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BackAgainAU Part 1: Devil's Deal
*Remember that this is just an AU and it has nothing to do with the actual canon timeline*
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    "So about the bat race predicament."
    Princess Ender Sang Grace-Glider sat across from Count Darkula Night Vleermuis in the dead center of his office, his voice echoed and purred but it was neither welcoming nor warm. She tapped her fingers on her lap, a nervous habit she had when she knew what was coming. How long has she sat there for? It felt like an eternity and with each passing second, her surroundings seemed to consume every bit of light that gave her comfort. The stone walls were silent, but holding secrets from the purple baticorn. The candle flames swayed mysteriously, as if whispering to each other. “Yes, what is it that you wished to discuss concerning this manner?”
    The grey vampire smiled, it wasn’t something she was used to; it was ominous, just like everything else in this DuSang-forsaken castle. “It’s the restrictions and law you declared during our last meeting in the Vampire Court, your highness. We announced the law to the nation to get a hearing for their opinion; you know our citizens are our priority, and that’s why we make these public statements. You see, although the brown bats and fruit bats don’t mind the removal of nectar from our nation’s diet, the vampires are rather…” he tapped his chin with one finger, before brushing it across his lips, his smile never leaving his face.
    He didn’t finish his statement. He didn’t need to.
    “Yes, I am well aware of that. However, with the growing population of vampires in our nation and in neighboring countries, we can’t possibly afford that many donations from non-vampire folk.” Vampires needed a supplement of blood, roughly a pint a week. They were being generous, and they usually got their fill by local blood banks and deliveries, since hunting for blood from the innocent was illegal, and immoral as well. Hell, there were even sections in most grocery stores that offered blood in cartons or bags. Of course, it wasn’t pure blood, for there was always an additive or substitute that could increase the normal intake, but even then, Ender found taking blood from others was… barbaric. “That’s why I lowered the ultimatum by 75%.”
    Darkula nodded, looking down towards his shiny, red pearl that indicated his rulership across Transylvania. He rubbed it twice, as if it were a good luck charm. “Have you possibly considered the dangerous trade-offs that would take place if we do pass this law? Starving families and a possible increase in illegal huntings.”
    “Yes, but we also have an increase in security in local villages and towns. Furthermore, we can’t possibly keep asking so much from other nations. Darkula, it’s their blood! Asking for so much monthly is like asking for a body part or an organ from every individual. And what of the sickly who cannot donate their serum? Our life span surpasses that of a normal non-bat citizen; it’ll be an exponential demand in a few centuries-”
    “We offer many of our country’s goods and high prices for this nectar, even if it’s a necessity for us both, your highness… It is like we are paying for air.” Blood was a necessity for them. Like food, water, air and shelter for any living creature. Paying for that was wrong for most people. Many vampires could starve without blood. They could eat normal food, drink all of the water and be perfectly healthy but die from no plasma intake.
    A blood-curdling shriek echoed across the halls, causing Ender to turn her head towards the black door that blocked them out from the rest of the castle. “What is DuSang’s name was th-?”
    “Nothing to fret over. Chances are, that was Feather Duster preparing our drinks.” How could Darkula be so calm after a scream like that? But that didn’t sound like a cry she would emit. It was a lot lower than a normal mare’s wail, and Feather had a pretty high voice. Unless it wasn’t her that was screaming.
    The Princess’s eyes widen in fear and realization. “She’s not-”
    “Calm yourself.” Ender didn’t like Darkula talking over her, she never had the chance to speak. “Feather must’ve burned herself when preparing our tea, and that’s why she caterwauled.”
    Tea? Ender didn’t recall wanting tea, specifically. It’s not that she had nothing against it, she enjoyed a small cup of chamomile with honey, but why would she screech like that if it was simply a burn? And why was Darkula so halcyon over it if he cared so dearly for his personal assistant.
    “Please focus, your highness, this matter is solely based on your proclamation. I am aware that you’ve made some intellectual statements during previous meetings and you are very clever, Princess Ender, but everyone in the Court can agree that this is overall unnecessary!” His hand waved in circles in the air, adding emphasis to his words. “You say that we must consider what the future demands might be, but I ask you to-”
    “Darkula.” It was about time that Ender stopped the Count with his useless rambles. She held up her hand to his face and counted to herself to make sure he wouldn’t try to finish his ranting. “You can stop talking about this, it’s only a distraction and I’d rather you cut to the chase. We both know why you personally called me here to speak to you.”
    If silence could kill, they’d both be dead right where they sat. No sounds could be heard, no clock ticking, no wind whistling, even the candle flames’ crackles calmed to add onto the ambiance.
    “Is that so?” Darkula finally spoke up, his eyebrow raising in doubt.
    “Your reign of power. I can tell you weren’t fond of my title and ruling. Having to ‘share’ a throne, as you might put it, is just another thorn to your side. Another weed in your garden of roses.” Ender wasn’t fond of having to rule either, not because she wanted the throne to herself, but it always felt wrong to have been given this political power she never asked for. Darkula was perfectly fit to rule this nation on his own, and if he needed any assistance, he had a Duke, a Prime Minister and an Ambassador by his side to “rule” with him. Adding a “Princess” to the bunch was uncalled for. Knowing him, though, Darkula would simply try to deny this-
    “Of course.” Wait. Really? “As I said, you are very clever, your highness, and you would have been able to see that sooner or later I would have something to say over this highly crucial matter.”
    Crucial. Yes, to Ender and Darkula, both, this couldn’t go unsaid and swept away hoping things would work out for itself. The lavender baticorn was calmer now, but quite confused: the Count was very tranquil with this, and she expected him to be infuriated, start yelling even. Yet he wasn’t. Something was wrong.
    “Princess, for almost a thousand years I was the king of Transylvania. For almost a thousand years, individuals from all over the nation would come to me and look to me for guidance. My family held the throne high for millennials. My ancestor, Faux DuSang, led a war for bat populace freedom from slavery! He earned his title as General, he stood up when bats were on their knees, trembling. He became the leader they needed during times of turmoil. Faux fought long and hard to keep them going, and eventually, they won their freedom back from those who chained them up and whipped them raw. Imagine if you were there during those times…” What would they consider her? “DuSang became a literal legend. He became King, calling himself a Count to further ease the worries of the civilians at the time, for King Heroe was a cruel man and a half, and ever since then, generation after generation the throne, crown and title had been passed down to a Vleermuis. We earned this, and then suddenly, you came.”
