Startouched II

Oh.

My.

God.

Cassie couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Can we please get out of the denial phase already and onto the awe? Her mind urged her.

Cassie blinked once, hard, finally coming back to her senses.

Are you alright? Asked the voice from above.

The voice wasn't booming, but it wasn't soft either, yet it was one of those voices that demanded respect, regardless of the tone.

Like mom.

Cassie shook her head vigorously. When she looked back up, she knew she hadn't been seeing things, because it was all still there.

"I-" She started to respond, but the words seemed to catch in her throat, her voice coming out as a nervous squeak.

The Queen laughed.

Don't worry, little one. She said. I don't bite.

"Sorry." She said timidly.

No worries, dear. The Queen responded kindly. Now listen, I don't have much time to talk, alright? In a few moments, I'm going to fade away, and the stars will return to their normal positions in the sky. I have a message for you, dear, so listen well, for I shall only say this once:

"Heed this warning, heed it well;

For right now, someone is brewing a spell,

Something dangerous, to destroy the nation,

Unleashing chaos beyond imagination.

*

The wind will howl, the skies will break,

Defeat this evil for all our sakes,

Hold tight to hope, stand your ground,

For in the shadows, our fate it found.

Her words seemed to ring throughout the silence of the night as she finished.

Cassie blinked.

"...Huh." Cassie said after a second. "That was a nice poem."

The Queen didn't answer for a moment, then a second later, she said in a confused tone, What? I just- My dear, that was a warning.

Cassie furrowed her brow, then asked slowly, "Wait... Was that a warning for me?"

Yes, my dear. I had but one chance to give this transmission, and I knew at once that you were the only one who could complete this quest.

"Quest?" Cassie yelped, "You mean I have to do all that stuff you said in the poem?!"

The warning.

"I don't even remember the words!!!" She cried, "And even if I did, why would you call me, of all people? I'm only 9 years old! Why didn't you tell all this to an adult? I don't even know what's going on right now, and all of a sudden now I have to go DEFEAT SOME WIZARD WHO'S TRYING TO DESTROY THE-"

CASSANDRA! The Queen exclaimed, cutting her off, Look, I don't have time to explain it all right now, okay? I can't-

"CASSIE!" Her mother shouted from the porch, and before Cassandra could even turn around, her mother had grabbed her arm and started dragging her towards the house.

"Wait! Mom! Stop!" She cried, trying to pull away, but her mother's grip was firm.

She struggled against her grip for a moment before she managed to finally break free.

"Cassandra, stop-" She began, but Cassie spoke over her, saying, "Mom, I can't go inside right now! I'm talking to the Queen in the stars! She told me to go on a quest to find some wizard person who's brewing a spell to destroy the whole kingdom!"

Her mother stared at her for a moment.

Then she let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed her temple.

"Cassie, I don't have time for your wild fantasies right now." She said, "Now come inside so we can have supper."

"No, mom, look!" She said, pointing to the stars, "She's right there, see for yourself!"

They both turned to the sky, and when Cassie looked up, she gasped.

The Queen's crest was gone, and the stars has assumed their normal positions again.

Cassie's heart dropped.

"No, no, no... Mom, you have to believe me! It was there, I promise!" She cried.

But without proof, how could her mother believe her?

"Inside, now." Her mother said sternly, jabbing a finger toward the house.

Feeling hopeless, Cassie began slowly walking toward her home, hanging her head.

The Queen said that I was the only one who could do this. She thought as she walked. She even read me a poem, when she could have read it to anyone else. It's like... I'm the chosen one.

Cassie stopped in her tracks.

Maybe... maybe I am the chosen one! She started to realize. And... and chosen ones don't deny their destinies... they follow them!

Cassie turned her head to the woods by her house.

I guess... it's time to follow mine.

Before she could form a sensible thought, she darted into the darkness of the woods.

"CASSIE!" She heard her mother scream behind her.

But Cassandra couldn't hear her.

She was in too deep to turn back.