Lavender and Markus hovered over some bushes as they gazed upon the shadow-covered castle “So shadow travel is a no.” Markus said lavender looked around the grounds of the palace and nodded “I mean it makes sense how the creatures can walk in the day.” Lavender said Markus looked at her “The creatures are vampires, and even one lowered-rank vampire is hard to kill alone. So with that said out loud why are we separating?” Lavender began to move out from the bushes and closer to the grounds, Markus followed soon after “Together there is a risk of discovery due to us having to be updated on each other's every move, even one mistake may end with our death but alone we wouldn’t have to keep each other updated unless something major happens, plus the higher vampires watching over them have different skills dependent on our needs, you deal with the one protecting my father a sword fighter. I’ll deal with the one protecting your mom, a blood caster or blood mage.” Markus rolled his eyes but still seemed to know she was right, so quickly he headed off, his own way and lavender went her way. She walked closer toward the entrance and as she did she noticed more and more security, which all seemed to be lower vampires, lavender smiledas she held her left hand out from the bushes “Sun barrier.” She said quickly a barrier of cyan light formed and the vampires burned away, she entered the building but was shocked by the size “How can I find her in this place.”

Markus's time in the same location

Markus hid behind some bushes having his hand held onto his weapon “Damn it, Gilbert’s report was incorrect, there are fewer vampires here…” he said he stood up and quickly the five lower vampires noticed they began to run and prepare for an attack but not long after he unsheathed his sword and slashed at each of their chests, causing them to turn to dust, he walked past where they were and looked around only seeing one Malone worker hacking away at the stone, he ran over grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to turn as he had thought it was a dwarf, the dwarf seemed afraid as he tried to return to work but Markus hadn’t allowed him “W-What do you want?” He asked afraid “Have you seen a fairy, an older fella tall and has a lot of muscular strength?” The dwarf looked toward somewhere behind Markus and pointed “T-The lower vampires took him to Miss Violet and lord Everdine.” Markus looked back and saw he was pointing towards the castle “Thanks, dwarf.” Markus said turning his head toward the dwarf but shocked to see he’d only been holding bones with no sight of a dwarf he quickly let go as his heart pounded “I’ve heard of tales of necromancer power over the dead but I didn’t know it would run this deep.” Markus turned and ran toward the house “If Violet is the sister then Neverdine must be the brother, lavender even as powerful as she is, can’t handle two higher vampires.”

Back to lavender

Lavender had checked mostly all the rooms with a majority of no luck, but strangely enough none of them had guards in them, not even one. So she felt off about this whole thing, quickly she found herself in front of the last room and opened it, it was an indoor forge filled with the noise of magic ore, and with Gwyenth at the center, lavender ran placing her arm on her shoulder as she didn’t see her, Gwyneth turned around and began to look upset “What are you doing here?” She said Lavender noticed her chained and began to hover her hand over it “I’m here to break you out.” Gwyenth began to get more irritable “You must leave.” Lavender's hand glowed and so did the chain did as the magic began to work “What's The issue're here to save you.“ lavender said then behind her she heard a massive thump sound as if something landed she slowly turned her head and saw two higher vampires “Aren’t you supposed to be-“ “At the mines?” The vampire said, “I took your father for a little trip after all why wouldn’t he want to see his little girl.” The vampire brother pushed over an older man with scars around his body and a chain around his neck and arm “Lavender, what are you doing here?” Dad said lavender unsheathed her blade and with a steady arm she turned her focus to the vampires “I’ll save him.” She said as she ran and began to slash at the vampire brother, but each of the attacks countered “It was that boy who was supposed to deal with me wasn’t it.” Lavender looked at him shocked, “How did you know?” The man smirked “My sister is a blood mage, she not only can use blood magic but she can convert her blood or food if you wanna say it like that into mana, an alarm spell isn’t as hard as it seems.”

Lavender kicked the man’s sword giving her leverage to jump back her breath began to feel heavy as she grew tired, but the vampire quickly ran over and began to attack causing Lavender to attempt to shield as well, the man looked at the sword shocked to even see it “That sword how did you get it?” He said finally landing a blow on Lavender piercing her stomach, lavender looked down at the man in shock “Know what it doesn’t matter anyhow, as from what I see you're already dead.” Violet walked over half smiling “Brother you idiot, that blade must have been a gift from him.” Neverdine looked over at his sister “Oh please, if I’m right it won’t matter, also my needs the blood.” the brother removed the sword from lavenders abdomen, her dad looked at her shocked as well as Gwyenth “You said you’d spare her!” Neverdine smiled “With your long years of living I’d thought you would know a thing or two about trusting vampires, little Caleb especially, the silver siblings. My sister Alex, a notorious vampire mage and I, the knight, are known to be stronger than all vampires.” Gwyneth stepped forward lavender looked down channeling all other voices out, all she saw was the area where his sword entered as blood split toward the floor and she began to lose a majority of her senses “As a reward though I’ll leave you two here so your son, as weak as he is can get you two.” Violet looked at her brother “Brother, sir Greywalker will be mad if you do this!” She yelled  Klaus licked the end  of his clean blade and smiled “So what, he won’t do anything as long as he needs us.”  Lavender fell to the ground and her vision faded slowly as her life faded as well.

