Yates/Eyers Aye/3404 Words

Eyers Aye
The Shadows of Jacobis

By

River Willow©

Melissa Yates

4400 Bayberry Cove, Bellbrook, Ohio 45305

(937) 825-9004

ShadowsOfJacobis@yahoo.com
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I.

In the dark and lonely world of Eyers Aye, deep within the boundaries of its lost realms,

a place existed that’s quite different from the rest of this place. This beautiful wonder was known

as Arlyas. It was alive and full of radiant beauty. Even the smell of the air was fresh like the

early morning dew that forms each day. The grounds were decorated with blooms of the most

beautiful wildflowers, that of sweet honeysuckle and tuberose, lilacs and dandelions. The place

was blessed with natures beauty. It was even etched like a hawk as its wings hovered over the

forest like a blanket protecting everything inside of it. It was bright in its feeling and it had a

sense of calmness in the air. The wind blew through the trees gracefully as they stood tall and

proud; flourished while bearing the greenest leaflets of different kinds. Creatures flew in the sky

that sang songs which filled the air with sweet serene. Animals roamed the grounds and made

homes within their surroundings. This was a place that was full of life for many living creatures

inside of Arlyas. It was home to all that survived the shadows of Jacobis.

Hidden deep within Arlyas was a large tree known as Sycamoris. It was the tallest tree in

all Eyers Aye. The outside of the tree was draped with creeping euonymus and jasmine. Trumpet

vines and wisteria laced with reddened tubular petals garnished the area as bluecrown

Passionflower exuded the most pleasing smells of fragrance at the base of Sycamoris. It had

roots, known as Tawodi that intertwined underground to create a bungalow of rooms and dens

perfect for a home. The leaves atop of Sycamoris served as a canopy over the entire area. There

was a perch that was carved into the tree that overlooked Arlyas and was guard's grounds for

sprite hawks, Night Hawk and Tansy. They were the guardians of the night time as well as the

keepers of the day. They soared through the skies protecting everything inside of Arlyas and they

made sure all living things were nourished and cared for. They tended to Arlyas by growing wild
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flowers and fruit bearing trees of many kinds. They simply made life easier for the living and

breathing world inside of Arlyas and they served as protectors from the shadow fliers.

The pathway to Sycamoris, however, wasn’t so pleasant. It served as a cesspool of

insects of all kinds with Asian honeysuckle wildly growing and thick with locust trees that bore

thorns sharp like the talons on a shadow flier. Its purpose was to elude anything from the

entrance to Sycamoris. The doorway that led inside this magnificent beauty of nature was

hidden underneath a curtain of juniper moss. Two rose quartz stones were embedded on the

doorway of the tree. These unique precious stones sparkled, even in the darkest skies. These

powerful stones provided a forcefield around Sycamoris preventing anything from entering

Tawodi. Inside of this beautiful wonder, were hammocks made of lamb's ear and maiden hair

ferns that dangled from the master root system. This is where Tansy and Nighthawk rested their

eyes each night.

There was a den where Nighthawk carefully made their weaponry of slings and bolas and

bow and arrows with the arrows being made from lunas crystals. This is also where the phase

flutes remained during the time when the sun was at its fullest. These flutes were mystical, and

they shimmered in such a way that even the air surrounding the flutes glimmered with a radiant

sparkle. They were made from the back bone of a shadow flier. These powers were ignited when

a shadow flier mistakenly flew into a moon beam as the shadows of Jacobis was slowly

consuming Eyers Aye. The power of the beam destroyed whatever lived inside of it and made it

descend to the ground, causing the shadow flier to fall to its death into Lunas Serpentine.

Lunas Serpentine was a stream that flowed beautifully around Sycamoris and throughout

certain parts of Arlyas. The water was so pure and clear and full of glimmered stones and white

sand. These stones were far from ordinary as they glistened in such a way that was intriguing to
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the eye. A small waterfall flowed in layers within the creek bed; shimmering with pure beauty as

the sun shined its glory upon it. Embedded within the creek walls were diamond like crystals

known as the Lunas crystals. When the moon laid high in the sky, the crystals shimmered a blue

halo over the waters igniting the skies within Arlyas. It also served as the only protection against

the shadows of Jacobis as the crystals were powerful. Lunas Serpentine kept Sycamoris from

being destroyed and made sure Arlyas remained alive. Nighthawk always carried Lunas skipping

stones in his leather satchel as they’re powers pierced through anything trying to attack them.

