Gazing from a tower in the northern most borders of the Heavens of Aerayl, Ayr stood guard as if an attack were imminent. Ayr, being the eldest spirit offspring of Aerayl, was most sensitive to the songs sung in Anoure. This minstrelsy, often heard amongst many, was understood by few. He now felt a disturbance in this eternal ballad. It was unlike any that had echoed before in the realms of Anoure. While Ayr examined his thoughts and feelings, Captain Toryn, leader of the Vaylia, the Sentinels of Aerayl, approached the tower in a concerned state. He placed his Armor of light upon a resting place.

Captain Toryn rushed towards Ayr. 'My Lord'� what do you see?

'Toryn my friend!'� Ayr interrupted anxiously, happy to hear his voice. 'Tell me, what is the talk amongst the Vaylia of Aerayl?'�

Toryn looked down at the ranks of Vaylia aligned uniformly on the border of the heavens. They appeared alert and steadfast, acting as guards of the heaven's that was home to their sole existence. 'We are... They are scared my Lord. Scared to fight something that they have never encountered but they remain steadfast here at these borders because they know that their destiny lies here to each serve as a protectorate for the existence of the light. These spirits also honor and love you my Lord. They will sacrifice their spirits at anytime for you because you represent the light from which they were granted life. Captain began to glance back into the darkness. 'I feel that many will be diminished protecting the Heavens, but we have come because we know that if we do not, many of our existence will be gone if we do not stand up and protect the Mansions of Aerayl.'�

Ayr moved towards Captain Toryn attempting to comfort him. 'Our light and our colors of raiment have scorched the walls of Anoure since the beginning of thought. Wherever we have dwelt we have left life. We have left life where there is no life. In his love, our Father, Aerayl, gave himself to create us, so that we could spread the light throughout the realms of Anoure. In us we see him. In our offspring they will see us and our creations. Therein lies our destiny. Together we will protect the Heavens of Aerayl and the progression of the light. Together we will prevail over this unspoken evil.'� Ayr's raiment glowed when he spoke of the purpose of the Light. A feeling of honor and respect radiated between the two spirits as Captain Toryn reported in. 'Any word from our scouts in the Northern worlds?'�

Toryn answered in disappointment. 'None my Lord. Would you have me send more Vaylia Scouts to the Northern worlds?

'There will be no need. If there was a chance for life in that region we would have heard something through the Aenyr.'� Ayr gathered his thoughts and retracted to a time before. 'I remember you by my side from the beginning. We have answered our fathers call side by side and I thank you for that, Toryn. I give you my word that I will join you in battle against this storm. Together laid the building blocks for the Heavens of Aerayl and together we will protect them.'�

Toryn glowed with comfort. 'It will be an honor to fight by your side.'� Toryn questioned for more support from the south. 'Lord, should I then summon the remaining Vaylia from our southern realms.'�

'Leave them be. We will need to counter any strike from south. Now I will go and counsel with Father and the eldest spirits.'� Ayr then left the North Tower to counsel with Aerayl in the Gardens of Arylia. Descending upon Arylia, Ayr noticed a familiar light gathering her spiritlings to be nourished. She did not notice Ayr's presence all at once. She sang lullaby's to the spiritlings that told of the creation of the Heavens. Her lamentations were as beautiful as her radiance. She was, Cyrne, daughter of beauty and mother of the children of Arylia. Ayr approached her quietly from behind and gently whispers to her.

'Your beauty is as elegant as the colors of the light of Aerayl.'�

'Cyrne replied, 'I sensed you were there, my love, and I knew you would be here to speak with Aerayl.'�

Ayr approved of Cyrne's behaivior. 'You have been heeding the song.'�

'They have your raiment and strength.'� Cyrne continued to nourish the spiritlings with her light.

'Yes, but they have your unending beauty. With it they shall flourish the realms of Anoure.'�

'You are still anguish about this darkness, I sense'�, says Cyrne.

She turns to Ayr and asks, 'Must we live in war? Can't we somehow avoid all of this by letting this darkness have these realms? Do we have to sacrifice more of the light as we have done so in the northern heavens?'� Ayr understood her love for each and every spirit for she was now a mother and too lose her spiritlings would be fatal to her.

Ayr then replied, 'We must stand now. If we give up these realms now, we will be pushed to the utter ends of Anoure and eventually devoured by this storm.'�

Concerned Cyrne asks, 'Ayr, you most in tune with the old minstrelsy. I know that you know the Aenyr well. What does it tell you? Will we lose many as the Northern realms have?'�

Ayr says, 'Some will be diminished, but the light will remain in Anoure and our creations will go forth.'�Changing her radiance to a more reverent one Cyrne drew even nearer to Ayr. Observing her beauty Ayr was impressed with an aura of love radiating from Cyrne.

Cyrne then asked, 'What of our spiritings? Will they be protected? Will they go forth?'�

Reassuring her Ayr says, 'I sense that our posterity will take part in bringing forth the light into the next ages. You are the first and only Spirit of Aerayl to create spiritlings. I know that this was for a reason. That is to bring about the light into the next age. I know that they will serve not only this progression of the light but their mother's biddings also.'�

Cyrne then guided the spiritlings into the mansions, but before leaving Ayr she said lovingly, 'I will stake our spiritlings with the memories of your light.'� Her light then slowly glimmered into nothing as she faded into the mansion of Aue.

