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New Light & Shadow's Ember

Two sibling novellas originally written as a single story. Together, they tell a failed hero's journey of two primitive cybernetic robots that embark on an adventure to protect their island home from a mysterious ancient nemesis: The Shadows.

“Gather around, my children, and listen again to the tale of your destiny”

Long ago, your Maker was one of many people. We lived in happy peace all across the world, protected by many clever inventions.

But we had an enemy that was far more ancient and cunning. A consuming darkness that we did not understand. It came to us, pretending to be weak and fleeing for its safety. We were naive, and took this darkness in. We harbored it within our walls, and eventually, our hearts.

With our lovestruck eyes, we could not see--could not understand its seething hatred for us. It waited, destroying us from inside and causing us to grow weak, until one day we could do nothing to stop it.

It consumed every last one of us. It put us to sleep, imprisoned in our minds. Some of us saw what was happening, but we were too few to resist. Eventually, your Maker was the only one left, for He had been given a special gift. This gift, this light is the only thing strong enough to destroy the darkness.

But this small gift of light was only enough for myself. If I were to destroy the darkness on my own, it would destroy me first. But all was not lost, for I had stolen a piece of the darkness. Alone and imprisoned on this island, I used this little shard to begin my greatest creation yet.

My children, I have gifted this piece of darkness to you. Though you have a dark heart, I have freed you from its bondage. You are unlike myself. Where my people were consumed, you will be able to command. Only my light can destroy the darkness, but if you embrace it without becoming blind to its danger, perhaps we will not need to destroy it.

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