group's official name. Unfortunately, within days of them beginning their undercover work, Jaizon was murdered.

"Something's happening," Jayla said as beams of light burst into the air.

"Light... Jaizon's in danger," Leffy said. "Come on!" He grabbed her hand and they tried to race toward the source of the light, but it stopped suddenly.

"Oh, no..." M'Larr whispered. "Hurry! Perhaps he can still be saved!" He jumped onto his gryphon's back and flew into the air, hoping to spot Jaizon from a different vantage point. Unfortunately, by the time M'Larr found him, it was clear he was already dead.

The others joined M'Larr on a hill overlooking the scene. They watched as officials pulled the murder weapon from Jaizon's body. They could see Trex, Kenton, and Aylane watching the scene in horror.

"They know the sword," M'Larr said as he watched them. "Look at Kenton's face... And Trex's now, too."

"It's Sorlo. He's the only one who isn't with them," Leffy said. "I have to stop my brother from confronting him. The last time he had to do that, it broke him."

"Leffy..." Zylora touched his arm gently. "I am sorry, but we cannot get involved. This must play out. We were here to observe and try to learn the truth, but we cannot interfere in the destiny of the Twelve. I'm sorry."

"Like Hell. This is my brother. I'm not letting him run off into danger when he isn't thinking straight." Leffy ran off, hoping to reach his twin before it was too late. Trex was so upset that he couldn't break through to him telepathically.

"Should we stop him?" M'Larr asked.

"We couldn't if we wanted to," Zylora replied. "He's right. This is his twin brother. We must allow him to try to help, even if it's not destined."

As it turned out, the Universe had other plans for Trex and the others. Leffy didn't know where Sorlo lived, and he couldn't find his brother. His shield had gone up far too high.

"Let me in, Trex... Please..." Leffy begged. Unfortunately, that didn't work. Defeated, he finally headed home, hoping his brother would return to him.

Trex arrived much later that night. Leffy flung his arms around him and nearly sobbed in relief. "What happened? Where were you?" He demanded.

"Jaizon is dead," Trex said softly.

"I know. We tried to reach him, but M'Larr found him too late, and the rest of us were too far away to even try to help," Leffy said sadly. "We know it must have been Sorlo. Where did you go, Brother?"

"Sorlo is no longer an issue. It has ended," Trex said numbly.

He looked almost as haunted as he had when he'd killed Drezz. Leffy knew what that meant. "Who did it?" He asked softly.

"It was me. He attacked the Sisters. I had no choice. He forced my hand." He shook his head. "I was so angry... I transformed into a dragon... Kenton teleported in front of him so he couldn't escape, and I... I slashed him open with my talons. He had no chance of survival after that. It was over very quickly." He had no emotions in his voice.

"Trex... Brother... You are in shock. Please, sit down," Leffy said soothingly.

"I... I need to wash the blood away..."

Leffy stared at him. "You were in dragon form, Trex. There's no blood on you now. Transforming back cleansed it away."

"No... I... I have to wash it off..." Trex insisted. He was trembling violently and looked like his legs might give out at any moment.

Heartbroken for his twin, Leffy nodded. "Okay... Let me help you," he said. He guided him gently until they reached the tub. Leffy helped Trex undress because he was shaking too much to do it himself. He sat Trex down in the tub and ran the water.

For the next six weeks, Trex struggled with a worse Depression than ever before. He was relieved the deaths were over, but now that only he and Kenton remained, the guilt of having killed two of their friends weighed heavily on his heart. He only spoke to his siblings when they spoke to him, walking around in a bit of a daze the rest of the time. Kenton and the Sisterhood reached out to him on multiple occasions, but he seemed numb even as he talked to them, acting purely on autopilot.

Finally, he seemed to brighten up a bit one day. "I am going hiking in the woods," he told Leffy.

"Hiking?" Leffy repeated. The Twelve had often hiked together, but Trex hadn't gone on a trip since they'd begun to perish.

"Kenton asked me to go with him... To honor our fallen brothers and to perhaps find a bit of peace. I think it's a good idea." There was something in Trex's eyes that seemed desperate for this nostalgic trip, the first normal activity he'd considered in ages.

"Of course," Leffy said. "Have a good time."