    Ender swallowed, trying not to appear intimidated by his ice-cold tone, but Darkula could become anyone’s worst nightmare. Anyone’s. “What are you imply-”
    “I mean,” he folded his hands on his desk and stared solemnly at his polished, wooden top, “You were merely a spell caster. A magic keeper aiming to do something with your life like every other mortal, but then, you fell ill with a disease that the medics couldn’t properly diagnose. They couldn’t prescribe you with a proper treatment so they assumed it was just a genetic, terminal disease.”
    The baticorn felt her stomach twist; it was all true, everything. She must have been 21, almost 22 when it happened. While she was still a spell caster and days from dying, Ender had saved enough to hop on the next boat in order to leave the country, just so her little brother and parents wouldn’t have to see her sick and die right in front of her. She wrote them a letter explaining her situation and said she would rather die alone than know that she did something so horrible, it basically dragged her to death. She didn’t want to see the look of sorrow in her parents’ eyes as the life left hers.
    “And then what was the result of all of this? A sighting of a lavender spell caster with bat wings on her back. Not only did you manage to survive, but you managed to reach immortality! Something so life changing, literally, and you don’t even remember or know why or how it happened!” A small growl escaped when he took a breath.
    Ender’s ears folded down, she had to say something to defend herself or Darkula might eat her alive. She couldn’t let that happen again. Opening her mouth, she prepared some spat of nonsense to get him to listen to her pleas, but not before he continued with his rant.
    “The first bat immortal in over 4,500 years since King Lucifer’s reign in Pleiades. Princess Ascella Heavenlight tutored you in hopes to bring a brighter name to her family that her uncle had left in shambles. Now suddenly, with you in the picture, the next few and past couple generations won’t know who to go to. Suddenly, my title means nothing!” He stood up from his chair, hands on his desk and his fingernails scraping across the polished, wooden top. “All because you’re wearing that crown over your head…”
    Ender felt the weight of her tiara turn into lead as it pulled her mood and her skull down. She felt guilty once again, for something she had no control over. The amount of times she wanted to step down from the throne was too many to count, but the thought of Ascella glaring down at her, calling her a failure for giving up, always made stand taller. The lavender baticorn’s wings tensed as she tried to defend not only herself, but ease any worries Darkula might have. “Your title still matters, Count Darkula! You are just as, if not more valued as you ever were before I stepped into the equation! Why can’t you see-”
    “And might I add, the transformation wouldn’t even be possible! Any spell caster bitten by a vampire would simply have vampire venom in their veins.”
    Ender jerked back at the now much harsher tone in his voice. Now Darkula was mad, which was never good for the one he was yelling at, and that was the bat immortal at the moment. She felt like a small child being scolded by someone she hardly knew. She couldn’t cry. She was better than that.
    “You would have gotten the basic physical features of a vampire-” which to anyone who didn’t know, was slit eyes, larger-fluffy ears, and of course fangs and venom glands, “-and eating habits! Never would you have grown a set of wings! Bones wouldn't appear and become part of the skeleton, only the wings of storm chaser have the ability to become fully-fleshed bat wings! And the venom can not affect immortals, not like you were one to begin with! Only those with pure blood could have passed on those genes to their offspring! So tell me: how did you do this?!” Darkula snarled, his own fangs baring and his bizarre eyes glowing a red light; something vampires did when they were enraged or frustrated. The grey vampire sounded more desperate, however.
    Ender inhaled. She never wanted to make the Vleermuis mad, but it was inevitable at times. But it seemed like it was always the baticorn… Once again, she didn’t blame him, but she remembered a time when he was kind to her, back when she was a spell caster. "I wouldn't lie to my subjects about this. What gain would I get by lying to anyone, especially you, Count Darkula? I made a vow not to be dishonest with any members of the Vampire Court, that includes information based on my transformation. If I had a lead, I would give it to you. I would have given it to Heavy Storm. To someone."
    Darkula looked- no, glared at Ender for a long minute, as if he were reading her mind and expression, trying to find any fault, any fib she might have told… if there was any. He sat back down and took a deep breath, recompositioning himself. "Forgive me Princess for my bitter temper, but if I must be honest, it's not me that I'm worried about,” he paused, looking at a photo frame that was facing him and facing away from Ender, “...it's my family."
    His family? "Your family?"
    Suddenly, as if it were a half-time or commercial break from a live broadcast, Feather Duster returned to cease any rising tension between the two rulers. In her hands, she held a silver tray and on it, rested tea cups, biscuits, and a steaming tea pot. "Your tea," she said with a smile, placing it down on Darkula's desk like she always did. Ender imagines that, normally it was his lunch and the occasional dinner; Darkula hardly ever left his office.
    "Thank you Ms. Duster," Darkula smiled at her, suddenly calm again.
    Feather smiled back at him, a wider grin, and began pouring the tea into the cups. The sound of hot liquids hitting the inside of small ceramic cups brought some peace in the room again.
    Ender was reminded of having a few tea parties with her grandparents from her father’s side, back when she was a young spell caster. She tried having a few with her brother, Vacan Ryder Grace-Glider, back when he was a baby, but he never cooperated, obviously. Imagining him now and how he went about with his life, Ender knew that he would sooner kill himself than have to sit through another tea session. How she missed Vacan.
    After a few seconds, Feather Duster gave each bat ruler a cup and left quietly. Ender placed her cup down without even glancing at the beverage. Darkula, on the other hand, took his time drinking the hot tea. He placed his lips on the edge of the cup and took a sip, savoring the flavour. When he swallowed, he placed the cup and saucer to the side and looked back up.
    "You see, Princess, my family is the most important thing to me and I’d move mountains for them. I promised them a life they would enjoy. I promised my children a life of certainty and hope when they were each born, a life where there would be no affliction or vexation on what part they’d have to play in this world. A life where they would receive the future anyone would wish for. When the time comes, I will step down and it will be my eldest son, BloodMoon's turn to sit on the Vleermuis throne to carry on what many generations have begun. I promised him at a young age that he would one day step up as the future King of the Bats... But now, because of you, it is impossible."
