The Coldness Began

.....

There once was a god by the name of Dzyun (Dz-Yu-n), he was never able to feel warmth, only the cold. As he grew he longed more and more to feel warmth. He ventured far and wide, across scorching deserts and mountain tops, but still all he could feel was the coldness of the earth.

On his journey he came across an old opera house in the middle of a rainforest. The opera house seemed out of place, Who would build such a thing here? Dzyun thought. It was an old and broken building that the forest had taken back.

His curiosity overpowered any rational thought he had, and he went walking straight into the opera house. In the middle of the opera room, there was a creature with beauty Dzyun had never seen before. She had radiating baby blue skin and flowing blue hair. She wore a calf length white dress and no shoes.

He slowly crept toward her trying not to make a sound.

“Snap!”

“Who's there?” The lady called out. Dzyun peeked out from behind a wall. “Oh, hello. Who are you?” Dzyun moved up a little more.

“I-I'm...I'm Dzyun.”

“How do you do, I'm Neveah,” (Ne-v-E-ya). “Would you like to have dinner with me?” She had crystal greenish-blue eyes, and a soft smile.

“No, thank you. I-I’ll be on my way out.“ He heard his stomach grumble. “O-on second thought, if I may I would like to, yes.” Dzyun ambled to the middle of the opera house and sat next to Neveah. Neveah reached into her basket and pulled out a leaf wrap, and offered it to Dzyun

“Thank you, Neveah?”

“Yessery! You're the first person to get it right on the first time.”

“Why are you in an opera house in the middle of nowhere?”

“This is my home. I'm the goddess of forests, what are you the god of?”

“I don't know.” Dzyun says tilting his head down.

“Well that's not a bad thing per se, it just means you haven't bloomed yet!”

“You really think so? Well, what if I didn't want to be a god of something, like just a god of nothing?”

“Well dear, even if you are the god of nothingness you are still a god. You would be the sweetest god there is, most handsome too.”

“Most handsome god!?“ he says in surprise “I wouldn't put myself on a pedestal that high!”

“Why not? You are a dime, shining in all its glory!”

“Wha'd ya put in da wrap?“ He says gulping down a bite. “It's delicious.“

“Bird, leaves, random things I know are not poisonous and taste good, and my secret sauce. Do you like it?”

“Oh yes! It's marvelous.”

“I'm glad you do. You know, it’s getting late, do you have a place to stay the night?” She asked, concerned.

“No, I usually just camp outside.” He said blandly.

“But it’s freezing! How will you ever stay warm?!” Neveah grabbed Dzyun’s hand. “Why don’t you stay the night here, with me.”

“Um…” Dzyun’s face got red. I’m going to be cold either way. But she seems nice and I haven’t had god contact in too long to be healthy. “A-alright. Uh…um…”

“What is it?” Neveah asks still holding Dzyun’s hand with both of her's

“Um, where am I going to sleep?”

“Well this opera house only has one room that’s alright for sleeping. Why don’t you come see for yourself?”

Dzyun followed her into the room. They walked down a hallway filled with pictures and statues of gods of old. The room had a wooden door. It creaked loudly when Neveah opened it.

The room had a queen sized bed with messy cream colored sheets. There was a small closet and dresser filled with trinkets from around the universe.

“This is the bedroom.“ Neveah says.

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay?” Dzyun asks worryingly. “Where would you sleep?”

“I have a mat in the closet I can use and it’s really quite comfortable.” She says with a small grin.

“Why don’t I sleep on it. It’s your bed and I won’t be staying long.”

“Exactly. You aren’t staying long, so your stay must be comfortable.”

“Please?” He asks, his voice soft.

“I’ll let you see it, then make up your mind.”

Neveah knelt down and placed her hands onto the hardwood floor. Branches, vines and gigantic flowers opened the closet door and crept towards her. They twisted and turned into shape. She created a pillow from the flowers, and bedding from leaves. She walked over to the closet and grabbed sheets of moss off the top of a shelf. Neveah placed it all along the top of the bed and pulled the blanket over it. 

