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In all creation, all things must have an opposite. Where there is cold, in another place there is warmth. Where there is light, a shadow is always cast. As one thing dies, another life springs into existence. So too with this tale.
Somewhere far, far away (no one knows quite where), there was a space with three formless deities of sorts. Each had a responsibility of balance to maintain. To one, the cycle of life and death. To another, magic and the rules for the beings that wielded it. And to the last, emotions of all creatures. The first took the name of Quetzalcoatl, the second was called Lanny, and the third, Nim.
Each received a physical manifestation of their balance in the form of a fruit tree. The three trees grew in separate worlds, but all were connected. Each deity made use of its power in different ways.
Quetzalcoatl was mischievous and fickle. He found joy and amusement in the lives and deaths of the mortals he created. Each one was unique, but all were like toys to the higher being. Oftentimes he would transform into one of his creatures to speak with them, leading them down whatever path he wanted with his words. In particular, he favored his humans. They had just as much cunning as he did, but somehow they failed to make use of it in the most baffling of ways. It delighted him, and he found no end of ways to toy with them.
Lanny was self-righteous and condescending, considering her powers the most special and capable of bringing about anything imaginable. She gave her knowledge and magic only to those of whom won her favor. Many of Quetzalcoatl's intelligent creatures tried their hand, but more failed than not. She deemed that intelligent monsters of myth would use up too much of her precious magic too quickly and human mortals would often misuse the power in their short life spans.
Only one type of being truly gained her favor: the elves. Elegant and wise, they used their magic responsibly and sparingly, allowing them to live long lives merely by having it.
Lanny grew to like them so much, she took on a physical form of an elf with butterfly wings. And in her self-proclaimed benevolence, even let them live near her tree with herself as their leader.
Nim was cautious and paranoid. She didn't trust Quetzalcoatl and his scheming creations. They all had so many different emotions, and she could never tell which ones were influenced by that snake of a being. At least Lanny kept to herself, though Nim wondered if there would ever be a day when that tentative trust would be misplaced.
Plants were much more simple. They had barely any emotions at all, and couldn't think of anything besides their continued existence. She felt safer near her own tree, where she could see and hear anyone who came near. As such, she took the form of a dryad. Binding herself with the massive tree allowed her to constantly be able to check on its current state. She was sure any who approached her wanted the fruit of her tree for one reason or another. Why else would they come?
Half of the fruits on her tree shined with a golden glow, and the other half were as black as an abyss. They were positive and negative feelings made physical; one with the power to heal and comfort, the other with the power to harm and agitate.
Fortunately, Nim was able to catch all of the creatures who tried to climb her tree without permission before they reached the fruit. She had made the tree grow taller than any other, and the base was wide enough for several humans to form a ring around it with their arms stretched out. Its sheer size rivaled a sequoia tree.
With it being nearly impossible to climb without some sort of tool, it was quite easy to notice when something was amiss. Any trespassers she found were killed on the spot to become fertilizer for the tree.
On a good day she would let a few mortals go, if only to spread the cautionary tale of her wrath. If you were caught: you were soon to have a root growing through your corpse.
And so life continued for the three guardians, each living as they saw fit. It continued like this for many a century. Still, nothing is more constant than change.
As time went on, Nim grew more and more paranoid of an attack she couldn't handle. There had been very few large scale attacks organized against her in the past millennia but she feared the day the mortals would overwhelm her. She wouldn't put it past Quetzalcoatl to incite some to attack her out of boredom. Lanny was a wild card, but somehow that made her even more unnerving to Nim.
After much deliberation, the dryad made a decision: she would take her tree and the world it was in to an entirely different multiverse to escape the other two guardians. She did so swiftly and without a word to anyone else.
Nim ended up settling in the multiverse of Undertale. Why, she wasn't sure, but at least she was far away from the perceived danger. Her world had no connection to this new multiverse. No one knew of it's sudden existence, let alone how to access such a disconnected place.
