Making the God of Love

This story is written in Sandsprit Dialect. It's a primitive and poetic form of English. I developed it while studying Native American sign language for my Unspoken series. It's nothing revolutionary. You probably heard bits of it before. After ten years of prolific writing, this dialect renewed my joy of writing by cutting out the fluff of English. For context, when you're speaking, existence is implied, rendering is, are, am, and to be horrendously wordy, so I dropped them where not essential. I also dropped many articles and standard patterns. Before you complain, read my profile message to understand why I did it. No chatbot software or Large Language Models (LLMs) have permission to train their neural networks on this dialect. Besides, if they do, the dialect will regress the LLM's proficiency in standard English.

I hope you enjoy this romantic adventure in an alternate reality. Please vote if you do <3

***

Cosmic siblings travel time river. Pure black water space. Until, red desert meet demigods' feet. Bastion, God of Wealth, garnet skin, robes spun of comet trails. Daphne, Goddess of War, night sky skin, white hot eyes, molten metal gown of blood and swords. Gwendoline, Goddess of Beauty, cloud skin, golden locks, starlight robe, vane and temperamental.

Bastion voice sooth like spring rain, "Ethereal Sisters, summons heard. Why in Red Desert?"

Daphne voice like endless thunder, "Suffering rises. Love harbinger needed. Hearts cry for him. Plan in motion, but Gwendoline deride me."

Gwendoline voice rise like chimes on wind, "Concerns noted. But, mortals corrupt love, worship base sensation. Not fit for creating godly sibling."

"Blasphemy," Daphne say, "demigods created from mortals across reality, blessed by High Father, breathe immortal breath. Know suffering and better for it."

Bastion smile, nod. Gwendoline sigh, roll eyes.

"Decided, God of Love rise from mortals on Red Desert planet," Bastion declare.

"Agree," Daphne smile. "Planet oldest in young universe, bear life first. Inhabitants blessed and cursed by creation element. Firespark in asteroid, shook planet, buried water, scorched land. Some humans became energy spirits, Sandsprits. Some became primitive ruffians, Mudruff. Sandsprits godlike, but flawed, lack motive without High Father breath. Blessed one myself, found Sandsprit baby under dying cypress tree. Last green on planet. Sign from High Father. Now watch, wait. He morph to human, beautiful, but still strange, lost memory. Yet, he know love, compassion, suffering, dedication..."

"Fine," Gwendoline snap, "I approve, but not like."

Daphne and Bastion smile. Gwendoline fade to Black Water Space.

"Brother," Daphne say, "I dream, see new brother's face, contradict reality. Eyes blue now, but green in dream. It him, handsome, hair like caramel, skin like spring honey, but enchanted emerald eyes replace sapphire. Why?"

"Hmm, wait. High Father plan. See what come."

Daphne nod, "I call new brother Cypress like tree where found him, but will have many names across reality; Eros, Cupid, Amor, Peruda... he bring more life and joy to universe than us. Make me proud and jealous, I love him."

"I too, as much as Gwendoline hate," Bastion smile.

***

Time move, moon fade, High Father breath stir Red Desert... love grow....

***

Jorn... my gaze stealing Mudruff (slang for Muddy Ruffian). He water seeker. Farmer really. 'Jorn' name mean farmer. I give that name. Caramel hair, careless strands fall in big blue eyes. Lean body, tan skin glisten with sweat under midday sun. He work hard, replace gear in machine. "Sand Devil" he call it. Sometime just "Devil." Red Desert all around us. For Mudruff human, life in Red Desert blisters and not forgive. Sweat turn to red mud on dirty human skin. Jorn's pants and boots worn, stains of red sand, frayed. Body sculpted by hard work, but his mind touch more reality, perceived and unperceived, he sees it, almost like Sandsprit (slang for Sand Spirit). Jorn not friends with fellow Mudruff. Jorn work alone. He know many mysteries and hide them. Jorn's customers think not of his mind. They praise hard work when he read sand and find cavern water. He bring ancient machine to life. Sand Devil his machine. Digs deep through sand and stone.