Lavender felt a senseless feeling, she was surrounded by an endless void, with nothing to fill in, In an eternity-like second everything faded quickly into a black area with a giant light tree the color of blue at the center, she stood up and felt as if she had her foot in water “Where am I?” She said looking around but seeing nothing, she was the only person in the entire area until lightning struck and a woman with silver hair appeared with a goblin servant behind her, “Who is she Varnie?”” The goblin stood forward squinting his eyes at her, his eyes glowed and quickly lavender figured it was some kind of magic “With the power you gave me Miss Sybil I’m able to conclude it’s one of your former followers who turned to necromancy.” Sybil who became obvious to be the goddess of magic looked at Lavender with hate “If she is one of those why isn’t her ghost wandering the living plane of existence?  The creature walks in between the two arms out “Well as you the minor goddess of fate I can conclude, it’s your choice on whether to bring her back so she can continue on her walk to her fate or keep her as a ghost and potentially let the living world die as a result.”

Sybil looked at Lavender's eyes. They both could sense the fear in each other but different types of fears “Why didn’t she go to my brother or father when it comes to bringing her back?” The goblin looked at Sybil “Your father is the only one who can physically step into the living plane so he’s either off making more offspring or talking with the kingdom or empire that worships him, your brother is off having a war with another pantheon of gods for the other provinces.” Sybil rolled her eyes then snapped her fingers and slowly Lavender began to feel her soul being torn and being sent back “If my father has more kids there will be nothing left to rule.” Is what she heard last before waking back in the manor, or what seemed like the manor as it had seemed to decay over times. She stood up and looked around no one else seemed to be there, so she began to walk toward the exit. Once she left she found that the palace had overgrown Vines and trees growing everywhere. She walked towards any road that would lead her home. Once she found one she walked it.

Days later

Lavender found herself at the new home of the fairy’s and thankfully nothings changed she’d thought to herself. Markus walked out from a street unknown to lavenders revival until he turned and locked eyes with her “You're alive!” lavender smiled “How long has it been?” She said jokingly Markus took her hand and began to drag her back to their HQ, everyone looked at her shocked including her father, he ran over and hugged her “Lavender, it’s been a rough two weeks but you’re back.”  Lavender looked around, she looked at Gwenyth then back at her dad “What’s happened while I was gone?” Gilbert walked up “How are you alive, we’ve barrier you?” Gilbert said lavender shrugged “Anyhow, what was with the decay of the building, once I woke up it was as if years passed by but it seems only two weeks passed?” The door to the HQ slammed open by an older dirty fellow, “The grave site of lavender has been torn apart!” He yelled loudly, not noticing lavender at the table, he walked to the table and slammed his fist “We must find whoever holds her body and retrieve her so once we reclaim our home we can properly send her off!” He yelled, lavender placed her hand on the dirty man’s shoulder, “It warms my heart that you care for me so much Groundskeeper Archibald.” The man slowly turned his head his face paled, and his eyes widened in shock, “Sybil’s hand how have you returned?” Lavender smiled and turned her head sideways, “How I’ve returned doesn’t matter, what we need to be doing and going to the tower of Arcane and reading up on this sword.” Everyone looked at her as if she screamed murdered, lavender looked back at them just as confused “Lavender, the tower was attacked some time ago by the very lich we are fighting, half its tower is gone, and it will take at least four weeks for them to recover the half and that’s not counting checking up which book is damaged or lost and rebuilding it.” Lavender scoffed as her dream had come true, “Then let me and Markus head off to the emperor and discuss any other methods of researching this blade.” Gilbert nodded, “Alright then, meeting dismissed. Markus, go before Lavender as I must have a private conversation with her.” Markus nodded and headed off as well as everyone else except the two, “So I’m guessing my dad is taking my position since he’s back?”

Gilbert nodded “Yes, I mean no offense, but he’s better with strategies than you are but that doesn’t mean you’ve lost your seat on the council. If you’re willing please take your mother's seat as the healer leader, the type of leader our clerics need, then once we reclaim our home be our defender and once your father's ready to train your brother he’ll be our attacker.” Lavender looked to the floor ashamed, “A healer wouldn't have done what I’ve done. I’ve taken an elf woman’s choice away, and now she’ll be forced to work for us, I’m no better than the vampire siblings that killed me.” Gilbert stepped around the table and touched her shoulder, “You are better than them. With her help willing or not, this war won’t last as long as the emperor is gathering allies against the Lich and with the help from the other kingdoms we can commence a full-on attack against the lich.” Gilbert said leaning forward and kissing Lavender on the lips then stepping back, “Then as promised we can get married and just as we were told when we were younger we’ll wonder to find a new place to start a new tribe.” Lavender smiled but still felt off inside, she looked down to the ground “I know it’s natural for a different form of fairy to be born from a fairy tribe that is all the same kind I just feel it would be rather lonely at times with half our tribe gone, and who would replace us as our current tribes leaders?” 

Gilbert smiled, caressing Lavender's face “You know how our biology works, the first time we will have a child different from us as it would be born a Black Forest fairy, they would replace us and once they're of age we leave.”

An hour later at the castle of Eldoria Markus looked back at the slow-walking lavender he groaned “What took you so long, I’ve been here for an hour.” Lavender ignored him and walked past him opening the gates, suddenly two guards came walking and blocked them off, “What business do you have with his imperial highness?” Lavender rolled her eyes, “I wish to speak about some artifacts I wish to look into.” the guards aimed their weapons at the two, “Do you wish to fight truly?” “Stand down, soldiers of the 3rd Knight!” the guards filled with shock did as they were told, with an older fellow walking down many steps. They lowered their weapons and turned bowing with one arm “Lord Paimon, I was just asking what business she had with you!” the guard yelled Paimon lifted his hand signaling him to quiet down “Lavender has requested something simple of me and for the sake of ending this war I will deliver.” the guards nodded then walked off somewhat angrily.