Lunas crystals were important and very peculiar in how they formed. The moon beams

shined down from the night skies and ignited the crystals through Lunas Serpentine causing them

to have power over Arlyas. This glow served as a nightlight to the peering creatures peeking

through cracks and creeks in every tree and bush hoping the Shadow Fliers don’t find them.

When the glow of the moon highlighted inside of Arlyas, the sprite hawks sang into the

sky with the phase flutes. The sound was dull yet carried such a sound wave that it would vibrate

the skies above them causing a moon beam to shine directly into the phase flutes. Nighthawk and

Tansy captured the powers of the moon beams this way. During the time when the moon is

bright in the sky, the flutes hung around the sprite hawks' necks giving their weapons power to

defend against the shadow fliers. As the sprite hawks would play the flutes, it would excite the

crystals causing them to glow just like Lunas Serpentine, giving them powers. The sprite hawks

were able to use the powers of the moon beams through these flutes to defend Arlyas by igniting

crystals with them.

The moon beams were so important to Arlyas and all that remained inside of it. If Lunas

Serpentine didn’t glow, Arlyas would in its most vulnerable state and the shadows of Jacobis

would engulf everything that was alive inside of it and turn it into its lost and lonely shadows of
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its never-ending emptiness of dark space and dull air. Arlyas was the only place in Eyers Aye

that formed these crystals and that’s why it was guarded against the shadows of Jacobis. If the

moonbeams aren’t strong enough to ignite the crystals, the shadows of Jacobis could enter

Arlyas and destroy the rest of every living thing inside of it.
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II.

Five hundred centuries ago, a powerful bolt of lightning came out of the clouds and

burrowed its way deep into Eyers Aye breaking the Jacobis Seal. This seal was inside of Eyers

Aye and it kept the shadows of Jacobis inside of their lost and lonely realm. When the Jacobis

seal broke open it caused the dark world inside the shadows of Jacobis to slowly consume the

entire world of Eyers Aye. Even the wind felt heavier inside the shadows of Jacobis. The air

surrounding was harder to breath and its sense was an empty feeling that was dull and

smothering.

When the shadows of Jacobis started to appear, it rose up out of the cracks and out of the

waters. All the creatures in the sky and on the ground were smothered and destroyed by this

darkness and all bodies of water dried up and were no longer alive. The air inside of Jacobis was

dry and putrid and it choked anything vulnerable that was inside of it. Nothing survived this

desolate destruction but the creatures living in Arlyas. A few species were lucky as they

unknowingly traveled there when they were escaping the shadows, but the rest of the world was

consumed. The skies were no longer vibrant with radiant colors and the wind no longer blew

through the world. Everything now was dull and empty and mere dark space was alive with the

shadow fliers.

As the shadows consumed the skies, creatures soared inside of the shadows that were

powerful in their grip and crushed everything in their paths. They were known as the Shadow

Fliers and they flew within the empty spaces that formed underneath the surface of Eyers Aye

inside the shadows of Jacobis. Their wings stretched far on both sides and they were dark gray

with black tones underneath their wings. Their bodies were long and thin, and their tails were

twice as long as their bodies with two sharp points on the end that were razor sharp and sliced
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through anything it grazed. Their skin was translucent, yet you could see was darkness on the

inside of them. Their eyes were sunken in their small heads with no eyes to see, only pits that

were empty and dark.

Their beaks were gray and could not be opened. The tips of them had sharp edges that

pierced through anything that was in front of their sunken faces and hollowed out eyes. The only

sound they made was the sound their wings made when they soared through their dark skies and

shadows. Their venomous talons paralyzed their victims while they crushed anything it clenched

in between its powerful grip. Whatever was inside of them had no life and they never died. They

aimlessly soared inside the shadows of Jacobis with no destination but for them to continue

soaring the dead air. They fed off the emptiness of the dark space trapped inside this world. They

never were at rest as their homes were soaring within the silent realms inside the shadows of

Jacobis never dying. The Jacobis seal has kept Eyers Aye from being overtaken by the shadows

until the seal was destroyed.

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III.