Before Trex left, he called their younger siblings into the room. "I am going on a short journey," he told them. "Behave for Leffy while I'm away."

"I always behave," Lianna replied innocently. It was true she was a well-behaved girl, but she did have a curious side that often led to harmless mischief. It had disappeared for a time when their father perished, but eventually, the mischief had returned to her eyes.

"Of course you do," Trex said indulgently. He hugged her tightly. "I love you, Li-Li."

"I shall keep her out of trouble," Russ vowed seriously.

"Good," Trex said, hugging him as well. "You're growing into a fine young man, you know. Our parents would be proud."

Russ tightened the hug at his words. Only when Trex sent the two younger ones off did Leffy touch his twin's arm.

"Trex... You seem to be acting a bit unusually," he said softly. "As though you think you will not return."

"It isn't that, Leffy," Trex replied. "The fact of the matter is that tomorrow is not guaranteed. Losing one set of family has proven that to me... I have many things I regret not telling my spirit brothers. I want to be certain I always say what I feel others should know going forward."

"Be careful, Brother." Leffy hugged him tightly. "Try to have a good time. You need something to make you smile."

Trex nodded as he returned the embrace. "Take care of them while I am away... And take care of yourself as well," he said. With that, he left.

Later on, Leffy was standing outside of the house when he felt his heart begin to race. Suddenly, he began to struggle for breath as his lungs slammed shut. Something inside of his very soul seemed to be torn apart, and he fell to his knees, gasping as his lungs opened back up. No matter how much air he took in, the panic and the sense of emptiness inside of him would not subside.

"Trex..." He whispered. He knew, somehow, that his twin had perished. Still, he had to see the truth for himself. He ran into the woods. There was no sign of Kenton anywhere. It didn't look like he'd even gone with Trex on this journey. Instead, Leffy found his brother, motionless on the forest floor with a flask beside him and a note which read simply, I'm sorry.

"No..." Leffy whispered in horror. Trex couldn't be dead. He couldn't have left Leffy and their younger siblings behind.

"You promised..." Leffy cried out as he clung to his brother's corpse. He felt tears in his eyes as the truth became undeniable. Just like his mother, his twin had chosen to leave him.

Leffy couldn't report the news. After all, he didn't technically exist. He also couldn't bring his brother home. If Trex vanished without explanation, people would panic. Instead, he stood and ran as far from the scenes as his feet would carry him. His muscles burned in protest. His heart raced, stubbornly continuing to beat even though his twin's no longer could.

It was hours later when he fell to his knees. He let out a strangled scream of grief and pain before finally beginning to sob hysterically. He was certain he would never be able to stop.

At first, he did not notice the hezkans that came to watch over him as he mourned. Then, familiar arms wrapped around him tightly.

"Leffy... What has happened? Why do you grieve so deeply?" Jayla asked as she held him.

He couldn't answer her. There were no words. He simply sobbed in her arms, his entire body trembling.

Finally, Jayla kissed the tears from his cheeks before meeting his lips. This seemed to breathe life back into his lungs.

"He's gone," he whispered. "My twin has perished."

"Oh, Leffy..." Jayla said softly. It was clear her heart broke for him. "I am terribly sorry for your pain... But I am here with you. You are not alone. I love you." She kissed him again.

Leffy dove into the kiss, needing to feel her to combat the growing void within his soul. He was drowning in the darkness, and Jayla was the light. Somehow, as she refused to let go of him, she guided him back.

"You have the Arcana... You have your younger brother and sister," Jayla said soothingly. "We cannot ever replace your twin, but we remain here. We love you."

"I love you," Leffy whispered. "I love you, Jayla... I am certain of it."

She smiled sadly. "I have loved you for ages, Leffy," she replied.

He remained in her arms until he was stronger. Softly, he said, "He promised, Jayla... He promised he wouldn't ever do what our mother did... Yet I found him dead, with a note in his handwriting... How could he do this? How could he break his word?"

"Perhaps there is more to things than you can see currently," Jayla replied. "Something feels wrong about all of this... I cannot explain it, but I feel in my heart that Trex did not set out to break his word."