“There, all ready. You still sure you want to sleep here?”

“Yes, I’m still sure.”

“The bathroom’s around the corner to the left.”

“Thank you.” 

Dzyun crept into bed, in his dreams he heard a voice.

Don't lose what you seek most

You won't find it again

....

A week went by and he was having a picnic with Neveah. Well, an indoor picnic with Neveah. Neveah had made her famous zebra and orish leaves and was sitting in the middle of an empty ballroom with Dzyun.

The ballroom had no roof, and the walls were painted with vines inching all along them.

“Oh!, I have just the greatest idea!“ Neveah said, slapping her knee. She went to a back room and grabbed a floating cloud like contraption made of various items that can be found in the forest. “What would you like to listen to?“

“Do you have 'Spread a Little Happiness by Arthur Roseberry'?“

“That's my favorite one!“ Neveah cried out. She toyed around with the contraption. Out of nowhere the trumpet starts playing and the violinists fiddle.

“Even when the darkest clouds are in the sky you mustn't sigh and you mustn't cry. Spread a little happiness as you go by, please try.” The radio blasted the song.

“Come dance with me.” Neveah said, pulling Dzyun's arm.

“I don't know how.”

“I'll teach you how to, come my little moon, let us dance.” She did a twirl and extended her arms out. Dzyun ran into her arms. “Hold my hand and place your other hand here. Good. Now we sway. Ready?” He nods his head and they begin dancing to the beat of the music. Dzyun felt a shiver down his spine, something he never felt before. Is this warmth? No...this is going from hot to cold. I'd be freezing to death if I got any colder than this.

Dzyun had done research on warmth when he was younger. This warmth, the feeling of protection…no words can describe the feeling, no amount of studying can prepare you for this feeling. He let himself indulge in it, drinking it up like he would die without it.

He felt Neveah’s warmth seeping into his skin, flowing through his blood. A slow dance song began, Dzyun laid his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes, he thought about how hard, how long he searched for this feeling of warmth. He thought about his childhood, about the stars, about the opera house, about a million things until his thoughts landed on her. 

Dzyun began to think about Neveah, how kind she had been to him. How gentle her smile was and how kind her eyes were. He’s face began to flush as he subconsciously grabbed onto the back of Neveah’s dress burying his face into her shoulder and letting out a sigh. Neveah raked her hand threw his hair, a small smile on her face.

...

Weeks had passed since he had first met Neveah, Dzyun decides to settle down “Only for a little while, then I must continue my search.“ He would say. In reality he had already found it but he thought that he was just seeing things, that warmth wasn't a feeling like grief and joy.

The two love birds grew closer and closer over the years, Dzyun definitely stayed more than a little while and sooner or later they both lived together in the old abandoned opera house. When around Neveah, Dzyun would again feel a wish of comfort, protection, and warmth. Now he was sure.

“Neveah? Would you like to dance with me once again?“

“Yes, my moon. But! I must finish this immediately first. I'll be out in a little.“ She said with a gentle smile

“Okay, I'll be waiting outside.“ She nodded him off and went back to work. What could she possibly be working on? She has been slightly odd the last few days. He thought.

“Cough! Sniff, sniff.“ Neveah stands up, pushing her chair back, away from her desk. She walks slowly towards the door. “Thud!“

“Neveah!“ Dzyun rushed into the room just to see Neveah collapsed on the floor, he hurried to her side. “Neveah what happened! Talk to me!“ He starts checking vital signs. Thankfully she was still alive.

After having nursed her back to health, Dzyun diagnosed her with sumbiliosus, a disease that affects the light tunnels. The light tunnels, similar to veins, are a network of tubes that branch out inside gods' bodies, they are what cause them to glow.

Sumbiliousus stops the flow of new light, causing the god to slowly dim. Light acts as a gods' life source so by dimming the god is losing life source. The dimming is a slow and painful process.

Neveah had been in and out of consciousness for six months now and was showing no signs of improvement.

