The kingdom of Nar was located in the southernmost region of Hell. It boasted of a constant hot and dry climate which defeated even the characteristic winds afflicting the rest of the underworld. Some claimed that Nar was as old as Hell itself, coming to be well before demons gained shreds of awareness; before they even discovered the pleasures of greed and the gains of ambition to rule each other’s kingdoms.

Curiously, Nar was at the bottom of a mountainous region, seeing its capital city — Nahar, protected only by thick walls. In spite of its vulnerable location, the mere notion of invading Nar was simply inconceivable—unless one saw fit to bring ruin to themselves and their own nation, so undisputed was the power of the Seers.

The Seers, constantly impervious to the warring of young nations, kept such conflicts well outside their walls, and their powers even more secret. It wasn’t to say that they completely ignored the rest of Hell. Quite the contrary; demons still had their usefulness. The Seers then opened their gates to most who sought them, favouring high-nobles and skilled conquerors with long and thick bloodlines. The stronger the blood, the better the seed. It was known however, that to accept a Seer as a wife, one had to also be prepared to eventually lose their immortal souls; such was the price of greatness. 

Nar was prosperous, sophisticated, with its paved streets and well-defined broad roads, seeing its diverse populace getting along with visitors from all over. It witnessed elegant spacious manors and houses matching its residents’ high status. Poverty was a stranger in Nar. It helped that most of their good fortune came not only from Hell’s residents but also from beings outside the Netherworld, such as angels and minor gods who had deeply marked their presence over the history of the nation. Demons never disputed their presence; not whilst in this realm, as to question the High Seer's ruling, was to discredit one's own reputation, and eventually, their sanity. All who respected the kingdom were welcomed. However, the access to the source and magnitude of powers these unclaimed rulers of Hell had, would remain a closely guarded and unspoken secret to outsiders.   

The witches of Nar, as demons often referred to them, ensured everyone had a role. Everyone’s purpose was based on their abilities. Those with the power of sight remained in the High Seer’s service, managing various roles from instructors to envoys on missions across Hell. Those without the sight, mainly male offspring, filled the farmer fields, or the fishing lakes, or trained in the warrior ways to protect their Seers outside the walls of Nar (for rogue and mindless demons did not know any better who they attacked). The highest honour still, was to donate their seed to further the line of the Seers, without the commitment of marriage and maybe the eventual loss of their lives. All for the prosperity of Nar. Everyone knew, loved and accepted their respective duties without question. The word of the revered High Seer Ammit sealed one’s fate. For the prosperity of Nar; for the supremacy of the Seers, such was the way. And as such it would remain until the end of all darkness, if such day ever loomed.

Odiva, was one of such fervent believers. She had been waiting to be acknowledged by her people and the High Seer herself for as long as she could remember. To follow the high priestess, potentially even replacing her one day, was the dream; a distant dream, yes, but not unthinkable. Not if one's ambition outmatched all else. Everything had been within her grasp; the pieces should have fallen into place when she became a Seer...

So how was it that she lived on the shadow of the Great Seer Jahi, her own sister?

Establishing her name had been no issue. Odiva was the inept sister, the one whose limited powers only relied on cheap trickeries and ploys. She somehow became a Seer, but Odiva was already coming in late, unlike the prodigy Jahi, who had had her Seer ceremony before she even bled properly.

What happened to her final stepping stone? This was meant to it!

Even Jahi had seen it countless times. Seers were not permitted to read each other; not without express consent from the High Seer, but she and Jahi were blood sisters; such rule could never apply to them. ‘Everything will change for you after the ceremony’, Jahi would say. And there was no reason for Jahi to lie, of course.

Things did change, just not according to Jahi’s sight or Odiva’s foolproof plans.

The ceremony propelled a young apprentice into a full-fledged Seer. Their eyes turned red or white, signifying a witch's power. Red was the most common, and the weakest, limited to the foresight of perhaps a few weeks ahead. White eyes were the rarest and, although not fully disclosed, they were the strongest where a Seer was said to be able to see years ahead. Only a few great Seers like Nana Sioh, Jahi and the High Seer Ammit had them. Odiva’s eyes turned black.

Odiva imagined Nana Sioh cackling in purgatory, while having one of those cookouts she liked so much in celebration of Odiva’s failure.

Those who didn’t mock Odiva (certainly for fear of retaliation from Jahi or Auntie Ammit) often said it wasn’t unheard of — a Seer with black eyes. It had happened only once before. Saleen, Odiva’s and Jahi’s own mother, also had black eyes, and those who still spoke of her swore that Saleen’s power rivalled even that of the High Seer of her time. Saleen did birth Jahi. Odiva reasoned that perhaps by the time she got to Odiva, her mind and powers were already too far gone. Their mother did not live long after. A premature victim to the dark madness. 

“Will you snap out of it!” Jahi threw a playful bump as the two walked to the temple. “You’re moping. You never mope. Don’t you always say you hate the way your forehead looks funny when you mope?”

Odiva frowned at Jahi.

“Yes, just like that!” Jahi chuckled. “Oh come on, Diva, you’re acting like it’s the end of the world! They’re only eyes, and isn’t it a great thing? It’s a sign that your powers are there…”

Odiva still ignored her, her eyes again planted to the ground. 

“So it might just take some figuring out at first,” Jahi quickly continued, “but this has to be the way! I saw it countless times, and so has the High Seer. You wouldn’t doubt auntie, would you?”