    Ender shivered when he mentioned BloodMoon. She had seen the Count’s son once or twice after her coronation, but she hadn't had the opportunity to greet him… again. They were childhood friends, but it had been centuries ago. BloodMoon Tiny Vleermuis, the Count to be: the future King of Vampires. It was fitting, and she knew that he had been studying long and hard for this moment, this promise his father had for him. Technically, nothing could stop the crowning and BloodMoon could very well still share the throne with Ender.
    The lavender vampire would be lying if she said she never had any feelings for that man. When growing up, she was close to him, if her memories didn’t fail her, and he was always such a kind, welcoming gentleman. Of course, near the end of her mortality, Ender began to drift away from him and spend more time with his younger brother, SunBite, but for the most part, she never forgot those feelings.
    Did they fade? Yes, Ender, after some time away from the Vleermuis brothers and spending more time with others, those desires eventually vanished. She, admittedly, had several partners in the past, and although she cherished them greatly, one can never forget their first love. It’s like reading an old book from your childhood; you can never forget the story, whether it was good or bad.
    "Never fear. I decided to make a proposition."
    She blinked, forgetting that Darkula was even there for a second, her mind was in another world. Despite her mind scolding her not to, she looked straight at him, uncertainty in her gaze, "I beg your pardon."
    The grey vampire smirtled. It was unsettling, like a porcelain doll whose eyes followed you no matter where you looked. The Count was worse than any antique doll, though. He pushed himself and his chair back, before reaching a hand into his desk drawers, and pulled out a large sheet of parchment. It was rolled into a scroll, and the Vleermuis crest was waxed into the sealed edge. He held it out to the lady sitting before him, his eyes never abandoning hers, and he only looked away once she took it from him.
    Ender popped open the seal, but didn’t unroll it just yet. She knew that this was something important, if the Vleermuis crest was waxed onto something-an envelope, a scroll, a package- it was personal. She swallowed more rising fear, and gently began to open it. Her ears folded down as her petite fingers traveled down the diploma.
    "A young lady such as yourself should never have to go through the struggles of acting like a ‘proper’ Princess. There’s too much responsibility on your shoulders, and you hardly had enough time to prepare to act like such a dictator, did you not? Your coronation was unexpected, your transformation was uncalled for. As Princess, you’ll often get busy, your subjects shall never stop asking for impossible requests. Take it from experience, you will never get a night off or have time to yourself. So as your Count, I am offering you something you simply cannot refuse!"
    Ender rose an eyebrow at him, before undoing the rest of the parchment, her eyes widening at the amount of words written on the file. Near the end of the declaration, a line stood blank, ready to be filled with permission. A wish. A command.
    "Surrender your political power and stance as Princess."
    The lavender vampire quickly glanced up, her crimson mane bouncing with her. “What?”
    Darkula held the quill in his hands. It was large and as dark as the void, just like the ink it would normally rest in. "Capitulate your powers, step down from your title and you shall never have to worry about royal duties again."
    Ender couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Consider the positive outcomes if you agree to sign: no more documents to scrawl and file all night long. No more never-ending meetings and trials with the rest of the Vampire Court. You won’t have to worry about what the public and press thinks of you. You can finally begin a new life, a proper one! Something you couldn’t grasp while dying in your spell caster body, and something you cannot have now with what little time you possess. Your blood is cursed and blessed with immortality. Your wings are a constant reminder of what you cannot recall, but you can find a way to fix the shattered heart inside of you. My youngest, SunBite, even told me once before our meeting that although you loved being a magic wielder, you always wondered what it would be like to own a pair of wings."
    SunBite told him that? Why would he remember her saying such things? Was it even true now? Ender had her wings for so long now, it felt as if she was born with them at this point. She recalled how bizarre it felt when she first woke up with them. It was as if two extra limbs were attached to her back, hell maybe even sewn on like she was the victim of some cruel experiment. They were heavy, their size recognizably bigger than that of a normal vampire and they were so sore. She thought she would grow into them, but she never really did.
    "You may finally and properly return to your family as if you never left. You may even begin one of your own if you please with no ill-will. I hear it’s tradition, even necessary to betroth someone who holds both a horn and a set of wings if you equip them yourself. There aren’t many left in this world. But that won't be an issue after you sign.”
    Ender felt her stomach turn. She remembered Ascella telling her about it back when she studied with her: how it was disgraceful to pledge your allegiance with someone who doesn’t contain pure blood in their veins. The thought made her feel almost ashamed to sleep with a striped-earth dweller in her past. Does she regret it though? No, she loved Zahir and missed him dearly.
    “You never even wanted to be in the position you are trapped within, did you?"
    It was true. By DuSang, it was like a nightmare for her whenever she woke up. Cursed with the lifespan of an immortal, and the soul of a vampire. It ached her heart that no longer beat. She didn't want it to be true. She didn’t want this. Even if she was sick. Even if she was dying, she wanted it all to go away.
    "Just sign here and I will take care of everything. Your title will be a thing of the past, a memory if anything. My family will favor influence and authority, you will never have to worry about the country again.”
    Never fret about Transylvania? If the country needs someone, they will go to Darkula and not her. Risky decisions will no longer have her making the final call. A million set of eyes will never have to land on her judgingly.
    “You will be promised a new life and new beginning. No one will bow to you, no one will treat you like you’re made of crystal. It will be as if everyone forgot you were even royal.”
    Ender hated the royal treatment. Sometimes, it was nice, yes, but she didn’t like having people she was once close to bowing before her, almost afraid of her. Everyone was afraid of her. She never could enter a room without a crowd going silent and watching her, whispering. Whispering about what?
    Negativity.
    Don’t do it!
    Ender took the quill from Darkula and dipped it in the ink that was presented to her. Her hand was very shaky, the battle in her mind trying to decide whether this was the right thing to do; to bestow the Vleermuis name back to its proper, royal stature, or would it be best to just endure the management of co-ruling a nation.
    “And your secrets will no longer stay hidden away in a coat of mortification and guilt. You can, after centuries, let her go…”
    Secrets? Ender glanced down at her ring, her eyes centered on her ring hand where the quill entwined with her fingers. No reflection greeting her in the golden gleam, whereas normally, Hyde would menacingly scowl back at her, daggers in her tainted eyes. That parasite… Could Hyde finally be set free? Would their parasite-host bond break after all of this time? She wasn’t really a threat to her, but more so a reminder of something unforgivable Ender had done. Something she would rather pad away and ship off to a world no one knew about.
    “You will find a use yet again, my dear. All we need is just a single signature..."
