It was a cold, wet day. The rain fell heavily down on the two women as they made their way slowly through the graveyard. Elyssia Ravenor gave a deep sigh, her breath coalescing before her in a cloud of mist, brushing a strand of her dark hair out of her eyes. A hood was pulled up to conceal her features, her black robes pulled close around her body to ward off the cold; the cold both outside and within.

Her normally cheerful expression was gone, vanished, replaced by a look of grief that had been frozen on her face for the past week since the news had reached her. She'd cried her eyes raw at the funeral but no more since then though the desire to remained strong. She had been unable to do much else, finding her mind wandering off to past memories she'd rather not remember whenever she attempted to carry out a day to day task to try and get back on track. Instead, all she got were flashes of the past; when she'd first received the news and, more prominently, the funeral.

The family had gathered; Sasha and Regina, the younger sisters of the two, clung together, trying their best to comfort each other in vain. Alexius and Briareos, the younger males of the family, stood with backs rigid, heads lowered and hands clasped before them. They had both held deep respect for their older cousins, training up with them as their role models. Elyssia had stood alone, her other half, her twin brother gone. She'd tried her best to control herself, hold back from being overwhelmed as she had when she'd knelt by the open coffin. The lid was closed and with it, the greater part of her soul had been sealed away with it.

Aside from them, a delegation from the Ministry had been present, an honour guard of Aurors waiting in ranks to watch the passing of the fallen. Elyssia knew that the members of Valius and Alaric's former special Auror unit were also around, lurking in the shadows to maintain secrecy but also to pay their respects.

Claire Vindictus, former Minister for Magic, had been present, along with Kelsey Heap, Glaedr Pendragon, Devin McCauley and a number of professors who had grown up with Alaric in school. Kara Ous had also stood alone, gazing down as the coffins were lowered into the ground, tears streaking her face, eyes fixed on the disappearing remains of her former friend. The grey skies had flashed with lightning, echoing the mood of the assembled witches and wizards. Over the hour, the mourners had departed until only those closest to the two remained; the Ravenors and Kara Ous. With the greatest will power, Elyssia had forced herself to order the others to return home and then to leave too.

And now they were here again; Elyssia and…Kara. The older woman blinked once slowly, hoping that when she opened her eyes again, the sight before would disappear but there it was… Two blocks of stone, etched deep with writing, the Ravenor crest stamped across the top of each. Elyssia knelt by one, wiping her eyes to see through tears, hand resting on cold stone of the grave.

Valius Aurelius Ravenor

1980 – 2013

'Semper Fidelis'

The grave next to it was almost identical except for a different date and Alaric's name inscribed where Valius' was. Alaric and Valius Ravenor; two of the most powerful Aurors of the time, killed at last after so many conflicts and battles for the sake of the greater good. Both had endured such great hardship and suffering, taking enough damage throughout their lives and careers to kill a normal Auror several times over. And at last, it finally had.

First, Valius had been killed, the report delivered back to the Ravenor estate. He had been leading an action against a coven of dark wizards, backed up by a team of Aurors handpicked by him. At the height of the battle, the dark wizards had been on the verge of summoning something. Valius had slain the coven leaders but the backwash of energy had surged out, blinding everyone. When everyone came to, the dark wizards were dead…and so was Valius.

A few days later, Alaric had been with Kara at a café, coming to terms with the loss of his older cousin. Elyssia knew that Kara was the one Alaric had always confided in, spoke to when he needed to talk to someone. And he had been with her when he died. More dark wizards had come for him as they sat there, unleashing destructive magic that levelled the building in the conflict. Alaric had used what power he had to shield Kara and the other civilians as the building came down. His body had been recovered shortly after Auror teams had arrived on the scene.

The memories made Elyssia stifle another sob. To never speak to her twin again, to feel him and rely on him. It was to be deprived of the other half of her world. And Alaric… Her younger cousin, the little boy she had seen grow into a man over the years… Both gone now… It was better to just get her duties over and done with quickly, go home and…return to brooding over life without those two. At her side, Kara, kneeling by Alaric's grave, clearly felt the same.

Elyssia drew out the object she'd been keeping beneath her robes, a long item, wrapped in a black cloth. She unwrapped it slowly, hands working at the material carefully. A bolt of lightning flashed overhead, catching the mirror sheen of a blade as she peeled back the final layer. Valius' sword, the enchanted weapon he'd used to slay countless dark wizards and creatures, rested in her hands. Elyssia's hands caressed the worn grip, trying to feel Valius' presence from where he'd held it so many times, when she'd watched her brother practice for hours on end with it.

