The Darkest Eclipse

In the quaint village of Elipsia, nestled between thick forests and sleeping mountains, the night sky became a canvas of cosmic beauty. Stars twinkled like diamonds, and the moon glowed with a serene light. But every few decades, the villagers would whisper of an ancient legend, a time when the world around them would completely darken for only a moment, and the stars would hide. They called it The Darkest Eclipse.

It was said that during this eclipse, an entity, as old as time itself, would descend upon the earth. Cloaked in the shadow of the moon, it was neither ghost nor demon, but something far more ancient and mysterious. The ancestors called it 'The Memory Thief,' a being that roamed the cosmos, searching for The Chosen Ones. These individuals, marked by fate, possessed memories so powerful, that they could alter the fabric of reality itself.

The Memory Thief would come under the guise of the eclipse, its darkness a shroud for its true purpose. It would hover over the earth like a judgmental spectator, and one by one, The Chosen would feel a chill in their bones, an intrusion within their minds, and then... nothing. Their memories, their very essence of self, would be gone, stolen away into the abyss of the eclipse.

As those dark times approached, the villagers would prepare, hoping to "protect" The Chosen. They painted symbols on their doors, lit candles to ward off evil, and recited incantations passed down through generations. But no matter what they tried, The Memory Thief would always claim its due. The rituals almost seemed malicious though. It actully appeared as if the villagers were putting a spotlight upon The Chosen. Or maybe that was just speculation.

This time, however, something was different. A young woman named Samira, with eyes like lightening and hair as dark as the eclipse itself, had finally been told of her true identity. She'd dream of times before, remembered lives she had never lived, of knowledge she should not know, and of a strength that lays dormant deep inside her. The ancestors could tell that Samira was one of The Chosen, but unlike any before her, she was determined to fight The Memory Thief.

As the eclipse began, and darkness swallowed the village, Samira stood by herself in the middle of the village, next to an unlit fire; her resolve alone was a beacon of light in the night. The air grew cold, and a silence fell, so profound it was as if the world held its breath. Then, from the shadows, The Memory Thief emerged, its form shifting and swirling like the void between stars.

"You cannot defy fate," it whispered, its voice a cacophony of a thousand lost souls.

"I am not here to defy fate," Samira replied, her voice steady. "I am here to follow my destiny."

And with those words, a battle of wills began. Samira's memories flashed before her, each one a weapon against the darkness. She remembered love, joy, pain, and loss, each memory brighter than the last. The Memory Thief recoiled, its power waning in the face of her defiance. What made her so different than all those who attempted to fight the darkness before?

For the first time in centuries, A Chosen One truly stood their ground, and as the eclipse passed, The Memory Thief vanished, its hold on the village broken. Samira had done the impossible; she had saved not only her memories but the memories of all The Chosen that night.

The villagers emerged from their homes, their eyes wide with wonder. The stars returned to the sky, and the moon appeared once more, its light a gentle caress. They would remember this night, the night when the Darkest Eclipse was no more, and a young woman became a legend.

"Sa...ra... Saaamira, wake-up!" Shouted Samira's mother. "You need to hurry and gather the frost berries out back. All the villagers are preparing for the eclipse. You know it comes tomorrow, so get up and so we can get ready." Not surprised, but a little disappointed at the realistic dream, Samira jumps out of bed and runs outside. All the villagers are prepping for the complete darkness, coming soon. They know what's to come, but the air felt thick with worry, disguised with happiness. Almost like something is about to go very wrong, but everyone is pretending all was well in the world. Was that dream a premonition or a way to mislead The Chosen girl?

---

The evening after the eclipse dream was unlike any other. The villagers of Elipsia seemed happy, nature felt cool, and the air filled with the sweet scent of homemade frost berry bread. It was as if the land itself shifted into another reality. Samira knew something was off with everyone, but she couldn't really address it. Even though her being the beacon of hope, the protector of memories, and the defeater of darkness was a dream, she still wanted this dark eclipse phenomenon to end, for good.

"Samira, hurry! We only have a few hours left until night time. Get those berries and return to us!" Yells Samira's mother. Nodding with intensity, Samira picks all the left over frost berries from the bush and sets them at her back door. Standing there quietly, she looks up at the sky and a cold chill runs through her body. She felt it; the entity was preparing itself. The Memory Thief, had left a path of seeds in the mind of Samira, and she knew what she needed to do. Samira was clearly aware that the true battle was just about to begin.

Feeling completely unsettled, Samira sought out the other two Chosen in the village. They were a scholar and a weaver—ordinary people with extraordinary destinies. Samira worked quickly and as chosen ones, they were all in sync and understood the assignment. Together, they formed a council, and shared their dreams and the fragments of memories that The Memory Thief had sought to steal, as they prepared for the battle ahead. They even spoke of other worlds, ancient beings, and prophecies yet to unfold. Though they spoke openly, they also made sure to stay quiet and subtle. Pretending to work so they remained inconspicuous. The Chosen had always been forbidden to speak with one another alone, but they were never told why.

As The Chosen delved deeper into their shared past, they uncovered the truth about The Darkest Eclipse. It was not just an event, but a cycle, one that had been repeating since the dawn of time. With each cycle, The Memory Thief grew stronger, feeding on the collective memories of The Chosen to fuel its own existence.

Determined to break the cycle, Samira and the council embarked on a quest to find the origin of the eclipse, before nightfall. Their journey took them to a cave only 3 kilometers from the entrance to Elipsia, in a crevice hiding high between two large mountains. The only way to know that the cave existed and its location, was to translate the scriptures written by Samira's Ancestor; The only person to ever go into the cave and see the monster up close. There, at the boundary between life and death, the three chosen went into the cave. Only to find The Rift at the very end, waiting for its time to emerge.

The Rift pulsed with the same dark energy as the eclipse, and as The Chosen approached, visions of past cycles broke in their minds, causing more than discomfort. They saw civilizations rise and fall, each one touched by The Memory Thief. Each group of Chosen warriors over millennia have attempted to confront the dark Rift, but failed to compromise with the entity.

Samira, a bit discouraged, stepped forward. Her heart pounding with the weight of countless memories. She reached out to The Rift, and as her fingers brushed against its surface, a surge of darkness bursts outwards in all directions, drifting out the cave instantly. Then, the memories of The Chosen, their hopes, fears, dreams; their humanity, flowed into The Rift, filling it with light.

The Rift began to close, the darkness receding as the light grew stronger. And then, with a final flash, it sealed shut. The cycle seemed to of been broken. "That's right Memory Thief. You are now banished to the void from which you had come," mocks Samira, as The Chosen three hug and leave the cave.

The Chosen returned to Elipsia as quiet heroes, their memories intact and their futures their own. They wanted to rebuild their village, not as a place of fear, but as a sanctuary of knowledge and strength. They felt a sense of victory after the defeat of The Darkest Eclipse, but a linger of it being too easy was creeping up within Samira.

The very next day, Samira stood under the evening sky, her eyes reflecting its perfect cool color. She believed she had rewritten fate, not just for herself, but for all who would come after. And as she looked up at the visible moon, a symbol of hope, she then saw an eclipse forming. Fright formed around her throat as if to choke her. The darkness fell upon the world like a devastating pandemic, and earth was completely blanketed. Samira thought she had defeated the entity of darkness, but it was all a lie. All she did was provoke the creature to come sooner, with a vengeance. Why wasn't she warned? She was A CHOSEN ONE! The Dark Entity had returned for its cycle, knowing it was practically invisible and unable to be defeated, like each time before.