#sweev

DresdenG Holding the book tightly under one arm, her other hand wielding her axe, Dresden sprinted toward the pool below the temple. Surrounded by light and flowers, the place usually filled her with a serene reverence. Not so tonight, however. She didn’t dare glance behind her as the hisses and snarls of nighttime creatures filled the air.

She could feel them following her, and the little hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she took a flying leap off the edge and into the magical pool.

She waded in, only turning around once she’d reached the waterfall at its center and began to swim upward. A few creatures hovered at the pool’s edge, quickly losing interest as she ascended out of reach.

No matter how many times she visited, the sensation of being underwater but not getting wet never lost its wonder to her. As her heart rate began to slow back to normal, the Professor heard the hum of the beacon.

When she finally emerged into the alabaster room, she stepped out of the waterfall and had to take a moment, leaning against a nearby stone decoration to regain her breath and composure. before turning her gaze to the vaporous form of the All-Parent.

She cleared her throat and straightened, putting her axe away. She clasped both hands over her heart and bowed deeply at the waist in a show of reverence. She’d grown used to the deity walking among the people, but she never wanted to let the Sweevling rituals she’d been taught in her youth to fade away. Particularly when in the temple itself.

“Good evening, All-Parent,” she whispered, remaining bowed at the waist as she spoke. “I hope I am not disturbing you.”

Sweevanna A faint giggle escaped from the deity, no mock intended. They appreciate all these rituals, but these make Sweev feel like a really important being, which is true, but the formalities weren't necessary when it came to a friend after all. They smiled at the professor.

"Not at all!" Their voice echoed in the human's mind. Even with a visible mouth, they couldn’t speak or eat like mortals do, their form of communication resulting in a more ‘telepathic’ form.

Sweev swirled around Dresden, feeling happy that someone had visited them. It seemed a bit unusual though, considering how late it was. "Do you need to make another blessing request?"

DresdenG As Sweev’s smooth, comforting presence entered the Professor’s mind, her shoulders relaxed. Something about them always put her at ease in spite of herself.

She raised from her bow, watching as the deity spiraled around her, and she couldn’t suppress a smirk at the sight.

Her love for Sweev ran deep, much deeper than just the time they’d met in person. She remembered the songs about Sweev she’d been taught as a child, the services given on holidays thanking them for their many blessings throughout the year, and the gatherings students held on campus to petition Sweev for aid during testing time.

To be able to speak with them face to face was an honor the Professor would not take lightly.

“Not as such, no,” the Professor responded aloud. “I had a question to ask, but I...fear the answer.” She cast a glance down at the book clutched in her clasped hands. Did Sweev even know this book existed? “Are you...are you dying?” An almost childlike, pleading sheen clouded the Professor’s eyes as she looked back up at the All-Parent.

Sweevanna Sweev stopped swirling around. They turned their body to Dresden as casual as they could, but a trickle of nervousness traveled through their whole being. Their form titled to the side in an attempt to feign innocence, but internally they just asked themselves the same question over and over: How?

How does she know?

“I am sorry, uhm, I do not seem to follow...?” They leveled themselves to her pleading stare. Sweev eyed the book on her hands for a quick moment before fully focusing on the human. Let her explain first, they thought.

The deity clasped their little nubs together. “What makes you think I am dying?”

DresdenG Their confusion. The way they turned and twisted at the inquiry. The fact that they did not immediately refute the question, laugh and say ‘oh what a silly thought you have there,’ made Dresden’s stomach sink like a stone in the ocean.

Her trembling fingers tightened around the book, her already pale knuckles taking on a whiter sheen.

“I found this, on the ground at the Wayhouse. I think some others have read it too, but I kept it after. I wanted...” her voice caught, and she took a moment to compose herself. “I wanted to bring it to you. To see if it was made up, or if...if it’s something to worry about?” The upward tilt of her voice held a hint of desperation she rarely showed. But this was too important to mask the extent to which it was affecting her. And this was Sweev, after all...surely they could tell she was troubled, whether her voice showed it or not.

’Those people were bad news, and you knew it...can’t you see the damage they’re doing to you?...You and your selfish wish....you’re dying. Your essence is weakening...’ The words of the book swirled in Dresden’s mind, and she held it out to Sweev.

“Here. Read it,” she whispered.

Sweevanna Did that book had something that they didn’t know about? Sweev took the offered object from her warm hands. They scanned it, looking for and indication of who wrote it or where did it come from. Not finding any clue, they hastily opened the book.

Each line they read, each line they recognized. A conversation they wanted to forget, about their current condition and their current issue.

How was this possible? No one knew about this! No one except...

