The Observations Of Lunas

CHAPTER 3: INCLUSORY CREATION

My next steps take me to the base of a mountain, where I find a great many women toiling away, breaking rocks with large tools and gathering the chunks which they load onto carts that are then pulled up the mountain side by a group of women. They don't even stop at my approach.

I pull one of them aside. "What is going on?" I ask as I take in the scope of the activity.

"Many apologies goddess," she wheezes and gives a slight bow but nothing else. "We haven't time to stop. We must cultivate the rock our men folk are to use, to build a temple to our god."

"Where are the men folk?" I ask as I look about till I catch sight of the women dragging the cart. "Up there?"

"Yes. They live at the top of the mountain, where we are forbidden to tread," she instructs me and nods her head. "Now please goddess, I must be about my work."

I dismiss her and wonder just how many of these societies are fashioned around this gender separation motif? I shake off the question and take hold of a cart. What takes four women is done by just me, but not without serious labor on my part. The climb is arduous and it takes me quite some time to see it finished.

I see the team of women who departed before I took the burden upon myself, they have deposited their cart and are taking an empty one back down the mountain. It is only when they are gone from sight that a group of men emerge from nearby and take hold of the contraption before dragging it away and leaving an empty one in its place.

I ditch my own cart and hurry after the retreating men. I'm not long in my pursuit when I see a large structure being constructed of the cut stone. It looks to be a temple and it is well on its way to being completed. At my presence the workers, all men, fall to their knees and I close the distance between us.

"What are you doing here?" a voice asks behind me before I have a chance to speak.

I turn about, it's my grandfather Creus. "Dear grandfather," I addresses him and give a slight bow. "I am only trying understand what is going on."

"Well, do it elsewhere," Creus scolds and fixes me with a hard stare. "You are nothing but a nuisance here."

I decide to say nothing and take my leave before he gets angry.

I walk down the mountain and pass on along the way that opens before me. My feet take me into the desert. The sun, which is usually quite inviting, glares with an intensity I have not known. It bakes the sands of the scorched land and every step feels as though fire. If it weren't for my immunity I know I would fall victim to the heat.

I journey onward and come across a group of nomads covered so that none of their skin can be seen and they trudge along despite the temperature. One of them catches sight of me and alerts the others to my presence. The whole group turn to face me and are otherwise still. I find it strange that they do not bow or give any other form of supplication for my benefit.

"Where is your god?" I ask of them as I look about the wide expanse and see nothing else.

"God?" one of them says as they step forward with a voice too muffled to distinguish even gender. "We don't have a god. No one looks out for us, but us."

I'm perplexed by the notion. "Do you really not worship even a single god?" I query and try my best not to look shocked.

"No sane person comes to the wastes," the speaker continues and I can't tell which way they are looking due to the kind of veil they wear. "Even the gods don't dare to step foot in here."

"But it's so hot," I reason and wipe my hand across my head. "Even my immunity is being taxed to its very limit."

"Yes, we must deal with the scorching sun and the freezing moon," the speaker continues and looks skyward at the gleaming orb, my father's chariot. "But it is a small price to pay for the freedom we enjoy."