Only when Leffy was certain he could trust his legs to carry him did he journey home to tell Russ and Lianna they had lost Trex. They were inconsolable. Russ took Lianna to his room, and Leffy watched over them as they slept. He wasn't sure he could ever sleep again with the image of Trex's corpse burned into his mind.

When news broke of Trex's death, Eltar grieved. What had happened to the Twelve was tragic, but to know one had died at his own hands was somehow even worse. They praised Kenton for his strength through all the tragedy and vowed to support him as he needed them to. Kenton grieved most of all, clinging to Aylane for support.

It was not long before the truth came out. Jayla, Clayten, and M'Larr ran to Leffy's house. "He didn't do it!" Clayten declared excitedly.

"Who did not do what?" Leffy asked.

"It was Kenton, Leffy," M'Larr explained. "Aylane discovered the truth. Kenton was behind everything. He was one of the traitors. He killed Trex, and most of the others."

"What?" Leffy asked in shock.

"It wasn't a suicide. Kenton lured him into the woods and poisoned him," Jayla said. "He didn't break his promise, Leffy. He didn't choose to leave you."

Leffy was torn between weeping with relief and the urge to hunt down Kenton and slaughter him. "Where is that bastard?" He demanded.

"He's dead, Leffy," Jayla said. "It's over."

"Dead? How?"

"Aylane killed him before he could harm anyone else," Clayten replied.

"His own fiancé..." Leffy shook his head. "That poor girl."

"The Brothers of Legend reported everything to the authorities. Everyone knows the truth," M'Larr said. "I know it won't bring your brother back, but I hope it brings you peace to know no one believes this was a suicide." He put a comforting hand on Leffy's shoulder.

"Thank you, my friends," Leffy said softly. "I must inform my younger brother and sister."

As he told them what had happened, Lianna cried. "He didn't leave us on purpose?" She asked in a small voice.

"No, Li-Li," Leffy said. "He didn't abandon us."

She nodded, clearly taking a small amount of comfort in that news. Russ remained silent, but Leffy saw the relief in his eyes.

Three days later, Zylora summoned the Arcana to a village in distress. They each swooped in, ready to battle. Clayten took control of the sea, guarding the edge of the village from the furious storm someone had conjured. He rode on the kraken, drifting far out into the water and struggling to stop the destruction.

M'Larr took to the sky with his gryphon. He could see everything from up there, and he knew exactly where to strike with his sword, saving countless lives as he battled the strange demons running through the village.

Jayla alternated between firing arrows at her targets and sending basilisks at them. Demonic or not, one glimpse of a basilisk's eye struck them dead. Her arrows were blessed with magic, and once they connected with a demon, it turned instantly to dust. Jayla was having fun with that, and she wore a triumphant smile on her face as she worked.

Leffy summoned hezkans to help rescue people. They were terrified, but the enormous Hell Cats simply picked them up by their clothing and tossed them onto their backs. Sure, their kind could be extremely destructive, but they could also be trained to be quite helpful, and they all listened to Leffy's commands. While the majority rescued people, Leffy rode on Velmara's back, putting out fires and using spells to destroy any demons in his path.

Afterward, they made the people swear not to speak of them. They were shielded by armor, so their identities were unknown. This became a routine. When a demonic attack would be unleashed, the Arcana rode into action with their beast-like companions, and they saved people from certain doom.

Zell had no idea who these pests were at first. With no witnesses speaking of the events and no demons surviving to tell him what had occurred, he was at a loss. Because of this, he was forced to take a risk. He unleashed another attack of the demonic forces he had learned to command and stayed close to the village, watching what happened next.

He was stunned to watch them in action. "The Arcana..." He whispered. "So it has come to pass, despite my efforts." He knew he stood little chance of succeeding against strong warriors who commanded unstoppable beasts. As they defeated his attack, Zell decided he would have to identify and eliminate them.

He looked over the files of unusual events and found birth records for two people who fit the descriptions needed. The boy had been born during a monsoon, and the girl during an earthquake. He also recalled Stone once mentioning a boy born in the mountains during a night of tornadoes. That left only the one born during a meteor storm.

"Someone else was born as the Twelve came into existence... Why is there no record of him?" Zell wondered aloud. He was furious that, somehow, this boy had been hidden from him. It hardly mattered. He would target the others and the boy would surely reveal himself to try to save them.

