Part the First
In which I make the acquaintance of one Sybil Groves

The slip of paper crackled in my grasp, brittle with age, and I frowned slightly, sounding out the foreign words under my breath.

"Louvidir crenellai arboroux."

The air shifted suddenly as a presence behind me reeled back.  I spun, dropping to a crouch as my hands came up to form fists, only to see someone solidify from...nothing.

"You...called?"  The twenty-something woman seemed almost...incredulous...and her eyes were nearly as wide as my own.

I stood, slowly, but did not lower my arms.  "Who are you and where did you come from?"

She only smiled lightly, bowing in a rather old-fashioned manner.  "Sybil Alyssia Groves, at your service.  And I didn't come from anywhere—I've been here all along."

"Okaaay...that could mean a lot of things..."

She laughed.  "What it means is that I've been here—with you—since the beginning.  You're only seeing me now because you finally found the summons."

"The beginning?  Of what?  And...summons?  What the heck is going on?"  I glanced around as someone shushed me from the next aisle.  Freaking libraries.  She sighed at that, too.

"Come on, let's talk outside."  She turned and strode off toward the doors.

I frowned, eyes narrowed, but followed all the same.

Part the Second
In which reality outpaces my wildest dreams

Outside, a cold breeze ruffled my hair and I shivered, shoving my hands into my sweater pockets.  Sybil, however, seemed unaffected as she led the way to the park.  I threw a quick glance down the busy street and hurried across after her.  A honk caught my attention and I turned, waving apologetically to the irritated driver.  Unfortunately, I was a bit closer to the sidewalk than I had anticipated, and my toe caught on the curb and, since physics are a thing, the rest of my body naturally continued in its forward direction, pitching me face first to the ground...

...but not quite.  A hand caught my shoulder, and hardly had I registered it than I was upright again, Sybil brushing me off.

"Uh...thanks."

She shrugged.  "It's what I'm here for."

"Right.  So, what's your story, exactly?"

"I'm your guardian spirit.  Everyone has one, but we can only be summoned—"

I shook my head, cutting her off.  "Wait a minute—you're saying everyone has some sort of...fairy godmother?"

She rolled her eyes.  "Oh, come on.  Those are just in fairy tales."

"Oh, and what you're saying is so much more believable."

"Look, if you don't believe me, I'll leave and you can summon me again.  Surely you can't dismiss the proof that's right in front of you!"

"Wait—!"

But she...dematerialized right before my eyes.  She was right—I couldn't ignore that.  I hurriedly pulled the paper out again, grimacing guiltily as the edges crumbled under my fumbling grasp.  I quickly scanned my surroundings—just grass and trees at this point, but I moved a little farther down the path anyway.  And so the moment of truth doth come, my melodramatic brain added.

"Louvidir crenellai arboroux."

A faint mist drifted past me, coalescing in a silver, swirling cloud, before finally solidifying.  Once more, Sybil stood before me.

"Now do you believe?"

I could only manage a mute nod as my mind tried to grapple with the legitimization of, well, magic.

"Like I was saying before, everyone has a guardian spirit, but we can only be summoned with the proper words—which had been lost, seemingly for good, until you found them."

"Oh."

"So here I am!"

"So here you are."

She stepped forward, concerned.  "Are you quite all right?"

I blinked a few times.  "I—I will be.  Just give me a moment.  ...or twelve."

Part the Third
An invitation

Magic, my friend, is merely that which has not yet been explained.  But you need not understand something for it to exist.  Do not let us fade once more into myth; remember the words, and one day, when you need us, call.  We will be there.

Signed,

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A/N: Originally written March 2016