Safe. Nim finally felt safe and at ease for the first time she could remember. She finally felt confident enough to be able to leave her tree's side, if only for a short while. She could explore the world she ruled over, but had never been able to truly experience. Forests, mountains, plains, all home to merely plants and simple animals. All devoid of any ulterior motives or lying words. It was perfect.
Alas, all good things must come to an end. Not long after Nim relocated, the other 2 guardians noticed her absence. Lanny lamented the loss of a potential ally, but otherwise remained focused on her own affairs.
Quetzalcoatl on the other hand, was irked beyond reason. One of his playmates had disappeared without so much as a word! Where was he supposed to send his toys now? Lanny was far less entertaining to mess with than Nim; Lanny was uncaring of anything besides her magic and duty. She took care of intruders swiftly and without much care.
Nim at least saw some value in his creations and would scold him for sending them her way. As much as she hated mortals, she was in charge of their emotions and as such, needed them.
But now she had left and he had no idea where to. He decided to give her one last “gift” out of spite. Provided he could find her. He assigned a handful of his favorite mortals to the task of finding Nim, giving them each the ability to travel worlds and a weapon capable of harming a deity. He sent them out in her general direction and deemed that enough. If he never heard back from them, so be it. It was Nim's fault for leaving in the first place. He was certain at least one of them would see his spite delivered. He had other mortals to toy with to forget his grievances in the meantime.
Of the humans sent out, only one succeeded in finding and entering Nim's world. This particular human was a renown thief driven by greed and happily accepted his creator's proposal. He considered himself the best at his craft, having stolen from mages and nobles alike. He'd even picked up a touch of magic along the way. Now he got to steal the fabled dryad's fruits and gain the favor of a deity? Why, it was like killing two birds with one stone!
The multiverse had dubbed Nim's world “Dreamtale” for the potential it held to make one's wishes a reality. The thief found it fitting as he entered it. Soon he himself would have access to that power. Now he just had to find the tree. Shouldn't be too hard; it was gigantic after all.
Nim meanwhile was on one of her now regular strolls. She was learning to love the animals and admiring their tenacity for survival. It was winter in this world now, and many of the creatures had gone to sleep to avoid the snow. The remaining ones were usually skittish around her and fled before she could get close. Without Quetzalcoatl's meddling these mortal animals were almost charming. Never did she expect to feel another's presence so soon into her reverie.
She stiffened as she felt the emotions of an intruder. And tainted with it was the vile presence of Quetzalcoatl's magic.
Nim cursed and raced back to her tree with her magic. She leapt from each common tree to the next, following through their roots and branches to quickly traverse the distance she needed to travel. The intruder's presence was already near the tree, so it wouldn't take them long to find it.
She popped halfway out of a tree once she neared the thief. She took control of the nearby plants to trip and bind him. The thief stumbled but managed to jump onto a large rock before he was properly tied down. He looked around until he spotted Nim.
“Ah! There you are Ms dryad. Might I have a word with you before you slay me?”
“I have nothing to say to the vile scum of Quetzalcoatl.”
She asked the trees to unearth their roots and used them to attack the man. It took a second too long, the trees needing to be woken from their winter slumber. He leapt away with the use of a magical step in the air to land a bigger boulder. It was only then that she realized they were on the edge of the forest. The rocky area near the mountains had much less plant life than the forest, regardless of the time of year. She'd fallen for his trap in her hurry to protect her tree. With a quiet curse she paused her attack. The man noticed and grinned.
“Figured it out, have you? I may not be as skilled as others, but my wit has gotten me out of a situation or two before. Are you ready to chat now?”
Nim scowled but refrained from doing more than having the plants stand ready to attack.
“Speak quickly, fool, before I lose my patience. Some rocks might make it harder for me to attack, but I still possess far greater power than you. I'm merely granting you a chance to explain yourself since it will be a hassle to break the rocks with the roots.”
The thief's grin widened and bowed dramatically. “But of course, my lady! You see, I come bearing a message from the mighty serpent Quetz-”
Nim made a noise somewhere between a hiss and a growl as she had a root lunge towards him. The thief disappeared in a puff of sparkles and reappeared on a stretch of barren rock. He clicked his tongue in a chiding manner with his arms crossed.
