She kneels in the soft grass, surrounded by blossoms, smiling as the scents tickle her nose. A garden sits behind her home, high on a hill overlooking Meridell. She watches as workers rebuild the castle and surrounding village. It's a slow healing, but healing nonetheless.

Just then, a small Kyrii comes running up the hill, carrying something. "Illusen!" he shouts. "Lady Illusen!" He's waving a pouch over his head, and when he reaches the top of the hill, he's completely out of breath.

She's kneeling before him, eyes wide and curious. "What is it, Vadellen?"

He pauses, opens the bag and pulls out a small charm. "I found it," he says. Extending the charm forward, she takes it with her gentle hands.

That's exactly what I needed," she whispers. Popping up from the grass, she rushes over to her garden. "Come here!" she says. "I have your reward!"

Just then, a shadow passes over the glade and a chilly wind blows across the grass. The Kyrii huddles close to Illusen and she holds him. "Don't worry," she whispers, "she can't hurt you here."

There is laughter from the shadow. "Hurt him? Hurt him? Trust me, sister, your little friend is of no interest to me."

It's -- it's Jhu--," Vadellen begins, but Illusen gently covers his mouth.

Shhh," she tells him. Then, turning back to the shadow, she asks, "What do you want?"

I'm almost done," the shadow snickers. "And you've hardly begun."

Illusen shakes her head. "Your spies are misinformed, sister," she says. "I'm nearly finished."

Finished," the shadow says, then her voice grows darker. "Yes. You are nearly... finished."

The shadow dissipates as her laughter echoes across the glade. The little Kyrii looks up at Illusen. "What did she mean?"

Shaking her head, Illusen replies, "Nothing, little one." Her eyes look up at the sky, where a dark cloud lingers... growing stronger every day. "Nothing at all."

She makes her residence in a secret glade that can only be found by those who know its name. As Meridell's resident Faerie guardian, she fought to protect the magical kingdom against the Darigan invasion, but even her magic wasn't enough to withstand the power of Darigan's Orb.

No one knows why Illusen came to Meridell, although a few have their suspicions. Some say she left voluntarily, tired of the squabbling politics of the Faerie Queen's court. Others say the Dark Faeries forced her from Faerieland (led by Jhudora, of course).