A light frown sat on Sweev’s features. Of course. This was their move, wasn’t it? Have their conversation written and display it so everyone knows that yes, their deity was not alright.

“End...” they closed the book and returned it to Dresden. Sweev’s face sat neutral but they were feeling many emotions at once, how would they explain this situation to their friends? To their family?

Remembering that the Professor asked them something, they carefully chose their words before answering. “This is not made up. The book tells the truth.”

DresdenG The stone turned to obsidian in the Professor’s stomach, chills shuddering up her spine. Her worst fear about this book had been that it was a true account. How she wished she’d been wrong.

It was all made worse now that she knew who it was who’d been speaking to Sweev.

She took the book back and stood in silence. The pitch black of night wrapped around the windows, pressing suffocatingly close.

She tried to keep her features straight as she tried to decide what to do now. Was there anything she could do? Despite her best efforts to keep her tone smooth, her voice still swam with emotion when she finally spoke.

“What did they mean, when they said ‘look what these people are doing to you? Their essence is draining you?’” Quoting the book put a sour taste on her tongue. But she pressed on. “What happened to you? Why are you dying? Did we do something wrong?” She paused, and in a small voice added, “...Did I?”

Sweevanna They couldn’t lie to her, that wasn’t what friends do. They had no way out of this conversation, wanting anything to happen to avoid telling the truth. Sweev closed their eyes as they reorganized their thoughts. She needed to know, they all needed to know.

“It is not your fault, specifically.” They slowly said and winced. That was an awful way to say it. “It is...”

Here goes nothing.

“This world has its own system. Every being, anything that is alive has its own essence. I am part of that whole essence.” They floated to the side as in emphasizing that point. “If something dies, it gets back, so I do not get affected by it. But...”

This whole time, Sweev didn’t dare to look at Dresden, not wanting to scare or overwhelm her at all. They continued. “Ever since you all arrived here, I have been... getting weaker.”

Just tell her, the deity reminded themselves.

“All foreign presence that is not native from this world, took up a great amount of this essence, hence my current condition. And it is all my fault.”

DresdenG Dresden flinched at the word ‘specifically,’ her mind racing as to what that could mean. The agonizing silence between  statements tore at her insides.

Why wouldn’t the All-Parent look at her?

Their words cut deeper than the silences, and the Professor staggered, sinking to a seat on one of the podium steps that led up to the Blessings Book. She knew she ought to stay standing in Sweev’s presence, but she couldn’t. The weakness in her knees wouldn’t allow it.

She laid the cursed book aside and laced her fingers together over her knees, brow furrowed in thought as she tried to process everything. Heat stung at the back of her eyes.

“How...” she started, then stopped, shaking her head. She picked at a loose thread on her trousers, trying to figure out exactly what it was she wanted to say.

The silence hung heavy between them once again.

Finally she looked up at Sweev, steeling herself against what more she might learn. Though it might hurt, knowledge is power, and she needed to know as much as she could.

“Tell me more. And please...please tell me if there’s anything I can do to fix it.”

Sweevanna The way she looked at them. That beg in her voice. Sweev felt worse as time passed by. Dresden just wanted to help fix the mess they caused. They didn’t feel like they deserve it at all, they were the reason why these people, their new family, ended up here.

The deity resumed their explanation, though there was nothing more left to say. “The weakness is just a permanent effect of it. But I am fine, no need to worry about me.”

“I do not know about any way to fix my mistake. And...” They grimaced while answering one of the Professor’s inquiries, literally having no idea what to do in this situation.

“They... whoever wrote that book was mad at me because they got worried about my condition. About something bad happening to me.” They finished, lastly adding: “But again, I can tell you, it is all right. I am fine.”

DresdenG "A permanent effect? From the essence being drained?" the Professor urged, hungry for more information, her mind zinging back and forth from thought to thought, unable to land, unable to settle. Something had to be done. Sweev can't die...they can't. How would any of us survive if they were gone?

"You can't make mistakes, Sweev, that--that isn't possible...is it? What do you mean it's your fault?" Dresden's voice hardened as she thought over the All-Parent's last statement again.

"If everything in this book is true, as you said it was, you are not fine. The One who wrote this book was correct to do so." She had a nagging in the back of her mind that perhaps it wasn't right to talk this way to a god, but she didn't care. "You need help, and the rest of You needed to ask for it because you're too--" she faltered, lowering her volume and swallowing the harsh edge on her words before continuing. "You're too nice to ask. You don't want to be any trouble. Is that right?"

Sweevanna Sweev floated statically, their face lacking any kind of expression. Were they too obvious? She caught on all of those unsaid things from their explanations. They were too deep on their train of thoughts that they didn’t notice their permanent tears rolling to the floor, their echo resonating through the whole temple.