Zell set a trap.

Zylora had a horrible feeling. The Hierophant seemed to be frantically trying to warn her of something, but she could not be sure what that was. He'd grown weaker over time, becoming little more than an echo in her mind that continued to guide her as she mentored the Arcana. She was certain she'd been right and he was dead in the present time. Because of this, he had precious little energy left. He used it sparingly, hoping he'd trained her enough that she could guide the Arcana without him one day.

The attack was on Zylora's own village. She tried to fight on her own, using every defense spell Kenna had ever taught her. When that failed, she sensed the arrival of the Arcana.

"Go back," she said as M'Larr swooped down on the gryphon and used his affinity for Air to lift her beside him on its back.

"We're here to help," M'Larr said in confusion.

"It's a trap... I can feel it. Please, you must flee. All of you."

"There are innocent lives at stake, Zylora. Trap or not, we cannot abandon these people."

"He's right," Leffy said as he met them on a hill. "This is our purpose, Zylora. We protect others from these attacks. We cannot flee just because this is some sort of trap."

"We shall fight together," Jayla said firmly as she and Clayten arrived. "We're strongest united."

"The sea is restless," Clayen said. "The one who launched the attack does not have full control of his water gifts yet, and he's in an agitated state. His hold is slipping. The sea is fighting against him. I need to strengthen its resistance before he floods this entire village."

"M'Larr, help cover him from above," Leffy said. "Clay, take Zylora with you. Keep her safe. Jayla, you come with me."

"Anywhere," Jayla replied.

Clayten and Zylora raced toward the sea on foot as M'Larr flew above them. The waves were growing more treacherous as the ocean battled for control of itself.

"Kraken! I need your assistance!" Clayten called.

The creature appeared almost immediately. Clayten climbed onto one of its tentacles before extending his hand to Zylora. She took it, and he helped her walk closer to the center of the kraken's body.

"Brace yourself against it," Clayten instructed.

Zylora pushed her back against the kraken. Somehow, she was able to keep her balance, and she began casting spells again.

Clayten touched the water. "Calm yourself, my friend," he said soothingly. "The one trying to control you does not fully understand your nature... Water cannot be controlled. It constantly ebbs and flows, and no one can completely predict what it shall do next. He wishes only to bend you to his will, but does not ask what your will is. Break free from his hand!"

The water wrapped around them, almost like a cocoon. "The Hierophant is here," Zylora said suddenly. "I feel him everywhere."

Suddenly, a vague image of a face appeared in the walls of water surrounding them. "It cannot be..." Zylora whispered in surprise. Then, she thought she understood. "Elgan... You were Elgan!"

The image of Zell's deceased brother faded completely then, and the cocoon collapsed. Zylora knew the Hierophant had used the last of his strength to protect them. She no longer felt him. The sea was calm.

"Is it over?" Clayten asked.

"He won't gain control of the sea again today," Zylora replied. "The others, however, remain in danger. We must help them. This is no ordinary Sorcerer we are facing... He did not send another puppet to carry out his evil deeds today... We are facing the Great Wizard himself."

"I saw Elgan's face... Is he the Hierophant?" Clayten asked.

"Yes. I am certain of it now."

"Why would Elgan go through such effort to help us when the one we fight is his own brother?" M'Larr asked as he came closer, hovering inches above them.

"Because Zell killed him," Zylora said in horror as realization dawned on her. "His own kin... The boy he raised... There can be no salvation for him now. Only a being of pure evil could commit such an act purely to steal his brother's power..."

"We must locate Leffy and Jayla. They need to know what happened," M'Larr said. He took off again, flying high in search of their friends.

The gryphon stopped in mid-air. M'Larr looked down and saw Leffy and Jayla facing off against a man in a dark cloak. They stood in a large circle of flames, hidden from the sight of others. Jayla's basilisks were trapped just outside of the flames, unable to reach her.

The man moved to attack Leffy with a spell. Jayla dove in front of him, knocking him to the ground. A thousand cuts appeared on her flesh, and she screamed, but that didn't stop her from trying to fight. She touched the earth, making it shake and knocking the man in the cloak off of his feet.

