Good things filled the lives of Rayon’s family. Every seven days, Áronyeh continued to visit them; each visit brought them joy and delight, for they loved their Creator and he loved them. Yet not long after Rhonnah was born, Áronyeh visited them with a new thing, for now he brought to them a heavy matter.

“There is an enemy,” he said.

Rayôn did not understand these words, but he knew from his Creator’s voice that it was something not good. “What is this enemy?” he asked. He felt a new sensation as he asked the question, a sensation he did not understand – he was sharing in Áronyeh’s displeasure for evil, a thing he could not comprehend.

“My throne is above the heavens, and Arah rests under my feet,” said Áronyeh. “At my throne, I created creatures to delight in me, and I in them, even as you delight in me, and I in you. Yet one of them chose not to delight in me, but rather in himself above me. He rejected my love, and spurned me in hatred. He rejected my light, and the light I gave him he twisted into darkness. He rejected my peace, and chose for himself violence and devastation. He rejected his freedom in my service, and freely bound himself in chains of malice.”

Rayôn still did not understand – and neither did his family. They did not understand hatred, except that it was not love. They did not understand violence and devastation, except that it was not peace. They did not understand malice, except that it was not kindness. Darkness they knew, but only in its good place in the quiet peace of the night, when they rested from the work of the day, and only in its beauty as a backdrop for the stars and the moon and the wonders of heaven. They knew that Áronyeh did not mean this kind of darkness – but the darkness he meant they could not grasp. All they knew was that it was against everything Áronyeh made – it was against their good Creator himself. And they were disturbed.

“Do not be troubled,” said Áronyeh, “For this enemy will not prevail against me. Did I not create him? I shall also destroy him, and those whom he has led into the darkness, when the time is right; and I shall remove his evil from my creation forever. But you must be on guard, for although many others of my servants turned with him, he is not content and will most assuredly seek to destroy you.” “What shall we do?” asked Rayôn. “How will we stop him from destroying us?” He spoke slowly, for such concepts stretched his mind uncomfortably.

“Light I have given to you,” said Áronyeh. “Trust me, and use my light. The enemy will try to deceive you, but you must trust my words above his. As long as you trust in me and believe the truth, he shall not prevail over you.”

Áronyeh turned to Rayôn. “A new role I give to you, Rayôn, and to every man after you: protect your wives, your daughters, and your small children, for you are stronger than they. The enemy will try to destroy them first, for when they are ruined you are then made weaker.”

To Vúnyeðel, he said, “Great wisdom and insight I have given to you. You will wield my light with the most skill, and see most clearly when the enemy shows his darkness and casts shadow and mist on your way. But take care that you do not let yourself trust in the strength of your own wisdom, for your wisdom is my wisdom, and if you sever it from me it will become folly.”

To Durfil he said, “Great skill and understanding in craft I have given you. Tomorrow, take your brother Vúnyeðel and your sister Shereynah up to Shêvannah. There in the depths of the pool you will find stones, clear and blue as the sky. Bring seven of them back, one for each of you, and shape each one so that it fits smooth in your hand. Then, in seven days, I will return; bring the stones to me, and I will show you what to do.”