Solus and Lumos: A Tale of the Eclipse

So, you want to know how and why eclipses occur? Well, I know there’s a correct answer, the real reason that involves how our planet moves and the orbit of the moon and all that stuff. However, among my people, there is an old story we used to tell for generations that explains this bizarre and sometimes frightening phenomena. Personally, I’ve always found that version to be more interesting, and I would very much love to share that story with you. Interested?

Great! Grab a snack or something to drink, have a seat, and listen.

In the beginning, there were the gods. Immortal, eternal, endless. They have always existed in some way, shape, and form, and they will continue to exist long after we have ceased to. It is said that our world was not the first they created, nor will it be the last, for the gods are like artists, always creating and recreating.

When the gods created our world and gave it life, they assigned two of their kind, two brothers, to act as guardians watching over their creation. Our people called them Solus and Lumos, our Sun and Moon respectively. And, even though they were brothers, they could not be any more different.

Solus was a powerful soul who was overflowing with warmth and love. The radiance of his light was too glorious for mere mortals to gaze upon, but it brought his warmth, life, and joy to the whole world. He worked alongside the earth and water gods to produce vegetation that would become food for the animals and people. He energized and encouraged the people as they lived their lives under his watch. Our people loved and worshiped Solus for his generous gifts, and we would mourn whenever he took his leave to make way for the night.

His younger brother, Lumos, was a very different person. He was cold, quiet, and reserved while his brother was outgoing and actively involved with the lives of others. Solus was assigned to watch over and guide the people as they went about their business during the day, but Lumos was to guard them as they slept in the darkness of his night. His light was a soft, pale imitation of his brother’s brilliance, intended only to assist the predators who stalked their prey at night, and it was gentle so as to not disturb the slumbering mortals. The gods gave Lumos countless wives, the stars in the sky, to keep him company during his lonely shift while all the others slept.

But many wives and a position of authority were not enough for Lumos, for his heart was filled with jealousy for his older brother. He saw how the people adored and worshiped him, giving him many gifts and sacrifices, and Lumos longed for that same kind of love and adoration. He wished that his light could be just as great as the Sun’s glorious incandescence. Sometimes he would skulk about after the night has ended, spying on his brother and gazing upon him with ever growing bitterness and hatred; this is why you can sometimes actually see the moon in the middle of the day.

The gods took note of Lumos’ jealousy toward Solus and confronted him about it. “Why dost thou long so for what thy brother hast been given?” they would ask him. “Is it not enough that thou hast many wives while he hath been given none? Or that the mortals can look upon thy luminous form without risk of blindness? All of us have a part to play in these worlds, and each part is different from the rest. Thou, Solus, and all thy brethren are called to protect and provide for our creation, and our assigned tasks were made to suit each of our unique gifts in the service of our people. So do not bemoan what belongs to thy brother and take joy in what does belong to thee, lest thou throw our world into chaos and undo our creation.”

But Lumos’ heart was hard as stone and his ears closed off to their counsel. Then, one day, he took his sickle and snuck up on his brother. But Solus can see all, so when Lumos leapt to attack him, he drew his sword and turned to intercept his brother’s attack. He managed to deflect the blade in time, but it still managed to cut open his shoulder, drawing blood and bathing the bright blue sky in a dark red. Despite being wounded, Solus would continue to deflect the flurry of blows as Lumos swung wildly with his sword, bloodlust and murder in his pale eyes.

Down on earth, the people witnessed the moon obscure the sun and plunge their world into darkness. Having no idea what was happening, many of them began to panic, fearing the world was coming to an end. Others huddled together and prayed that the light would return, that this sudden darkness would pass. All were filled with fear and uncertainty at this sudden and terrifying phenomena, wondering how long it would last.

In truth, the battle only lasted under five minutes. Solus, being older and far more powerful than his younger brother, was quickly able to overpower Lumos by the time the other gods intervened. They swiftly disarmed and bound Lumos, ready to take him away to be executed for his attempted fratricide.

“Stop,” cried Solus to the other gods. “Lay not thy hands to slaughter him, for he is mine brother still.”

The gods, moved by the Sun’s compassion, chose instead to curse the Moon for his grievous sin.

“From this day forth,” they told him, “no longer shall thy light be steady as the Sun’s, but shall instead wax and wane with each passing month. The whole world shall see thy diminished glory and reflect on how thy pride led to thine downfall.”

And so it is that, every month, we behold the full glory of the Moon but once, then watch it shrink into a crescent, the same shape as the sickle that nearly took the Sun’s life. After that, the Moon will disappear for a while, before slowly reversing its course and briefly regaining its fullness, and then the process begins again.

But if you think this was enough to make the Moon learn his lesson, I am afraid you’re sorely mistaken. Every so often, after Lumos has had time to lick his wounds and nurse his pride, he challenges his brother to combat, causing another eclipse to occur. With each duel, Lumos hopes that, maybe this time, he will overthrow Solus and claim his title and throne for his own. It was believed among my people that, when the time comes and the Moon is finally able to slay the Sun in battle, the world will end. Then it will be covered in everlasting darkness and frost, all life frozen to death and buried in black snow.

Well, that’s what I’ve been told anyway. Now I know that’s not what actually happens during an eclipse, and I know that’s not why the moon has different phases every month. But, you know, sometimes fiction and folklore make life seem far more interesting and wonderful than it actually is, don’t you think?