36. Spiders and Dwarfs | Beyond the Firmament: Tales From the Cosmos

Beyond The Firmament

Tales From The Cosmos

36. Spiders and Dwarfs

- Written by Gift C Enyadike Jr

Lutoro had felt sadness for the littlest planet in your solar system, so cold and far away from your Sun. She called it Mortó (Baby) and used her veil to warm it, taking it away when it needed to cool, creating her own Alta and Odic that the life on her world would learn to live by.

She had actually created two sapient races, not one.

One of them is the Yífansi (Weavers), a tall and graceful people, born with eight limbs like their creator. They also have eight eyes, one would assume, like hers, though her face has only been seen in the highest halls of Udamu. The Yífansi were able to craft clothing, tools and homes from a silk-like substance from their fingers, three on each hand. 

The other is the Brokkani (Builders). They were her tribute to Da Vaada, made to look similar to the humans on Teyra, only with a stockier form and shorter limbs. They had great strength and even greater intelligence. They mastered the very Earth itself and the minerals and metals within, burrowing, mining and yes, building.

She gave them a simple command: No fighting. 

They were to maintain a balance of mutual respect, working together, complementing each other, sharing knowledge and skill, and giving praise to Da Vaada. And they did, quite well. Building great monuments of rock and silk.

Too well, in fact. 

This is one of those instances where Sevaasi's workload is light

See, approaching Mortó when the veil covered it was impossible. Passing through it would alert Luthoro immediately. Going when the veil was lifted was dangerous, as she would be actively watching. Only the most persistent Paadlan would even try, but they would not disobey their master. They just needed one or two to ask these clever, craft-centric races just how high a structure they could build and if they could touch the veil if they were so inclined. 

Those limits were already being tested. They just needed a push. And so they were, working together just like she wanted, building a mighty tower to pierce the heavens. Sound familiar? 

When Lutoro realised what they were doing, she pulled her veil away, permanently. It would not take long for the surface of the planet to freeze. The Brokkani's mastery of the rock allowed them to escape underground and chase the warmth within, and the Yífansi followed. All surface-level plant and animal life would soon die out.

Over time, the two races grew to conflict over space and food, warring, enslaving, stealing from and... preying on each other. Their conflicts shook the fragile, frozen Mortó so much that it would lose pieces of itself, becoming even smaller than before.

Lutoro was deeply troubled, so she weakened the Yífansi's silk. It would be less effective, but it would also be useless to the Brokkani. 

As for the Brokkani. They were made smaller over time, reducing their great strength, but allowing them to go deeper underground where the Yífansi could not reach them.

But Lutoro could not bear the sight of it. Her people would not see Udamu in this state, for in their conflict, they had forgotten Da Vaada, whom she consulted. He allowed each Yífani child to be able to make a single line of thread that would never degrade, wilt, or break, and each Brokkani child to find a single smooth, indestructible stone.

When brought together, they create a crystal filament glowing with the warmth of Da Vaada's radiance. Only those who are willing to come together, as they were meant to be, may enter Udamu. Tragically, such acts are rare.

And so it has been to this day. Both races are largely separated, but advancing underground in their little... dwarf planet. And she continues to watch, her face hidden by the very veil that gave life to it.

Your kind calls this world Pluto, named after a so-called "god" of the underworld. 

Perfectly apt.