“Please, calm yourself my dear. I know you two aren't on the best of terms, but at least hear this poor soul out.”
Nim huffed. He kept moving farther up onto the rocks and out of range of her attacks. Soon she wouldn't be able to attack him at all. At best, she would be able to use vines to tie him down. She had a few of the more sturdy ones slowly creep towards him as she spoke.
“Fine, spit it out. What does that devious wyrm want with me and my tree now? I think I can take a wild guess.”
The man nodded, unfazed.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Vincent van Blanc. It is as you surmise, your greatness. And yet, not so. My lord simply misses you and the interactions that you provide him with.”
He chuckled as Nim gave him a suspicious look.
“You care not for his affections, do you? Consider them more worthless than dung for your plants. Well, it matters not to me how you feel about each other. The point is: Quetzalcoatl wants you to come back. But seeing your reaction to just his name, I don't think he is going to obtain his desire. I however, have an alternative proposal. Something that will satisfy him and get him to leave you alone.”
The vines Nim controlled stopped just as they were about to entangle his ankles. She narrowed her eyes. This had to be another one of those mortal tricks. But the idea of regaining complete freedom that she had recently come to enjoy… She had to admit that the thought was tempting.
“...Go on.”
Vincent's eyes had a triumphant sparkle in them as he continued.
“You honor me with your prolonged tolerance. Here are my thoughts on the matter: Originally Quetzalcoatl had sent me to get you to come back. However, I think he merely wishes for a lasting companion to entertain him. So that got me thinking; does it really have to be you in particular? What about you intrigues him so? That's when I realized: it's your apple tree.”
Nim swore and had the vines start to tie Vincent up. The man tried not to panic as he held up his hands in surrender.
“But! But! I do not wish to do you harm! Nor to your tree! A moment more of your mercy, my lady!”
Nim huffed with contempt but stopped with just Vincent's legs bound. He sighed in relief.
“Many thanks. As I was saying, I was originally sent to retrieve you. But how I see it, that won't be necessary. He delighted in sending my fellow mortals your way since he knew they would not succeed. If we could recreate that experience for him, I think he would be satisfied. All that would require is me becoming an powerful being and a tree grown from an apple or two-”
He stopped mid-sentence as the vines tightened around his legs and started to climb again.
Nim scowled. “Of course. Of course this is about the apples! It's always about those ridiculous pieces of fruit! This is why I can never trust mortals!”
Vincent struggled in his bonds as Nim resumed her attack. This wasn't good. He slid a hidden knife from his sleeve into his waiting hand. He started to slice away at the vines in a small panic. The blade glowed with a green light as it made clean cuts through the plants. As soon as he was free, the thief made his getaway further into the mountains.
“I shall return when you are in better spirits, my dear!”
Nim was startled with how easily he escaped from her grasp. A normal blade was no match for plants enhanced by her magic. Even if these were just vines, it should have been more difficult. So how had he…? It dawned on her and she scowled. The human was sent by Quetzalcoatl. It was obvious he'd given the thief some of his power in some way. She'd have to be more cautious of the human from now on.
Days passed after the initial intrusion and Nim stuck close to her tree. With that conniving human running about she didn't have the luxury of taking a stroll anymore. He'd said he would return, so what was his plan for next time? Surely he wouldn't be stupid enough to waste his second chance. There was no way Nim was letting Vincent get away again.
Finally, the thief showed himself again. He'd prepared as much as he thought he could. Magic scrolls, sharpened his equipment and thought up counter measures based on his earlier fight. He'd considered a surprise attack before remembering that Nim could sense either his emotions or the magic he'd been given. So his best shot was to get as close as he could with his silver tongue before a fight started.
Nim greeted him with a glare as he stepped out of the forest and into the clearing around her tree. Both beings stood in stark contrast to the white snow that had fallen the night before. She couldn't feel Quetzalcoatl's magic as strongly as before… What was he up to?