I study Jorn body and mind. We Sandsprit own no motivation but our Mudruff attraction. We once human, our nature twisted after sky fell. Three hundred year ago, Great Upheaval unleashed firespark from falling star. Reality changed. Most lost time, knowledge, and love ones. Some, like Sandsprit, lost reality's grip. But Mudruff humans mostly normal... I think. They live simple desert life. Mudruff think little of Sandsprit. Silly flighty beings, ghosty, curse of firespark, useless to Mudruff. We far from useless. Most Mudruff see one reality. Sandsprit see three. Slow time, human time, and fast time, but we lose grip sometime. We fade like ghosts. Disappear for a month, I did. Jorn said so. Felt like eye blink.

Firespark knock me sideways, invade my bones, made me strange. Focus on Mudruff like Jorn help me learn normal way again, but not grasped yet. I touch Jorn once. I sizzled. He stop breathing. My life pull his life too hard like firespark. It hurt us. I watch from afar now. He see me and we speak. But he fear my touch. I stay close to Jorn. He call me Spritty, sometime Silly Spritty. Jorn my anchor.

"Spritty, you here? Going north today. You come?" Jorn call.

He stand on Sand Devil cockpit roof and look for me. Sun slowly rise over Red Desert in east. Make Jorn's skin warm orange. Make metal machine look gold. I hide to watch him. Sand Devil tower over Spritty with eight long legs like spider. Cockpit like smooth boulder. Thick metal and thick glass windows on top. Drills inside legs bust hard stone to find water cavern. Jorn open caverns for fellow Mudruff. They pay him good. Jorn smart Mudruff. Command only Sand Devil in Red Desert.

"Silly Spritty, come out! We waste cool morning. Blow you kiss if you come."

I giggle and climb up machine leg behind Jorn. He peek over edge, searching. My reflection in roof window surprise me. I super ghosty again. Messy short white hair around small face, big gray eyes, body of woman. I quickly comb hair with fingers. Ugh, hopeless. White dress tattered mess, but can't change part of my being. Almost like human, but too much firespark made me Sandsprit. Good enough. Jorn like me. I "ahem" and surprise him. Jorn stand and turn. Blue eyes bright when he see me. His smile make my smile bigger.

"You scare me, Spritty. I thought you vanish again."

"Sorry. Blow kiss?"

I smile, lean close, but not too close, offer my cheek. Jorn take deep breath, kiss hand, and blow it to me. I sneaky, turn face into Jorn's sweet breath. Like pure tingly life in ghosty lungs. His breath make me warm and heavy. Eyelids grow weak and I stumble. Fall to hands and knees on tank window. His breath move firespark inside me. Shake my being.

"Spritty?" he gasp.

Jorn kneel close but not touch me. Too dangerous. My hands look less ghosty, painted in sun's orange light. Reflection look more human for many second, then, slowly fade to Sandsprit again. Not fair.... I look at Jorn, pretty blue eyes wide.

"Okay?" he ask.

I nod. Sun's warmth and light thins me more, speeds my mind. Jorn always solid. His skin sweats. Drips from handsome nose as sun bares down. I curious and touch little sweat puddle on tank glass. Make finger tingle.

"We go now. Sun too hot," I say.

Jorn nod before opening thick tank hatch. We climb into Sand Devil cockpit. My seat in back corner. Jorn sit in front and push buttons to make machine move and cool air flow. Heavy rumble and hum as legs rotate over under to swim machine through endless sand. We turn away from brutal sun and go north to find Mudruff nomads. Jorn see them in dream. Know they need help. I relax in seat and sigh, think about Jorn's breath and sweat. My skin never sweat and Sandsprit breath not powerful like Mudruff.

"Spritty, did kiss hurt you?" Jorn ask. He read blinking light map on Sand Devil dash.

"No. Your breath pull me. Made me more human for second."

Jorn half spin in chair and look at me with wide eyes again.

