Tennotaru - 1. The Night King and Sahhasho

Many, many springs ago, the Night King, Aguru, ruled the skies unchallenged. He took the shape of a spectacled bear, whose black fur was made of darkness whole, with bright spots that made up the stars, and his head was crowned by a silver diadem, adorned by a lone pearl that mortals know as "the moon".

Aguru was born during the first eon of the Earth's creation, as the divine offspring of Naga’ir, the life-bringer. Arcane tales maintain that Aguru was the first being to walk the Earth, but having grown tired of life on the ground, he jumped up to the sky and submerged the new-born Earth into perpetual darkness.

Aguru may have been the first being to walk the Earth, but he was not the last. From Naga'ir's warmth many other beings came into existence: the animals that inhabit the land, seas and skies, the trees and plants that spurt from the fertile soil and make the Earth green, and of course, the humans, who in ancient times had not yet been stripped of their immortality.

During these times, there lived a young man by the name of Sahhasho. Sahhasho was a skilled hunter, famed for his prowess with the longbow. He was also known for his beauty, with his long dark hair not unlike the Night King’s fur. So great were his skill and his beauty that the Night King himself couldn’t help but falling in love with him.

To be with Sahhasho, Aguru shed his usual form, choosing instead the appearance of a man, with skin like the night sky and eyes as bright as stars. In time, Sahhasho became enthralled with the beauty of Aguru’s human form, and he too fell in love with the Night King.

From that moment on, the Night King and the human started seeing each other atop Surbari, the mother of all mountains, the point where the land kisses the sky. Aguru entertained Sahhasho with tales from the long-gone days of the primordial gods, and granted him gifts only divine beings could provide, while Sahhasho gave Aguru the comfort of human warmth and wit, and presented to him the pelts of the wild tigers he would shoot down with his bow.

One day, Darmo, Lord of Fire, took notice of the young Earth. As ruler of the lands belonging to the gods, he declared Earth to be his rightful territory as well, and sent his daughter Vesro to claim it in his name. Darmo gave Vesro his left eye, and armed her with a sword of fire, that she could use to fend off those who would cast doubt on Darmo's claim to the land.

Vesro landed on the highest peak of the Surbari mountain, and unveiled Darmo's eye, which cast its magnificent light upon every corner of the Earth. Never before had any of the Earth's creatures seen such a powerful light, so warm and so full of life. Fruit sprouted from every tree, and the water in the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers became so hot it nearly boiled.

Enraged, for he considered Earth to be his own realm, Aguru challenged Vesro to a duel to settle once and for all whose claim would stand. But Vesro was a skilful fighter, and armed with her flaming sword, she had Aguru clearly outmatched; Aguru's claws and fangs were not enough to make front to the powerful Lord Darmo's daughter. She struck over a hundred blows, and each weakened the Night King further.

They duelled for a hundred years, but finally, Aguru fell to his knees. Vasro readied to strike the final blow, but at the last moment, Sahhasho's arrow deflected her blade. The human had known that interfering in a gods’ duel would end not go unpunished, but he could not sit idle and watch his lover be slain.

Vasro was deeply offended at the insolent intrusion, but before she could swing her sword in Sahhasho's direction, a reinvigorated Aguru shielded the human and pushed back against Darmo’s daughter with newfound strength. The Night King’s wounds healed with primordial manna, and arming himself with Sahhasho’s bow, he was now on equal footing against Vasro’s sword.

Aguru and Vasro have been entangled in their divine duel ever since, fighting for control over the skies and the land. Vasro holds advantage by day, when Darmo's eye shines bright with divine fire. At night, Aguru takes the upper hand, and his dark fur covers the celestial dome. Every month, for one night, Aguru and Sahhasho meet atop Surbari, the mother of all mountains, and the shining pearl that crowns the Aguru’s head becomes a full moon again, for the Night King is only content by his lover's side.