“So you really are foolish enough to show yourself again. Unarmed, at that.”
Vincent continued to leave footprints in the unblemished snow as he walked towards her.
“I came to make you change your mind, my dear. By force, if necessary.”
Nim barked out a dry laugh.
“A futile endeavor. There have been thousands like yourself before, and no doubt I shall encounter many more after.”
Vincent nodded with theatrical soberness as he stopped a short distance away from Nim.
“Obviously I wish to avoid violence if possible. I think we can both agree that Quetzalcoatl could be considered a self-serving jerk. Honestly, I don't think he cares if you or I return. Were it not for the tantalizing rewards he promised, I wouldn't even be here. But should I fail to carry out my task, he will no doubt have my head for it. What use is a faulty pawn?”
The thief sighed and took on a more serious expression.
“But I digress; my point is, we both don't trust the serpent god. So why not allow me the power to both keep him away from you and protect myself? It's a simple exchange, really. Give me one of the apples, and you can live your life in peace.”
Nim shook her head.
“You speak too much, mortal. I will admit that part of me missed such idle banter, but no amount of wordplay will sway me. Your kind often make empty promises in the hopes of gaining what you desire. And you know that I can't give you what you seek. It goes against my very being to give my fruits to those who are unworthy of using its power.”
Vincent laughed and gave her his signature smirk. It seemed a bit strained today though.
“My lady, I think you misunderstand. This is the last time I'm asking nicely. Plus it's not like I'm asking for all of them. I just need one apple as proof that I've met you.”
Nim stepped towards him, shaking her head.
“You will not touch a single one. You clearly do not have good intentions for its use, despite what you say. Being one with the tree I guard, I can feel that your emotions are those of one prone to swindling and cheating.”
Vincent sighed as he readied the magic he'd prepared.
“A pity. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. It's as much a hassle for me as it is for you.”
“Indeed. Farewell.” The dryad replied. She wasted no time in attacking Vincent, the massive roots of her tree bursting from the earth. She'd been focusing the reach of her magic to just the clearing as the man spoke. The far-reaching roots wove into a massive wall around them to prevent his escape while the closer ones lunged towards Vincent.
The thief responded by teleporting with a puff of sparkles and reappearing behind the dryad's human form. Quetzalcoatl's dagger materialized in his hand, aimed to stab her in the heart. She left the presence of that dangerous magic and instinctively ducked, sinking into the ground to merge with one of the roots of her tree. The attack against her missed her heart to pierce her shoulder instead.
She winced as sap dripped from her back and the root her legs were merged with recoiled from Vincent. She sent the other roots his way again with a scowl.
“Hmph… to think that that snake would give you a physical weapon. And furthermore a way to hide it. That was a clever trick up your sleeve. But this won't be enough to kill me. I'll admit you took me by surprise, but in the end you're just a scheming mortal like all the rest.”
Vincent continued to narrowly dodge the roots by jumping out of the way or using various magic spells to hop around. He doubted the dagger would have much effect on such massive roots. The blade was intended for Nim's dryad body, not the tree she was connected to.
A magic scroll materialized in his hand and Vincent chuckled at Nim's look of confusion between her attacks. Where was he getting these items?? He couldn't help but smirk as he tore up the paper.
“You give that snake too much credit. I asked for a better weapon and all he did was laugh. But you know, as a human, there's this handy little perk that I got as soon as I entered this multiverse. The people here call it an “inventory”. A shame you couldn't have known about it, since you drive away any mortal that comes close.”
He dropped pieces of paper and they fluttered down before turning to ashes. The magic activated, a giant fireball appeared and flew towards Nim. She froze like a deer in headlights, not expecting magic so different from the thief's usual mobility tricks. She managed to regain her composure in the nick of time, having her roots from a wall in front of her. Even with the wall, she could still feel the heat that melted the snow around her. She hissed at the burning pain she felt dimly through her connection before relocating Vincent again.
