Gaueko itzala

Ingelesean idatzitako ipuin argitaratua.

The night shadow

-Dad! Tell us a story! Please. - The little girl looked at her sister.

-Yes, - the sister added- a new story! Can you tell us a new one?

The girls looked at one another:

-Pleeeeease. -

-Okay, okay-their father said with a smile -I´ll tell you a new one. This is the story my mother told me when I was a little kid, just like you.

The girls giggled.

-And now I´m going to tell it to you. It’s called “The night shadow.”

There was a shadow, a strange one indeed, IT didn´t know where IT was, nor why IT was there. This shadow had no name. It belonged to nothing. The thing is, shadows only appear thanks to light. All shadows needed light to form. And an object that creates this shadow, but this shadow had neither.

-Dady, what does that mean- The little girl interrupted.

-Oh - Her father said- It means a shadow needs light. And there is always something “making” that shadow.

So, where was I? Right_. So, the shadow was strange. IT needed no light and had nothing casting it. This shadow lived at night and hid while it was day. Legend tells that this shadow went to Rash, the planet in ruins, before it was destroyed._

-And now it’s a legend? - The older sister asked

-Lucy, really? Does it have to be now? -

Lucy smiled- Maybe… -

Fine, Rash, was a beautiful planet those days. IT looked like planet Earth. The shadow went flying till Rash, and…

-Now it flies. – Lucy said.

-Lucy! -

-Go on… - she said proudly.

So, IT FLEW towards Rash. The people didn’t want the shadow to be there with them and threw Shadow away. The shadow didn’t like that at all, so IT sent a thousand little meteors to Rash. The meteors started falling, and the shadow called for friends. IT called some more shadows and showed them how to become a night shadow, just like IT. The shadow sent all its friends to destroy everything and see if that would stop them. But IT didn’t. It was not good to destroy or brake other things. So, each one of the planets of The Six, the stellar system they belong to, gave a whole specie’s souls to the star.

The star collected every single soul, and gave to the strongest creature of each species, the power of the souls of its kind. In order to contain those souls, each creature was given a very powerful crystal. Some of the crystals can be found in their heads, or sometimes, you may find them in their chests. These crystals are known as “Trane”. In Ethyria, one of the planets of The Six, where we live, you can find Haia. The creature that protects us. She contains the power of her own species souls.

With all these souls and power, The Six banished Shadow out of their territory. The shadow did not accept it. IT was only a shadow, but still, it wasn’t fair. The poor shadow thought of how to return. A plan to win, to break what they had broken to IT. The shadow hid for many years, until the period of Dark Moon Night arrived.

-Daddy, why did the shadow brake stuff? - The little girl said.

-Well, I don’t know, it’s a story. But I think it was because sometimes things hurt. Here, in the heart. – Their father said pointing to her little heart.

-Yeah, -Lucy said. - Ashley is right, -She said, pointing to her little sister. – But by the way, what is Dark Moon Night? -

That question got her father by surprise.

-I…, I don’t remember. – He said.

-Well, I do, -said a voice coming from the other side of the door.

-Grandma! -Both girls shouted together.

-Yes, - Grandma said. – Dark moon is a strange story. Look. - She said, sitting on a chair right in front of their beds.

• Do you know, that The Six has a shield around us? -

The two girls nodded.

-Well, each four years, the shield would fall for some time. Many years ago, when that happened, the shadow went in The Six and attacked all planets. Usually, it didn’t go very far, and nobody got hurt. When the shield raised, the shadow would be throwed back out. – Grandma smiled. -But this doesn’t happen anymore. Don’t worry. –

The girls looked at each other once again.

-But grandma, - Lucy said, the oldest sister. -Why did that happen? –

-Nobody knows. – Their father said. -But I hope it’s not too scary…- He smiled.

-No! No, no, no! It’s not scary! Please tell us the story. – The two girls said.

So, Grandma went on with the story:

-It was dark moon night when Shadow entered The Six. IT looked for the star. Tried to get near it, to destroy it, but just then, Haia appeared. Haia told the shadow to go away. But the shadow didn’t listen. IT just laughed. Haia warned the shadow, that she was going to destroy IT if not, but the shadow just went on. Haia, the big yellow bird, shone with the light of the star. The Dark Moon Night period ended just at that moment, right when the crystal on her head shone brighter than any star you’ve ever seen. The shadow was finally gone, but, when Haia looked for the crystals containing the species’ souls, but  she couldn´t find them anymore.  The soul had taken them all. Haia then knew that next Dark Moon Night period would not happen again in four years now, it would happen sooner, as Shadow will have greater power now. –

-When? – Ashley interrupted.

-I’ll tell you later… - Her Grandma said, smiling in a funny way.

“Many months later, when everyone had forgotten about the shadow, the humans started a new war within The Six. Haia had to go to protect everyone from this catastrophe. It was a devastating war, and it killed many people. Haia held the war far from Ethyria by moving it to the ruins of Rash.

Every explosion took away lives, and every arrow was important. It killed people, as any war does, and it took away lives that should not go away. At least Eya, our heaven, has always a place even for those who die in war. Poor Haia saw how both her planets Earth and Ethyria fought each other, knowing that non would win, because war is chaos, and chaos never makes things better. Chaos always tends to go to destruction. It was almost like an apocalypse.” – Her grandma looked at the roof of the room and staid waiting for any questions. And a question she got.

