FairyKnight

Julia woke to feel a hand shaking her shoulder insistently.

“Julia! Wake up! Wake up!” It was Trixie kneeling next to her in an empty classroom. Kyte and Trixie had managed to drag her into a nearby building. The room suddenly shook with the force of an earthquake.

“Wha? What’s going on Trixie? Am I having a nightmare?”

“Only if you are having one that we are all sharing with a 20 foot tall giant Remnant that seems very intent on talking to you! There are about ten Mages out in the courtyard putting up a shield around this place. They told us to try to wake you and see how on earth you managed to stir up a thousand year old magical creature.”

Trixie gave Julia a sidelong glance. “You’re not hiding something from your best pal Trixie are you?”

The room shook again. Bits of rock sprinkled on Julia’s face. Her eyes grew wide. “I don’t even know what a Remnant is! What’s happening to me?” she grabbed Trixie’s shoulders.

“Hey! My dress is already covered in dust. No need to mess it up more.” Trixie smiled weakly. “It’s going to be ok, Herbie. Stuff like this happens all the time.”

“Really?” Julia asked.

“No, not really you goof!” Trixie mock smacked Julia on the shoulder.

Kyte burst into the room, his feet sliding sideways like a overly large puppy. Out of breath, he gasped “The Mages say you have to come out, Julia. Or this Remnant’s going to bring the building down on your head.” The room shook, harder this time, as if to emphasize Kyte’s point.

“C’mon, Herbie. What choice do you have?”

Trixie pulled Julia to her feet. Steeling her courage, she followed Kyte and Trixie out of the room, numbly. As they emerged from the building they gasped. Arrayed in a circle around the huge manlike golem were ten Mages. They appeared to be Mage teachers who had rushed to see what was going on and had quickly surmised that the girl’s life was in danger. A glowing wall of energy surrounded the Remnant. It’s ancient features were twisted in anger as it bashed its fists against the shield. However, as soon as it saw Julia it stopped and turned to her.

“CHILD OF THE EARTH!” it boomed, “COME! I WILL NOT HARM YOU! YOU MUST HEAR ME!”

“Who couldn’t?” Trixie muttered.

Julia felt that falling sensation again. Deep within her she Knew this was right. Somehow this was her destiny. That Knowing built up in her like a rushing river, a force pushing at her like nothing she had ever felt before. Without thinking she gestured to the wizards and cut off their power like snipping a string. They all fell to the ground, astounded. Julia calmly walked up to the Remnant. Within her, she was screaming inside - run away! But the river inside her was forcing her to walk to the Remnant.

“Herb-Julia wait!” Trixie yelled, but Kyte held her back.

“CHILD OF THE EARTH. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU. A GREAT DARKNESS IS COMING. YOU WILL BE CALLED TO A GREAT SORROW”

The huge creature reached within the folds of its tattered clothing and carefully extended its hand to Julia. Still entranced, she reached out to take the item from its hand. It was a necklace. A large teardrop shaped jewel of amber hung from a silver band. Numbly, she looked from the necklace to the Remnant.

“GREAT SORROW. BUT ALSO GREAT HOPE! KEEP THE SEED OF HOPE SAFE! GUARD IT WITH YOUR LIFE. FOR IT WILL SURELY SAVE YOURS. ” it gestured to Trixie and Kyte. “AND YOUR FRIENDS.” Suddenly, it bent its face down to Julia’s with unnatural speed for one so large. “REMEMBER!” it boomed, then looked to the sky. “I HAVE COMPLETED MY TASK. AT LAST I MAY REST.”

Suddenly, the Remnant froze in place. A pallor of grey spread across its skin and face.

“Look out!” Kyte called, and grabbed Julia back toward the building entrance. In the next moment the Remnant, now completely still, began to crumble and fall apart as if made of wet sand. Shaken out of her trance by Kyte’s action, Julia looked down at the necklace in her hand and proceeded to faint for the second time that day. The last thing she saw were students and Mages rushing toward them before darkness filled her mind.

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