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Once upon a time, when Europa was divided by war, there lived a brilliant spark who longed for peace. He knew his inventions were not meant for the battlefield, for there was little malice in heart, so he searched the land for a ruler that could unite the continent.
Years passed, and the spark grew disheartened with his quest. He was ready to give up when a woman appeared to him through a window in time. She called herself the queen of the mines, and spoke of a man who had the vision to hold the powers of Europa to his will. But he was held prisoner deep in the tunnels of the earth, as she was, by the sun that never set, and could only be freed by the passage of night.
The spark set to work, sampling darkness from the deepest of places: the paths under bridges, the wild forests, the shadows of great men. He took them all and trapped them within a magical lantern. So armed, he set off to find the mines where the sun never moved..
In the mountains to the east, he found a great tunnel that held a flicker of light deep within it. He crept through, watching as the lantern’s shadows grew darker and darker as the light grew brighter and brighter. At last he emerged in a hidden valley, surrounded on all sides by tall, impassable cliffs. In the center stood a city surrounded by high walls that protected an imposing castle keep. The sun shone directly above it, and during his long walk to the city gates the sun did not move from its zenith.
The lamp cast dark shadows now, covering him head to toe with its magic. A small circle of shadow covered the ground at his feet.
When he passed through the gates, the spark was surprised to see the townspeople frozen where they stood. Some were walking home, or conversing with friends, or haggling with shopkeepers, but they did not move or make a sound. They stood like subjects in a painting, captured in a single moment in time.
He touched one woman and watched the lantern’s shadows spread across her. She lay gently down onto the cobblestones and went to sleep. He touched all the townspeople he passed, tapping them lightly on the shoulder or brushing their hands together. The lantern’s shadows covered them all, bringing a personal night for them to sleep through.
At the entrance of the castle he found the queen standing before the open gates, holding a scepter topped with a golden sun. He touched a hand to her cheek and the lantern spread its night over her. She lowered her scepter, smiling at him.
“You came,” she said. “I knew you would. He is waiting in the tower for you.”
“Who is waiting?”
“The Storm King. He is a great man, born before his time. I kept the sun from setting so he could live to see the day he would be needed. But it has been day for so long, and I am tired. Let me rest.”
The spark kissed the queen. She sighed in weariness and lay down on the ground and slept. He continued past her, climbing the stairs of the great tower. There were no windows, but the interior was as bright as the day outside, save for the spark, his shadow, and the lantern.
The Storm King waited at the top, lying on his bed and watching the window. The spark touched his cheek; the shadows covered the Storm King and he smiled.
“So you have come for me, just as the Queen of the Mines foretold,” he said.
“Europa is a battlefield rife with chaos. It needs a leader to bring it peace.”
“I will gladly be that leader. But it has been day for so long, and I am so tired.” The spark kissed him, and the Storm King rested against the pillows and slept.
The spark walked to the window and opened the lantern. So summoned, the night spread across the valley, coaxing all the remaining townspeople to slumber and casting the great cliffs in shadow. Darkness swept across the sky, unveiling the stars and banishing the harsh sun.
With the shadows freed, the spark sat against the wall and went to sleep. Come sunrise, Europa would have peace at last.