"More human? Sandsprit not human... right? More like ghost I thought."

I sigh and shrug.

"Was human once. Twenty two I was. Remember a little. Earth green then. Not red. Three hundred year pass since star fell with firespark, brought poison to earth. Old life fade. I ghosty now, but sometimes less ghosty."

I notice Jorn sweat still wet my finger. Strange... nothing stick to Spritty but my dress. Wear it three hundred year, never change, can't. How Jorn sweat stick? Hmm, tap sweat on tongue. Salty and yum like life. Not taste anything for three hundred year either. Then, my being vibrate worse that Sand Devil drill locking up. I gasp and grab chair not to fall. Jorn stood in panic, eyes wide with shock. We stare for long moment. Feel heart pounding in chest. Not felt that in three hundred year either.

"Spritty... you look less ghosty. Hair dark... how?" he ask.

I chew my lip. It feel real, almost hurt. My hands and legs stronger, but not strong like Jorn.

"Your sweat. I touch it on roof. Actually stuck to finger. I taste it. Made bones vibrate. Slowed my being."

Second later, my being speed up, fade again. Heart go quiet. Jorn brow furrow with concern.

"Weird... back to ghosty," he sigh and sit down. "When close to me, more real you are. I noticed, but touch almost kill me. Why?"

I sigh and shake head. Jorn always curious. Want to know everything.

"No knowing. Handsome Jorn focus my mind. Your life give me life. That why I follow you," I grin.

Jorn laugh and smile, make my quiet heart beat faster. He shake head and scratch little patch of gold hair on chin. I wish to touch it too, but no. Dangerous for us. Lights on dash suddenly blink, beeps warn of danger in desert. Jorn spin in chair and study glowy map. He curse under breath.

"Marauders. Buckle tight, Spritty. Rough sand."

Sand Devil clink and groan as mini railgun bullets pelt hull. Mudruff guns glorified slingshots, but can do damage when hit right spot. Jorn grab levers and make Devil crouch close to sand to protect drill legs. Monitor on dash show five sand buggies outside. They use sun power. Scruffy marauder Mudruffs fire big guns, but no match for Sand Devil.

"Punch with mech hands? Or electrostatic discharge for painful nap? No kill life?" I ask.

"Veritas, painful nap," Jorn nod.

Jorn flip lightning lever up to charge. Buggies circle Sand Devil. Bold and dumb. Drill legs whirl fast in sand. Friction make Devil shudder and Spritty hair tingly. Then BOOM BOOM BOOM! Lightning bolts jump from tank to Marauders. Knock them off buggies to sand.

"Perfectus! Five heart beat. Dropping spare water skin... no bad feeling," Jorn smile.

Jorn no like to kill life unless no choice. Marauders dumb and thirsty, not evil. Most have family to save. Jorn dreams haunted by their suffering across Red Desert. He go find them and dig water cavern. Jorn life goal to ease suffering. I love him for it.

"How many water skin left?" I ask.

"Nineteen. Dig new cavern soon. Restore all fifty."

"Nomad group big?"

"Yes. Two hundred Mudruff. Sent away from Shadrock City. I visit twenty year ago. Steady water and sandroot food. Dredrooks drive hardy Mudruff out sometime. Rarely survive."

"You dig new city for them?" I grin.

"I hope," Jorn smile.

He speed Devil north, then spin chair to chat again.

"What a Dredrook?" I ask.

"City need order and balance. Dredrook Guards enforce law and keep peace. Throw people out when water and food low. More life than death that way."

"Still cruel... Sand Devil help?"

"Yes," he smile. "Spritty, you saw Shadrock with me. No remember?"

"No. Too ghosty then. Mind too fast. Not keep memory of city."

"Why?"

"Guess not with you long enough. Less alive."

Jorn nod, give me sad smile. Then low beep sound from Sand Devil dash.

"What low beep mean?" I ask.

"Small life in Devil path. Probably sand worm."

