Chapter 8 - Marva Magica, the Kingdom of Gold

It soon became clear to me that Marnordir had a hand in the disappearance of the Twelve from the Askian Mountains. Who had the power to get them out of their prison? And why was it rumored that the Twelve wished to leave Monastia and go to Atariorus, where Marnordir and the Alliance were at their worst. Something was afoot, and the plight of Lanna, Declan and Marnordir was perhaps about to take an unexpected turn.
In any case, it was said that after their escape, the Twelve did everything in their power to reach the continent of Atariorus. But such extraordinary creatures couldn't travel unnoticed without a little divine help...
We don't really know why, perhaps out of affection for their sister Galyeon, but the goddesses and gods of the magical land of unsuspected splendor Marva Magica decided to help the Twelve on their journey and hid them away for a while.
But what do we hear in the distance? Rumors of the River Magica and its bewitching creatures... and the Wild Spirits joining the enchanting chorus... let us be guided by the magic of the sacred jungle of Marva Magica, the Kingdom of Gold.

In the heart of the deepest jungle lays the secret land of Marva Magica. This mysterious country is the Kingdom of Gold, the land of the Wild Spirits. The land extends over a vast jungle with a magical and mysterious river running through it: the River Magica. Many have fallen in love with the enchanting river and its golden creatures.
Various cities are built at the edge of the river. Those are big cities richly decorated with gold. On the other hand, the small villages in the jungle shelter wooden houses often on stilts. The Guerra Magica Tribe lives in those wooden houses. They are the army of the jungle, men and women with magical powers and trained in combat.
Marva Magica is also home to many strange and fascinating creatures, including to the Wild Spirits who are men and women who live with the spirit of animals inside them, as well as their magic. Other notable inhabitants are the Magica Birds which are big, colorful and intelligent birds and the Magica Reptiles, which are creatures with extraordinary abilities. It's also not uncommon to come across Gold Diggers in the mysterious, hidden corners of the jungle. Gold Diggers are small, winged creatures that resemble goblins and look for gold in the mines of the jungle.
It is in this mystical land that the Twelve found refuge. While the most accomplished trackers had lost track of them for so long, they reappeared in the very heart of the most secret jungle. How they had emerged from the mountainous region unnoticed, no one knows...

Around the fire of the Wild Spirits, the four gods and goddesses had gathered to share a timeless moment with the Twelve. There was Marva, goddess of gold and luck, Amazon, goddess of war and hunt, Guerra, god of war and discord, and Magica, god of dreams and of the River Magica. Each of the Twelve was tired and full, ready to doze and dream before the dancing flames of the Wild Spirits. Then a rich voice as deep as the river rang in their ears.
“Welcome, my children, to the land of dreams and Wild Spirits. I am the God Magica. We have taken you into our lands and offered you the protection of our magic. Nothing and no-one from outside will be able to find you here. Nothing and no one from the outside will be able to harm you. However, as I'm sure you already know, in our world, magic always comes at a price. So, in exchange for our hospitality and assistance, we ask you to tell us a story. Your true story, the one that is kept secret in your hearts and that you only deliver in the rarest of circumstances. This is one of those circumstances.”
The Twelve looked at each other in silence. It wasn't the first time they'd found themselves in this situation. They didn't need to consult each other for long. The gods and goddesses of Marva Magica were not the enemies of their group and never would be.
Sage, who was in a sense the guardian of their little association's knowledge, cleared her throat loudly. Her toad, perched on her shoulder, croaked. Then she spoke up in response to the goddesses' and gods' request.
“In the beginning, the goddess Galyeon, or Mother Earth, brought forth twelve perfect lines of descent. In her great kindness, she offered each of them a precious gift. Thus, the descendants of Galyeon became the guardian of extraordinary secrets. Each youngest heir of their line would be assigned the honorable and dangerous task of protecting the secret of Mother Earth… … Until the day when an envious evil, Lady Tanabria, murdered the descendants of Galyeon. They all disappeared with their secrets. All but one. A child of Galyeon survived the killing. To help him protect his secret, the survivor surrounded himself with eleven friends, all faithful and loyal to his cause. Together, they form the Twelve and defend the last secret of the origins. Today, no one knows who, among the Twelve, was brought forth by Galyeon herself… Listen... Echoes in rain, whispers in the night... Lady Tanabria is awake. She's looking for the heir who's hidden among the Twelve. Even if no one knows who she really is, Lady Tanabria is watching and will soon find the descendant.”

The forest had fallen silent as Sage spoke. The creatures lurking in the shadows like Wild Spirits listened attentively.
Finally, the Magica god spoke again. “Thank you for sharing your secret with us. We know it's a heavy burden that represents more than your survival. Fear not, it will be well guarded. Not a soul in the land of Marva Magica will divulge it. We are now all bound by the magic of this sacred fire. Tomorrow, you can resume your journey to distant lands aboard one of our sacred boats, which will take you down the River Magica to the ocean.”
After this, the Twelve fell asleep and drifted off into a torpor of spirited dreams. When they awoke, they were led down to the river, where Nyu the mermaid, Princess of the River Tribe, offered them one of her people's ships. She gave them her blessing, said to bring good luck to all sailors.

And so, this discreet interlude in the Twelve's dangerous voyage came to an end. They left the lands of Marva Magica safely, only to be lost one more time.
What magic was at work that allowed them to disappear at will, I don't know. However, something tells me it won't be long before we find them again. Perhaps in open conflict with Lady Tanabria, perhaps with Marnordir and his alliance. For that, we'll have to open the next chapter of The Grand Story of Moonga…