What she wasn't expecting however, was to find him lunging at her as soon as she lowered her shield. Acting on impulse, she leaned to the side. A scream ripped from her wooden throat as the blade slashed deeply across her right eye. She clutched at her face while the roots around her writhed. Once the initial shock had worn off, she whirled to face the thief. She looked manic with sap dripping down her face that was twisted with rage.
“YOU! You're really starting to get on my nerves!! You think losing an eye is going to hinder me?!”
Vincent had rolled after jumping towards Nim, as evidenced by the snow on his back. He'd had difficulty avoiding the thrashing roots though, and had been thrown quite a distance to hit the trunk of Nim's tree. After his abrupt launch and subsequent halt, he had the air knocked out of him and a few fractured ribs. Maybe they were broken. He wasn't sure with how much adrenaline he was running on. He wheezed and gasped as he tried to catch his breath.
There was no time for a witty reply to Nim's wrath as she commanded the roots to attack him once more. With a grimace he managed to roll out of the way and scramble to his feet. The shock was enough to get him breathing again but he let out a hiss of pain due to his ribs.
“Darn oversized shrub-!”
“Hah!” Nim replied. She was enjoying having something to take out her pent up anger on.
“Resorting to name-calling, have you? What happened to your pretty words and false promises?! Don't tell me the fragile mortal is done already? Pathetic!”
Vincent scowled as he resumed his offense. He was going to kill this woman even if it meant losing his own life in the process. And nothing is more terrifying than a man who knows he's going to die.
They continued to trade blows, each growing more tired as the fight dragged on. Their blood painted the snow red and amber. Neither had time to heal their wounds with how set they were on killing each other.
Finally a decisive blow was dealt by Vincent. He wasn't sure how he'd managed it but his muddled mind realized the fight was over when he felt his magic blade pierce through Nim's chest to her heart. He grinned with grim satisfaction as Nim screamed louder when he twisted the dagger. He laughed as whatever sanity left in him drained away in favor of euphoric, crazed relief.
“Hah. Hah! HahaHAHAHAHA! I've done it! I've finally done it!! I'll finally get the power I desire!!”
Nim pushed herself away from the man, frantically clawing at the weapon in her chest. It hurt; more than anything she'd experienced in all her long years. It was like Quetzalcoatl's death magic was invading her and breaking her apart from the inside. It disgusted and terrified her. But as hard as she tried to pull it out, it seemed to resist. She found herself sobbing as she realized that she might actually die from this.
Vincent stumbled away from Nim's dying form, a broken arm lifeless at his side. His twisted ankle forced him to limp towards the tree. The dryad posed no threat now that her mind and body were broken. The only problem he had to address was how high up the apples were. He was in no state to climb, he'd used all his mobility spell scrolls, and his own magic reserves were depleted. But that didn’t bother him. He pulled another scroll from his inventory and began to slowly tear it with one hand. He let out a gleeful giggle that was unsuited to a murderer.
“I'm so close! I just- just need to cut this stupid tree down and-!”
A scream followed by a root slamming against the trunk dangerously close to his head caused him to turn back to Nim with wide eyes. She was standing on wobbly legs, but the sap-soaked dagger had been pulled from her chest and lay on the ground.
“How- what-?! What are you doing!? N-no, no! I was so clo-!”
His dismayed cry was cut short as a thick root crushed his skull against the tree. His body stood twitching for a moment before it slumped onto the ground. A bloody mess was smeared down the trunk with him.
Nim waited a moment more to make absolutely sure Vincent was dead. When his corpse remained still, she collapsed in the snow with a sigh of relief.
“Stupid… mortal….”
Her breathing was heavy and ragged as she dragged herself to her tree with a root. As soon as she was leaning against the familiar trunk, the root fell to the ground and nearly crushed Vincent's corpse. She grinned weakly at the thought of further mangling her killer's corpse. But she was far too weak for that, so hiding it behind a root was the next best thing.
