Amethyst sits with Melody and Penny as they sip some tea. “So, I sent you with a dozen of my brightest sparks to help maintain Sanctum after we built it. What happened, Child?”

“At first, we flourished as a magical society. Ten of us sat on the Council of Magi. The Arch Mage Wilyafanya set up houses and kept the peace. Not all factions always got along. It made for occasional heated debates, but it worked. Then this ancient Vampire demanded a private audience with him. No one knows what they discussed, only how the Vampire left angry. Soon after, the Vampires and Demons would periodically raid us. Whatever the Dark Council wanted, they were going to take by force if necessary.”

Mélodie sips her tea, then waves her hand to summon a plate of cheese biscuits. “In my time as Earthen Realm representative, I had developed a relationship with a Warlock from the Seer’s court. He was such a handsome man, Mother, you would have approved of him,” she smiles at the fond memory. “Allister had found these rings that would allow us everlasting life. Being Human, he was afraid of his mortality, you see. Only once I read up on the ritual to bind them did I find out they were actually rings of everlasting love.” She pauses, then looks down at her wedding ring, “While I cared deeply for Allister, I did not believe in true love back then. I wanted us to be together longer, though, and he was already approaching middle age. I would far outlive his mortal life.”

“What happened?” Amethyst probes.

“We found a grove to focus the magic, enlisted a priest to marry us. During the marriage ceremony, the Vampires and Demons attacked… at least, I think so,” she frowns.

“What do you mean, you think so?” Amethyst looks confused.

“Focused on the ritual, I was not paying much attention. One moment everything was going perfectly, I could feel the spell binding us, and then… the world exploded around me, followed by blackness.” Her brows knit, “so much pain, everything hurt… I… I do not know how long I had been unconscious, but — when I awoke — a Warlock Vampire was standing over me,” she swallows. Penny holds her hand like she’s feeling the same pain as her wife. “I tried to move, but I could not,” Mélodie gasps. “He told me to lay still, my wounds were fatal, and he was actually trying to heal me.” Mélodie looks at Amethyst, “Sadly, my wounds were too great. He said I would need time to mend, but where my body lay was not safe. As much as I knew he was the enemy and should not trust him, his expression was soft and caring. When I agreed to his aid, he picked me up gently as if I were a child, and carried me off to a tower away from the conflict.”

She draws a deep breath. “I remember his words like they were yesterday,” sadness seeping into her tone. “He could heal my injuries, but there was a gap in my aura as if my very soul had been torn in the mishap. I would never feel whole. He could not mend it. The incomplete ritual cause more injury than the eye could see. My body would eventually falter and wilt away,” she frowns. “I no longer had centuries to live. I had days! The alternative was to trade my abilities for greater power. Rebind my soul with a new focus to not lose myself. I should have known what he was up to, but I was afraid of death. I could already feel my life energy draining from me. In my desperation, I accepted his offer.” She looks up from her cup, “That day, I accepted the demonic pact that would give me this vampiric curse. Unlike the afflicted Vampiric Virus, I am still very much alive. The dark energy from the pact regenerated my body and made me whole again. I can still use some of my arcane abilities, but it stripped my Fae powers from me. There is no more Light to my magic, all of my spells are now born from Warlock or Dark Magic.”

Mélodie finishes her tea, “To prolong my life, I accepted the Demon’s blood. While the dark energy replenishes my body, there have been sacrifices. The gift leaves one anemic. My body is sensitive to sunlight. I will not disintegrate as the afflicted do, but I will burn, blister, and the pain is quite uncomfortable. While I can still eat, Warlock spells drain my body of nutrients. I have to consume blood or plasma to nourish myself, or I get sick. My Master eventually found this otherworldly fruit.” She pulls a purplish peach-like fruit from a pouch, “Heavy in iron, the fruit shares properties much like Human plasma. It is actually poisonous to mortals, but to a Warlock with Demon blood, it is quite refreshing. This allows me to survive without feeding on living creatures. There are some interesting side benefits to regularly consuming this fruit. The body metabolizes the sweetness, producing an interesting aphrodisiac. It masks what would normally be a darker presence.”

“She smells so delicious. Her scent drew me to her, like a bee to nectar,” Penny offers her wife a sultry smile.

