Prologue: All That Glitters

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Almost 400 years ago...

The night drifted away in silence as the dying candlelight illuminated the lone fairy scribbling away at a minuscule scrap of paper, the ink of her quilled pen dripping haphazardly across the page. But she did not pay any mind to this as she pushed her bangs from her eyes and gritted her teeth, focusing more firmly on the words before her.

There was so much she had to tell them; so much she still had to warn them about--

She stopped writing with a gasp, the pen falling from her grasp as a surge of heat pulsed up her wrists and through her hands. She threw herself away from her desk, flitting upward to the top of her little house and pressing her hands together in the effort to ease the sparks sliding through her fingers.

"No," she hissed. "Not yet." 

Her eyes darted to the parchment, unfinished and far from ready. "I need more time." 

The looming, jeering glint of snide laughter flooded the room--or maybe it was just in her mind--and she covered her ears, desperately trying to block out the sound. "Please...just a little longer. Let me...warn them."

The firey coils drew tighter as she heaved herself away from their source, shuddering and forcing back the darkness swirling just below the surface.

It was time.

It wanted out.

For the millionth time, she cursed her younger self for her reckless actions. If only she hadn't been so greedy...if only she had understood the consequences of her actions. It had never been about her--her need to protect and defend him--about her want to make the Hollow a better place. She had foolishly tried to change the world on her own, her own way, and now she was living with the scars of her mistakes.

And they were massive.

One too many wishes, one too many times. She had once thought she could make things the way they were supposed to be; but she had gambled too much and it had cost her everything.

Scarab... 

At first, she had ignored the whispers; a simple trick for fairy already burdened by the weight of a fate she had not chosen, a weight she had always carried alone

But she had not been good enough. They had made sure of that. 

They kept her down, they held her back, but when the time came that she was ready to decide for herself, they would not let her go. 

You're ours now, they had whispered in her ears every second of every day; in her home, in the Summer season with the other animal-talents, while practicing hopping with the baby rabbits, they would not let her forget.

You said you would do anything to save him. 

How far did you really think that meant, little fairy? You belong to the magic now. You are one. There is no safety for you. 

Forget the life you had.

Forget the ones you care about.

Forget about love. Forget about him.

They all mean nothing to you now. You cannot protect them anymore. You never could. It was always your fate to be this way. 

"You don't know that," she hissed, doubling over at the side of her desk, her fingernails digging into the wood so hard that the edges began to splinter. "I can...still save them. Shade...I have to warn Shade..."

It's far too late for that now, young one. 

She stumbled, the fire reaching out to her once again and consuming her. She flew back, but the damage remained, eternally engraved into her workbench.

If you truly loved him, you would have told him a long time ago. Not now.

Not when you have nothing left to lose.

"Fine," Scarab snapped. "Then I will tell Scorpion and Asha! And all of the others that come after them! I am not going to let the Hollow burn just because you tell me to!"

No, my dear, that is exactly what you are going to do. You had your chance and you didn't take it. Now we are going to do things our way.

"No!" she seethed. "I won't let you!"

And with that, she threw herself back at her desk, clentching her hands into fists and expelling the magic from her hands for long enough...just long enough...to scratch out one final warning to her friends. 

Shade, Scorpion, Asha...please...forgive me...

The words came, hard and fast; words that she did not understand, words that she had never once phrased; together like a hurricane, rapid and sure. Her hand immediately went to inscribe them, though what they could mean she did not know.

A...a world changed by...by time and age...

A...land scorched by...blood and rage... 

The voices hissed affirmingly as she scribbled that last word.

Shall...know two heroes of...of common ground.

They will be like us, she thought. They will be the ones that no one suspects. Special and yet, unassuming, outcasts. They will have to find their way in the world, into a Hollow that I suspect will be very different from now.

When the trumpet of death shall then be sound; 

When...what was lost shall again be found.

Be cautious, young ones, she prayed. For the power you seek does not always come from the place in which you seek it. Do not be hasty for you will...come to regret it.

Two fairies, one fate, of light and dark,

Tinker-talents. 

She did not know where the guild name had come from, but yet, it felt right. 

Tinkers...like Shade.

Shall clash and strike at the very heart.

Please...whoever you are...be careful. This is a dangerous world to be subjected to; things are so much more dangerous than they appear. Please, please do not take it for granted. Understand the power you have been given. Respect it...or it will destroy you.

Two sides, a war for fate shall wage ,

And only by loss can there...can there be a change.

But there is another side of this tale,

One of trickery, lies, and betra--

And then the pen fell and she gasped, the force of the magic whelling within driving her back once again, leaving her gasping for breath. Instantly, her eyes shot back to the corner of the room where they lay; hidden, out of view of any unwelcome visitors.

No.

Scarab...

The whispers grew stronger as she heaved herself over to them. She was growing weaker by the moment. She had no more time to explain. She couldn't stop herself. 

She could only hope she had done enough...that the others would stop her...that she wouldn't hurt anyone...

Scarab...time's up...

"I'm sorry, Shade," she whispered, the tears running down her cheeks as she reached out and took the rings into her hands, dutifully sliding them into place and waiting for the magic to consume her. "I tried to save you, I really did. Please...forgive me for what I've become..."

Then fire consumed her vision and everything went black...

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