“I never heard it directly from her. Jahi, you didn’t see the look on her face. It was like she grew pupils again.” Odiva retorted, refusing to lift her eyes, so not to face another startled passerby. “She actually lost her words. When has that ever happened? The woman has the face of a stone. A very gorgeous stone! And it’s what makes her so incredible, but when she looked at me…” she sighed, “there’s just no way she’ll let me serve.”

Jahi stopped walking. “You are so off the mark! You’re so far gone I can’t even see you. And I’m hurt by that. It’s almost as if you doubt my sight.”

Odiva stopped ahead and after a short slump of her head, she doubled back to lace her arm around Jahi so they could continue walking.

“Listen, I happen to have it on good authority that she’s super excited for you! She’s still talking about it. She was just a little startled, that’s all. Emotional even. You know who those eyes remind her of. She and mother were way too close.”

“That, was her emotional face?” Odiva mumbled.

“Oh stop! You’re insufferable when you’re like this.” Jahi dismissed and quickened their pace. It was one of the ways Odiva tackled her sister’s nostalgia whenever their mother was mentioned. Jahi was still the more sentimental of the two; especially when it came to family matters. It wasn’t even like Jahi knew anything about their mother; the woman died when Jahi was a toddler herself. What could she possibly remember from those days? Jahi’s heart even had room for their Nana Sioh, often remembering the wretch as though she’d been the greatest grandmother Nar had ever seen. To be fair, of the two sisters, Nana Sioh did always have a soft spot for Jahi. Who wouldn’t?   

“Stop that too! Nana Sioh loved us the same. And Auntie Ammit tells me things, just so you know. I know more about mother than you think I do.”

There the great Seer went, with her amazing power... “Please stay out of my mind, oh Great Seer Jahi; spare me just for today. Some of us actually need to work out a backup plan for our after life when the main plan collapses; something you would know nothing about.”

“Ew, so huge; so hideous.” Jahi cringed.

Odiva slapped Jahi’s arm in response, while Jahi chuckled. “You’ll see. It’s Auntie Ammit’s opinion that counts, anyway. Everyone else just needs time to adjust; they’ll talk through elbows and tails for a while, you know what it’s like.”

“Oh right, about that small matter they call the dark madness. I suppose everyone saying that I’ll die before I give birth to my first child is no cause to worry.”

 “Superstitions! Ignorant babble!!” Jahi snapped. “Who are you going to believe? Everyone else, or me and the High Seer?”

 Odiva would not admit it aloud, but the Jahi’s resolute stare smoothed her heavy frown. Jahi’s sight… no. Jahi had never let her down.

“Says the one who’s off to marry again, leaving me all alone. And the people of Nar have to be superstitious. What would happen to us if they weren’t?!”

Their silence lingered for a few steps, and Odiva knew her sister hesitated about this marriage talk. She’d been avoiding it for long enough.

“About that, Namtar promised me we’ll stay in Nar. He has no interest in joining the rest of the chaos outside these walls. He says we should get away from the city, though. Nahar is getting too crowded, and we want our children to grow up in a spacious area, where they can run—”

“Since when is Nahar too crowded for you?” Odiva frowned. “We grew up here fine. Children need street smarts; coop them up in some dreamland farm, they’ll grow dumb. What does Namtar know of Nahar, anyway?”

Jahi chuckled. “What do you know what children need?”

“I know enough to know that they should be around family. Even Sioh knew that.” Odiva protested.

Jahi stopped before the steps of the temple, bringing Odiva to a stop as well. “Diva,” Jahi started, her emotional tone already provoking a knowing eye roll from Odiva. For once, she was grateful her full black eyes hid such eye rolls from her sister. “How can you think that? You’re the only family I have. You know I would never leave you.”

Odiva sighed, but Jahi still waited. “Diva,” Jahi clasped Odiva’s hand.

“I’m just saying you shouldn’t see this as a permanent thing.” Odiva finally retorted. “You’re the perfect Seer Jahi, one of the most desired women in all of Nar; perhaps all of Hell! There are no doubts that you'll be Auntie's replacement. You can’t possibly think that this will be your last marriage. You’re a Seer, Jahi. Yet you're so protective of this Namtar, making all these plans away from here. It’s… it’s almost like you love him.”

Jahi’s worried frown slowly gave room to a soft smile while she rubbed Odiva’s hand with her thumb. “What’s so wrong with that?”

“What?” Odiva shot her a startled look, but Jahi’s serene expression did not change.

“You can’t possibly think like that. What if he’s like Elloh? He could be using cheap tricks too, to hide himself from our reading; lie about his seed even!”

“Elloh managed to fool us once.” Jahi replied evenly. “He paid dearly for his trickery. Besides, who would fall for the same trick twice? Auntie Ammit also read Namtar and found him and his seed thoroughly satisfying. Nothing in our bedroom manner will be a problem, in fact.”

Odiva's attempt to pry further into Jahi's mind might've been too clumsy, resulting in her immediate push-out. It felt like something had knuckled her from inside her head. “Ow-OW - Aah!!” Odiva held her head.

“Look at you, already acting all Seer-like.” Jahi smirked and started up the long stairs to the temple. “I’m proud of you, little sister, but my head is off limits.” 

“You just did it to me not two minutes ago!”

“I’m the eldest. We come with privileges.”