“Ah, Dzyun,“ Neveah said softly. She had awoken from her slumber, and, yet again, he had fallen asleep waiting for her. She ruffled his hair. “You're cutest when you're sleeping.“ After admiring Dzyun for a little while Neveah fell back asleep.

The second time Neveah came back to consciousness that day it was sunset and Dzyun had just made dinner for the both of them.

“Neveah,“ He said gently “Are you awake? I made you dinner.“ He walked into the room holding a wooden tray with cooked zebra and a glass of flower juice, two of Nevah's favorite foods.

“Gasp! You made my favorite! You are the best Dzyun!“ She said as soon as she saw what he was carrying.

“No problem.“ He said with a chuckle. He leaned down and gave her a kiss.

“Mmm. Yo coofing ish sa besht“ She said shoving a spoonful into her mouth.

“Glad you like it dear.“ He said laughing.

About a year after that it started going downhill very, very quickly. It got to the point where Neveah would only wake up about once a week. Dzyun had figured out a way to make sure she got her daily serving of fluids. Practically the only thing she would do when awake was eat and talk to Dzyun, sometimes they would play a game of cards.

..

Years passed and she was plateauing, she wasn't getting any better but thankfully not any worse either. Until September 21st, Neveah's health started to decline at an alarming rate. She was dull before but now they knew she had not long until her passing. She started to lose a lot of color. On December 20th Dzyun came into her room holding fruits, medicine and glistening. Glistening is a type of water that is used strictly for the ill, it has many minerals and nutrients. Some say you can survive for about four years off of it.

“My moon! You have brought me food!“

“Yes, yes dear. I have brought you food.“ He says with a chuckle.

“Mmm, cough! Wate-cough!” Neveah started having a coughing fit, but there was a quite a bit of dim light mixed with blood coming out of her mouth. After two minutes she stopped and drank her glistening.

“Are you alright?” He said, raising a glass to her lips. “Do you need more water or fruits,” He set the glass down on the tray. “Maybe a few blankets-” Neveah pulled Dzyun on top of her.

“What I need is more time with you.” she said.

“If that's what you need.” He gave her a kiss, and she gave him a hug, before she left.

“Don't let me stop you from achieving your greatest wishes'' Neveah whispered into Dzyun's ear weakly. No, no, no this can't be happening. She can't die! He thinks.

“My greatest wish is to be with you for the rest of my eons.” Dzyun says, holding Neveah's hand.

Neveah pulled Dzyun closer to her, closed her eyes and gave him one last kiss goodbye. “I love you.” A tear left his eye, then another, and another until he felt like he was drowning in a sea of grief that he will never be able to swim out of. The world around him turned white as he checked for a pulse, an inhale, a sign she was still alive. The sky seemed to be falling, instead of the warm weather of spring there was a coldness in the forest for days, which turned to weeks, which turned into months.

Three months passed until Dzyun finally opened the letter Neveah told him to save until she died. It was naive of him to think gods couldn't die. Only the top seven apostles of Yiroh were immortal, the rest lived long lives, eons long, but they all died at some point.

The letter stated:

My dearest Moon,

 At the moment of writing this letter I am very ill. I don't think I will recover as my condition is declining at a rapid pace. You may be grieving or you may not. Whether you are or aren't, I want you to think of the following as my last wishes.

I would like you to hold a yearly ceremony, festival, whatever you heart desires, in celebration of the cold.

Please fulfil this last act for me.

I love you more each day,

Neveah (A. K. A. the greatest god(dess) to have lived, A.K.A the goddess of the forest)

Dzyun, now the god of winter has never taken another lover, his heart stays with Neveah. He lives on, his home still the old opera house in the middle of an unknown forest. Every year the animals of the forest gather at the opera house's winter ball as a remembrance of Neveah and all the things she had done for them.

The gods gave her a bright star in the sky, one of the three stars of Orion’s belt. Every night Dzyun sits in the middle of the ballroom and looks up through the broken roof top at her star, telling her all of the things that have happened.

.