The man seemed offended by this. He quickly began casting a new spell. The amount of power the man radiated confirmed for M'Larr exactly who he was.

"Zell!" He shouted.

Leffy and Jayla both looked confused at his words. Then, Zell removed his hood and looked up at Leffy. He laughed.

"Insect..." He mumbled. He raised his hand and made a fist. Suddenly, both M'Larr and the gryphon felt like they were choking.

Air, do not fail me, M'Larr begged silently. He focused, and soon they both began to breathe again.

As Zell turned toward Leffy, M'Larr knew he was going to kill him. Without stopping to think, he swooped down, his sword raised. He impaled Zell through his chest heroically. This made Zell lose focus and allowed Leffy to get away. Unfortunately, Zell then turned his attention to M'Larr.

He pulled the sword out of his chest, tossing it aside angrily. Then, before M'Larr could react, he used telekinesis to knock M'Larr off of the gryphon's back and onto the ground. The fall didn't kill him. Zell grabbed M'Larr's helmet and removed it, tossing it to the ground before he grabbed the sides of his head. He pulled him to his feet before he violently twisted his head to the right.

"No! You'll pay for that!" Jayla shouted as Zell unceremoniously let M'Larr's body fall to the ground. He shoved a spear through the gryphon, severely wounding it. The creature lay beside M'Larr, making sounds of grief and agony.

"Doubtful, my dear," Zell replied.

Jayla quickly nocked an arrow, pulling back on the bow string and releasing it straight into the spot where M'Larr had impaled him. He cried out in both shock and pain. Jayla continued attacking him, alternating between causing small earthquakes and shooting him with arrows. She was losing blood rapidly, but was determined to go down fighting.

Leffy called forth the hezkans. Unlike basilisks, they were creatures of Fire, so they were able to make in through the flames.

"Protect Jayla," Leffy told them. "No matter what."

Velmara stubbornly refused to leave his side as the other hezkans surrounded Jayla. Together, Velmara and Leffy faced Zell.

"You fight well, my boy," Zell said coldly. "I expected you to go down easier."

"You were wrong," Leffy said.

"I sense him on you, you know... Trex. It's a tragedy what happened to him. Such a waste."

Leffy tensed. Zell knew he had hit a nerve. "You are his brother, correct? I see little resemblance. You do remind me of a boy I knew, however... Poor Ignatius..." Zell continued to mock him.

Suddenly, Leffy's stolen memory came back to him. "It was you," he said. "You killed my father!"

"I did, yes. It was a shame, but he forced my hand," Zell replied.

"You bastard!" Leffy shouted.

"Leffy... Don't fall for his games," Jayla said weakly.

"Hush, my dear," Zell said. "This is a private conversation." He squeezed his hand into a fist. Jayla clutched her chest.

"Stop!" Leffy cried. "Let her go."

Zell smiled at him. "Perhaps we can make a deal, my dear boy..."

"Never. I'm not that foolish."

Zell squeezed harder. Jayla bravely refused to cry out, but her pain was clear in her eyes. She touched the ground, causing it to shake violently and forcing Zell to release his fist as he grabbed onto a tree to steady himself. Vines grew from the ground, wrapping around him and trapping him against the tree. A thorn pierced his flesh and poison dripped into him. It wouldn't kill someone as powerful as Zell, but it would weaken him greatly for a while.

"How dare you?" Zell demanded.

A tree was ripped from the ground by an invisible force. It was headed straight for Jayla. Leffy ran in front of her, taking the full force of the tree as it slammed into his body and pinned him to the ground.

The injuries were severe. Leffy knew that. Velmara stood protectively over him, not giving Zell the option to try anything else. Leffy couldn't feel anything as Jayla moved the tree and pulled him into her arms.

"Leffy... My God..." Jayla whispered as she saw the full extent of his injuries.

"You'll never be safe... You must hide..." Leffy said weakly.

"Leffy, please... Don't give up," she begged.

"My body is broken... But all is well. I feel no pain..."

"Leffy, please hold on. We can find a healer... Zell is trapped."

"Run, Jayla... While you can. The vines won't hold for long."

"I will not leave you!" She was crying now. "I love you, L'Fellian of Eltar... With all that I am."

He smiled at her sadly. "I love you, too... So do not perish. Not now. Not here."

