Passing through the gate didn't immediately plunge them into darkness, because the gate itself shone with the light of Fithe. When Theo glanced over his shoulder, the arch looked garishly red in the dark landscape. Large walls had been built around it to contain the light, as otherwise it would have made itself a target, for sublime beasts or other forces.

Given the force of soulcrafters they had on the other side, however, he doubted it would be attacked by anyone intelligent. The walls around the gate were only the first part of a small fortress, though it seemed like most lived on the Fithan side. They had a Fithan Ruler to provide raw power, while Ichili soulcrafters used their skills to control the local environment.

As for the Greater Dark itself, it wasn't a region of Ichil he'd visited before, but it was broadly similar. Whatever else you might say about Ichili location names, you had to admit: they were descriptive. Outside the small circle of light leaking from the fortress, he saw nothing but darkness in all directions.

Within that light, he could make out a few other details. The sky was unrelieved dark gray, textureless like a day without clouds, no sun or stars to shed light. Below, the ground was actually varying pale shades, more white than black, but they all looked the same further out in the darkness. If he'd had Ichili senses, he would have been able to determine something about about the space beneath the ground, though the region didn't seem like it had rivers or caverns.

"We now begin a long journey." Fiyu had told them plenty of things during their preparations, but it was tradition to speak about the journey before it began. "This is the Greater Dark, which is a dangerous region of my world. It will require many days to cross even a small fraction of it. First we must locate a cavesteader community that trades sublime materials with Fithe, then perhaps a day beyond that, an outpost that contains a Biolumin Relay."

Theo had been double-checking the straps that tied down their supplies, both for security and to make Fiyu more comfortable, but looked up at that. "You don't know the exact travel times?"

"I do not, because the journey has never been taken in a vehicle like ours. It is said to take over two months by wagons, but our sleigh will pass over certain obstacles. We may also need to stop at times due to weather." She smiled and bobbed her head at him. "But do not worry, Theo. I have been given highly precise bearings for each stage of the journey, so only our travel time is uncertain."

He'd have to hope they beat that estimate by a lot, otherwise they'd miss out on other opportunities in Norro Yorthin. If things went horribly wrong and they thought he was trying to avoid his duel, that would be bad for House Blacksilver and soon worse for him. But his primary concern was simply the amount of time it took: the journey was worth a massive 375 merits, but the true value of it would decrease with every week they couldn't work in the city. He hoped the other opportunities would be worth it.

"It is absolutely essential that we remain silent and do not generate indiscriminate light. I will apply my stealth technique while I am awake, which should absorb quiet conversation between us, but it cannot effectively hide lights. House Blacksilver has loaned us obscuring tents and unidirectional lanterns for when lights may be absolutely necessary."

"How do we navigate if we get off track?" Nauda was staring skyward, eyes unfocused in the emptiness. "I don't see any landmarks away from the gate..."

"Do not worry, Nauda. My senses will be sufficient to keep us on the proper path, and likely to avoid all potential danger. I hope that this journey will be a quiet one, during which we can all soulcraft in a peaceful environment."

Having completed her speech, Fiyu checked over the sleigh as was customary, then climbed into the front seat to begin the journey. All the supplies were fine, so Theo hopped behind them, while Nauda remained in the middle. She leaned on the side of the vehicle, peering out into the darkness, increasingly squinting as they pulled away from the gate.

Relaxing in his seat, Theo just closed his eyes. On his previous visits to Ichil, he'd found that keeping his eyes open caused strain as they searched for light, but with them closed, his body seemed to expect more darkness. He did his best to feel all the cantae in the area, though it was a cheap imitation of a proper extended sense. It would be enough for some warning if they were attacked and not much more.

Under normal circumstances, he would have begun soulcrafting a chamber to grant him an extrasensory capacity immediately, especially because it would be beneficial even in other worlds. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be useful in a duel, so it had to wait.

He reflected that it wouldn't be the first time he handicapped himself in the present in return for future strength, but it would definitely be the most obvious. But there were speed chambers to soulcraft, so there was no time to waste. Theo settled back into his seat and closed his eyes as they glided into the darkness.

~ ~ ~

When they'd begun the journey, Nauda was certain that she could endure the new environment. In fact, she'd been most concerned that the endless darkness would be boring, since there was nothing to see. But as day after day wore on, the shadows clawed down her throat and began to consume her.

It wasn't truly endless darkness, since she could use a lantern within their tent when they were forced to stop. A strangely heavy rain passed through on occasion, which Fiyu said would be harmful to the sleigh, so they stopped and put a tarp over it while the rest of them occupied tents. Since the thick material blocked all light, she was free to bring out one of the cantae lamps and fill the tent with light.

Somehow, that was even worse. It let her read, and her eyes relaxed from the aching dark, but the tent walls in every direction just reminded her that she occupied an insignificant mote of light. All around, the dark closed in, and she could only huddle in a claustrophobic little space.

