Big Sister
by Desmon Arnold
An sphere of infinite black would shield the trio, with only one blemish on the background, being the recently formed shells, known now as Argent. Three of the only few being in existence would walk across nothing, taking a stroll through through the excess space around their newly formed home, canvas, and challenge. Two of which were small, no more than a few feet tall, while the other was nearly twice that, her long cloud like hair making a perfect cushion for the two children to lean into as they walked.
"Please, you two. The day is young. You don't need to be so-" An older girl would say, to the two children clung to her sides, an amused look on her face.
"No! Tell us stories now!" The young girl demanded, clinging to the arm of her older sister. Her black wings would beat once, bouncing up to the dark skinned woman's shoulder so she could hang from it. "You said you would!"
"Yeah! You promised you tell us why we're here!" The blonde boy would demand, his golden feathers dragging behind him, as his wings lazily hung from his back.
"Please, you two. We have all the time in the world to talk." The more mature of the three would say, leaning back and staring upwards at the endless black above.
"The big guy said I was supposed to bring life! He said that I was life! Shiwa, you're supposed to explain!" The blonde boy would exclaim.
"Liphan. Deshai. I promise this will all make sense in time. Follow me, please." She'd say, tone soft but assertive, like an older sisters should be.
"Okay, Shishi." The young girl would say, as her silver hair would happily sway with each of Shiwa's steps, Deshai's small hands keeping as tight a hold as she could on her sisters shoulder.
The two young ones would fall silent from this, as the three would wander through the dark skies. The two would reach a point where they had a perfect view of the world below. Two empty hemispheres, patches of green dotting the brown shells, with an orb of water swirling between the two. Shiwa would sit, opening her arms as the two younger ones would move to plop down into her lap, nestling in, as their wings would curl around both of her sides respectively.
Shiwa would snort at the wings, before relaxing both of her hands on their heads. "You asked why you were here, yes?"
"Yeah, we did!" Liphan would say, a childlike excitement in his tone as he'd bounce in his spot in her lap.
Deshai would nod in agreement as he'd do so, keeping her arms neatly folded in her lap, eyes on Shiwa expectantly.
Shiwa would smile between the two, before her eyes would fall on the boy. "Well, Liphan. You specifically are here to create life. You will make all that lives, and will prepare them for their futures."
"Can't the big guy do that?" He'd ask, seeming saddened. "You said we were special..."
"Do not be jealous. Know that there is art in what you do. Where Oum simply makes, because it must be done, you carefully craft every soul and every creature you touch." She'd say, a small smile forming on her face.
"But..." Liphan would protest. "Why can't he do that..?"
Shiwa would ruffle his hair, leaning down to kiss the top of his head, before leaning back. "Oum makes without that same love and without that same attention. As with every one of our father's motions, thought, or action, new concepts, ideas, and rules remain. We are all the aftermath of Oum's long and endless path. It is what we, and most importantly, you, make of these concepts, ideas, and rules, that matters."
"I.. think that makes sense?" He'd say, slowly nodding, before looking up. "But-"
"No buts." She'd interrupt, smiling down at him. "You need not compare yourself to him. Without the life you bring, creation has no purpose."
"...Yes, Shishi." He'd say, a small smile forming.
"Me me me!" Deshai would say, finally breaking her composure to bounce up and lean up into Shiwa's face, her nose almost touching hers. "Why am I here!? I wanna knooow!" She'd whine, wings beating in rhythmic impatience.
"You are the end of life, dear." Shiwa'd say, combing through her fingers through the young girls long hair.
"Wait..." She'd say, frowning as well, looking off to the black sky behind them. "Does that mean I'm like-"
"Like our uncle? No. You are nothing like him. You are escapable, because death is not the end, dear." Shiwa would say, as her fingers return to the girls scalp, and begin scratching gently in small circles.
"What do you mean..? The life is over... does that mean I'm ruining what Liphie makes..!?" She'd exclaim, shock on her face.
Shiwa would laugh, shaking her head. "Every soul, even those at the bottom of your lake, can be molded by your brother, there is nothing after a true end in which to mold." She'd say, twisting her free hand, as a black silhouette formed from magic would appear above them. "Vaz is not just a god, as we are. He is a sentiment, a concept, and a law." She'd continue, as the silhouette would begin to shit into a sphere. "He marks the end of all there is and will be, as there is nothing behind him. Vaz is not the end of any life, object, or idea, but is the sacred void which is endlessness."
Deshai's eyes would remain on her. "That's so dramatic!" She'd protest, frowning. "That just sounds the same!" She'd argue, arms crossing in frustration.
Shiwa would chuckle again, shaking her head. "While many try to escape it as they do you, it is the inevitable truth that everything that is or will be, will find solace in the nothing of his wake." She would move her hands to twist their heads from the top, guiding their gaze to the two shells before them. "Even as you end lives," She'd begin, giving a gentle nudge to Deshai. "So long as they're not taken by Vaz, you-" She'd nudge Liphan this time, smirking between the two. "-can make something of it."
The two children would look to eachother, then back to Argent, then to Shiwa, then back to eachother. Where Liphan would begin to grin with excitement, Deshai's eyes would begin to water with relief. The two would immediately find themselves in a tight hug, wings following, pulling the now caught off guard Shiwa down into the embrace.
Shiwa would laugh, a large smile forming. "You two are exhausting!" She'd say, though defying her words, her arms would move to wrap around the two.
"Thank you sis!" Liphan would say, looking up to her. "Will you always be here to help us..? There seems to be so much to do..?" He'd ask.
Deshai would nod. "Yeah! I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you here! I'm never letting you go!" She'd exclaim, slipping free of Liphan to cling to her older sisters waist, nestling into her chest.
Shiwa would smile to Liphan, before freezing up slightly, and looking down to Deshai with a small frown, eyes straining to hold back small glints.
Liphan would follow Deshai's lead, clinging to Shiwa. "Thank you Shishi!..." He'd say, in a soft, genuine tone.
Where neither child noticed this as they were both completely engrossed in her, Shiwa would take a moment to breath, stabilizing herself, before finally speaking, eyes set on Deshai. "You'll have me.. as long as..." She takes another sharp inhale, eyes closing, head tilting up to the sky. "..as long as you want me. I will guide you down the path that needs taken."
Historical Basis
This is a common story shared by those attached to faiths that fall under worship of the family of gods; being Liphan, Deshai, Akari, Usugo, Shiwa, and sometimes Oniron. While not known to be entirely accurate, it's recording tracks back to the times of Dragons, where the gods were much more open with their personal relationships than they are now.
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