As the sun rays slowly faded away into the skies, all things big and small were settling

into their hideaways for the nighttime wonders; with each species armored with their own special

protection from the dark skies unbeknownst. Nighthawk and Tansy held hands tightly as they

roamed the grounds one last time searching for suspicious shadows and danger before they

nestled away in their roots. Tansy looked up into the sky; her blues eyes sparkling as she gazed

it. She noticed the moon beams were faded and immediately she gained Nighthawks attention.

“Nighthawk.” she said as her eyes were fixated to the moon. “The moon beams. They

aren’t shining well through the clouds tonight." with a concerned feeling growing inside of her.

Nighthawk turned towards the moon and stared intently into its barely lit light. As he

peered into the sky his eyes slightly grew as nerves ran through his body. He didn’t want to

frighten Tansy, so he shrugged it off as if it was nothing to worry about.

“Ehhh, we have time,” Nighthawk said to her. “The moon is still growing in size and the

dark clouds will pass by us soon. Besides, if the shadow fliers come here, we will destroy them

before they destroy us.”.

“I can’t help but be afraid Nighthawk. Tommy was our only sprite hawk. He was our

son.” cried Tansy as she turned away from him. Only moments pass by before Nighthawk gently

opened his wings and closed them softly around her. They stood there in this moment for a small

time, close to each other embracing this intimacy. As Nighthawk covered her, shielding her from

the world, he looked down at her and spoke softly and said,

“My lady hawk, my love. I will protect you from the shadows and kill the fliers before I

let something happen to you. We have been preparing for them all our lives and they won’t

defeat us.” Nighthawk said as he hugged her just a little tighter.

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Tansy closed her eyes and whispered, “I love you.”

Night Hawk took a deep breath and closed his lucent iridescent green eyes and held onto

her even tighter repeating those same words. As he embraced her, he worried for Arlyas and his

companion for life. He was worried for the safety of their civilization and all that resided within

the boundaries of their world.

“Come on Nighthawk, we must go. The sky is growing dark. We must hurry. We need to

make sure the forest is safe,” declares Tansy. “We can’t risk losing what’s left of us to the

shadows.” Tansy spoke as her eyes were fixed to the skies.

“Come on Tansy, lets fly.” Nighthawk replies as he gently squeezes her hand.

They soared the skies above the tall trees and close to the ground. They flew through

every tunnel way peering through Arlyas with every creatures' eyes intently staring back at them;

waiting to tuck away into their dwellings.

As Nighthawk and Tansy continued flying the sky line, making their way around Arlyas,

they soared over Bubos Keepers. This cold and frigid place was encased with cottonwood and

juniper trees guarding its entrance from unwanted visitors. It was a tunnel way of whispering

blue pine conifers and white spruce. It outlined the edge of the west side of Arlyas and it was the

only place covered in ice cold snow. This crisp and cool place was the pathway that leads into

the heart of Arlyas.

In the trees atop this beautiful place, the horned owls soared with their eyes pierced to the

sky in guards over Bubos Keepers. They soared in between the trees and rested quietly on their

perch keeping close guard against the Shadow Fliers. They would sound a song that was distinct

in its tune as it was more like a beautiful hum that vibrated the air and heard throughout Arlyas

to warn of danger amongst them.

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The Oxen Deer roamed the grounds as guardsmen in Bubos Keepers with strength that

could crush anything that caused harm to the animals living inside of Arlyas. One time, a shadow

flier lost its way and flew into Bubos keepers. As the flier flew, it was low enough to the ground

that one of the Oxen Deer rammed the flier with its large antlers and crushed its body until it was

no longer alive.

The sprite hawks relied on the Oxen Deer and the Horned owls to defend and protect

Bubos Keepers from being over taken by shadow fliers. If Bubos Keepers were to become

overtaken by them, then Arlyas and the entire world of Eyers Aye would be lost and gone,

forever.
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IV.

As they continued soaring the sky line, the moon remained barely visible and only a few

moon beams pierced through the clouds down into Arlyas. It was enough to ignite Lunas

Serpentine, but it was weak.

“I’m afraid Nighthawk,” mutters Tansy, as she moves the long black curl of hair out of

her eyes. “I haven’t seen Arlyas this dark before. What if.”.

“Shh! Don’t say it Tansy. Everything is going to be ok’. Nighthawk declared. “Besides,

you have me.”.