"Sand worm tasty for Jorn?"

"Yes. Hard catch though."

Jorn turn back to dash and tap screen. Show view of desert. I hop up, cross tank to see view. Little white blob sitting on sand.

"Sand worm fat?" I ask.

"No... not worm."

Jorn slow Devil down. Stop over white blob. Look like little cloth umbrella. It move without wind. Inch by inch. Jorn stop Devil over it. It stop too. We watch little face peek out and look up. Blink at us. Muddy tears on cheeks.

"Baby?!" we say in surprise.

"That Mudruff baby?" I ask, shocked.

"Yes. Marauders likely drop it. Sand too hot for crawling."

"Pick up with mech hands?"

"No, too rough for baby. Going out."

Jorn hop up and grab energy pistol before he open hatch. We climb out and jump to sand. Air feel like oven. He scoop up baby and check for wounds. It squeal in protest. Seem healthy. Jorn shush it and look around. No person or thing for miles. Baby see me and scream more. Scared of ghosty Sandsprit. Jorn carry baby back to cockpit to cool down. Give it water and buckle to bench seat opposite corner of my chair. Baby watch me in fear. I smile. It recoil. Jorn chuckle and return to his seat. Set Devil on course again. Machine hum sooth baby. Make big dark eyes sleepy. I watch as little head lean back, go to sleep.

"Jorn... where babies come from?"

Jorn sip water when I ask. Strangle, spit water on dash. Cough a bit.

"Um... what?" he sputter.

"Where babies come from?"

He stare at me for moment. He look lost.

"Uh... you not remember?" he ask.

I shake head no.

"Spritty, how old you are?"

"Told you, three hundred twenty two. Twenty two as human. Three hundred as Sandprit. What your age?"

"Not know. Not remember. In Red Desert for twenty seven year now. No family. No memory as kid or baby. But, I know more than Mudruff and weirder than Sandsprit," he smile.

I roll eyes and smile too.

"So... where babies come from?" I ask.

Jorn sigh and shake head. Think hard. Then shake head again.

"Babies come from Shadrock City," he nod, then turn back to dash.

I stare. Doubtful. Will investigate when arrive there.

Eight hour journey bring Shadrock in view. Red stone mountain shield city cavern from sun. Like giant foot pointing to sky. We stop mile away. Hide Sand Devil in dune. Walk in at sunset. Baby happy for walk. Still no like me. Hug Jorn neck whole time. Make me jealous. Four guards stop us at city entrance. Railguns in hands. Jorn whisper over shoulder, "Dredrook, stay back." Sandsprit stay ten feet back to not scare Mudruff. Dredrooks mostly clean. Wear gray suits. One wear gold stripes on shoulders. Big shot commander. He speak first.

"Name and business? How you get here?" Gold ask.

"Jorn Vagus. Water seeker. Travel in Sand Devil machine. Found baby in desert. Not injured. Likely drop by nomads. City evict two hundred last month?"

Jorn voice angry. Dredrook look surprised.

"Yes. No choice. Food limited."

Dredrook wave nearby lady forward to take baby. Lady's eyes grow wide when she see me behind Jorn.

"It safe. She my friend," Jorn whisper.

Lady nod and gather baby in arms. She thank Jorn and bow. Baby laugh and wave before carried down hill to city.

"Water seeker you say?" Gold Dredrook continue.

"Yes. Machine safely drill hardest stone. Find new water vein. Can expand cavern for right price. "

Dredrooks eyes widen. Look at each other and nod.

"Please. Come see city. Name price."

Jorn smile and we walk forward. Dredrooks say stop, point guns at me. Bullets not kill me, but really hurt. Make firespark burn my being.

"No Sandsprit allowed. Too dangerous. Cause panic," Gold commander declare.

Jorn sigh. Look at me sadly. Then turn back.

"Spritty safe. Smart. Not touch me in ten year. She friend."

Gold Dredrook sigh and shake head.

"She able wear static cloak for safety?" he ask.