She laid it down on his grave quickly and concealed it beneath the earth, before she lost the will to do so and ended up kneeling in the driving rain for the next few hours. She stood and backed up, looking over to see Kara still kneeling by Alaric's, laying down his own weapon parallel to Valius'. Her head was bowed and she was crying uncontrollably. Elyssia laid a gentle hand on her shoulder and drew her to her feet, hugging her close as she felt her own grief resurge. Alaric had always considered Kara to be family. Well she was welcome to be a part of it, even now.

Slowly, task done, Elyssia began to steer Kara back the way they had come. Time to go…home. They had left their loved ones' blades upon their graves as they had requested before they had gone. Supposedly, a spell woven into the blades that had bound them to their masters in life would continue to endure in death. The weapons couldn't be stolen and death would strike down any who tried. They would lie there with the two warriors who had died fighting for all they held dear. Elyssia looked back one last time and then the two women vanished, disapparating back to the place they could call home.

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In the shadow of a Ministry building, a group of witches and wizards had gathered, voices low and hushed as they whispered among each other. Another one joined them, shrouded in blackness, his pace hurried. The others all turned to look as he approaching, their voices falling silent to hear the news. The man paused to catch his breath, the urge to convey his message lending haste to his movement. "The rumours we've heard…they are true, all confirmed. Valius and Alaric Ravenor are dead."

There was a crescendo of sound as the group all sought to vocalise their opinions and doubts but their leader silenced them with a raised hand, looking around carefully to make sure no other Ministry workers were around to notice this gathering. "Be silent. I have seen the bodies. I've spoken with Aurors who were there at both scenes and they confirm to have seen those two get taken out."

"And so… Vindictus is gone and those two are now out of the way. It is time someone took control of this…situation."

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In another part of the country, another gathering was taking place. Dark wizards, dark robes, dark assembly point… Members from several covens gathered to hear the announcement from their informant, one who was just sufficiently unknown by Ministry forces to be able to be present at the funeral without being picked up. And that was what they had all come to hear about… The funeral of two of their greatest enemies; Valius and Alaric Ravenor… It was under their command of the Auror and the Enforcement departments that successful raid after raid had been launched on dark wizard covens, both in remote areas and those lurking among the good wizarding population themselves.

And now they were gone. Without their leadership, the Ministry would falter. There was no clear successor to their positions and while they floundered, the darker forces of the wizarding world would take advantage of this moment, prepare to strike while disarray still remained. Though none could claim responsibility for their defeat, the assassins having been slain by the backlash of power. The only glory to be claimed now would be in bringing down the Ministry and establishing their hold on the wizarding world, something made far simpler now the Ravenors were out the way.

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Deep within the estate of the Ishval family, Matariel paced restlessly. The ex-Auror and nemesis of Valius Ravenor paused to stare into the fire, cracking before him. The flames illuminated his expressionless face, jaw set, old scars showing white where he had just managing to stop Valius' opening killing spell when they'd last met. Ever since that fated day when he'd turned his back on the Ministry and fought for the other side, his former friend had hunted him relentlessly, mercilessly.

But not anymore… For so long, Matariel had imagined that if Valius was to die, it would be by his hand in a duel between the two, a final contest of wills to decide who was the greater warrior. The report back from Sapheriel dispelled that future occurrence. It was hard to believe that anything could stop the oldest Ravenor, especially considering what he had seen him overcome when they'd fought.

His hands curled around the hilt of his sword. With the enchanted blade, he'd stood face to face against Valius and battled countless times until both were near death's door yet lingering at the threshold. Only some kind of fate had averted an end of their paths before now. But now that was all over and there were things to be done. A shame that Valius' defeat would not be one of the things Matariel Ishval would be known for…

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Night had fallen, long since the two women disapparated. From the shade of the lone, solitary tree in the graveyard, two more figures, cloaked in black emerged. They moved without a sound, swift and silent like ghosts. Aside from the two, there wasn't a soul for several kilometres all around. They came to a halt at a pair of graves, simple stones set into the earth, inscribed with the names of the fallen. The crest of the Ravenor clan was carved on both.

In the pale moonlight, the first figure cast back his hood, revealing a man in his mid-twenties, black hair, scarred and wearing an eye patch over his left eye. Through his remaining one, he gazed down at the grave before him, deep in thought. When he spoke, his voice was low and full of remorse. "Did you see them…? The pain they're going through… There must've been another way to do this…"

The other figure knelt by the other grave and reached beneath the ground, withdrawing, holding a gleaming sword. He rose, spinning it in his hand and sliding it carefully into the sheath at his side. Drawing back his hood, black cloth tied over his ruined eyes, Valius Ravenor looked over at his cousin, expression emotionless. "We're not the only ones who saw that. It had to be done, Alaric. It hurts me more than…dying to cause such grief to Elyssia but it was all necessary… Now, get your sword. We've got a job to do. Time to get used to being dead."