Deep down, his courage felt weak, but he was pretending to be strong for her. As time

passed by, there was no change to the skies. The moon beams shined into the Arlyas barley

illuminating Lunas Serpentine. The phase crystals shimmered, but not as powerful as they

normally would. Off in a distance Nighthawk noticed dark clouds hovering in the farthest parts

of the sky but they remained still. They appeared curious but they were so far away they were

barely visible. Nighthawks senses were heightened, and he was fully aware of the possibilities

and danger lurking afar. As he looked deep into the sky, the bitter memory of Tommy came over

him and it brought fear and anger to him. A hard tear to came to his eye as his heartache

reappeared over the loss of their son Tommy who was just a small sprite hawk and still learning

to fly.

One sad and fateful night, as Tommy was tucked away in his hammock, he became

curious and left Tawodi while Nighthawk and Tansy slept. He wondered out into Arlyas and up

into the sky. He soared above the trees and in between Bubos Keepers with his wings spread far

and wide; he soared gracefully more so than ever before as the horned owls viewed his journey.

Nighthawk sure would have been proud of his little sprite if he could have seen him fly. Poor
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little Tommy however didn’t know that this would be his last flight. Unaware of where he was,

he traveled outside of Arlyas and into the desolate wilderness where only the Shadows of Jacobis

and the Shadow Fliers remain.

Tommy sadly was taken by the Shadow Fliers while he was standing on the edge of

DiHis precipice looking into the shadows. DiHis precipice is the peak overlooking the shadows

of Jacobis where the shadow fliers soared through the dark clouds all around the edge of Arlyas.

A Shadow Flier felt the vibrations of vulnerable Tommy and grabbed him with his talons,

paralyzing him and crushing Tommy until there was no life inside of him. The Shadow Flier

ascended with him high up into the sky and dropped his lifeless body back to the ground.

Tommy was found the next day in a dried-up creek bed just outside of Arlyas when two

guardians of the Bubos Keepers spotted him. They carried him back to Sycamoris by their talons

where they laid down his body on the ground in front of Nighthawk. From that moment on,

Nighthawk prepared to defeat the shadow fliers.

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V.

It’s well into the evening hours as Nighthawk sipped his turkey tail tea in his acorn goblet

beneath Sycamoris while lounging in his ponderosa pine perch. He was peering into the sky with

his keen hawk vision in deep thought thinking about the shadows and what happened to Tommy.

Tansy was in the root den preparing oyster mushrooms and spring beauties for a late evening

snack. The smell of fresh cut spring beauties perfumed Sycamoris as she tossed them in the air

while mixing them.

Suddenly, an eerie stillness surrounded them and sounds of rumbles vibrated the skies

and inside of Sycamoris. Nighthawks eyes grew large as the unfamiliar sound startled him. His

tea he was savoring, fell to the ground and the acorn goblet broke in half as he flew up high to

his perch to investigate the sky. Off in a distance, he sees the dark skies forming and the clouds

starting to roll in the center of them. Fear struck inside of his courage and for a short moment in

time, he was scared but he knew he had to protect Arlyas as he was Nighthawk.

As he flew down from his perch and into Sycamoris, he used his aerial sounds to warn

Tansy of the danger. Tansy heard his alarm and she knew she had to help save Arlyas and protect

what was left of Eyers Aye. A terrified forest whimpered in fear and all the species were in great

danger. Dark clouds slowly moved in the sky as if it was wanting to swallow it whole as bolts of

lightning strikes were etched in each pattern of the clouds. The sound of their wings grew

stronger and louder as the shadows of jacobis edged near Arlyas.

“Hurry Night Hawk hurry! We have to save Arlyas.” cried Tansy as she prepared herself

to face them.

The sky is growing darker and the wind is piercing as it becomes colder in its breeze. As

Nighthawk peered into the sky, a thin membrane covered his eyes which allowed him to see
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through the night’s darkness. Off in a distance, he seen them. He seen their shadows soaring in

the sky. The feeling of anger raged inside of him and he knew the time has come to save Arlyas.

VI.
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As the darkness edges against the forest, Night Hawk declared no mercy against the

Shadow Fliers.

“Amongst the darkest winds steady as can be strong-willed Fliers. Wings stretched wide

in the open skies; come before them and protect the trees. Cradle existence beneath your wings.

Nighthawk bestow upon us a victory to defeat the Shadow Fliers”