It was in the midst of her dreams that Suhara found herself back in her hometown of Welldrop.

Everything in the town seemed to be operating as usual. It was all exactly how she remembered it. Her old acquaintances even greeted her and immediately knew who she was, with no explanation needed.

It completely befuddled her, but she didn’t complain.

She did all the usual things she did back in that old life. Nothing was different. It was as if the past few weeks never even happened. It was a very strange experience.

During her time in the Lyceum, she had come to realize that her old life was in fact quite crude, but she never understood the full extent of it until she was reliving it. It always seemed to be the case with the lives of the poor and the homeless. Constantly neglected by larger society. Never given the chance to truly thrive unless they break the rules.

Just as Suhara did.

Suhara turned her head when she heard a faint voice in the distance. It sounded like it was calling out to her.

“Suhara!” She eventually heard it say. The voice grew louder and louder as the world around her gradually faded away.

=+=+=

Rales continued to shout as he saw Suhara move ever so slightly.

“Suhara! Are you there? Can you hear me?”

Suhara rubbed her eyes as her vision came back to her. “R- Rales, is that you?”

“Suhara! Thank gods you’re alive!” Rales shouted.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in the medical ward. We were so worried about you. It’s been days. Are you okay?”

“Days?” Suhara asked, shocked that she was out for that long.

“Yeah. But that doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is that you’re okay. Besides, you did it! Theema’s gone! You beat her! You won! And she’s never coming back!”

Suhara’s face did not react to Rales’s statement. She already knew that she had beaten Theema. It wasn’t news to her. And it certainly hadn’t felt like a victory. Not after all the suffering and death that occurred across all of Vanasia. All of which she felt responsible for.

And especially not after what happened to Desyi.

Suhara sank into her bed as she recalled seeing Desyi’s vampiric state. She specifically remembered looking at her, and seeing a brief glimpse of humanity before it instantly faded back into a mindless ferality.

Rales laughed awkwardly. “Certainly was one hell of a trip, wasn’t it? I say we got enough research for a lifetime.”

“I know she’s out there.” Suhara muttered quietly.

“Pardon?”

“Desyi, I saw her.”

Rales’s face immediately fell. “Hey, listen. There’s nothing you could’ve done.”

Suhara’s eyes began watering. “I- I…” She couldn’t finish her statement.

Rales became silent as he gave the crying girl a hug.

“Where are Frey and Tricks?” Suhara eventually choked out.

“They’re out with Norman and Deledy, and also some other ace class mages, searching around for…” Rales hesitated for a bit. “Searching around for Desyi.”

“Wh- what? Why? She’s a vampire now. There’s nothing we can do.”

“Not necessarily.”

Suhara’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“Hawkshire told us there is only one known way to convert a vampire back to human form. It is incredibly difficult though. It’s this spell called ‘Life Conversion’, one of the most difficult spells ever. You need a dying or unconscious body, and then someone highly trained or powerful can ‘give their life’ to that person. The life of the dying person will be saved, but it will kill the person performing it. Doing the spell to a vampire will turn them back into a human.”

Suhara began stepping out of her bed. “Where are they? I need to help them.”

Rales stopped her. “No. You’re weak and need to rest. They have enough help right now.”

“No! She’s my friend and I need to help her. I- It’s my fault she’s like that anyway!”

“It is the medical staff’s orders that you stay here. It is way too dangerous for you-”

“After what just happened? Nothing is dangerous anymore.”

“Suhara!” Rales stated firmly. “Tricks and Frey were told not to go out. The only reason those other ace class mages are with them is because they wouldn’t back down. Do you understand how hard it is to track down a vampire? They need a TON of people!”

“One more person can’t hurt.”

“They have been out there for DAYS, you will not be able to find them.”

“I’m not going to stay in this room while they are out there risking their lives!” Suhara shouted. “Now get out of the way!”

Before he could do anything, Suhara violently pushed Rales to the side before walking out of the medical ward.

=+=+=

Suhara tried many times to exit the Lyceum, but the guards were relentless. It seemed that in the time between the end of the event and the current day, the Lyceum had stepped up their security immensely. There was no way out.

After countless futile attempts to leave, she finally gave up and began crying on the floor of a hallway, feeling completely helpless.

