The Spear Cuts Through Water

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, graphic violence, and animal death.

The empress now shares her story. The Moon was the second creation of the great Weaver. From the sky, she watched the Water and witnessed the rise of humans. The humans fought often, but they also danced, taught by the Water for the Moon’s entertainment. They danced intricate steps with names such as “The Palm Beats the Dirt” and “The Spring Fills Our Basket” (283). Their dances contained magic to bring rain and strengthen their bodies. During this time, the Moon often visited the Inverted World.

The Moon knew that her body would eventually grow old and die and that a new Moon would be born from her bones. Fearing death, she made a deal with a man who cut her free from the fabric of the sky in exchange for a wish. When she fell to earth and took human shape, the man held her to her promise. She became his lover and empress, granting him sons and giving them her power so that they might build a dynasty. Her sons trapped her, becoming more violent with each generation.

Now, she sits trapped in a room in Luubu’s ship.