The birth of magic came at the very beginning of time, and created all that came to exist. Its very essence was ingrained within everything that took breath, grew, and flowed; It lived within the roots of beautiful, blooming flowers, and within the bark of tiny trees, ensuring they grew into great, hulking sentinels. Magic was within the air itself, in every flame that burned, and every droplet that fell from the skies. Every living creature had magic flowing through them, whether it be the smallest of fish that explored the vast oceans, or the largest of dragons which soared across the skies.
It took thousands of years before humans were capable of understanding the complex, limitless power which ruled all they knew, and even longer before they were able to wield it. The first to do so were the Vandevieres of Zandrya.
The family were a large one and resided on the small island which sat on the Eastern Coast of Africa. Even before they were able to wield magic, they were known to be ruthless in combat and skilled in politics which had cemented their grasp of power over the smaller tribes. It took near a century for the Vandevieres to learn all they could about the powers they now held; They learnt that it could feed their people when famine came, and could heal when disease took hold of their young, but it could also kill and destroy everything in its path. While the light was beautiful and full of wonder, the dark magic was seductive and addictive. Where the light could fill fields with boundless amounts of crops, the dark could burn it all to ash in the blink of an eye. Both sides required a great deal of appreciation and caution to maintain balance of the world.
The family also learnt of the magical creatures with whom they shared their lands. The merpeople who resided within the ocean surrounding their island preferred to be left in peace and rarely came into contact with the humans unless they had to. The dragons which ruled the skies were creatures that the Vandevieres had come to revere. They were magnificent beasts, beautiful but dangerous.
Of all the creatures the family had come into contact with, the Dracanis' of Zandrya were the greatest discovery of all; Their bodies were that of enormous wolves, while huge dragon wings sprouted from their backs, and they were capable of speaking like any human could. The magic they possessed was one that they rarely saw in many creatures before them, and they fascinated the Vandevieres. The Dracanis' took a great liking to the family, and became something of companions to them all. They worked with them, and ate with them, and fought bravely beside them whenever a threat presented itself. The relationship between the two groups became unyielding over time, and their magic bonded them fully to one another, forever inseparable through the ages to come.
As the years passed, thousands began to learn magic as the Vandeviere's had, but few understood it as they did. The dark became too captivating, and the balance was tipped, and thrown into disarray. Plagues swept through the world, floods decimated entire continents, and bloody wars broke out between powerful factions.
The Vandevieres experienced little of the chaos that had swept over the world, but they heard the call of their magic to restore balance and end the suffering of those who couldn't fight the battle against the most powerful of Wizardkind. It was Khari Vandeviere, son of Ekon, who raised the banners for the ancient magic. It was a monumental task, but he could not refuse, nor did he wish to, and with their Dracanis' and the tribes standing beside them, the Vandevieres began their conquest.
The war lasted nearly a decade as Khari and his family conquered every land which was held by Wizardkind, from the Americas in the West, to the regions of Oceania in the East. The battles were gory, but short-lived. Their enemies fought valiantly, but none could match the sheer power of the first magical family. Their wrath was akin to that of the dragon which donned their sigil, bringing scorching flames to all whom stood against them. The Dracanis' were just as ruthless, and the battlefield was often alight with the sound of snapping jaws and bone-chilling snarls as they slaughtered entire armies, staining the Vandeviere banners in blood with every battle fought.
By the end of the war, their enemies had either fallen in battle, or willingly bowed to their new rulers as their banners burned, and the jaws of the Dracanis' threatened to close around their throats. They had won their Kingdom with fire and glory, and as Khari was named King, the dawn of the Vandeviere dynasty had begun.
They found their seat on an untouched island North of Morocco which came to be known as Vanderlia. They built a great, white palace on the cliffs, huge and towering above everything in sight. The City of Madden sat below, and directly opposite, the Temple of Embers was built. The Temple served as the center of worship for the Vandevieres, and was the home of the High Priestess, the eternal, ageless witch who held all knowledge of the power and histories of the family.
In the eyes of their new subjects, the family were Gods; Their power was unparalleled, their knowledge vast, and the Dracanis' whom remained by their sides were unlike anything seen before. After all the damage that had been done, it took all that the Vandevieres had learned, and all the power they possessed to return the world to balance, and teach all those whom had only known dark magic about the wonders of the light.
In order to maintain their strong line, the Vandevieres married into powerful, pureblooded families, producing the next generations of witches and wizards whom ruled their kingdom with dignity, strength, and an elegance beyond compare, bringing about the greatest advancements the world had ever seen. Great civilisations were built across the world, new discoveries were made everyday, and their people were happy and healthy. The Wizarding world flourished under their rule, and dark magic was an art few partook in, and was all but forsaken by everyone but those whom could not resist the lure of what the dark arts could provide.
With every new generation, the Vandeviere Kings varied from weak and cowardly, to ruthless and magnificent, and while they were still respected by most, their displays of weakness ensured that they were no longer seen as the deities which people had once believed them to be. They were no longer untouchable, they had weaknesses, and they were killable. It was this fact that brought about a new wave of dark wizards and witches who wished to unseat them.
They'd seen many a rebellion where some sought to bring an end to the Vandeviere dynasty, but despite their greatest efforts, the family remained immovable from the throne. With the constant threat of their newfound enemies, the Vandevieres ensured that their Kings were the leaders the Wizarding world so desperately needed. Weak Kings were overthrown by their stronger, bolder family members. Sickly Kings met a swift end in order for their mightier sons to replace them.
It was during the reign of King Hadrian when their greatest threat arose. He and his wife, Avyanna, were loved by millions. He was just, kind, and ruled his Kingdom strictly, but none of that prevented his reign from being shaken by the most vicious and bloody war they had ever faced; Lord Voldemort had risen to power from the ashes of past enemies, and rallied hundreds of dark wizards and creatures against the crown in an ongoing struggle for power. The battles were not short and glorious, but long and gory. Terror raged across the globe, magical blood was needlessly and brutally spilt, and the Vandevieres empire was on the brink of collapse.