| | | | Long ago, in the Spiral’s early days, there were six powerful beings that ruled the Spiral with peace and justice from Mount Ancieno. These powerful beings were the Ancient Ones. There was the fair Evylyna, Ancient of light and life, the powerful Keenano, Ancient of storm and wind, the soothing Lexina, Ancient of water and ice, the fierce Madalina, Ancient of fire and fighting, the strong Baokalo, Ancient of rock and metal, and the dark Teddyo, Ancient of death and darkness. They kept the Spiral in peace. However, three of the six were more chaotic than the others. Teddyo, Baokalo, and Madalina forced their siblings and their father, Ancient of balance into an inescapable prison. As their last gift to the citizens of the Spiral, the three good and their father cast a spell, delivering their power to four great rulers.
“Uskatha ne ratha powrana tranfrana!” In that moment, the first spark of human magic, Life, Storm, Ice, and Balance was born. Outraged, the three evil siblings cast their magic down, Death, Myth, and Fire to three evil men. The spell drained their energy, so they were cast into a deep sleep, and Mount Ancieno was destroyed. Though some say they are all out there, in their prisons and sleep, waiting for someone to release them.
“Wake up this instant young man!” hollered Mom. “You don’t want to be late for your meeting with Professor Ambrose, do you? You’re going to Ravenwood after all!” I got up and dressed into my robes at top speed, then rushed downstairs for a bowl of Ambrose Flakes, and headed to the Headmaster’s house. When I burst in, I heard Headmaster Ambrose telling Gamma,
“Contact all our associates. We must find the prison before Malliastaire finds their resting place. We cannot let him raise an ancient army. We have to st-“Then he noticed me. “Why hello Wolf, how nice to see you again. Why are you here?”
“What do you mean, why am I here, I’m here to receive my school and wand!” I exclaimed.
“You’re an hour early,” He gestured to the clock. “Though if you’re that excited, you could start now, if-“
“Yes Professor!” I shouted. “I’d love to start now!” I started the test in the Book of Secrets, and when I was done, instead of a creature coming out to reveal my school, a ghostly version of Headmaster Ambrose rose up, and in a mystical voice said,
“When the hundred and first Storm student comes, The Ancients will start to stir. If the three siblings of good cannot be found, evil shall control. Ten months and one week you have, before the evil rises. The new student of storm and four friends that he meets along the way will raise the siblings and their father, who will stop the evil’s stay.” Then, a Triton arose and bellowed,
“Storm one hundred and one!” then vanished. The headmaster sat down and started muttering to himself,
“Him, the student of the great… No, he can’t be… Do I tell him the tale of the… Is he ready…? Well, we only have ten months…”
“And a week,” I reminded him. He looked at me as if I had fallen out of the sky.
“Where did you come from?” I reminded him “Oh yes, now I remember. Hmm, ten months isn’t a lot of time to…”
“To what?” I asked, extremely curious about what was going on, who it’s about, and why am I involved. The headmaster took a deep breath and explained that if the Ancients were raised, they would continue their goals, and if it were the evil ones that were awakened, they would destroy all of the good schools and rule the Spiral. However, if the good were awakened first, the three evil could be defeated before they even woke up. Then he asked,
“Wolf, will you try and awaken the Ancients?”
“Yes.” I replied.
“Good.” Then he took me to the storm school and had Professor Balestrom download every Storm spell into my brain, automatically putting me at legendary. Then he gave me a note that explained that I would find a note at each spot I needed to activate. When all eight were activated, I would be able to free the Good Ancients.
The Wizard City artifact was Bartleby’s Branch of Ancients. It came up in many creation myths, like how from the Branch of Ancients, the Ancients and the Spiral were created.
Really, I thought to myself. I don’t believe myths. Wait a minute. Myths! That’s it! The branch is in the Myth School! I hurried to Ravenwood and burst into the Myth school. “Professor Drake!” I panted. “Do you know where the Branch of Ancients could be?”
“Myths are my specialty, young man,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Unless you have forgotten so soon?”
“No sir,” I said. “Will you show me where it is?”
“Of course,” he said, turning the myth symbol on a shield two full turns to the right, a turn to the left, one to the right, and three times to the left. The wall opened up, revealing a staircase. “Follow the maze to the center,” he told me. “There you will find the branch.” I stared into the darkness, and grinned with anticipation. Look out Ancients, cause here I come!
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