II - The Mystics

"Since when did you learn to do such acts?" Lilith stern voice came out like a thunder.

"Especially you, Odette!" she added sounding disappointed.

"We were just really passing by..." Odette said in a small voice. She knew at this point that she couldn't use her wit and funny remarks.

"Passing by? Does getting close to the garden means passing by to you? Does getting bitten by the serpents is passing by to you?" Lilith remained talking in a calm voice but not enough to calm the two young girls infront of her.

"We were curious because we saw something wrong. You know that's not the garden you taught us about", Tara interrupted which added to Lilith's foul mood. With all her grace, she faced Tara and held her chin. "Lady, let me remind you that I did not told you to open your mouth"

People always look up to Lilith. No one dares to question everything she do. For the fairies in Eden, she is the epitome of perfection. She's above all else, but to Tara, this seems unfair. She have a lot in her mind that she wanted to say. "We gave you all the answers you needed. Why can't you give us the explanation we deserve? What is happening to the garden? It was ominous. It reeks of something unexplainable and it was inhabited by snakes!" Tara couldn't help but to raise her voice which made her eyes widen. 

Disrespect. It was a form of disrespect. She thought to herself.

Lilith looks nothing but amused which confused the two troubled fairies. She cleared her throat and made her way to her throne. "Odette, get a rest. Once you two leave this room, know that nothing happened earlier. You weren't able to attend your training because I was talking to the both of you. That's the only story you know. Now, leave." 

Like they have any other choice, they left the place not saying a single word. They were told to go straight their home which somewhat favors them. None of them could afford to deal with other fairies right now considering what happened to them. Walking side by side, it feels hard for them to even say a word. There's a battle going through their mind. A lot of questions that were never answered. It can't be helped, but doubt and wonder starts to grow inside of them. 

"I'll go from here" Odette broke the silence. Regaining her senses back, Tara glanced her way and nodded. "Make sure to rest." she said before parting ways. 

Inside their fence was her mother waiting for her. She smiled at her and ran towards her direction. She knew at this point that her daughter was troubled, she got a call from her mother, Lilith anyways. Opening her arms wide, she invited Tara for an embrace. She felt the raging thoughts running through her daughter's head as they connected with each other. She knew what's wrong and she knew she's wrong that she might not be able to give her the answer she needed. She's one the guardians of the garden and the sight that Tara discovered was not new to them. It was long time ago when they have found out about it. 

Lilith spread her palm to assure herself she's not wrong. It's raining. It's been a thousand years since it last rain and now it's happening again. An intruder broke through the portal. She held her crest and started a connection to the whole realm. 

This is Lilith. I command you to keep the pixies inside and meet me at the pond. There's an intrusion. 

"Mother, what is happening?" Willow, her only daughter asked. Lilith eyes widened at the sight of her daughter. She eyed every elder in the pond and she sensed the fear and worry in their eyes. "Willow darling, I want you to listen to me. Fly to our house and do not go out unless I am there. You are a good girl and you love Lilith right?" she whispers as she caress her little soft hairs. 

Willow's innocent eyes met hers and the pixie nodded. They all watch her as she flew away from them to follow her mother's words. Willow, just like her mother is an exceptionally intelligent pixie. She knew something wrong is happening but she's aware of her own capability. She knew that following her mother was the best choice. Not all pixie could think rationally like this for what they care about at this age was to have fun and play around. This is one of the reason why Willow was loved by everyone aside from being the Fairy God's daughter. 

"What is the intruder?" Phillip asked. A loud thunder covered the area. The rain poured harder which alarmed everyone. 

"In the garden. Now" Lilith commanded as she lead the way to the Garden of Eden. The pouring rain made it harder to fly. 

Like how they were trained, they position themselves like how they are taught incase something like this happens. Chills run through their spines as they witnessed a number of vampires at the garden. 

"Lilith!" a little voice coming from behind one of the vampires caught their attention. Marxia, a pixie was being held captive. 

"MARXIA!" a fairy from behind shouted and flew towards her daughter. It was Nenita, mother of Marxia. 

The rush of events shocked everyone as they watched Nenita's wing broke by a swift move of claws. Everything went like a flash when one of the intruders bit Nenita by the neck. "Move!" Lilith shouted which put everyone back to their senses. The vampires are attacking simultaneously like a hunters craving for their preys. Fairies are used to live a silent life that they find this overwhelming. They were not outnumbered, in fact, they have more numbers but Vampires got the upperhand in this fight. After all, this is their life. Hunting and feeding. 

Seeing other fairies get their wings broken frustrates and anger Lilith. She's casting every spell she can but their speed is a big challenge. She knew that they are not trained enough to fight because they have been silent for a decades now. 

She squealed when she felt claws scratched on her cheeks. "If you tell us where is the serpent, you'll have a chance to continue your fragile race" a voice from the air said. She couldn't follow because they were moving fast. 