-Grandma, -Ashley the youngest sister asked- What’s an apocaplips? -

-APOCALYPS- Lucy whispered.

-Apopalipt, apopasit, heeeeee, whatever she said. -Ashley said.

• It’s like, well, the end of the world. – Grandma replied.

-WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?- The girls shouted.

-Don’t worry girls, -their father said – There isn’t going to be any apocalypse here.

• Well, Gran, why is there war if it only breaks things? – Lucy wondered, while her little sister nodded.

• Well, that’s a good question Lucy, - Her Grandma said thoughtfully, - I don’t understand either, but I know that humans tend to brake stuff for mere happiness. – She looked at the girls, suddenly smiling. – But we also have a good thing, and it’s that we can change. –

She got up thanks to some help from their father, and looked at the girls proudly,

• And we did change! The war lasted for a single year, and not one or the other side stopped. It was the shadow that stopped them, in an advanced Dark Moon Night. The shadow raised upon The Six. IT admitted proudly that IT had created a source of power to open a hole in the shield of The Six for a whole day. That day was difficult. With the “A team” protecting them, they all got through that day safe and sound. The “A Team” is a group of friends integrated by: Ash, their archer; Ax, Ash’s brother; Amber and Aisha. As a fun fact, Aisha has two sisters called Alehia and Adama. O, and sunshine, Ax’s pet spider. –

The girls rolled their eyes wide open and looked at Grandma incredulously.

• Don’t worry, - their father said nervously touching Grandma with his elbow- It was a small spider, right Grandma? –

-No, it was enormous. As a fact, it was two meters tall. –

-Not helping…- Their father whispered looking at the girls. Grandma smiled.

-Well, as I was saying, after the disaster, the shadow got to the star followed by a whole army of souls. They attacked while the shadow approached the star faster than the light. The shield fell in the moment the shadow touched this mere star. So did the rest of the souls, that with a big explosion, were sent to space along with the six planets. So, the shadow reigned the whole galaxy. Yes, the whole galaxy. So, Haia, the yellow bird of Ethyria went to the shadow to tell IT to stop. And I suppose your father doesn’t want me to tell you this part, -

-No, don’t tell it to the girls Gran, -Their father said.

-Well… So, something, something, something and Haia told the shadow that it was not alone. It had friends that would help it. The shadow saw how everyone feared it and just grinned. Alone or not, it felt powerful. Haia was nothing compared to “IT”, and no one could stop the shadow. The shadow went on creating its own palace of destruction to rule not just the world; not even the whole galaxy, but space or the whole universe.” –

-I told you to jump that part! – Their father said.

Grandma continued.

-The shadow knew that conquering the universe was technically impossible, just as we all know, its technically infinite. That’s why IT needed the central star of The Six. Girls, do you know why IT needed a “star”? -

-Yes granny, remember I’m in second grade at school. SECOND GRADE! -Lucy said -I oooobviously know that. –

-So, why does a shadow need a star to conquer the universe? – Her grandmother asked.

• Well, the star is very important. For instance, if the star is destroyed by a goat, the goat rules the universe. Imagine, the goat wants to make a new planet, so the goat just says BAAAAA! And a new planet appears. –

-Well, -her grandma said – That’s; a horrible explanation. –

-Thank you, -Lucy said.

• A clearer explanation is, the star has the control upon the whole universe, so, if you destroy The Star, you kind of become the star. You would still be a person, but you would have the power of the star. Do you understand? You can do WHATEVER you want. “I want to destroy that galaxy” BAM! Destroyed. “I want to make a planet just for myself” PUF! A planet appears. Basically, you can do whatever you want with the universe. – Grandma explained.

-Well thank you for this, em… explanation. -Their father said. -I suppose so. –

-It’s the same I said -Lucy remarked – Just that without a goat! –

• Thank you, Lucy. – Grandma said smiling.

-You are very welcome. – Lucy said with a bow.

-Where was I? Right. So, Shadow teared the universe in little pieces, and no one could stop it. Not even Haia could stop IT. But she could talk to IT. These were her wise words:

“Le tack, do sle’nam tuck, LOKEEN sera-men. Le tack, defou neifen sinack, vna TEM lu.” Meaning: Stop looking at the universe around you, start SEEING. Stop hearing our shouts, start LISTENING to them.

Shadow didn’t want to listen. But IT did. And IT did start seeing or at least realizing ITS mistakes, and listening to those who shouted for help. -It heard how a little kid saw IT and angrily shouted: GO BACK TO THE SHADOWS FROM WHERE ONCE YOU CAME.  Shadow new that IT was doing the same thing The Six did to IT and wanted to change. IT put everything in order and gave the power of the star back to where it belonged to.

“Go back to the shadows from where once you came.” Echoed in the shadows heart. “Go back to the shadows from where once you came” As fast as the people, animals and creatures saw ITS forgiveness, they also forgave IT. The little kid went till the shadow to say only two last words: “Thank you.”

-And that’s all my little friends, - Grandma said yawning. -Its already eleven o’clock. Good night. – She got up and walked to the hallway. Lucy grabbed her arm.

-Grandma, are, are you Haia? –

Her Grandma smiled.

-No, but my mother had Haia’s soul. -Grandma answered. -In other words, your Great grandmother was Haia. – And with that secret told, she slidered down the hallway.

Lucy smiled and went to bed.     The end