The Cardinal World, under the supreme authority of its god Veldanava, shined like a radiant jewel among the Twelve Realms. Each of these realms was a universe of its own, with its own rules, truths, and creator. Although they were vastly different, there existed a divine understanding among the twelve gods who ruled them — none would intrude into another's realm without invitation. This was a pact older than stars, forged by the gods themselves when the cosmos was young.
In Veldanava's realm — a place beyond the reach of time, where the skies shimmered like liquid sapphire and the winds sang with the voices of creation — silence reigned in perfect harmony. Thrones of light hovered over lakes of starlight.
Massive trees taller than mountains swayed without breeze, their leaves glowing like galaxies. This was not just a paradise; it was a testament to divinity.
Veldanava, the Supreme God of the Cardinal World, sat upon a throne forged from pure will. His eyes, ancient and serene, gazed calmly over the horizonless beauty of his domain. Even here, where time had no meaning, he was deep in thought.
Then, it happened.
A pulse. Not of alarm, but of request. A divine message echoed through the fabric of his realm — not in words, but in pure intention. Another god had reached out. From Realm Twelve.
The sender? Kaelor, the God of the Boundless Reach.
Kaelor — known for his quiet wisdom and unpredictable nature — ruled a realm made of shifting currents and endless skies, a place where even gods tread lightly for fear of becoming lost in its infinite expanse. He was not one to intrude without purpose. So this request, this signal, intrigued Veldanava.
He raised his hand gently, and reality itself seemed to bow.
"I accept," Veldanava spoke calmly, his voice ringing like a chime in the bones of the cosmos.
A moment — or an eternity — passed. In divine space, time was not a line, but a breath. And then, the air in front of Veldanava's throne shimmered. Light bent, and a door of ethereal silver formed in midair, its edges adorned with symbols from all twelve realms. Slowly, with majesty only gods could possess, the door opened.
From the blinding white beyond, a figure stepped through.
He wore a flowing robe made from the twilight of his own skies, and stars shimmered across its surface like living gems. His face was calm, eyes closed at first, then opening — twin oceans of ever-changing color. His very presence bent the light around him, but it was not threatening. It was serene.
"Veldanava," Kaelor said softly, bowing his head just slightly. "It's been a long time."
Veldanava smiled.
"Not long at all, in places without time," he replied, rising from his throne. The two gods approached each other, and in a rare gesture, clasped forearms — a sign of mutual respect.
"Come," Veldanava gestured. A table of crystal formed between them, with two seats of woven starlight. They sat.
"I have seen the Cardinal World," Kaelor began after a pause. "And I must say… it has become something truly unique."
Veldanava chuckled. "Yes. Saiki has had quite the influence."
Kaelor raised a brow. "Ah, the invisible one. The silent deity. Even I could barely notice him — like a ripple in still water."
"You are not alone," Veldanava nodded. "Even among gods, Saiki's presence is... elusive. But powerful. He gave Veldora his wisdom. And now the Cardinal World has become a garden blooming with potential."
"I see demon lords evolving into Transcendents," Kaelor continued, his tone both curious and amused. "I see creatures finding paths beyond the boundaries you laid."
"And it fills me with joy," Veldanava said with a proud smile. "Let them grow. Let them choose."
Kaelor leaned forward, resting his chin on his clasped hands. "Then, Veldanava... would you allow them to face a challenge?"
Veldanava tilted his head slightly. "A challenge?"
"Not a punishment, nor a judgment," Kaelor clarified. "But a test. An awakening. My realm has warriors too, beings honed by endless skies and shifting winds. I could send some to your world. Let them fight not out of hatred, but discovery. Let them clash and learn. Show each other what lies beyond their current selves."
Veldanava considered the words for a long moment.
"Would it be fair?" he asked. "My children, my demon lords, my transcendent demons — they were not raised for war. They were guided for growth. This test must not become destruction."
"Then I shall send only those who understand restraint," Kaelor replied. "Let the battle be beautiful. Let it reveal, not ruin."
There was silence again, the weight of gods settling over the space between them.
Then Veldanava smiled. "Very well. But it must be done in stages. Let the challengers arrive one at a time, not in overwhelming force. Let the fighters of the Cardinal World face them freely, should they wish to. And above all — Saiki must be watching."
Kaelor laughed gently. "Of course. I imagine he already is."
Kaelor's mantle flowed like woven clouds, his voice calm and silvery as he resumed his discussion with Veldanava.
"Twelve warriors, each unlike the other. I will not send them to destroy, only to challenge."
Veldanava's golden gaze narrowed, not in suspicion but in thought.
"A slow war, then? A war of trials?"
Kaelor smiled faintly.
"A refinement," he corrected. "One warrior per year. No mass destruction. No slaughter of innocents. These twelve shall be bound by divine law—to never raise a hand against civilians, children, or the natural order. Their purpose is singular: to confront the most powerful beings of your world—the Demon Lords, and the Transcendent Demons. No one else."
The winds whispered behind Kaelor as if echoing the truth of his words.
"They will not seek to rule or conquer," Kaelor continued. "They come to test. To push. To draw out potential… or expose limits. Their strength will not be equal—it will vary. Each one forged from a different concept of my domain."
Veldanava leaned forward slightly.
"So not just power… but philosophy?"
Kaelor nodded slowly, his eyes shimmering like a vast sky before a storm.
"Yes. One might embody relentless motion. Another, serene stillness. One might bring chaos of the wind, another the calm of the horizon before dawn. Each will carry a different 'essence'—and with it, a unique challenge."
"And if the Demon Lords fall?" Veldanava asked plainly.
Kaelor's voice did not waver.
"Then they fall. But they shall fall with honor, knowing they faced divinely ordained opponents whose goal was not conquest but transformation. And if they rise? If they overcome each of my warriors—year after year—then they will ascend into something greater than what even you envisioned for them."
A silence followed.
One that carried not threat, but immense weight.
Kaelor then added, his tone slightly more serious:
"This is not interference. This is acknowledgment. The Cardinal World has become something worthy of the attention of higher realms. This trial is not to punish or purge—but to see. If your Demon Lords and their kind can survive twelve years of focused divine trial, then the multiverse will know they are no longer just inhabitants of a world you made—but beings worthy of standing at the table of gods."
Veldanava closed his eyes for a moment, then gave a soft exhale, the breath rippling through planes of reality.
"So be it. But know this, Kaelor… they are not who they once were. Guy, Milim, Leon, Luminous… they have changed. Grown. They are no longer simply Demon Lords."
"And that," Kaelor said with a thin smile, "is why I am sending only one per year."
The god of endless skies turned slightly, as if already walking toward a horizon only he could see.
"The first warrior is already prepared. She is called Saphielle, the Gale Arcanum. Her power is drawn from the silent storms beyond the edge of time. She will descend when the leaves begin to fall next cycle."
"And the rest?" Veldanava asked.
Kaelor glanced over his shoulder.
"Each one will bear a sigil of the sky and a creed of wind. They will not hide, and they will not provoke the weak. Only the mighty need prepare. For twelve years, the winds will come."
And with that, Kaelor faded into a trail of shimmering currents, leaving only silence… and the beginning of a great countdown.
Thus began the era known as the Twelve-Year Gale, a divine trial upon the mightiest of the Cardinal World.