Melody smiles, “Yes, it enhances our appearance, lending an otherworldly beauty that few can resist. As the body is forever young and the scent is sweet, it is almost a drug to those I seduce. I probably should not be proud of how I have had so many relationships in my long life, but one grows lonely over the years.”

Penny shifts and snuggles into her wife.

“When Master Phan turned me, I feared the Council of the Magi would think of me as a traitor. When the Vampires retreated again after failing to obtain their prize, I followed them back to Earth. I knew I should have reached out to you, Mother, but I was lost, confused, and drunk on my newly gained abilities. Using my allure to influence others, I acquired land, bought a title, and became a Countess in medieval France. I ruled over my people sternly, yet they still loved me. I first fed off people, never taking enough to kill my servants, but enough to keep me alive. When we learned of the Blood Fruit, I stopped feeding off humanity. It was just as well, they were growing suspicious. I grew my own trees, acquired a manservant, and a few lesser thralls. I made a new family for myself.” She glances at Mr. Duncan, “When the French Revolution started, we were the only two that managed to escape the wrath of the peasantry. I eventually faked my death, changed my name, and then roamed the world in search of antiquities and relics. Ultimately I was looking for the ring I now wear, as it was lost during the battle in Sanctum.” She holds up her wedding ring, “This is the Dark Ring, it requires the dark magic of a Warlock to fuel it. My wife wears the Ring of Light. Only those pure of heart can wield its true potential. With Penny’s light magic and my dark magic, the rings combine to make us unstoppable.”

“You spent centuries roaming the Earth, looking for that one ring?” Amethyst seems surprised.

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“Mother, the power this ring holds, I could not leave it in the hands of someone evil. Even without it’s mate, it increases the power of a Warlock. While my new abilities are tainted by demonic influence and dark magic. My former life as a Fae has prevented me from being a creature of ill intent. I needed to keep the ring away from those who would do wrong. Mr. Duncan and I spent centuries researching and hunting for the Dark Ring while keeping the Ring of Light with us. It was originally mine, but with no more light in my being, it was now useless. My hope was to eventually find a mate that could wield its power. The Ring of Light requires a being of light magic; a healer, Druid, or creature of nature. I also found that the ring just won’t work for anyone. The ritual to bind the two holds a condition. They are rings of Everlasting Love. I had to find my soul mate, my true love. The binding spell only works if the pair are bound by Fate.” Mélodie smiles at her wife, “I had almost given up hope until I met Penny. The moment our eyes met, I could not let her go. As much as I tried to excuse that it was just another case of false hope, that I was fooling myself yet again, I felt compelled to be with her. We were drawn together, but without this ring, there was no point. As Fate would have it, we found the Dark Ring when I finally admitted my love for her. I could not deny she was the one. When the two rings resonated, begging to be joined, I took that as a sign that it had finally found the loving mate it was seeking. Odd how Fate would offer me a wife, but I suppose it is fitting. We are only eternal through the rings. Any offspring would be mortal. We will live so long, it is probably best we can not have children together.”

“We have children, My Love,” Penny reminds her.

“Yes, I suppose we could consider the thralls I have turned over the years as my offspring,” Melody smiles. Her face turns sad. “But you will never know the joys of motherhood now. I can’t offer you a baby, My Darling.”

“I was ready to make that sacrifice the day I accepted your betrothal,” Penny smiles. “I’ve not regretted our time together. I love you so much!”

“I love you too,” Mélodie smiles and they kiss.

“You’ve travelled the world, witnessed humanity change and develop. You’ve hidden among them all this time?” Amethyst probes. Mélodie breaks her loving embrace with Penny and nods. “Sanctum, there is so little of it left! What happened?”

“You will have to ask Elphaba. No one outside of the Sanctum knows. I have searched for the remnants of the Seers court and have found none of them. Decades ago, a generation of teenage potentials were exiled to Earth. Some were scattered across the globe, but the most powerful of them were sent as a group. Shortly after that, all the portals to the Sanctum went dark and this realm shattered. There are no recordings or writing. What the survivors recount is riddled, and incomplete, making no sense. Much like my own near-death experience, the world suddenly shattered in a flash of light, followed by darkness. All they can agree on is that it was a horrible day. Only ruins remain of this once beautiful realm. The few survivors banded together here. Fortunately, what little magic was left, allowed them to create food, water and enough supplies to live. Even this school needed to be rebuilt.”

