enSekharu nights are always cool, often starry, and never lonely. The presence nighttime brings isn't the comforting sort, though, not to me. Every night, to varying degrees, I have the sense that I'm being watched, followed, preyed on. Most people do; it's a consequence of sharing an island with the viya of darkness themself. Even when we're not being watched, they're just there.
Tonight, though, the viya is nearby. I and my trading partner, Du'ana, are sure of it. We don't see them, of course, but we feel it. The corners of our vision are a bit darker, and the shadows that our torches cast feel sharper and full of life.
Du'ana and I have been making our way to Bajin, the trading outpost in eastern Sekharu. Sailing along the river it flanks is the more common route to reach it nowadays, but we're coming from what used to be southern Ka enSekh. Trekking along these well-worn dirt roads is faster and cheaper than trying to find a boat.
We've just reached the point where the flowery grasslands turn into thick forest. Du'ana and I take one last look up at the cloudless sky before the canopy swallows it up for good. We'll be setting up camp in the forest itself; the winding trees look intimidating when it's this dark outside, but they make us less visible to potential thieves.
Du'ana speaks first: "It's beautiful."
I nod in agreement, pushing a curly lock of hair out of my eyes so it doesn't obstruct my vision. "The moon is new, though. The Third is not with us tonight."
"I've always liked the First more, anyway. The ground doesn't disappear at random," she quips. "Let's just try to get some rest now, hmm? It's already late."
"Of course." Once Du'ana and I find a suitable spot to rest, I waste no time in scrounging up good-size stones — just wider than my palm — and arranging them in a circle. Then I dig into the leather bag I'd strapped over my back and pull out a few pieces of Kesine coal. It's from the south, so it burns the cleanest and brightest out of any rock on the whole island. I strategically arrange them so they'll burn more efficiently, adding a few sticks to the fire pit for good measure. The branches are often too damp to catch fire properly, but this time of year is relatively dry.
I mutter a quick prayer of thankfulness to Jana, goddess of the flame, as I strike my flint over the fire pit. The kindling catches wonderfully, and I sit down cross-legged so I can enjoy its heat for a bit. I try not to think about how the viya's presence only feels stronger, hungrier now.
Nothing happens to us immediately. We're able to cook dinner and roll out our bedding without issue, and I almost feel safe enough to let my guard down. Almost. It's my turn to assume guard duty first, so it'd be incredibly unsafe for me to relax completely. I move to rekindle my torch in the fire pit's now-dying flames. Just as I'm about to stamp the pit out, a voice calls out to me from the shadows.
"Excuse me."
The speaker's tone is polite if not flat, and their pronunciation is proper enough to feel sharp. Sharp enough to make me freeze up. I shake my head to regather my wits and step back from the fire pit, then take out the old dagger I keep sheathed at my hip. It won't be enough to hurt the viya, not a bit, but it's better than nothing.
"I promise that I will not hurt you. I simply want to make conversation."
I whip my head from left to right, trying to figure out where the viya is standing. Their voice seems to come from every direction at once. I nudge Du'ana awake and loudly whisper, "Wake up! The viya's here."
She sits up and rubs her eyes, then hurriedly stands up when she realizes what's happening. She brandishes a dagger of her own and yells, "Show yourself!"
"Very well." The shadows surrounding us seem to melt into streams of darkness, then coalesce into the form of the viya of darkness and shadows themself. Their skin is pale as a cloud, and their hair is cut perfectly straight. They're wearing a traditional dress that's black instead of the usual white, and they've got loose sleeves and pants under it that cover their limbs. Even though their clothes billow slightly, they stand completely still, hands gathered palms-up in front of them as if they're about to meditate. What's truly strange is their face: a shiny black strip covers their eyes, and a mask made of the same material hides their mouth and nose. The rumors didn't mention how the material is glued so tightly, I can see them blink. They're shorter than I was expecting, roughly my height, but plenty unsettling to look at.
I try to keep my voice from wavering as I ask, "What do you want?"
"Let us begin with an introduction. I am Sevokh, though you likely know of me already. What are your names?" Sevokh looks between Du'ana and I. Their head moves jerkily, as if they're forcing their neck to turn.
"E-Ensi," I weakly offer.
"Du'ana." Her voice is more confident than mine, but I can tell from her widened eyes that it's a front.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ensi and Du'ana." Sevokh bows, and their overly composed movements remind me of the wooden dolls I played with as a child. "I hope you have enjoyed this fine night thus far in spite of my presence. I have been following you, but not with malicious intentions. That coal you have — it is from Kesine, correct?"
"Yes? I mean, yes, it is." I'm so confused by Sevokh's random question that I stop being scared for a moment. What could a viya of shadows possibly want to do with coal?
