Vaniya's usually serene form swelled and shifted, her inherent light dimming as her fury rose. She became a towering silhouette, a literal storm cloud gathering before a peal of thunder. "What black magic did you just invoke?" she demanded of the human, her voice a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated through the air. "What power have you dared to bind me with?"
Kalven, the human, merely covered his mouth, a slight, almost fragile cough escaping him. He lowered his hand, and his gaze was steady, though his body language suggested an incredible inner strain. "This," he explained, a thin thread of triumph woven into his voice, "is a manifestation of my inherent power, linked to the ancient 'Book of Binding'. We are embarking on a dangerous journey, Vaniya, one that will test the very limits of our strength and resolve. I must ensure my safety. Don't worry, it is a neutral power; it won't harm you unless you attempt to harm me or actively betray the binding." He then coughed again, violently this time, and a splash of bright, alarming blood stained the back of his hand, a stark testament to the cost of wielding such a power.
Vaniya observed the blood, a slow understanding dawning in her ageless eyes. Her anger, though not extinguished, subsided into a deep, contemplative stillness.
Kalven wiped the blood on his tunic, his expression grim but resolute. He continued, outlining the stark reality of their new, shared existence: "These are the fundamental rules governing the 'Book of Binding.' I have established the foundational rule, you have implicitly accepted it by not immediately challenging my life, and now a contradiction your retained freedom juxtaposed against my enforced safety is born. This power thrives on such paradoxes. Now, hear my final rule and the ultimate constraint of our agreement: if you fail to grant my wish to complete this quest with me you will die. We will now alternate in setting rules and contradictions until the task is done.
The power was immense, yet it was not absolute. Kalven needed to be precise, or the backlash would consume them both. The Binding itself imposed ironclad restrictions:
Non-Physical Control: One cannot add rules that directly dictate or control the physical, moment-to-moment actions of the other party (e.g., 'You must now raise your left arm' is forbidden).
Logical Coherence: All rules and constraints must be logically sound and internally coherent. Nonsense rules or impossible conditions will result in an immediate, painful backlash.
No Direct Cancellation: Rules cannot be created that are designed to directly and immediately cancel, overwrite, or void an existing, fundamental binding (though clever contradictions are encouraged).
The Backlash: Both parties suffer an immediate, equal, and devastating backlash if a rule is introduced that fundamentally contradicts or breaks an earlier, accepted binding.
Hearing the rigid, high-stakes framework, Vaniya threw her head back and let out a rich, unrestrained laugh that echoed through the empty mountain pass. "What an interesting game!" she exclaimed, her voice regaining some of its usual melodic quality, though now edged with excitement. "The millionth one is truly special, Kalven. A mortal playing with the rules of the cosmos. Fine, human. I will play by your rules."
Kalven wasted no time, stating his first rule, which was designed to probe Vaniya's ancient knowledge: "From this moment forward, you must answer everything I ask of you truthfully. There must be no lies between us."
Vaniya paused, her brow furrowed in thought, then a sly smile touched her lips. She countered with her necessary constraint: "I will indeed speak the truth, as that is a small cost for this entertainment. But, if there is a truth I wish to keep hidden something that is not yet time for your ears I will speak it in riddles. I do not care if you understand the meaning or not; deciphering it is your constraint."
Immediately establishing her own dominant position, Vaniya set her first rule: "From now on, I will ask you questions whenever the mood strikes me, irrespective of the current conversation. If you fail to answer to my satisfaction, I will take your soul immediately, and the Binding will be void."
Kalven smiled, a faint flicker of amusement despite the severity of the threat, and paused just long enough to assert his control before responding. "You have your power, Vaniya," he acknowledged. "But you may only ask questions that are directly tied to the developing narrative of the story we are about to begin."
Vaniya laughed again, an appreciation for his cunning replacing her previous amusement. "Truly a cunning fellow you are, Kalven," she conceded, and without another word, she turned and began walking deeper into the mouth of the vast, shadowed cave that marked the start of their journey.
Kalven followed her, his hand still faintly stained with his own blood.
As Vaniya stepped across the threshold of the cave's entrance, she turned back one final time, the cavern's darkness pooling behind her. "The story must be completed before we reach the peak of the mountain," she declared, her voice echoing the final condition of the quest, and then disappeared into the gloom.
In a silent flicker of light and ancient magic, a heavy, leather-bound book and an antique pen automatically materialized and settled firmly into Kalven's free hand, awaiting the first inscription.
Vaniya's voice drifted back from the darkness. She had paused to look up, though no sky was visible from where she stood. "Do you know how the world looks from the sky?" she asked, the first question of their game, and with the sound of her voice, the story began.