"That druid-master was Merlin and that young woman was ME!!!".
I rose my head as if stung by a bee.
"You are...?".
I stammered as if struck by the throat.
"Yes, I am...Cleopatra. Cleopatra Van Der Vaart".
She came closer to me and held me by the throat.
"What I'm about to do to you isn't just business as usual. It's personal".
She turned her back to me and returned to her usual demeanor.
"Well, Merlin died some centuries ago, so you'll suffer for him. No big deal".
"I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you. We don't do such".
"Oh, of course, that's what you all do. Cause pain and suffering anywhere you go. You think that you bring peace by doing so but you're wrong" she roared.
She was obviously hurt to the core.
"We've been forced into hiding since the Ascension but for once, we never fought back because we know our descent. But no, your kind won't let sleeping dogs lie. You choose to hunt us down and eliminate us, bringing your so-called chastity to the world".
She chanted a spell. The force holding me broke off and I found myself in her hands.
"Look at them, all of them. You think that they don't have have lives here? They don't have family? They are incapable of love?".
I looked around in guilt.
"We are capable of making the right decisions. We got pushed to the wall, and you know what? We got fed up. We decided to push right back. We fought for what we love and cherish.
Only the strong is able to protect what he cherishes, that is what your kind has taught us. So, we fight right back".
"Do you think we want our ancestor back into this world? We know what he's capable of, so we let him remain where he is. We also feel love for this world".
She took in a breath.
"We tried to change, Ace, but your kind won't let us. Some of us has been pushed to the wall, so much so that we want nothing but the destruction of the world.
The only way is by unleashing Sizzetov on the universe. And you don't give us much of a choice".
"My daughter died in this bloody war. The only thing that reminded me of Devin was lost in a war we never wanted. Many others lost one loved one or another. So, we've grown nothing but hatred for this world.
We've felt immense pain. So we'll just give the world a dose of it's own medicine".
I tried to talk to her.
"Please calm down. I can...".
"... Understand? Oh no, you don't. You only lost a father and now, you're claiming camaraderie?".