    Free from this curse is what she always wanted.
    The tip of the quill glided across the parchment where the blank line was blank no more. The lavender vampire didn’t even recollect scrawling it, even if it was mere moments ago, and all she could do now was gawk intensely at the scroll and what she had so selfishly just done. Her pupils shrank as it focused on the name that lay clean across the bar, written as clear as day.
    Ender Sang Grace-Glider.
    But it wasn’t written in ink like she expected. Crimson seeped down both the parchment and her wrist. She shakily lifted her wounded arm, a slash from who knows where began to dribble down and stain Darkula’s floor. The tip of the quill had no ink, but, instead, Ender’s own red wine matter. She dropped the quill and with a small screech, she held her harmed appendage to stop the flow of her fluids.
    Blood-bound.
The Count smiled, grimly, before the document was ripped from his hands by an unseen force, only to coil up and vanish in thin air. Ender stood up in trepidation, her eyes locked on the place where the article dissipated from reality, but her ear turned when she heard the man behind her stand up himself.
“It has been an honor working with you, Ender, but now this is where we part ways, I’m afraid.”
Part ways?
    Suddenly, a rush of cold wisped through her entire body and it caused the vampire to fall on her knees, her crown falling from her head and rolling by Darkula's feet. This throbbing energy in her chest was tugging harshly away at her, the pressure almost pained her with each breath she took. It felt as if something was being torn apart from her soul, shred by shred. Something important. Someone confined to her.
    Needles were pulled apart, away from her tender flesh, leaving a chilling after effect. Like dipping your hands in ice-cold water, in the dead of winter night, it burned. DuSang, it burned. She wanted to make it stop, memories of her transformation rushed back in her, making it far more painful than she felt like it should be.
Granted, and thankfully, it wasn’t the most torturous thing she ever felt, but it was mildly uncomfortable. What truly made it unsettling was that Darkula simply stood there and watched, like a psychopath watching a murder take place in an alleyway. He refused to help. He didn’t want to call for assistance or insure she was okay.
    Was this death? No, the mare in agony would soon learn that she had signed up for a fate far worse than death. Can this kill the unkillable?
    In a final attempt to hold on and not give in to the anguish, Ender’s nails dug deep into her slashed wrist, before she felt something ripping away from her. Like her body being ripped in half, she screamed, unable to hold the torment back any longer.
    Then, there was nothing. No more strain, no more lingering dread. It felt as if something was effaced from her life, entirely, but it was far from satisfying. Whatever was taken from her left behind a numbing emptiness in her torso that rapidly coursed through her entire body. She inhaled and exhaled, a cold mist escaping her lips.
    Her body knew what had happened. Even if her head was still spinning, her form dazed and exhausted from the excessive pushing and spazzing, the stinging aftermath of her gashed arm, she was aware of what the result of this episode was.
    “So, you must be what Ender had been hiding all of this time.”
    The panting royal found the strength in her to lift her head off the ground and stare at the being curled up against the wall, opposite to where she laid. The purple parasite coughed up dark fluids, as if her life form was dying at that very moment. She then looked up and around her surroundings, like a child being separated from those she once knew, tears appeared to cloud her black eyes and stream down her face. Fear seemed to strike her as Hyde made direct eye contact with her host.
    Darkula began to walk towards the frightened entity -who’s instinct was to push herself even farther from the tall vampire- and kneeled to her, lifting a hand in the air to show that he meant to harm. Ender’s sensitive ears picked up the gentle voice Darkula vented. “Do not be afraid… My intentions aren’t to maltreat you, my dear.” His hand lowered to help lift up Hyde who appeared slightly less wary of Darkula, but her eyes would constantly glance over at Ender. “Come, we have lots to do before the ceremony begins.”
    Ceremony?
    Ender managed to get on her knees, her head calming down and no longer throbbing from the experience, but her body, not at all used to being “free” from Hyde, her Parasite, wasn’t yet accustomed to the change. Everything felt cold, dead even. She couldn’t say anything, her throat stung from the sudden shrieks this separation had caused, but she did whimper, begging for help from the Count.
    The Vleermuis boosted Hyde up to her feet, her raven curls getting in her face and flowing down and nearly blending into her retro-vintage, beak-doctor attire. They stared at one another for a moment, like a father staring at their new-born, their gaze not breaking until Hyde glanced over again at Ender, this time her gaze sticking. Complete disquietude succumbing to her emotion. Darkula followed and for a moment worry washed over his own face.
    Before Ender could even turn around to see what they were staring at, she felt two hands fall on her shoulders. Her jaw quivered in terror, her eyes glued to the floor, now, too afraid to face whatever it was digging daggers into her dress and flesh. She felt warm blood drip down her back and stain her tender skin and tear away her tissue.
    The Count kneeled, picking up Ender's crown, and quickly made his way to the exit, the parasite by his side, hushing any sudden concerns that she was whispering to him. Ender, in one last vain attempt, called out Hyde’s name, still too scared to look up, but like the hurt vampiress expected, she ignored her. The doors closed and as if on cue, all of the candles that lit up the office went out one by one.
    Darkness.
    Ender was afraid of the dark, and the fact that she was now alone in the dark with whatever was touching her just caused every muscle in her body to tense. She hated it. She wanted the silent torment to end. Suddenly, a light green glow emitted from behind her.
    “Hello Hope…”
    A voice as cold as ice whispered directly beside her ear. She could feel the chilling lips of someone gently touch her.
    “Did you miss me?”
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"There is no divide between good and evil. There is no balance. Only whole. Our souls.

What we build off of in our souls contain nothing more than our dreams, our memories, our fears. Soon, you will understand what fear means and how you can run from it, but can never escape it’s path. For fate isn’t in our hands, but in our essence.
    It’s not what we can become, it’s what we are now that determines where the road leads our future. Facts being, my only Hope is gone. We have arrived."

-King Lucifer Agribor Nomed
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I hope you all liked the First Part of my BackAgainAU OuO I had so much fun writing it! Also sorry that it's so long, I promise not all of them will be like this XD Mostly I had to set a starting ground to how it begins, and it begins with a half-rewrite of one of my first stories: Immortal Enemies

Here you can see the old art and story, and safe to say I've improved

www.deviantart.com/endergurl22…

But yeah, hope you all enjoyed it ^^ Feedback is very much appreciated and thank you for all of the support

Description
BackAgainAU Part 1: Devil's Deal
*Remember that this is just an AU and it has nothing to do with the actual canon timeline*
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    "So about the bat race predicament."
