The Gathering that day was in the Hidden Forest, and they were learning to sense animal emotions. Or more specifically, creatures of light. Zaira had been given the chance to try with a Light Jellyfish. Looking around, Zaira saw Sunny petting a manta, Rayem was talking to Ao, Edna was feeding a small flock of birds, and Eclipse was being carried around by enthusiastic butterflies. Zaira sighed. She couldn't do anything with her assigned jellyfish. A gong rang out, signaling the end of the gathering. Zaira drifted off the jellyfish and onto the wet ground. She flew over to her friends, landing next to them.

"Why do you guys think the elders decided to start a gathering in the first place?" She asked them. Sunny shrugged.

"I dunno, maybe it has something to do with those children of SHADOWS." She laughed at the last part.

"I do wonder if the elders know about the children of shadows," Zaira mused.

"Who knows..." Edna muttered.

✵

"I AM MEZ, THE CONQUEROR OF THE REALMS. BOW TO ME, OR YOU WILL MEET YOUR FATE." Boomed a voice outside their tents. The three sky children peeked outside. It was late at night, even though it looked like daytime. Outside, there was a short sky child in a black cape and mask, with a Mohawk, shouting at the top of their lungs. "MEZ, SAVIOR OF THE WEAK, PROTECTOR OF TH-"

Sunny smacked them with her piano.

"Some people are trying to sleep here!"

Mez glared at everyone and told them, "I want to conquer this realm."

"NOPE, you may leave now," She said, pulling out a beam of light. Mez's eyes widened.

"It's not a myth," She whispered.

"What's not a myth?" Eclipse asked

"Children of Light"