The Aenyr within Ayr began to grow with intensity alerting Ayr of something new. 'The eye calls unto me with a ravishing pull. I sense that the darkness has gathered its storm to destroy the lights of Aerayl, even its heavens. The song of the Aerayl has always filled the realms of Eternity with peace. From within their lyrics the purposes of the light are defined and the principles of our existence are entertained. The harmonies therein speak of the Great Mist and of our creation. I remember of the love that Father expressed to me. Quite dim, is the vision of anything that went against what was sung in that time.'�

The fog in his vision began lift revealing more answers. 'Yes'� I do remember the thought of a spirit that did not concur with the minstrelsy sung by father. One that was, maybe, casted out from the others. My vision is clearer now.'�

Ayr then paused for a moment, trying to understand what or who it would have been. 'Who was this spirit that resisted the song?'�

He then thought to himself, confusingly, 'Now the Aenyr exposes more in the chorus sung. The Lyrics now speak of the dark and selfish spirit.'�

He then became withdrawn from the Aenyr. Surprised at what the saw he then looked further into the eye. Something that had been forgotten was now reveling itself to Ayr. A New Thought began to surface. 'This dark spirit existed in thought at the time when I first came into being; that others were only spiritlings at this time, and were not counseled on this by Father. What does this darkness plot against us? Why do I feel that it wants to destroy the pillars of the lights of Aerayl? We have brought no harm to Anoure.'�

Ayr examined his thoughts and feelings about these new lyrics within the minstrelsy. 'The eye calls unto me with a ravishing pull. I sense that the darkness has gathered a storm that seeks to destroy the Lights of Ayrlia, even our own worlds, even the lights in all Anoure. I have heard the songs of the Light for an age now. They have always filled Anoure's realms with peace. From within the lyrics the purpose of the light is defined and the principles of our own creation are intertwined. The harmonies therein speak of the Great Mist and of our creation. I was the first and I remember of the love that our Father, Aerayl, expressed to me. Quite dim, is the thought of anything that went against what was being sung in that time. These Songs of the Ayrlia have always been parallel with the songs of Anoure itself. Now the song has changed in Anoure. This old thought has revealed itself once again'�

Ayr examined his thoughts once again but now with the some assistance. "Ahhh... but I do remember the thought of a spirit that did not concur with my Father. One that was maybe, casted out from the others?"

Ayr paused for a moment in thought, trying to decipher what or who it would have been. He then said to himself confusingly, "Hmmmm... Now there are new lyrics intertwined within the chorus. Lyrics that speak of a dark spirit!" Ayr became surprised of this thought as if it had been forgotten but now is beginning to reveal itself again. This time it has grown into a dark storm. Looking back at the Heavens of Aerayl he says silently, "This dark spirit existed in thought at a time when I first came into being. The others were very young at this time, and were not counseled on this by Father. What does this darkness plot? Who are its followers? Why do I feel that it wants to destroy the pillars of Light in Anoure and the worlds we have created? We have brought no harm to Anoure. I feel its thirsts for... It's craving for the light. This evil darkness wants to undo the heavens of Ayrlia. I sense that it will try to weave its malice into the Heavens of Ayrlia."

Rushing his focus to what approaches, slowly, from the North, he sensed a very old but gentle loving spirit behind him approaching. This presence emerged over Ayr as if a massive being approached but with a kind and loving demeanor. The being spoke softly but deeply in a calming manner saying, 'The Answer you seek my son lies within your own song."

Looking at this being, frustratingly, Ayr explained his feelings. 'Father, You have plucked your own eye, the Aenyr, and placed it into me and from me it flourishes within mine own prosperity. With your eye my lord we have done your biddings, my Lord. We have kept what has lurked in the emptiness of Anoure away from the creations of Ayrlia, for an age now, because, of our strengths that come from the Light of Aerayl. I, now, sense pain and suffering from our kindred in the north. I no longer hear their songs."

Frustrated Ayr questioned his thoughts. "How is this to happen? This darkness that lurks within the empty realms of Anoure is attempting to overtake our heavens in the north."
Changing his tone from a tone of puzzlement to a tone of concern he says to Aerayl, "Father, I feel its thirst for the light. Not only does this anger me but my feelings betray me, as if it this darkness is or was possibly one of us. I also sense that it's strengths are parallel to, maybe even stronger than ours.'�

'Your anger fogs your vision, my son. Listen deeply to the songs of Anoure. Listen to your own thought that was created from mine. Unravel the lyrics of your own creation. There will lie the answer you seek my son.'�

After a time in thought, dissecting the songs of Anoure, Ayr became troubled again with what he found. This time he had listened further. Within the lyrics he saw a vision of the Great Mist and how his Father, Aerayl, The Father of Light, sacrificed his own Light to bear spirits of the light. He saw how his Father counseled each spirit separately and how he, himself, was counseled on the creation of the Ayrlian Heavens. Looking Further he saw that he was not the only eldest spirit. There was another... Another spirit who disagreed harmonies song at the beginning. This spirit was also counseled closely with Aerayl. Ayr was surprised but familiar with what he discovered.

'My brother? Within these forgotten lyrics lies the story of brother?'� Ayr hesitated as thoughts came quickly into his own.'� This evil darkness was one of us? This storm is the makings of the one whom was cast out in the beginning?

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