    Princess Ender Sang Grace-Glider sat across from Count Darkula Night Vleermuis in the dead center of his office, his voice echoed and purred but it was neither welcoming nor warm. She tapped her fingers on her lap, a nervous habit she had when she knew what was coming. How long has she sat there for? It felt like an eternity and with each passing second, her surroundings seemed to consume every bit of light that gave her comfort. The stone walls were silent, but holding secrets from the purple baticorn. The candle flames swayed mysteriously, as if whispering to each other. “Yes, what is it that you wished to discuss concerning this manner?”
    The grey vampire smiled, it wasn’t something she was used to; it was ominous, just like everything else in this DuSang-forsaken castle. “It’s the restrictions and law you declared during our last meeting in the Vampire Court, your highness. We announced the law to the nation to get a hearing for their opinion; you know our citizens are our priority, and that’s why we make these public statements. You see, although the brown bats and fruit bats don’t mind the removal of nectar from our nation’s diet, the vampires are rather…” he tapped his chin with one finger, before brushing it across his lips, his smile never leaving his face.
    He didn’t finish his statement. He didn’t need to.
    “Yes, I am well aware of that. However, with the growing population of vampires in our nation and in neighboring countries, we can’t possibly afford that many donations from non-vampire folk.” Vampires needed a supplement of blood, roughly a pint a week. They were being generous, and they usually got their fill by local blood banks and deliveries, since hunting for blood from the innocent was illegal, and immoral as well. Hell, there were even sections in most grocery stores that offered blood in cartons or bags. Of course, it wasn’t pure blood, for there was always an additive or substitute that could increase the normal intake, but even then, Ender found taking blood from others was… barbaric. “That’s why I lowered the ultimatum by 75%.”
    Darkula nodded, looking down towards his shiny, red pearl that indicated his rulership across Transylvania. He rubbed it twice, as if it were a good luck charm. “Have you possibly considered the dangerous trade-offs that would take place if we do pass this law? Starving families and a possible increase in illegal huntings.”
    “Yes, but we also have an increase in security in local villages and towns. Furthermore, we can’t possibly keep asking so much from other nations. Darkula, it’s their blood! Asking for so much monthly is like asking for a body part or an organ from every individual. And what of the sickly who cannot donate their serum? Our life span surpasses that of a normal non-bat citizen; it’ll be an exponential demand in a few centuries-”
    “We offer many of our country’s goods and high prices for this nectar, even if it’s a necessity for us both, your highness… It is like we are paying for air.” Blood was a necessity for them. Like food, water, air and shelter for any living creature. Paying for that was wrong for most people. Many vampires could starve without blood. They could eat normal food, drink all of the water and be perfectly healthy but die from no plasma intake.
    A blood-curdling shriek echoed across the halls, causing Ender to turn her head towards the black door that blocked them out from the rest of the castle. “What is DuSang’s name was th-?”
    “Nothing to fret over. Chances are, that was Feather Duster preparing our drinks.” How could Darkula be so calm after a scream like that? But that didn’t sound like a cry she would emit. It was a lot lower than a normal mare’s wail, and Feather had a pretty high voice. Unless it wasn’t her that was screaming.
    The Princess’s eyes widen in fear and realization. “She’s not-”
    “Calm yourself.” Ender didn’t like Darkula talking over her, she never had the chance to speak. “Feather must’ve burned herself when preparing our tea, and that’s why she caterwauled.”
    Tea? Ender didn’t recall wanting tea, specifically. It’s not that she had nothing against it, she enjoyed a small cup of chamomile with honey, but why would she screech like that if it was simply a burn? And why was Darkula so halcyon over it if he cared so dearly for his personal assistant.
    “Please focus, your highness, this matter is solely based on your proclamation. I am aware that you’ve made some intellectual statements during previous meetings and you are very clever, Princess Ender, but everyone in the Court can agree that this is overall unnecessary!” His hand waved in circles in the air, adding emphasis to his words. “You say that we must consider what the future demands might be, but I ask you to-”
    “Darkula.” It was about time that Ender stopped the Count with his useless rambles. She held up her hand to his face and counted to herself to make sure he wouldn’t try to finish his ranting. “You can stop talking about this, it’s only a distraction and I’d rather you cut to the chase. We both know why you personally called me here to speak to you.”
    If silence could kill, they’d both be dead right where they sat. No sounds could be heard, no clock ticking, no wind whistling, even the candle flames’ crackles calmed to add onto the ambiance.
    “Is that so?” Darkula finally spoke up, his eyebrow raising in doubt.
    “Your reign of power. I can tell you weren’t fond of my title and ruling. Having to ‘share’ a throne, as you might put it, is just another thorn to your side. Another weed in your garden of roses.” Ender wasn’t fond of having to rule either, not because she wanted the throne to herself, but it always felt wrong to have been given this political power she never asked for. Darkula was perfectly fit to rule this nation on his own, and if he needed any assistance, he had a Duke, a Prime Minister and an Ambassador by his side to “rule” with him. Adding a “Princess” to the bunch was uncalled for. Knowing him, though, Darkula would simply try to deny this-
    “Of course.” Wait. Really? “As I said, you are very clever, your highness, and you would have been able to see that sooner or later I would have something to say over this highly crucial matter.”
    Crucial. Yes, to Ender and Darkula, both, this couldn’t go unsaid and swept away hoping things would work out for itself. The lavender baticorn was calmer now, but quite confused: the Count was very tranquil with this, and she expected him to be infuriated, start yelling even. Yet he wasn’t. Something was wrong.
    “Princess, for almost a thousand years I was the king of Transylvania. For almost a thousand years, individuals from all over the nation would come to me and look to me for guidance. My family held the throne high for millennials. My ancestor, Faux DuSang, led a war for bat populace freedom from slavery! He earned his title as General, he stood up when bats were on their knees, trembling. He became the leader they needed during times of turmoil. Faux fought long and hard to keep them going, and eventually, they won their freedom back from those who chained them up and whipped them raw. Imagine if you were there during those times…” What would they consider her? “DuSang became a literal legend. He became King, calling himself a Count to further ease the worries of the civilians at the time, for King Heroe was a cruel man and a half, and ever since then, generation after generation the throne, crown and title had been passed down to a Vleermuis. We earned this, and then suddenly, you came.”
