The light burned. Erst hissed in pain, covering his eyes. So this was the soul of a chained demon, spitting light and fire even as it was chained eternally to a path across the sky.

Erst lived in the caves – damp, cool, and dark. But he had always wondered about Sun, a demon that lit the world above – according to the stories – but with scorching heat and blinding light, rather than the cool, blue glow of the mushroom lanterns in the caves.

Erst felt fire on his arms. He tried to lower them, but the light struck his eyes and he couldn’t see. A single glance had burned out a dark spot in the center of his vision. Blinded and in pain, he fell to the ground, wishing he had listened to the Elder, Mishoka, about how the demon who would bring death to anyone who dared to venture Upside aside from when the great goddess, Moon, reigned.

But death did not come.

Erst cautiously lowered his arms from his face. The demon was still brightly scaling the sky, far off in the distance, using the horizon to push himself up, and –

Oh. Wow.

It was beautiful. The plains and forests were vibrant green. The distant deserts were pale brown. The mountain ranges were brown and grey and green tipped with white. The most wondrous sight was image of the clouds ensconcing writhing flames in misty white far off in the pale, blue sky.

Erst had only ever seen the brown and grey rock of the caves, bathed in the blue light of mushroom lanterns and the varying greys of the Upside at night. Never had he seen so much color.

“Boy!” a voice snapped from afar. Erst started. He spun around and nearly fall, panic blooming in his chest.

“E-Elder,” he stuttered. He quickly stuffed his hand into his pocket and pulled his blindfold over his eyes. He could only see cool, familiar darkness now, but he missed the colors.

The Elder approached from behind the rocks. His feet shuffled against ground with every step. Erst knew he also wore a blindfold over his eyes.

“Erstwil, it’s late,” the Elder said urgently. “We must hurry lest Sun rises high enough to burn us alive. Come, your mother is worried.” Erst obediently walked in the direction of the Elder’s voice. There was a loud swish – the Elder turning around – and shuffling steps headed for the Caves.

Erst stopped briefly and twisted around. He pushed his blindfold off his eyes slightly, wanting to see the horizon one last time. But the demon had become blinding again and all he saw was fire in the sky.