Toku was only partially aware of what happened after the sun rose over the horizon. The pain and the oppressive fear put him into a state of shock. At some point during the torturous morning, he realized that Theodora had managed to move him from the middle of the little meadow, now filled with the horrible, burning light. Even out of the meadow and under the protection of the dense forest, Toku's sensitive eyes felt the reaching fingers of the sun, grasping at him through the leaves and branches above.

Theodora used one of her spare shirts (she had packed several in her backpack) to fashion a kind of veil for Toku that wrapped around his head like a turbine. Toku was immensely thankful for his new friend now. Had her reassuring presence not been beside him during his first day in the sun, the fear probably would have overwhelmed him. Even as it was, Toku had never experienced such hardship. Trying to be positive, he thought about other bad days in his short past. The worst one he could think of was the time that Aleric had made him transmute an entire vat of waste water from the sewer system. (Aleric had said that this was a common job for low-level alchemists—and Toku decided after that that studying was really not so bad after all.) Now, with the pain of the oppressive light burning through his every thought, Toku would have gladly transmuted a thousand vats of waste water to escape the burning gaze of the sun.

Finally, the sun began to set. Toku first noticed this fact when he realized his pounding headache was gone. And then he felt a stirring of hope within him—almost the same type of feeling Theodora had felt rise within her with the coming of dawn. As the sun set, and twilight set in, Toku could open his eyes in the cool and comforting touch of the night.

“Thank you,” said Toku as Theodora came back with some water from a nearby stream. She wrapped his head once again in the damp cloth that veiled his face. The cool water helped to ease the fire that had been burning behind his eyes.

“You've really never seen the sun, then, have you?” asked Theodora.

“No. We have heard stories from long ago, when our people lived above ground. And I even saw a picture of the sun on a wall once. But that was all before we were driven below ground by the Upper Kingdom. I never imagined the sun would be so bright. My whole life I only thought I knew what brightness was.” Theodora nodded her head in understanding, thinking about those strange blessings that require you to grow before you can receive them.

“I don't think you'll be able to travel during the day, when the sun is up, do you?”

“No. I can't. I already feel spent just sitting here under this tree. I'm sorry.”

Toku really did feel sorry. The emotions that had been pushed away by the pain of the light were starting to rise to the surface again as night set in. He was feeling sorry—sorry that he was weak, sorry that he was in a strange place, away from his home when his master needed him, sorry that he had endangered Sakura, sorry that he had left his parents without being able to say goodbye and without any explanation. And now, he felt sorry for himself.

Theodora saw the introspective expression come over Toku's face. It was a look of pain not unlike the look she had seen come over him when the sun first rose over the horizon. This time, however, she could sense that the pain was inside—a pain that would take more than a damp cloth to ease.

“Don't worry!” Theodora said in a cheerful voice. “We can just travel by night. Even though you can't see during the day, I bet you can see just fine at night! You'll have to help me, though. I can see a little in the dark, but I won't be able to see as clearly as you will. Let's rest for a few hours and then try to set out.”

“But, where are we going?” asked Toku, suddenly pulled away from his despairing thoughts.

“Why, forward, of course! We have to get you back to the Lower Kingdom so that you can help your master. Since you got here, there must be a way to get back. The only way to find out is to go forward.”

“I...uh...I guess I never thought of it like that,” Toku said hesitantly.

“It's settled then.”

And it was. Theodora's resolution began breaking through Toku's depression. As the moon rose, so did Toku's strength, and more importantly, so did his spirits. Theodora was right. The only thing to do was to pick a direction and move forward.

As the sun set that evening and the moon rose loftily through the trees, the two journeyers set out. Toku led the way into the dark woods, his sensitive eyes able to distinguish every tree root, every rock, and every rugged patch of earth. At first they moved quickly, the short rest having done them good. Soon, though, as they traveled deeper and deeper into the forest, the going became slow and difficult. Still, Toku felt better having entered the forest. Though certainly not as substantial as the miles of deep, hard stone that made up his home, the ancient forest was thick and a nice change from the open meadow. Just the comfort of having a ceiling, of sorts, made a world of difference to Toku.

Toku's sense of direction, tested and molded in the identical and dark passageways of the Lower Kingdom, proved invaluable now. Many times the forest tried to lead the travelers astray. Trees like playing those kind of games—they shift and move around, opening up paths that were not there before and closing others. But none of the usual tricks would work on this strange, pale boy and his companion. The map in Toku's head remained steady and firm, no matter how his surroundings shifted and changed, and they ever journeyed in a straight path—always moving forward. As the night went on, the moon continued its own journey across the sky, falling beneath the horizon, and soon the forest was pitch black to Theodora's eyes. The sound of the life hidden in the now darkened branches and shrubs was frightening to her, but still she walked on, guided by Toku's hand.

“Toku, I can't see anymore. It's too dark for me,” Theodora finally said as she stumbled over a jutting rock she could no longer see.

Toku stopped and looked back at her. Her eyes were wide and full of fear even though her voice sounded sure and strong.

“Why don't we stop and rest for a bit,” Toku said, as he remembered the fear he felt during the day and the gentle way in which this girl cared for him.

Strangely, Theodora found strength in Toku's answer. Though she could not see him, she felt his presence before her. Bravery kindled in her once again, sparked by the joy she felt in sensing the boy who was so laid low by the sun be strong now in the darkness.

“No, I'm okay now. I can keep going for a little longer. Just take my hand again.”

Toku was surprised. Who was this girl? He had never met anyone quite like her. It was more than strength that she possessed. He had met strong girls before—Sakura was the strongest person he knew. It was not Theodora's strength that struck him. Rather, there was an other-worldliness about her that he could not quite grasp. It was as if the world could never entirely lay hold on her. As if the darkness and the pain of this world would try to grab on to her, but it couldn't, and it would simply slip away, guilty and defeated.

Taking Theodora's hand, Toku began walking once again.

“Okay. We'll go a little farther. But even if you're not tired, I have to admit that I am. We'll need to stop in a little while anyway,” said Toku, partly trying to be sensitive to Theodora, and party because he really was getting tired—and he felt the sun beneath him, turning with the earth, and the thought of dawn frightened him.

“Sounds good. Just keep an eye out for a comfortable place to rest. I would help you look, but, well...” and Theodora trailed off with a warm smile that only Toku could see.

All through the night they traveled, sometimes stopping for quick breaks, but always moving forward. By the time Theodora could sense the coming dawn, they had gone a little over eight miles, and they had reached a little clearing near a stream with a small shack at the far edge.

Even though the sun had not yet risen (though it was already becoming almost too bright for Toku), a steady wisp of smoke escaping through the rock chimney told of the morning's activity in the little rock hut. And, indeed, as the pair of travelers approached the front of the home, the heavy wooden door flew open, smashing against the rock wall and almost breaking off the hinges. A panic-stricken man paused in the doorway for just a moment. He was wearing the rustic skins and rags of one who is accustomed to little but happy with what one has. At this particular moment, however, the peasant looked far from content. His head turned this way and that, as if his desire to run was checked only by a lack of destination. All at once, his gaze landed on Toku and Theodora and a destination was decided upon. He shot from the doorway, running full tilt towards them.