    Ender swallowed, trying not to appear intimidated by his ice-cold tone, but Darkula could become anyone’s worst nightmare. Anyone’s. “What are you imply-”
    “I mean,” he folded his hands on his desk and stared solemnly at his polished, wooden top, “You were merely a spell caster. A magic keeper aiming to do something with your life like every other mortal, but then, you fell ill with a disease that the medics couldn’t properly diagnose. They couldn’t prescribe you with a proper treatment so they assumed it was just a genetic, terminal disease.”
    The baticorn felt her stomach twist; it was all true, everything. She must have been 21, almost 22 when it happened. While she was still a spell caster and days from dying, Ender had saved enough to hop on the next boat in order to leave the country, just so her little brother and parents wouldn’t have to see her sick and die right in front of her. She wrote them a letter explaining her situation and said she would rather die alone than know that she did something so horrible, it basically dragged her to death. She didn’t want to see the look of sorrow in her parents’ eyes as the life left hers.
    “And then what was the result of all of this? A sighting of a lavender spell caster with bat wings on her back. Not only did you manage to survive, but you managed to reach immortality! Something so life changing, literally, and you don’t even remember or know why or how it happened!” A small growl escaped when he took a breath.
    Ender’s ears folded down, she had to say something to defend herself or Darkula might eat her alive. She couldn’t let that happen again. Opening her mouth, she prepared some spat of nonsense to get him to listen to her pleas, but not before he continued with his rant.
    “The first bat immortal in over 4,500 years since King Lucifer’s reign in Pleiades. Princess Ascella Heavenlight tutored you in hopes to bring a brighter name to her family that her uncle had left in shambles. Now suddenly, with you in the picture, the next few and past couple generations won’t know who to go to. Suddenly, my title means nothing!” He stood up from his chair, hands on his desk and his fingernails scraping across the polished, wooden top. “All because you’re wearing that crown over your head…”
    Ender felt the weight of her tiara turn into lead as it pulled her mood and her skull down. She felt guilty once again, for something she had no control over. The amount of times she wanted to step down from the throne was too many to count, but the thought of Ascella glaring down at her, calling her a failure for giving up, always made stand taller. The lavender baticorn’s wings tensed as she tried to defend not only herself, but ease any worries Darkula might have. “Your title still matters, Count Darkula! You are just as, if not more valued as you ever were before I stepped into the equation! Why can’t you see-”
    “And might I add, the transformation wouldn’t even be possible! Any spell caster bitten by a vampire would simply have vampire venom in their veins.”
    Ender jerked back at the now much harsher tone in his voice. Now Darkula was mad, which was never good for the one he was yelling at, and that was the bat immortal at the moment. She felt like a small child being scolded by someone she hardly knew. She couldn’t cry. She was better than that.
    “You would have gotten the basic physical features of a vampire-” which to anyone who didn’t know, was slit eyes, larger-fluffy ears, and of course fangs and venom glands, “-and eating habits! Never would you have grown a set of wings! Bones wouldn't appear and become part of the skeleton, only the wings of storm chaser have the ability to become fully-fleshed bat wings! And the venom can not affect immortals, not like you were one to begin with! Only those with pure blood could have passed on those genes to their offspring! So tell me: how did you do this?!” Darkula snarled, his own fangs baring and his bizarre eyes glowing a red light; something vampires did when they were enraged or frustrated. The grey vampire sounded more desperate, however.
    Ender inhaled. She never wanted to make the Vleermuis mad, but it was inevitable at times. But it seemed like it was always the baticorn… Once again, she didn’t blame him, but she remembered a time when he was kind to her, back when she was a spell caster. "I wouldn't lie to my subjects about this. What gain would I get by lying to anyone, especially you, Count Darkula? I made a vow not to be dishonest with any members of the Vampire Court, that includes information based on my transformation. If I had a lead, I would give it to you. I would have given it to Heavy Storm. To someone."
    Darkula looked- no, glared at Ender for a long minute, as if he were reading her mind and expression, trying to find any fault, any fib she might have told… if there was any. He sat back down and took a deep breath, recompositioning himself. "Forgive me Princess for my bitter temper, but if I must be honest, it's not me that I'm worried about,” he paused, looking at a photo frame that was facing him and facing away from Ender, “...it's my family."
    His family? "Your family?"
    Suddenly, as if it were a half-time or commercial break from a live broadcast, Feather Duster returned to cease any rising tension between the two rulers. In her hands, she held a silver tray and on it, rested tea cups, biscuits, and a steaming tea pot. "Your tea," she said with a smile, placing it down on Darkula's desk like she always did. Ender imagines that, normally it was his lunch and the occasional dinner; Darkula hardly ever left his office.
    "Thank you Ms. Duster," Darkula smiled at her, suddenly calm again.
    Feather smiled back at him, a wider grin, and began pouring the tea into the cups. The sound of hot liquids hitting the inside of small ceramic cups brought some peace in the room again.
    Ender was reminded of having a few tea parties with her grandparents from her father’s side, back when she was a young spell caster. She tried having a few with her brother, Vacan Ryder Grace-Glider, back when he was a baby, but he never cooperated, obviously. Imagining him now and how he went about with his life, Ender knew that he would sooner kill himself than have to sit through another tea session. How she missed Vacan.
    After a few seconds, Feather Duster gave each bat ruler a cup and left quietly. Ender placed her cup down without even glancing at the beverage. Darkula, on the other hand, took his time drinking the hot tea. He placed his lips on the edge of the cup and took a sip, savoring the flavour. When he swallowed, he placed the cup and saucer to the side and looked back up.
    "You see, Princess, my family is the most important thing to me and I’d move mountains for them. I promised them a life they would enjoy. I promised my children a life of certainty and hope when they were each born, a life where there would be no affliction or vexation on what part they’d have to play in this world. A life where they would receive the future anyone would wish for. When the time comes, I will step down and it will be my eldest son, BloodMoon's turn to sit on the Vleermuis throne to carry on what many generations have begun. I promised him at a young age that he would one day step up as the future King of the Bats... But now, because of you, it is impossible."