She thought that soulcrafting would be her refuge, and she could do so if wrapped in obscuring cloth. Yet even her soul seemed to be dimmed by the environment, lacking a vibrancy she'd always taken for granted. The false light within her only made returning to the darkness outside even worse. Though she made herself continue working, the pale light inside her soul grew increasingly oppressive.

As they again slid forward into the absolute black, Nauda felt almost as if they weren't moving at all. If not for the wind in her hair, she could have been suspending in nothingness, trapped in a void where movement had no meaning. She raised her hands in front of her face even though she knew that she'd see nothing. Nauda closed her eyes and rubbed the lids, because the flashes of light were better than nothing.

Had she ever been in this much darkness for so long? The upper part of Tatian was constantly lit by warm light, but even the Tatian below was lit by undying fires. She'd spent some time in dungeons where there were only tiny vents that let in light, but those felt like bright paradises compared to this.

No matter how many times she told herself it was just a long night, the utter void sank into her and putrefied. Her thoughts began to twist as if they were no longer under her control, leaving her shuddering with strange nightmares. And yet she couldn't say anything, because...

"Oh! It is a herd of dullspines!" The front of the sleigh creaked as if Fiyu had moved, and after she slowed them to a halt, her hands clapped together. "They are so beautiful... but you cannot see them, can you? Dullspines are great round beasts, with intricate spines they use defensively. We should stop until they pass, or we may encounter predators."

Even unable to see her, Nauda could feel the happiness vibrating through Fiyu's being. Though not exactly outgoing, she had been so much more vibrant and less withdrawn than in the city. And she took such care to try to help Nauda, bringing her everything she needed, that it felt crass to complain. This was Fiyu's world, after all, and she dearly loved her home.

"I must go scout and see how large the herd is. Please wait for me." Something shifted by the front of the sleigh, possibly Fiyu leaving, but Nauda couldn't translate the sounds. The only reason she knew Fiyu had moved away was that she felt the sphere of the other woman's cantae pass through her.

After a little more time had passed, Nauda climbed back over her seat, moving purely by feel. That nearly made her collide with Theo, but he seemed to have a slightly better sense for the darkness than she did and shifted away. Which wasn't what she'd wanted, though just as well that they spoke about it.

"Theo, I'm... not sure I'm okay." Her whisper sounded painfully hoarse in her ears, and she wanted a drink of water, but her flask was lost somewhere in the darkness ahead. "There's not enough light, and I haven't touched anyone in so long... you won't misunderstand if I say I need something, right?"

"I think I understand." Theo patted her arm and she quickly sat beside him, putting her back against his chest. Just feeling his body heat made her realize that she was cold, too, colder than just the environment should suggest.

"Sorry, I just... I've never felt like this. It's like it's getting into my head..."

"You don't need to apologize." He shifted his arm so she could sit more comfortably and just stayed there for her for a while before he spoke. "In my world, there are some who suffer mentally in periods without light. You might be suffering something worse, given the difference between Tatian and Ichil."

"Could we soulcraft a way through it?"

"I've never felt the same way, so I don't have an immediate solution. In theory we could figure out something, but we'd need to know more about what's happening, and I don't have a lot of different sublime materials on hand."

She'd been afraid of that, so she just dropped her head back against him. Somehow the darkness didn't seem to be bothering him - he couldn't see any better than she could, but he just adapted. Almost like he wasn't human... which, in a sense, he wasn't. He was an alien being from another realm she'd only heard about in his stories, apparently so alien that passing over had destroyed his soul.

For now, she would accept the warm alien. Being able to touch another person helped, but she was now certain that it wasn't enough. As her eyes strained in the shadows, her mind finally wandered from herself. "Do you... do you think this is how Fiyu felt on Tatian?"

"It's possible." Theo was silent for a time, giving her shoulder a friendly squeeze, before eventually speaking. "It wouldn't surprise me if Fiyu has been suffering from light overexposure of some kind. The window I helped her soulcraft would reduce the shock, but it probably doesn't help any mental effects."

"I thought that I'd enjoy visiting Fiyu's world, but this..."

"This is only your first visit. Before the next time, you can soulcraft something to help you through it."

When Theo said it so confidently, and she felt warm and part of a community, she could believe it. But Nauda knew that the dark would wait forever until it could close in around her.

~ ~ ~

Returning to Ichil was glorious, the cool quiet atmosphere enfolding Fiyu like comforting blankets. Though the mask that Ally Navim had created for her was not uncomfortable, it felt miraculous to be able to remove it and not be assaulted on all sides.

The clouds of the Greater Dark roiled overhead, so substantial she could almost taste their currents. Occasionally a vast but thin beast floated on those waves, bending against itself in a beautiful spiral when it wanted to drop. Encountering a completely unknown beast should have been alarming, but it seemed like a peaceful grazer and she enjoyed simply feeling them hang overhead. Around them, the stone formed twisting spires and vents of darkness curled into the sky intricately. In a sense, all that bright torture had been worth it, since it deepened her appreciation for her home a thousandfold.