"I thought so. I am a painter, and I find that Kesine coal makes for an excellent black pigment when ground up. However, my supply of it recently ran out. In my search for more, I thought I might observe you two in order to see if you possessed any." Sevokh glances at the fire pit and continues, "In addition, I quite like how cleanly this coal's fire burns. I find it very appetizing, and it's about time for me to have a meal. So, I would like to propose a deal. May I have two pieces of coal, and a flame from your torch to dine on? In exchange, I will ensure that no harm befalls you for the rest of the night."
"A little ironic for a viya like you to feed on a source of light, isn't it?" Du'ana asks, thin eyebrow raised incredulously.
Sevokh tilts their head and smiles slightly, their lips pressing against the thin mask. "On the contrary; darkness cannot exist without light. The Third would not be visible to us without the Second's rays, after all. Now, what do you think about my proposal?"
"Give us a moment to discuss it." I turn my back to the viya and pull Du'ana next to me. We discuss our options in hushed voices. "They're one of the viyas that can't be trusted, right? I heard they backstabbed people during the war."
"I heard that too, but this is a way simpler contract than I was expecting," Du'ana counters. "They'll probably go away if we give them some fire."
"I suppose so, but surely we can keep the coal. We planned to trade a little at the next town because it's so rare nowadays."
"We might not make it to the next town without their protection."
I suck my teeth, because Du'ana has a point. Our journey has been alright so far, but we're entering a new region with unfamiliar faces and terrain. If danger truly did befall us, we could very easily be underprepared. "Fine, but I want the deal to be a bit sweeter. We still have many nights ahead of us."
After a bit more grumbling I turn to Sevokh and say, "Two pieces of coal and a flame from my torch, in exchange for your protection every night until we reach Bajin."
Sevokh lowers their head slightly in consideration, then raises it again. "Three pieces, in that case."
Du'ana and I exchange a nervous glance. We have thirteen pieces between the two of us now, so we could technically afford it, but ten is a little low. Yet, when compared to what Sevokh is offering to do for us, it sounds like it's worth the risk. "We accept your offer," I state.
"Excellent. Before the trade can commence, I must remind you that we are about to enter a contract. Therefore, the punishments for if either party breaks the contract shall be laid out. If either of you attempts to give me less than three pieces in any way, or if you refuse to share your flames, then I shall abandon you for the rest of your journey to Bajin. If I fail to properly protect you, then my punishment is...?"
I awkwardly shrug. Sevokh scares me, but I don't hate them.
"We just want your protection. Nothing else," Du'ana confirms.
"That is perfectly fine, and rather pleasing to hear." For someone who's pleased, Sevokh's mannerisms hardly show it, although the cool night air seems to grow a bit warmer. "I do try to stay in humans' good graces nowadays. In any case, now we 'sign' the contract. Have you dealt with viyas before? Vetch, perhaps?"
"Certainly not. We were raised to avoid him." As children we assumed that the viya of flowers couldn't possibly be scary, but the tales our parents recounted of his actions during the war quickly rectified those thoughts.
"Understandable. Well, the process is quite simple. Raise a hand like so," — Sevokh holds up their right thumb, index, and middle fingers to invoke the Mahyeta's wills — "and I will press my fingers to each of yours."
We do as instructed. Sevokh approaches me first. Their touch is soft but their fingers are cold, which makes the gesture feel like it lasts longer than it actually does. A few seconds later they move on to Du'ana, and just like that the contract has been signed.
"Thank you very kindly. Hold out your torch, please?" Sevokh bends down to pick up a twig and dips it into the flames. Flickering light bounces off of their eyes and mask as they pop the tiny flame into their mouth, twig and all. I'm not sure whether I should focus on why they ate the twig or how it passed through their mask.
While Sevokh was feeding, Du'ana got the coal from her bag. When she gives it to Sevokh, they tuck it into one of their sleeves and vanish into the shadows. Their voice surrounds us again as they say, "And now you may get some rest. Neither of you will have to stand guard while I watch over you. Do you pray before going to sleep?"
"Sometimes. Just the standard Prayer to the Third." I automatically swivel my head about as I speak, half-expecting the viya to be standing somewhere nearby.
"Please allow me to guide tonight's prayer, then."
"Go ahead." I clasp my hands together, then raise my middle fingers. I glance to my right and see that Du'ana has done the same, which is a first as far as I can remember. I suppose she's worried that Sevokh would be upset if she didn't.
Sevokh intones, "To the Third, from we mortals, we thank you for the pearlescent light you provide, for the calming nights and the ocean's tide. We humbly request that you ensure us good fortune tonight." Their voice is firm, but contemplative, and they don't trip over their words once. I feel a bit embarrassed upon realizing that they must pray more often than I do.
Sevokh's presence seems to gently blanket us after we finish praying. I'm still not used to it, but as I settle down and shut my eyes I try to keep in mind that the viya is on our side after all.