As Aethel's powers grew, so did the strange occurrences around her. Whispers echoed in the wind, and shadows danced in the corners of her vision. One day, while walking home from school, she noticed a group of ancient-looking stones standing in a field. They were covered in strange symbols, and a faint golden glow emanated from them.

  Curious, Aethel approached the stones. As she got closer, the whispers grew louder, and the symbols on the stones began to glow brighter. Suddenly, a voice echoed in her mind, not a whisper, but a clear, powerful voice.

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  "Star-Eyed One," the voice said. "The stones remember. They remember the time before, when the shadows fell."

  Aethel felt a shiver run down her spine. "Who are you?" she asked.

  "We are the guardians," the voice replied. "We have waited for your return."

  The stones revealed that they were ancient guardians, placed on Earth to protect it from the shadows. They had been waiting for the "Star-Eyed One" to awaken, and now that she had, they were ready to help her.

  The guardians told Aethel that the shadows were growing stronger, and that they were preparing to unleash their full power. They warned her that she needed to find allies, other guardians who had been scattered across the Earth.