Jorn damn static cloak fly off when I try it. Sandsprit body too energized. Pull life out of Mudruff and repel all else. Cursed! I sigh and roll eyes.

"It okay, Jorn. I hide in desert. See later?" I wink.

He smile and nod. Then follow Dredrook down to city. Spritty hurry back to Sand Devil. Place hands on auxiliary battery terminals, take energy, fade like glass. Electricity and sun speed my nature. Super ghosty. World slow around me. I speed through desert. Sneak in city like ghost. Three thousand Mudruff strong, Shadrock City a cave labyrinth. Hand built waterfall in middle of city turn giant waterwheel. Pump water up, cool down rock, and grow more sandroot. People happy when food plenty. Water Worshipers guard water, ration when low. Sandroot Worshipers do same. Mudruff love sandroot. Plentiful around water. Healthy and tasty sweet they say. Spritty no eat, so no really know. I sneak through city heart. Busy streets at sunset. Mudruff shop, play games, trade, gamble, eat, drink, dance in candlelit caverns. I careful not touch Mudruff. I move fast, hide in shadows.

Spot guards take Jorn into upper cavern home. Sneak in too, hide in corner. Big couches all around. Tall burly Mudruff with braided beard lie on middle sofa. Look important. Colorful clothes. Pants down around ankles. Three pretty women close to him. Little clothes on them. One woman straddle his lap, kiss him, bounce against him. He squeeze her thighs, groan. Make Spritty feel strange. Jorn inhale, avert gaze when see them. Pretty women smile at Jorn. Know he handsome. Dredrooks chuckle, avert gazes too. I watch, curious. Man work hips between woman legs. Kiss round breasts. She pant, moan, beg for harder. Man squeeze her butt, thrust fast. She cry out, kiss his mouth. He groan and tense, pull her against him. Man body twitch, he thrust slow, then smile and relax. They kiss. He pat her butt and say, "business." She sigh, slide off him. I gasp. Long, thick, wet appendage of man slide out of woman. His meat inside her whole time. Man pull up pants, fabric barely hide pointy flesh. He sit, pretty women move close, pet hair, kiss his neck.

"Begin business," he yawn, wave hand.

Everyone look forward again. Jorn cheeks red. Look embarrassed.

"Good shadows, Lord Sabbot," Gold Dredrook announce and bow. "Forgive interruption. We bring Water Seeker Jorn Vegas."

"Water Seeker Jorn Vegas?" Sabbot say, look doubtful. "Not possible. Too young. Met him twenty year ago when my father rule Shadrock. Jorn Vegas Jr, more likely, yes?"

Jorn hesitate. Look nervous, then nod.

"Yes. Uh... father water seeker before me."

Jorn lie to protect secrets. He have no family. He not normal Mudruff.

"Ah, good sons make fathers proud. Walk in footsteps," Sabbot smile, then look at pretty women. They smile, nod, give him kisses.

"Yes," Jorn nod. "Shadrock need more water? Noticed many nomads few days ago. From here?"

"Sadly, yes," Sabbot nod. "Hard to send away, but no choice. Desert and sun gods take life if we not give it first. Sacrifice few Mudruff or all Mudruff suffer. Shadrock law," he say and beat chest. Pretty women clap and nod.

Jorn almost roll eyes. Caught himself.

"So, Jorn Vegas, name price for water seeking," Sabbot declare.

Jorn nod, think. Start to speak, but Sabbot interrupt.

"Jorn want job and nice house in Shadrock? We honor permanent water seeker. Want fine lady, too? Every man need fine lady."

Lord Sabbot snap finger. Fourth pretty woman appear from room in back. She dance and twirl. Gold charms on ankles clink. Dance around Jorn, stroke his face, make me hot with rage. Jorn step back and shake head.

"No, thank you. I promised to another."

Pretty woman frown and roll eyes. Sit with Sabbot to pout. I smile in relief. Jorn good liar.

"Hmm, strange... what Water Seeker demand then?" Sabbot press.