And yet... her joy could not be complete, because she knew her companions were not equally happy. She had fully expected there to be some discomfort as they adjusted, yet she knew them to be resilient people and hoped that it would soon pass. Then their traveling group could continue together, with her leading them, and she could show them her home.

Companion Nauda had it worst, shivering miserably even when it wasn't cold and constantly shifting her head as if searching for light. In the beginning she had relaxed in the sleigh, but as the journey continued, her muscles grew increasingly tense. Her neck was held unnaturally stiff, and she sat so awkwardly it had caused a muscle spasm in her thigh. She wouldn't complain, at least not to Fiyu directly, but she was clearly unhappy.

By contrast, Companion Theo seemed largely unaffected by the environment. Perhaps it was because he had traveled in Ichil before, or perhaps because his world was not so bright. Most of the time, his muscles were relaxed and only his soul remained intense, seeking for threats. Yet occasionally, when he moved unnaturally slowly or fumbled for the objects in his pack, she remembered that he was completely blind.

Even though it was not strictly necessary, Fiyu decided to call a halt. She eagerly set up their tents, all three in a row, just like traveling companions should be. Though she picked a spot next to a particularly beautiful set of stone spines carved by the wind, she realized that her companions couldn't see them. Theo made his way alongside the sleigh to his, only stumbling a little on the ground, but Companion Nauda remained where she sat.

"Nauda, you can rest now." Fiyu stepped beside her, speaking quietly so as not to startle her. "I have put your lantern in your tent. You can use the light now."

"Thank you, Fiyu." Companion Nauda smiled at her instinctively, but only a few muscles in her face shifted. Even though it was too dark to be seen, Companion Nauda was still attempting to be encouraging.

For a moment, Fiyu felt an impulse to embrace the other woman, to do something to comfort her. She knew that on Tatian, such a thing would be completely normal, and Companion Nauda would no doubt appreciate it. Yet it felt wrong... instead, Fiyu reached out and brushed Companion Nauda's wrist before grabbing her sleeve.

"Follow me. Be careful with the bush just to your left." Fiyu led Companion Nauda toward her tent, as she had so often been led through the cities.

As soon as she was inside, even before the double flaps had closed, Companion Nauda flooded the lantern with cantae, producing so much light it nearly overwhelmed the tent. Fragments of it flashed into the Greater Dark, shocking in their intensity. Fiyu carefully scanned the environment for any movement, but she thought the light had flared too briefly to attract anything.

It was time for her to take action. Her plan might not be adequate, but she did have a plan. Fiyu walked to the sleigh and pulled up the pack she had placed below the front seat, opening one of the hidden compartments. Within, she had stored a number of things that she hoped might help.

She carefully returned to the tent, preparing the outer flap to shield the light. For a moment she almost forgot her mask, at the last moment withdrawing it from her robes to place on properly. Then she ducked under the outer flap and pushed into the burning dome.

"Nauda, I have something for you." Fiyu gave her brightest smile and set a small package down in front of her. "This is dried flamefruit. I hope that you will enjoy it."

"From Tatian?" Companion Nauda stared at her in surprise, then snatched it up and tore it open to get a bite. Immediately after she let out a sigh. "It is... how did you get this?"

"I purchased it the last time we were in Nlukoko. It was part of our supplies, but I saved it until now."

"Thank you, Fiyu." Though Companion Nauda smiled, and this movement did reach the muscles beside her eyes, she drew her arms closer to her body. As if the taste of home had also reminded her of the temperature.

"You are cold! I will get a blanket." Fiyu swept back out of the tent before Companion Nauda could object, scurrying back to the sleigh to pick up one of the reserve blankets.

If she had known how cold they would be, she would have advised them to bring even more clothes, but she had taken precautions with extra blankets. Hopefully this one would help Companion Nauda. Fiyu again tapped on the outside of the tent, then ducked inside and placed the blanket in front of the other woman... no, on her folded legs. That would be more personal.

"Here you go, Nauda. This will help you be warm."

Companion Nauda did wrap it around her shoulders, though she also gave an odd smile. "Are you not cold?"

"Some parts of Ichil are very cold, but this is not." Fiyu frowned and shook her head. "At least, not for me. Fortunately, we do not have to journey anywhere like the Deep Ice for this trip. If we do, I will advise you to bring many clothes and blankets."

"Well, thank you, Fiyu. This helps."

Uncertain if her presence would also help or only make Companion Nauda more uncomfortable, Fiyu lingered awkwardly and then eventually slipped out of the tent. Though the fabric absorbed nearly all the light, she could sense a nearly imperceptible brightness, so she walked some distance away until she could face true shadows.

They had made excellent progress, but their goal was still some distance away. Fiyu hoped that her companions could finish the journey alongside her.