Total submission

Thick rainbow filled the room, pooling over the floor and rising up to the ceiling. Thick gluggs of concentrated smoke swirled around violently, and disappeared in a puff, only to reappear somewhere else with greater vigor. It was hard to see despite the bright sunlight outside: light could only just barely penetrate through the multicolored haze.

The khyaak sat on the revolving chair, thinking. The piece of wood between its forefinger and the middle-finger burned bright red on one end, yet there seemed to be no direct path between it and the smoke that had filled up. It was as if the air around the room had decided to impress by turning into its most interesting form. The khyaak took a hard puff, and blew out the smoke in slow, considered breaths.

You, it said in its characteristic hoarse voice, pointing the forefinger holding the smokestick at Haka, have great tasks ahead of you. You will need to steal, you will need to kill, and you will need to blackmail, you should be ready for all of that. I don't want you wasting my time later crying like a baby about how you can't do so and so or are busy or setting your pandiths or pujaris on me. I'm the only power you will ever see, you will have to listen to me, it barked at Haka.

Yes, I understand, said Haka rather meekly. He cleared his voice. I will do as you wish to the best of my abilities, if I cannot do something, I cannot do something and I cannot do anything about that. I am a simple person, I don't want to get in trouble with you -- I know all about your powers. I cannot fight you -- I will do as you wish, with hope that you can save me if the time should come. I cannot do your bidding if the police throw me inside prison, or if I die, or if I get kidnapped, or if I die of hunger, or if a car hits me, or if I die of sickness, or someone shoots me, or I fall down from the balcony and die, or a snake bites me, or if a mosquito bites me and I die of dengue, or if I eat street food and I die of gonorrhea. I am your servant only as long as I am able to serve, and I count upon you to protect your servant from earthly powers and the powers beyond, he said, in a monotone. He surprised himself, he had considered this for a while, and played around with all the various situations, and it all came down to this: this was a power way beyond him, and he wanted to live. In fact, life was unpredictable, it could go in unexpected places at rather unexpected times, so had decided to use this opportunity to protect himself. Rather a somewhat evil man forced to do bad acts by his circumstances than a good man dead, he had explained to himself. Beside, if serving this creature would win him victory over forces of nature, time, and death, there was a lot he wold be willing to compromise for that. He wasn't a bad man, no there were some things -- obviously -- he would never ever do no matter what, he was just sure that the Khyaak knew his limits and would never test them. I will jump to death the day if it makes me harm a child, he reminded himself after ingratiating himself with the Khyaak.

The khyaak laughed. A shrill laugh that would raise anyone's back hairs. The laugh turned into an incessant wheezing as it blew out the smoke it had held inside itself throughout Haka's total submission speech. It wheezed for a while before it recovered. You have chosen well, I see you are a wise man, it said. I will appear again soon, and you have to be prepared for me. Know this, your weakness and meekness won't protect you. I don't pity, and your inability to complete a task will only be your suffering. There have been many before you who hurt themselves to save themselves from me -- broke their arms and legs and backs, just so they wouldn't be in a physical ability to do my bidding. That won't help you. It was their suffering, and only their suffering, and they were by far the ones who suffered the most. And in the end, still had to complete their tasks. You make your choice, would you rather be a competent person, or suffer through life. You are fat, it said, as it massaged its potbelly, you will have trouble. Exercise, and get in shape. Become strong, your strength will serve you well, and your suffering will be less. You will see me soon, it said, and disappeared into a puff of purple cloud.