The Village of Forever Night
In a world much unlike ours, nestled between towering mountains and misty forests, sat a small, antiquated village named Arko. This mystical hamlet was unique, for it was forever engulfed in the dark mantle of night, alight only by the ethereal glows of gleaming stars, moonlight and ever-burning torches. The townsfolk, accustomed to their everlasting twilight surroundings, developed incredible night vision, their eyes gleaming like cat's eyes in the darkness.
Young Iris was born here. Unlike her kin, she was born with eyes that sparkled under sunlight. Naturally, being different brought about unnecessary attention. She was seen as an outsider, an oddity. Her natural curiosity emerged from the confinement of the abnormal, spreading its wings in the eternal twilight.
One day, a mysterious stranger arrived in Arko - a rarity as outsiders found them to be disturbingly nocturnal. He introduced himself as Eos, the bringer of dawn. He claimed he could bring daylight back to the village, reverse their eternal night, and make their lives 'normal'. The elders, suspicious of Eos and comfortable in their singular existence, rejected his audacious claim and demanded that he leave immediately.
But Iris, enraptured by the promise of this shining new world, chose to help Eos. They ventured into the age-old cryptic caves that bordered Arko, said to house an ancient relic - the Orb of Dawn- which could supposedly bring daylight back to the village. Together, they solved riddles, battled unspeakable horrors lurking within the caves, relying on each other's strength and trust to propel them forward. Iris's magnetic attraction to the warmth and light was unyielding, even through the perils that challenged her existence.
Emerging victorious, they held the Orb aloft; it burst into a brilliance that eclipsed the surrounding darkness. Together, they returned to Arko, the glowing orb shedding its light on the townsfolk, whose eyes shimmered in fear and anticipation.
With a prayer to gods old and new, Eos and Iris released the magic within the Orb. Daylight gradually crept into the village of Arko, painting the shadows with shades of warmth that hadn't been felt in centuries. The revealing daylight brought awe, fear, and a sense of bewilderment. The villagers recoiled, shielding their sensitive eyes from the blinding brightness.
Slowly, they adapted to the soft morning light and gradually, Iris saw her village in a new spectrum of colours. Their night-blackened homes shimmered under the morning sun; the blue sky contrasted against the darkened mountains, tiny wildflowers burst into colours unseen in the monochromatic twilight. Her nocturnal kinsfolk squinted, adjusting to the new world that revealed itself under the soft daylight. Their eyes did not sparkle like hers in the bright sunlight, yet they stood humbled and amazed by the transformation.
Eos, his purpose fulfilled, prepared to depart. As Iris bid him farewell, he passed onto her a small, seemingly ordinary stone - the Shard of Dawn – promising that it would summon him should darkness ever envelop Arko again.
In her solitude, Iris watched as the sun began to set, bathing the village in a warm, orange hue, its descent marking the beginning of the most beautiful twilight she had ever seen. The harrowing experiences and the stunning transformation of her village were all worth it. And as the moon ascended and the stars twinkled into existence, for the first time, night did not seem so eternal. For they knew the dawn was just a few hours away.