Aside from the guards, there were virtually no staff members in the building. No one was there to command that Suhara go back into the medical ward, and as such she was left on the floor, crying for what felt like hours.

There was nothing she could do. Tricks and Frey were out there, searching for Desyi in the middle of the night and she couldn’t go out to help them. Or even to see if they were okay. Everything was hopeless.

=+=+=

“Could there possibly be a more inconvenient place for you to lay down and cry?”

Suhara looked up to the source of the voice and saw Raycern holding a box. The sight of him seemed to ignite some life into her depressed state. “Oh my gods! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine.” Raycern interrupted. “I probably shouldn’t be moving things around this late at night anyway.”

Suhara wiped her still damp face. “Where are you going?”

“Just to the storage room over there.” Raycern laid the box on the ground. “Guess I’ll have to take a break. Tell me please, what troubles you so much?”

“I- I- well, it’s just that… my friends are out there… in the forest, and they’re looking for Desyi and she’s a vampire and I can’t help them and I don’t know what to do!” Suhara was sobbing again.

“Yes, I know about that.” Raycern replied. “Hey there lass, it’s alright. They have a lot of people with them. Strong mages. They will be fine.”

“But she’s a vampire now! And… and someone has to die to bring her back! And it has to be me. It’s my fault anyway… I deserve it.”

“Now, don’t talk like that.” Raycern demanded. “We have already gone over this. Desyi’s death was not your fault. Blaming yourself is not helping anyone. It’s certainly not helping you.”

“But someone HAS to die to do this spell. And I have to do it! No one else is more to blame for her death than me!”

“That’s not true and you know it.” Raycern told her. “Answer me this. If Desyi was brought back and found out that you did a life conversion spell to save her, do you think she would feel good about it? Do you think she’d be okay knowing that you gave away your life to her?”

Suhara opened her mouth but couldn’t form any words. Deep inside, she already knew the answer. Even if she didn’t want to admit it.

“Look at yourself, lass. You don’t want to do this. You know you don’t. You aren’t ready to die.” Raycern said. “Can you really look at me and say you want to do this?”

Again Suhara found she couldn’t answer the question. As much as she tried to, she could not bring herself to say anything.

“And you shouldn’t.” He affirmed. “You’re young. You have your whole life ahead of you. You have such incredible potential as a magician. Why throw all of that away because of a misjudgment?”

“But what about Desyi?!” Suhara asked him. “Do you not care about her? How can you say that I’m wrong for wanting to save a life?!”

“Calm down. Everything will be okay-”

“Okay?! My friend is a vampire and you don’t care!”

“Listen to me.” Raycern demanded. “I do not wish to argue with you. I care very deeply about each and every person in this building. And I can assure you that your friend will be fine. Because I’m going to do the spell.”

“Wh- What?”

Raycern smiled. “I know I haven’t thought about it long, but going through everything, this is what feels right.”

“B- but, why you? Can’t someone else do it?”

Raycern sighed. “I’m sorry, but the reality is that someone will have to die for this spell to work. If it wasn’t me, it’d be someone else. I understand you know me personally, but don’t let that get in the way of this decision. The lives of others you don’t know are worth just as much as mine.”

Suhara couldn’t speak. She simply got up and hugged the old man. Slightly surprised by this action, Raycern hugged her back.

“Please don’t go.” Suhara muttered. “You’ve done so much… there has to be someone else… please…”

The old man gave her a pat on the back. “It’s okay. I’m ready for this. I am prepared to die. There are so many young faces in here that still have years ahead of them they deserve to experience. Me? I’m just some old man with a wand shop. I’ve lived a full life. I’m ready to go.”

“Does it have to be now?”

“It has to come some time, might as well be now. It is for the best. I will die knowing that I saved another’s life.”

Suhara eased herself out of the hug. She looked up and saw Raycern’s face without a hint of doubt. He was determined. He was going to do this spell and there was nothing she could do to stop him.

“I’ll miss you.”

“I know you will.” The old man said to her. “I know you’ve had to fight off some guilt because of the event. And if I’m being honest, I’ve had to fight off some guilt of my own too. Bringing your friend back to life will make things right.”

The old man’s eyes grew unfocused in memory. “You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve made a decision like this.”

“It isn’t?”