A serpent. A serpent that is forbidden to see. A serpent that is the key to ruin humanity. Only Lilith's generation knew about it. Feeling the sense of responsibility from what is happening, anger and hatred ignites within her heart. She looked around to search for someone. 

"Valentine..." Lilith calls. In a snap, Val was on her side. "Remember what Gloxinia taught us? We will do it now" she said. She reached for Valentine's hand splattered by blood. She catches a glimpse of worry and fear when their eyes met. "Valentine Blanc, I'm believing in you. Do you hear me?" and with that, there's nothing more assuring than hearing Lilith's voice for Valentine. 

"FAIRIES, MOVE AWAY" Lilith commanded.

"Flower Third Form, Divine Sun! / Green Third Form, Sage Spikes!" they shouted in unison. 

A blinding light enveloped the garden which caused the vampires screaming. Through the years, the vampires learned to adapt with the human world's sunlight but Lilith's light from Divine Sun is a thousand times intensified coated with magics and spells only inherited by their bloodline. 

A fast crawling thorny spikes followed the beam of light which impenetrate through the vampires' chests. 

"Di-xon!" someone shouted in between breathes. 

In the middle was a man laying on the ground pierced with seven spikes. "Leave! dimittere serpentes..." the man who was known to be Dixon uttered before turning into ashes. 

Willow who was hiding behind the bushes gasped when she saw serpents appeared from the man's ashes. There was a lot of it crawling fast towards the garden. Fairies who tried to go near got bitten and gets paralyzed. The vampires they were fighting earlier vanished through the purple mirror which Willow believed was the portal Lilith was always talking about. Some turns into ashes.

"You may all leave the garden. I'll fix everything. Check on the pixies" with Lilith's voice, everyone follows. 

They flew away from the garden with a heavy heart so does Willow who was too young to witness such darkness. 

"Mom, hey!" Tara called. Willow smiled at her and motioned her to come inside. 

"Sorry, I remembered bits of my childhood upon looking at you" they walked inside together where a hot chocolate was waiting for them. 

Lilith made Tara and Odette stay at home for a week and the two couldn't do anything but obey. Willow and Tara visits Odette religiously as they are also incharge of healing her wound. They use their family's magic to help fasten her healing. 

"Guess what I found on Lilith's mirror" Odette whispered which made Tara's brow furrowed. "You sneak into her room?" Odette giggled before nodded. 

"I saw some human looking like us" Odette said in a soft voice, scared that Willow might hear them. This is one of the days when Willow and Tara pays her a visit. 

Tara doesn't seem to process what she said. "What do you mean? What are you talking about? And why did you even sneak out on Lilith's room? Are you healed yet?" Odette only gave her a chuckle and pinched her cheeks. 

"Don't you trust your magics? I'm healed already. Now, tell your mother you're sleeping here with me and we'll do something really fun later" Tara shook her head knowing full well what her friend was thinking. 

She reached for Odette's hand and looked straight into her eyes. "You just healed from an accident caused by our curiousity. You won't want to do the same thing again." Odette held her cheeks and gave her a sweet smile. 

"Awe, you are too sweet. I appreciate that but aren't you curious about humans? Just like your father." Tara shifted her gaze. 

At this point, she thought about how her mother met her father. Was her mother as curious as Odette? How did Willow learned about the humans, in the first place? All possible questions came running through her mind. All of these drives to do one thing. 

"Okay, but we can't do something risky" Odette flashed a wide smile before pulling her into a hug. "You say that like what we are going to do is not risky enough", Odette said which they both laughed to. 

They were able to convince Willow to let Tara stay the night. Odette did not let the chance to use her I-need-someone-to-take-care-of-me card to pass and Willow, the most understanding parent and acting parent to Odette, she agreed. 

With a wide smile, Odette flash her wand and swing it to the air. Tara's eyes widened as she reached for Odette's hand that's holding the wand. "What are you planning to do? They can detect magic" Tara said pertaining to Odette's wand. 

"It would just be a little bit of magic", Odette said and tapped it at Tara's shoulder. She did the same to hers and in a blink, they're in a shiny dainty dresses. Odette's in cream and Tara's in green. 

Odette lead the way to according to her, the portal to the human world. "Odette, this is the way to the garden", Tara whispered. "We won't be going there, but it's near there. Don't worry and please stop talking", Odette whispered back. 

Tara got not choice to follow Odette. She was ready to doubt her and think that Odette is just imagining things but infront of her was really a water-like portal. "How did you know about this?" she asked. 

"This is the reason why I got bitten", and Odette had the audacity to tell a joke. She stretched her arm to the portal and they gasped as it passed through. 

Holding Tara's hand, she jumped through the portal and the next thing they knew, they are in a crowded place with a loud blasting music all over the place.