Her smile faded as she reached up to try and stop the sap dripping from her heart. She was dying. That she was sure of. Quetzalcoatl's magic had definitely done something to hers, making it impossible to close her wounds through her usual magic. In order to even have a chance of healing it, she would have to enter a full hibernation state within her tree. But then who would protect her while she recovered?
Her vision swam as she struggled to think of what to do. The immediate threat was gone, but who knew if there would be others? Even if they didn't kill her, the apples she guarded would be free game for anyone who happened upon them. She had to have some sort of guard for them. If only to tell her who had taken them so she could hunt them down later. But there were only animals here and they obviously didn't have enough intelligence for that.
Her gaze turned to the dagger that was left in the snow. Within her muddled thoughts a crazy idea struck her. Quetzalcoatl was the god of life and death, but his being were still capable of having emotions or using magic. So by that logic, why couldn't she just create someone to protect the tree?
She laughed weakly at herself as she used a small root to bring the dagger to her.
“I must be losing my mind to think this will actually work. This dagger is what injured me; and now I think it will help me? Ridiculous.”
She focused on the feeling of Quetzalcoatl's magic within the dagger. It clearly sang of death and hatred towards her, but underneath it all she could feel it: a small amount of life magic. The serpent had always said he liked to put a different mix of everything in things he made. So too here, it seemed.
This… might actually work. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try. She had nothing left to lose. How had that idiot said he went about making life again? Something about forming a soul and a body that matched it. Whatever that meant. She'd always tired of his incessant chatter about the mortal toys he was going to send her way anyways. Now she wished she'd fully listened even once to his rambling.
No matter, she would figure it out. Quickly too; she was getting dizzy from blood loss. A soul… how did one create a soul? A soul was the essence of a being, their personality and purpose. She thought about the things she needed from a guardian. The kind of unwavering loyalty that would never betray her. A sharp mind to see through deceit. A stern hand that never let others have their selfish way.
As Nim focused on this, she felt something draining from both her and the dagger in her hand. It was an odd feeling; but not as revolting as she'd assumed it would be. It mostly just made her feel tired. Soon a glowing orb condensed in the air in front of her. It swirled with yellow, green and black. She felt a connection with it that she failed to understand.
Was this… a soul? Had she created a soul from her being? Was this what having a child was like? She chuckled at the thought. Imagine her, someone who always hated Quetzalcoatl's creations, making her own child. It amused her for some reason. How could that serpent toy with something so innocent?
She shook herself from her thoughts. She didn't have time to speculate; she was dying. Now that she had a soul, she needed a body for it. But how was she supposed to make something physical? She glanced towards the corpse at the side of her tree.
….Perhaps she could recycle the body rather than try making something from thin air. It would certainly be easier to steal another's work.
A root dragged the body over and Nim used her magic to reform it into something she found more fitting. As loath as she was to have a human protecting her, it was better than nothing. With slight worry and doubt, she guided the soul into the new human's body. Now she just… had to wait? How did she know if it worked?
No sooner than she thought it, the body started to quiver. Her good eye widened as it started to bubble and bulge. That… was probably not normal. It continued to twitch around until-
Splat!
The body exploded into a grotesque pile of flesh. The rejected soul hovered above it without a sound.
The dryad groaned. What did she do wrong?! She didn't have time for this! With a sigh, she went back to brainstorming. So this soul and body were not compatible. Maybe her desire to protect was too strong for one body? What if she made two?
She liked that idea. After all, that would mean more protection, and a companion for each other. Something she'd never had the luxury of having until her home became Dreamtale.
She took the soul, her child of sorts, in her hands. Two souls… one to guard each colored apple she supposed. Slowly, the soul started to split according to her will. The resulting souls were smaller and different colors. One faintly yellow, the other almost purple. Now to make two smaller bodies.
Again Nim reformed the flesh in front of her to her liking. Once there were two bodies that looked usable, she inserted a soul into each of them. With bated breath, she watched them.
She was met with disappointment again.
Nim tsked as the small human bodies she'd made convulsed before exploded when the spirits she'd created were inserted. Useless and foul creatures, as ever. Their greed knew no bounds. Even in death, they still proved to be uncooperative.