“I am just accepting the consequences of my selfish act.” They confessed, sighing mentally. “And even as a deity I, surprisingly, am not perfect. I am aware of it.”

Oh how they wished to just curl up into a ball in a small corner. They hadn’t plan to enjoy their evening with their friend, explaining that something wrong is happening to them. But here they were anyways.

“As for the situation, all of these foreigners are taking up  a lot more of this essence than natives do, the permanent effect being that they cannot ‘escape’ this world.” They felt heavy, Sweev tried so hard to not lose track of their explanation. “I think you have noticed it, people die and come back. They are now ‘part of this world’, no way to get them out of it.”

Their beady black eyes, tears still streaming through them, focused on Dresden’s form. “I have no idea how to fix this, even if I could or wanted to.”

DresdenG They're crying...actually crying.

The Professor watched as Sweev's tears fell to the floor, the echo as soft as it was deafening.

What do they mean they aren't perfect?

She stared blankly, the All-Parent's words flowing into her mind, but hardly taking root.

Is there really nothing I can do?

Dresden bit her lower lip, her gaze hardening once again. "I find it incredibly hard to believe that you were ever selfish, and I can't bring myself to accept the situation as hopeless." She pushed herself to her feet, crossing to the center of the room and standing close to Sweev. She didn't touch them, though, just looked into their tear-ridden eyes.

"I have been loyal to you all my life, and that certainly does not change now. Knowing you on a more personal level has only further deepened my commitment to you and your ideals." She dropped to one knee, bowing her head. "If there is a solution, if further developments bring more information to light, I will do whatever any of the Three ask of me. I am yours. Whatever you need, I will give."

She looked up, then, to meet Sweev's gaze again. "I know I can't fix your condition, I understand that now, but...is there anything I can do for you at all?"

Sweevanna How did she...?

Oh, right, she has studied everything about their history. Sweev recalled the Three Deities theory they heard from a village long ago; even if the theory is correct, the fact that she knows about it was very surprising.

Sweev’s form curled itself, resembling a round cloud. They cherished the professor’s determination and willingness to help them, not like they had a solution for their current conundrum. The deity would probably get scolded for attaching even more to these mortals, they didn’t care.

“I appreciate your disposition to help with this situation. Even after everything...” they trailed off, deciding it was best to stop feeling morose about their wrongdoing. Their cold tears started to slow down.

“Your support is enough for me.” Their little nubs rubbed on their eyes, they didn’t need to but the action help them feel more at ease. “Thank you.” They smiled at her, their expression lighting up the gloomy atmosphere.

DresdenG The Professor listened to the soft tones of their voice probing into her consciousness. It satisfied her to hear that her loyalty was still worth anything, that she could still be useful to the All-Parent.

She watched them rub at their eyes, and when they smiled she felt compelled to smile back. So she did, her thin red lips curving into a rare expression.

“The pleasure is mine,” she replied, keeping her voice reverent and quiet.

Sweevanna Maybe they did it because of the huge wave of emotions they felt some moments ago. Maybe they did it because they craved company. Or maybe they did it because she is their friend. Either way, their light form flew around Dresden’s form and curled itself in her torso, nubs sprawled open in an attempt to hug. Them not having a proper physical body made it a bit difficult to do it but the sentiment was there.

Sweev cherished the warmth presence of their friend, silently wishing they weren’t too blunt about this sudden action. They’ve only seen this gesture on human villages, people do this to show appreciation towards someone. Let’s hope they did this correctly.

The deity had no idea how long it passed but they eventually they let go. They peeked behind the professor and noticed the pitch black sky from one of the temple’s large windows. Still night, it seems.

“I do believe you are in need of some rest.” They commented, floating towards the waterfall entrance. “Come, I have a place near here where you can stay the night.” They smiled at her.

DresdenG The Professor let out a startled gasp as the All-Parent flew towards her. She as she had been, down on one knee, and felt a sudden rush of air against her chest. Like a cool breeze ruffling her clothes, Seeev’s forms nestled against her and she looked down at the deity in shock.

This...she never expected this. An embrace from the One who made everything and to whom she owed her entire existence?

She knelt frozen for a long moment, before making an attempt to return the embrace. It came out a bit awkward, as if wrapping her arms around a shifting cloud, but she did her best.

She couldn’t shake the inescapable awe flooding her mind. Sweev cared about her. Not as one of many, but as an individual. As the Professor. As Dresden.

Her mind still felt numb and cloudy, but not in an entirely unpleasant way, when Sweev eventually spoke and floated toward the waterfall.

“That...would be nice. Thank you.”