"Jayla! Leffy! Can you hear me?" Clayten called from beyond the wall of fire.

"Help! Leffy is terribly injured, and M'Larr..." Jayla's voice cracked. "M'Larr has perished."

"I'm trying to put out the fire with water, but it resists... It's his magic," Clayten said. "Zylora has almost broken through. We'll get you out of there."

He kept that promise, but Leffy's eyes had already closed for good. "I love you..." Jayla whispered as she clung to his body.

Velmara shrank into her dormant form. She cried softly for Leffy as Jayla wept over him.

Zylora looked devastated as she saw M'Larr and Leffy. Clayten had tears in his eyes, something that rarely happened. He always found the bright side, but now there was none.

Zylora healed the gryphon as Zell struggled to free himself. She comforted it briefly before climbing onto it. Clayten understood without being asked what she wanted. He carefully lifted M'Larr into the gryphon's back. Zylora held him tightly as she said, "Get Jayla out of here. There is an island nine or so miles from here. Meet me there. It is the only place where we shall be safe." She patted the gryphon gently and they retreated into the sky.

Clayten knelt beside Jayla. "I am so sorry, Jayla," he said softly.

"We must go, Clayten," she said. "The last thing he asked was that I not perish here today. I shall keep that promise."

They fled on the backs of two hezkans. Jayla carried Velmara in her arms as they left. When they reached the sea, the kraken transported Clayten, Jayla, and Velmara to the island.

Zylora was waiting for them. "We are safe here. The Hierophant... Elgan... Showed me this place in a vision long ago. It was his sanctuary. No one, not even Zell, knows it exists," she explained.

"Are we supposed to hide here forever? What about Leffy's younger siblings? We must tell them what happened," Jayla said.

"Not forever... Only until it is time," Zylora replied. "We cannot go to his siblings, Jayla. We'd be leading Zell right to them."

"She's right," Clayten said sadly. "No one knows about them. If we approach them, Zell will discover they exist and target them. Leffy would want us to remain here."

"Leffy will tell them himself," Zylora said soothingly. "I am certain of it."

They held a ceremony that night to bid a proper goodbye to their fallen friends. It hurt, but they knew they could not give up the fight. One day, they would be needed again.

Lianna and Russ each dreamed of Leffy that night. He wrapped them in his arms and told them he was sorry, but he would not be returning. He told them to be strong, and to protect each other. Finally, after shielding their minds even more than their father had when they were young, he told them that Zell was behind everything. The two of them might be alone in the world now, but at least they knew what danger they were facing.

The Hierophant watched from the other side. Zylora had believed the image he'd projected. He had been using energy he'd taken from Elgan prior to his death to hide his own identity. The biggest secret of the Arcana was one no one could know... That the Hierophant had not been Elgan, but Erech, the member of the Twelve Zell had feared enough to kill first. Unlike Elgan, Erech could freeze time. He'd done that after his death to look at Zell's book of prophecies. He'd seen the one about the Arcana with his own eyes, and he'd shown it to Zylora when the time was right. He couldn't save his friends, but he'd hoped to save the Arcana from meeting the same fate. One day, he knew the truth would come out, but for now, it was best they not know.

Clayten, Jayla, and Zylora lived on the island until after Zell was destroyed. When they no longer sensed his presence in the universe, they knew it was safe to return. Life would never be the same, but they still had each other, and they suspected the fight was far from over.

More than two centuries later, they found their way to the Rebellion of Eltar. It was Stone who met and recruited Clayten, and since M'Larr had always trusted him, they all decided to give him a chance. No one knew their history. The secrets of the Arcana still needed to be protected. They were simply three strangers with talents that might prove useful to the Rebellion. Zylora caught the attention of Vitella, who eagerly asked her to join their cause. Jayla crashed one of their meetings, saying she'd heard rumors of their existence and was looking to join their ranks. All three were welcomed with open arms.

Clayten and Jayla both reached the rank of Lieutenant. Jayla could have been a Captain, but that would draw too much attention to her, so she decided against pursuing it. Zylora focused on the role of a Sorceress. They were sent to three separate Chapters, but they knew when the time was right, they would reunite. Only then would the Arcana face their biggest and most important battle.