Part of her was glad that making bodies of flesh and blood had failed. Obviously her magic didn't like being imprisoned in physical form. She'd never liked humans even before she was nearly murdered by one. At least now she had a good excuse to try something else.
She gave some thought as to how to go about it. If the energy of her being was too constrained, perhaps there was a way for it to hold a physical form while being gradually released. She needed a creature with many openings to its soul but still capable of protecting itself. Normal animals were too physically similar to humans, and Nim didn't dare create a new species with her current injured state.
Weren't there some other creatures that already existed in this multiverse…? Right. They were magical beings called Monsters here. That could work.
With their bodies being made of magic and their innate disposition towards compassion, they could become a good template for her children's bodies. But which one to base them off of?
Nim closed her eyes and did her best to focus through her pain. She cast her presence through the multiverse, flitting between various creatures' emotions.
Who had the most variety? Who had a strong protective instinct? Who never gave up? She needed someone strong, someone capable. Most importantly, she needed someone who's emotional presence would never fade.
Strangely, she found many of the universes were filled with skeletons. It was like the multiverse knew of her needs and provided a vessel that fit her description. But which one to take a small piece of? There were three universes in particular that harbored strong emotions.
The original one had a good balance but was rather stagnate in most cases. The second held far too much negativity for her taste. If her children weren't hopeful while alone, they would never last until she gained the strength to return.
Which made the third option all the more appealing. The skeleton there had a strong sense of hope and justice, though hidden inside were also doubt and fear. His positivity won out, but was always tempered by the negative. Good.
Nim focused on that monster, gathering bits and pieces from his emotions to understand how he ticked. Once she understood enough, she called her presence back and opened her eyes. She smiled in spite of herself as she started to create two skeletal bodies.
“Swap Sans, hm? An interesting fellow for a mortal. A shame I can't bring him here directly; he seems like the sort I could trust. How unlike me… perhaps my thoughts are scrambled by my blood loss.”
Soon the dryad had crafted two skeletal bodies out of wood and magic. With some finishing touches, they turned into near perfect miniature copies of Underswap Sans. Nim nodded with satisfaction at her handiwork. She leaned down to gently place the two parts of her being into the ivory ribcages.
She waited anxiously to see if it would take. Her vision was fading and she was losing more blood and sap by the minute; if she didn't go into hibernation soon, her tree would be left without any guardians at all. While she didn't expect these two to be nearly as effective as herself, it was better than nothing.
Nim was relieved to see that new souls accepted the two bodies and their chests rise and fall. Her children were now their own beings. Albeit asleep and without much intelligence. She reached out to touch each of their heads with a hand and give them more instruction.
“My children, I don't have much time. Forgive your foolish mother for being so rash. I am giving you both a monumental task that none but myself should bear, especially not children. Nonetheless, I ask this of you: Protect me. Preserve the tree in which I dwell, and keep its fruits from being taken by those unworthy of them. In doing so, you will help maintain the balance of emotions within the multiverse in my stead. For this purpose have I created you, and with hope do I give you this task.”
She removed her hands for a moment as she coughed up sap and her head swam. With a shuddering breath, she replaced her hands on their skulls.
“As I recover, I will give you more guidance. Again, forgive me. The only thing I can leave with you are your names and your duties.”
Nim focused on the first skeleton with the purple soul. “I shall call you Nightmare, for you will have the heavy burden of negativity. I pray you will be responsible, and have a brilliant mind to understand your purpose.”
Then she turned to the other. “And you shall be called Dream, for others shall praise you for your positivity. I caution you to know the limits of your kindness, and realize the need for balance in all things.”
Nim's breathing was wet with bloody sap at this point, and speaking was a challenge. She closed her eyes to better focus.
“Take care of your family. Protect what is yours. With this I leave you, and bid you: awaken.”
Her magical ritual complete, she retreated into her tree. Her sad but hopeful gaze followed the two children as she was swallowed up in bark and wood.
“Stay strong.” She whispered.
And then all was silent.