    Ender shivered when he mentioned BloodMoon. She had seen the Count’s son once or twice after her coronation, but she hadn't had the opportunity to greet him… again. They were childhood friends, but it had been centuries ago. BloodMoon Tiny Vleermuis, the Count to be: the future King of Vampires. It was fitting, and she knew that he had been studying long and hard for this moment, this promise his father had for him. Technically, nothing could stop the crowning and BloodMoon could very well still share the throne with Ender.
    The lavender vampire would be lying if she said she never had any feelings for that man. When growing up, she was close to him, if her memories didn’t fail her, and he was always such a kind, welcoming gentleman. Of course, near the end of her mortality, Ender began to drift away from him and spend more time with his younger brother, SunBite, but for the most part, she never forgot those feelings.
    Did they fade? Yes, Ender, after some time away from the Vleermuis brothers and spending more time with others, those desires eventually vanished. She, admittedly, had several partners in the past, and although she cherished them greatly, one can never forget their first love. It’s like reading an old book from your childhood; you can never forget the story, whether it was good or bad.
    "Never fear. I decided to make a proposition."
    She blinked, forgetting that Darkula was even there for a second, her mind was in another world. Despite her mind scolding her not to, she looked straight at him, uncertainty in her gaze, "I beg your pardon."
    The grey vampire smirtled. It was unsettling, like a porcelain doll whose eyes followed you no matter where you looked. The Count was worse than any antique doll, though. He pushed himself and his chair back, before reaching a hand into his desk drawers, and pulled out a large sheet of parchment. It was rolled into a scroll, and the Vleermuis crest was waxed into the sealed edge. He held it out to the lady sitting before him, his eyes never abandoning hers, and he only looked away once she took it from him.
    Ender popped open the seal, but didn’t unroll it just yet. She knew that this was something important, if the Vleermuis crest was waxed onto something-an envelope, a scroll, a package- it was personal. She swallowed more rising fear, and gently began to open it. Her ears folded down as her petite fingers traveled down the diploma.
    "A young lady such as yourself should never have to go through the struggles of acting like a ‘proper’ Princess. There’s too much responsibility on your shoulders, and you hardly had enough time to prepare to act like such a dictator, did you not? Your coronation was unexpected, your transformation was uncalled for. As Princess, you’ll often get busy, your subjects shall never stop asking for impossible requests. Take it from experience, you will never get a night off or have time to yourself. So as your Count, I am offering you something you simply cannot refuse!"
    Ender rose an eyebrow at him, before undoing the rest of the parchment, her eyes widening at the amount of words written on the file. Near the end of the declaration, a line stood blank, ready to be filled with permission. A wish. A command.
    "Surrender your political power and stance as Princess."
    The lavender vampire quickly glanced up, her crimson mane bouncing with her. “What?”
    Darkula held the quill in his hands. It was large and as dark as the void, just like the ink it would normally rest in. "Capitulate your powers, step down from your title and you shall never have to worry about royal duties again."
    Ender couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Consider the positive outcomes if you agree to sign: no more documents to scrawl and file all night long. No more never-ending meetings and trials with the rest of the Vampire Court. You won’t have to worry about what the public and press thinks of you. You can finally begin a new life, a proper one! Something you couldn’t grasp while dying in your spell caster body, and something you cannot have now with what little time you possess. Your blood is cursed and blessed with immortality. Your wings are a constant reminder of what you cannot recall, but you can find a way to fix the shattered heart inside of you. My youngest, SunBite, even told me once before our meeting that although you loved being a magic wielder, you always wondered what it would be like to own a pair of wings."
    SunBite told him that? Why would he remember her saying such things? Was it even true now? Ender had her wings for so long now, it felt as if she was born with them at this point. She recalled how bizarre it felt when she first woke up with them. It was as if two extra limbs were attached to her back, hell maybe even sewn on like she was the victim of some cruel experiment. They were heavy, their size recognizably bigger than that of a normal vampire and they were so sore. She thought she would grow into them, but she never really did.
    "You may finally and properly return to your family as if you never left. You may even begin one of your own if you please with no ill-will. I hear it’s tradition, even necessary to betroth someone who holds both a horn and a set of wings if you equip them yourself. There aren’t many left in this world. But that won't be an issue after you sign.”
    Ender felt her stomach turn. She remembered Ascella telling her about it back when she studied with her: how it was disgraceful to pledge your allegiance with someone who doesn’t contain pure blood in their veins. The thought made her feel almost ashamed to sleep with a striped-earth dweller in her past. Does she regret it though? No, she loved Zahir and missed him dearly.
    “You never even wanted to be in the position you are trapped within, did you?"
    It was true. By DuSang, it was like a nightmare for her whenever she woke up. Cursed with the lifespan of an immortal, and the soul of a vampire. It ached her heart that no longer beat. She didn't want it to be true. She didn’t want this. Even if she was sick. Even if she was dying, she wanted it all to go away.
    "Just sign here and I will take care of everything. Your title will be a thing of the past, a memory if anything. My family will favor influence and authority, you will never have to worry about the country again.”
    Never fret about Transylvania? If the country needs someone, they will go to Darkula and not her. Risky decisions will no longer have her making the final call. A million set of eyes will never have to land on her judgingly.
    “You will be promised a new life and new beginning. No one will bow to you, no one will treat you like you’re made of crystal. It will be as if everyone forgot you were even royal.”
    Ender hated the royal treatment. Sometimes, it was nice, yes, but she didn’t like having people she was once close to bowing before her, almost afraid of her. Everyone was afraid of her. She never could enter a room without a crowd going silent and watching her, whispering. Whispering about what?
    Negativity.
    Don’t do it!
    Ender took the quill from Darkula and dipped it in the ink that was presented to her. Her hand was very shaky, the battle in her mind trying to decide whether this was the right thing to do; to bestow the Vleermuis name back to its proper, royal stature, or would it be best to just endure the management of co-ruling a nation.
    “And your secrets will no longer stay hidden away in a coat of mortification and guilt. You can, after centuries, let her go…”
    Secrets? Ender glanced down at her ring, her eyes centered on her ring hand where the quill entwined with her fingers. No reflection greeting her in the golden gleam, whereas normally, Hyde would menacingly scowl back at her, daggers in her tainted eyes. That parasite… Could Hyde finally be set free? Would their parasite-host bond break after all of this time? She wasn’t really a threat to her, but more so a reminder of something unforgivable Ender had done. Something she would rather pad away and ship off to a world no one knew about.
    “You will find a use yet again, my dear. All we need is just a single signature..."
