History and Lore / The Loss of Snake

This is the story of the first time Moon met the one we have come to know as Snake.

This was when Moon was still a human. She had been on her quest to end the war between the Gods and Demons for some time now, and had made many friends traveling the world.

It was while out on the road traveling between settlements that she met Snake. He had heard of her task, and had sought her out, as had so many before him.

Now, Moon was not just a woman who wanted to see an end to the fighting between the Gods and Demons, but she was also a powerful priestess in her own right. She had not met only friends on her travels, but she was not one easily overcome. And so, she greeted every stranger as a friend to be.

When Snake found Moon, he knew who he stood before. He broke bread and offered water, which Moon was glad to accept. And so they shared a meal, and began to learn about one another.

Moon told the man stories of her travels, and the frustrations she had faced in her task, and Snake told her in turn of the people he had met as he traveled to find her.

But Snake did not speak of himself, or give a name. Curious, when they were on the road again, Moon decided she would ask what he would not say, and asked the man what she should call him.

He looked away before he answered, and there was pain in his eyes when he spoke. Snake told her to call him "Gumshuda, for that is all I am, all I have now."

Hearing this, Moon knew sorry for the man, because she understood why he had sought her out. She knew that Gumshuda meant loss, and that this man must have paid the price for the war.

They travelled together for the rest of the day, and talked about the people Moon had helped, and the lives she had helped rebuild. And she began to learn more about Snake.

She learned that while he had no love for Demons, it was Gods that he hated. For it had been a God that had killed his family, and destroyed his home. But she would not be swayed by his arguments, for she knew that it would not be enough to stop just the Gods, both sides needed to stop their fighting or the pain of mortals would only grow.

As the sun left the skies, they made camp, and shared a meal. But this time, after she had eaten, Moon knew something was wrong. She felt weak, and cut off from her body. As unconciouseness claimed her, she saw Snake, standing a knife in his hand. She heard him saw "Only the power of a God can kill a God", and then unconciousness claimed her.

But as we know, Moon's story does not end her. Come the mornin, she awoke. The man who had called himself Gumshuda was gone, and so was a lock of her hair. And this was the only damage that he had done to her.

But Moon felt fear when she saw this. Not for herself, but for the fate of the man. There was old magic in a persons hair, and the man must have felt that to cut some might lend him the divine magics he would need for his purpose. But even so, Moon knew the path he walk could only end in his death.

And so, she wept for him.

Now, this story is not about betrayal. Nor is a tale to say that Snake is an enemy of Moon, for we all know he is one the ancestors we revere the most. This tale is not the end of Snakes journey with Moon, it is only the start. And like any story, there is a lesson to be learned, for those who listen.

This story tells us not to judge a person by how we meet them. It tells us that even someone who does us harm may still become a friend, or a close ally. We should not judge a person one first impressions, but on the impact their choices have on those around them. Even a villain can be motivated by love and kindness, and the greatest hero can leave nothing but suffering.