“Being one of those exiled teenagers, it was not a pleasant experience,” Adam remarks as he steps into the kitchen. “I was born here. I remember how beautiful it was. It took us five years to gain enough strength to reopen the Fallcrest portal.” He sits down at the table, “From what I could gather from the survivors, the Demons and Vampires made a final great push. Before their attack, they had sown lies and deceit among the High Magi. My father, the ruling Arch Mage, was having a harder time keeping the unrest under control. As a precaution, he sent my generation away from Sanctum. I couldn’t understand his worry. At the time, the affairs of the Council were beyond me. We were told we were going on a field trip. It would only be for a week, or two at most. It was only a matter of days before we lost all contact with Sanctum.” He frowns, “Elphaba told me that, when the Demons struck, the magi started accusing each other. They fought each other as much as they fought the invasion. I can only imagine the amount of magical feedback such a battle could create. I’m glad I was not there to witness it. I lost my family, my friends, and my home. Elphaba barely survived the ordeal herself. She gathered a few refugees and had been living here, downstairs for years before we could reconnect the Gate.”

“What is your goal now, Arch Mage?” Amethyst looks at him.

“With the Vampire threat mostly eliminated, we can focus on rebuilding. We don’t have enough space here, I’ve been slowly connecting our magical society on Earth. There are no children in Sanctum. I’ve spent the past few years setting up ‘Schools for the Gifted’; a safe harbour for children to manifest their abilities. The goal is to connect magical families; we form communes, covens, and closed communities. Allowing us to advance magic while hiding in plain sight. It’s dangerous; we constantly worry about being found. We need to rebuild this realm where we can once again find a safe refuge. We could use your help,” he looks at Amethyst with a pleading look.

“It is why I am here,” she places her hand on his. “The Pixies I’ve gathered are good workers, but the Spring Pix is but a flower seeder. She’s not strong enough to sow the soil or grow large things. Do you have Druids?”

“Not enough for the task at hand,” he frowns.

“Which is why I sent Lyric back home to Arvandor. Our first task is to build a bridge to where their gate once stood. Hopefully, it is only dormant and mostly intact. Once we contact Lyric, the Druid Council will ideally open the Gate from their end. With Elven aid, you gain the resources of their Bardic Council network. We shall rebuild Sanctum,” Amethyst smiles.

“You sound so confident,” Adam quirks an eyebrow.

“Young Arch Mage, I once helped build this realm from an insignificant speck to the vastness you knew as a child. Rebuilding will be much easier,” the Fae grins.

“You helped build the Sanctum?” he looks surprised. “Over a millennium ago?” She smiles and nods. “Just how old of a Fae are you?”

“Now, now, My Child, did they not teach you it is impolite to ask a lady her age?” she offers a disarming smile. The women at the table laugh at her little joke. “Your grandfather was a handsome man, but you must take after your mother’s side of the family.”

“Really?” Adam smirks, almost amused. “How can you tell?”

“You have neither his stature nor his looks. Your grandfather was an Elf. You definitely look Human, though I see that you have inherited nearly all of his magical abilities.” She taps his arm as she stands, “That is the most important part of your heritage.”

“I’m not sure whether I should take that as an insult or a compliment,” Adam’s smirk doesn’t falter, causing Penny to giggle.

“I do like your sense of humour. It will make our job more entertaining,” she beams. “Come, let’s gather my children to plan what we must do next.”

“You don’t intend on rebuilding so soon, do you?” he queries.

“No, we are all too drained from the battle,” she replies. “Planning is something Master Luke Goodson seems to be proficient in. Bring him along with us. We need to see what resources we have before we can take our next step.”

“Luke is not one I would call cooperative,” Adam warns the Fae.

“He was here when it was important, I can entrust him to do what needs to be done,” she smiles confidently as she leaves the kitchen.

“Is she always like this?” Adam queries, turning to Mélodie. “How can she be so confident this will all work out?”

“Oh, she is being reasonable right now. Wait until she gets stubborn,” Mélodie grins.

“What happens if she gets angry?” Adam queries.

“Let us hope you never see Mother angry,” Mélodie’s voice is laced with worry.