Zephyrix's voice broke the silence. "He's here… somewhere near us." His words sent a chill down the spines of the group.
Before anyone could respond, Steve suddenly teleported Aarav, Zabuza, Saanvi, and Drothul's corpse to an entirely different planet. Shocked, Saanvi and Zabuza turned to Steve.
"We almost had them!" Zabuza exclaimed."Why did you teleport us away?" Saanvi demanded.Aarav intervened, his expression heavy with concern. "Because if they learned your true reality… if they found out about the Reality Bender, it would all be over."
At that moment, Steve smirked, his body beginning to shift. A surge of powerful energy radiated from him as he revealed his true form—Xal'Vakar, the 5th-ranked, and possibly most dangerous, of the Twelve Beasts.
"Grandpa, you're smarter than you look," Xal'Vakar grinned darkly. "You figured me out."
Aarav clenched his fists. "Then why did Eternis trust you with me? Was he lying about you being my future? Is he even still alive?"
Xal'Vakar stepped forward, solemn now. "If I had intended to betray you, I could've ended you during your weakest moments. But I didn't. Because yes… Eternis is your future version. And if you die—he dies too. And if he dies, then all timelines, all outcomes… collapse."
He continued, his tone now filled with sorrow. "If I had truly been on their side, I would've bent reality itself and resurrected our King. But I didn't. Let me tell you my truth."
"When Eternis began creating us, I was the fifth. Before me, he created Nyxarion… then Lumentoa, Ervhanthe, Kanexus… and then me.
But something strange happened during my creation. I wasn't just born with powers—I was born with feelings. All of Eternis's emotions were poured into me… his grief, rage, hope, love. That made me different. That made me dangerous. Maybe it was my fault… but because of that, Eternis began to lose his mind."
Xal'Vakar's voice trembled. He looked at Aarav, eyes shimmering. "I saw your future, Aarav. Every painful step. Every death. Every sacrifice. And in knowing that, I was set free. I was the only one who remembered Eternis's kindness."
Aarav, Zabuza, and Saanvi stood silently, stunned.
"We were once a team of five," Xal'Vakar went on, "capable of destroying entire galaxies in seconds. But Eternis felt his powers were weakening. So… he began draining the beasts he created. As each beast fell, their essence turned to stone."
He paused, his jaw clenched. "Eternis loved me like a son. I knew he did what he had to do to survive. But the others—they hated him for it."
Then, his eyes darkened. "One day, he sensed an immense surge of energy. He called out to Venmora and ordered her to give all her remaining power to Drothul, who could fly. She obeyed, and Drothul stole your parents' sealed powers. They resisted—but he enslaved them. Then we used their divine essence to awaken the 11 sealed statues… the very ones you now fight."
Xal'Vakar's gaze turned to Aarav. "I saw you… broken, hopeless. But I couldn't let that be your end. I created an illusion, saved you, and vanished to look for Eternis."
He looked away. "But instead… I met someone else. A powerful man, radiating magical energy. He knew who I was immediately. He gave me a human form and a name—Steve—and took me in as his own grandson. That's how I've been hiding… that's how I've been helping you."
Aarav was speechless. The weight of truth was almost unbearable.
"Eternis is still alive," Xal'Vakar whispered, his voice now solemn. "He still holds the powers of every god-tier entity. And he hasn't given up. He's gone to a place… that no one dares to follow."
To be continued...