    Free from this curse is what she always wanted.
    The tip of the quill glided across the parchment where the blank line was blank no more. The lavender vampire didn’t even recollect scrawling it, even if it was mere moments ago, and all she could do now was gawk intensely at the scroll and what she had so selfishly just done. Her pupils shrank as it focused on the name that lay clean across the bar, written as clear as day.
    Ender Sang Grace-Glider.
    But it wasn’t written in ink like she expected. Crimson seeped down both the parchment and her wrist. She shakily lifted her wounded arm, a slash from who knows where began to dribble down and stain Darkula’s floor. The tip of the quill had no ink, but, instead, Ender’s own red wine matter. She dropped the quill and with a small screech, she held her harmed appendage to stop the flow of her fluids.
    Blood-bound.
The Count smiled, grimly, before the document was ripped from his hands by an unseen force, only to coil up and vanish in thin air. Ender stood up in trepidation, her eyes locked on the place where the article dissipated from reality, but her ear turned when she heard the man behind her stand up himself.
“It has been an honor working with you, Ender, but now this is where we part ways, I’m afraid.”
Part ways?
    Suddenly, a rush of cold wisped through her entire body and it caused the vampire to fall on her knees, her crown falling from her head and rolling by Darkula's feet. This throbbing energy in her chest was tugging harshly away at her, the pressure almost pained her with each breath she took. It felt as if something was being torn apart from her soul, shred by shred. Something important. Someone confined to her.
    Needles were pulled apart, away from her tender flesh, leaving a chilling after effect. Like dipping your hands in ice-cold water, in the dead of winter night, it burned. DuSang, it burned. She wanted to make it stop, memories of her transformation rushed back in her, making it far more painful than she felt like it should be.
Granted, and thankfully, it wasn’t the most torturous thing she ever felt, but it was mildly uncomfortable. What truly made it unsettling was that Darkula simply stood there and watched, like a psychopath watching a murder take place in an alleyway. He refused to help. He didn’t want to call for assistance or insure she was okay.
    Was this death? No, the mare in agony would soon learn that she had signed up for a fate far worse than death. Can this kill the unkillable?
    In a final attempt to hold on and not give in to the anguish, Ender’s nails dug deep into her slashed wrist, before she felt something ripping away from her. Like her body being ripped in half, she screamed, unable to hold the torment back any longer.
    Then, there was nothing. No more strain, no more lingering dread. It felt as if something was effaced from her life, entirely, but it was far from satisfying. Whatever was taken from her left behind a numbing emptiness in her torso that rapidly coursed through her entire body. She inhaled and exhaled, a cold mist escaping her lips.
    Her body knew what had happened. Even if her head was still spinning, her form dazed and exhausted from the excessive pushing and spazzing, the stinging aftermath of her gashed arm, she was aware of what the result of this episode was.
    “So, you must be what Ender had been hiding all of this time.”
    The panting royal found the strength in her to lift her head off the ground and stare at the being curled up against the wall, opposite to where she laid. The purple parasite coughed up dark fluids, as if her life form was dying at that very moment. She then looked up and around her surroundings, like a child being separated from those she once knew, tears appeared to cloud her black eyes and stream down her face. Fear seemed to strike her as Hyde made direct eye contact with her host.
    Darkula began to walk towards the frightened entity -who’s instinct was to push herself even farther from the tall vampire- and kneeled to her, lifting a hand in the air to show that he meant to harm. Ender’s sensitive ears picked up the gentle voice Darkula vented. “Do not be afraid… My intentions aren’t to maltreat you, my dear.” His hand lowered to help lift up Hyde who appeared slightly less wary of Darkula, but her eyes would constantly glance over at Ender. “Come, we have lots to do before the ceremony begins.”
    Ceremony?
    Ender managed to get on her knees, her head calming down and no longer throbbing from the experience, but her body, not at all used to being “free” from Hyde, her Parasite, wasn’t yet accustomed to the change. Everything felt cold, dead even. She couldn’t say anything, her throat stung from the sudden shrieks this separation had caused, but she did whimper, begging for help from the Count.
    The Vleermuis boosted Hyde up to her feet, her raven curls getting in her face and flowing down and nearly blending into her retro-vintage, beak-doctor attire. They stared at one another for a moment, like a father staring at their new-born, their gaze not breaking until Hyde glanced over again at Ender, this time her gaze sticking. Complete disquietude succumbing to her emotion. Darkula followed and for a moment worry washed over his own face.
    Before Ender could even turn around to see what they were staring at, she felt two hands fall on her shoulders. Her jaw quivered in terror, her eyes glued to the floor, now, too afraid to face whatever it was digging daggers into her dress and flesh. She felt warm blood drip down her back and stain her tender skin and tear away her tissue.
    The Count kneeled, picking up Ender's crown, and quickly made his way to the exit, the parasite by his side, hushing any sudden concerns that she was whispering to him. Ender, in one last vain attempt, called out Hyde’s name, still too scared to look up, but like the hurt vampiress expected, she ignored her. The doors closed and as if on cue, all of the candles that lit up the office went out one by one.
    Darkness.
    Ender was afraid of the dark, and the fact that she was now alone in the dark with whatever was touching her just caused every muscle in her body to tense. She hated it. She wanted the silent torment to end. Suddenly, a light green glow emitted from behind her.
    “Hello Hope…”
    A voice as cold as ice whispered directly beside her ear. She could feel the chilling lips of someone gently touch her.
    “Did you miss me?”
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"There is no divide between good and evil. There is no balance. Only whole. Our souls.

What we build off of in our souls contain nothing more than our dreams, our memories, our fears. Soon, you will understand what fear means and how you can run from it, but can never escape it’s path. For fate isn’t in our hands, but in our essence.
    It’s not what we can become, it’s what we are now that determines where the road leads our future. Facts being, my only Hope is gone. We have arrived."

-King Lucifer Agribor Nomed
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I hope you all liked the First Part of my BackAgainAU OuO I had so much fun writing it! Also sorry that it's so long, I promise not all of them will be like this XD Mostly I had to set a starting ground to how it begins, and it begins with a half-rewrite of one of my first stories: Immortal Enemies

Here you can see the old art and story, and safe to say I've improved

www.deviantart.com/endergurl22…

But yeah, hope you all enjoyed it ^^ Feedback is very much appreciated and thank you for all of the support