“No.” He said. “I still remember it like it was yesterday. I told my wife that I would perform this spell for her. And she looked me right in the eye and said ‘if you do that spell I will kick your ass’”. He laughed. “She told me to save it for a time I’d actually need it. Oh, how I’d love to see that woman again.”

Suhara didn’t know how to reply to that statement, so she just nodded.

“Well, I guess I need to get back to transferring this stuff.” Raycern said. “Not like that old wand shop will be much use very soon.”

“Oh… umm… can I help you?”

“Of course, young one.” Raycern responded. “Please do actually, this old body isn’t very fit anymore.

Suhara smiled wistfully as she helped the old man pick up the large box.

Raycern had become something of a father figure to the young girl. The closest thing to a father she’d ever had, in fact.

Raycern was in a similar position. Suhara was the closest thing he’d ever had to a daughter. He liked to imagine that if he actually had children, they would have been like Suhara.

Even in their short time together, they already felt like family. Perhaps in another life, they could have truly been one.

=+=+=

When the guards to the entrance of the Lyceum parted, a group of mages came into the building. The mage in the front was holding a body bag.

Suhara and Raycern, having transferred everything from the wand shop into the storage room, were already there waiting for them.

Upon seeing Suhara, Frey immediately ran over and hugged her. Her face was filled with tears. “Thank the gods you’re okay. I missed you so much.” She said.

Tricks, Norman, and Deledy all walked toward Suhara as well. None of them said anything, but their faces all showed they were more than happy she was alive.

Raycern’s decision to do the spell had already been set before they went out to search for Desyi, and as such the front mage, Fesie, handed the body bag to him. “Get Hawkshire”. She said quietly. “He will give you all the information you need.”

Raycern nodded. He turned around and took one last look at Suhara, who was beginning to tear up again. He smiled and gave her a nod which she returned. As he turned and walked away, she waved “goodbye” to him.

=+=+=

Hawkshire had taken the body to an empty storage room in the Lyceum, cold and dark. No lights, no windows, nothing aside from a few candles.

“The girl has been put under a spell making her unconscious.” Hawkshire said. “It only works for twenty-four hours. Be mindful of that.”

Raycern nodded silently. Hawkshire briefly considered giving him words of encouragement, or wishing him well, but decided against it. Raycern was about to die and everyone knew it. There wasn’t anything that could possibly soften the blow.

Hawkshire did nothing more than give Raycern a knowing nod, before exiting the room.

Raycern was now completely alone.

Slowly, he opened the body bag and laid his eyes upon the unconscious body of Desyi. He had never really gotten the chance to know her, but he wished that he had. He could say the same about a lot of students who had been in the Lyceum.

He took a deep breath. There was no use delaying the inevitable.

He closed his eyes and focused all his power. He conjured up his magic until his entire body felt full of energy. Years of training were finally paying off.

“Take my life away and give it to this soul.” Raycern said these words in his mind and directed his magic to Desyi.

He didn’t know how long it took. It seemed to be a long time, but eventually he could feel a link between himself and the girl. The spell was working.

“Concentrate. All life from me is gone and put into this soul.”

He felt the link between them grow stronger as time went on. Inside the room, threads of light were being connected between himself and Desyi, and Desyi’s body was beginning to glow.

Raycern concentrated all his magic further. He could feel the spell working. Ever so slowly, it was as if a transfer of life was occurring.

Desyi’s body continued to glow, and her vampiric features were slowly fading away. Her body was being reignited with life and humanity.

It was only a short while afterward that Raycern suddenly collapsed. Desyi’s body continued to glow however, and it went on repairing itself.

As Raycern felt his life fade away from him, he saw the face of his wife looking back at him.

He smiled at her.

=+=+=

Suhara walked over to the gravestone of Raycern, all alone in the very fitting rain.

Suhara knelt down, eyes filled with water. What she owed this old man she couldn’t have possibly given back. Giving her the demon root was what made real magic possible to her. This new life of hers, she never would have been able to do it without him.

And it was him who gave up his own life to save one of her friends. Desyi was finally back, because of the selflessness of this old man. In all respects, he was a hero.

Suhara put her hand on his grave. She turned on her winter sight to see all the magic embedded in it. It allowed her to see the coffin underneath, buried in the ground.

Seeing it had actually reassured her. He was in a better place now. There was nothing to be sad about. She smiled through her tears.

She promised that through all her life, she would never forget him.