The Fifth Season

The narrator explains that he focuses on the sad and difficult periods of life because these experiences are formative in terms of character development. This doesn’t mean that there are no happy times: “There was peace in long stretches, between each crisis. A chance to cool and solidify before the grind resumed” (361). However, the forces at work in the world at large continue to build even during these peaceful times.

For nearly three years, Syen and Alabaster live with Innon on Meov. This peaceful life suits Alabaster, who does much of the parenting after Syen gives birth to their son, Corundum. Syen, however, is restless, and when Coru is two, she asks Innon to take her with him on a raid. Innon is reluctant to mix work and personal relationships and believes that Syen should stay with her child; he eventually agrees, but tells her she must be the one to inform Alabaster.

Syen finds Alabaster with Coru up on the island’s cliffs. Guessing what she’s about to say, he bitterly wonders whether she and Innon will return: “You don’t have to be with me anymore. You have your freedom like you wanted. And Innon’s got what he wanted—a rogga child to take care of the comm if something happens to him” (367). Syen denies wanting to leave, saying she simply wants to feel useful, but Alabaster packs up Coru’s toys and storms off. He later apologizes but cautions Syen against believing she can change the world.

Innon and Syen leave the next day and encounter a cargo ship after a week’s sail. It’s guarded by a boat full of militia, but Syen uses orogeny first to raise a fog and then to pull up a piece of bedrock through the keel of the attack ship; meanwhile, Innon’s crew raids the cargo ship. Finally, Innon orders Syen to sink the two vessels, since her actions have demonstrated to anyone watching that there’s at least one orogene on Meov. Though reluctant to use her powers to kill, Syen does so for the sake of Alabaster and Coru.

That night, Syen insists that Innon sail to Allia. The comm’s appearance shocks Syen: “Allis is a nightcap of red, blistering death. There is nothing left of the comm except the caldera ring that once cradled it, and even that is hard to see” (381). Realizing that another volcanic explosion there could kick start a Season, Syen buries the magma beneath strata of rock. As the Clalsu turns back towards Meov, Syen thinks she catches a glimpse of a Guardian standing on the road to Allia.

As they settle into their lodgings, Essun realizes that Tonkee is actually Binof. Tonkee admits that she knew who Essun was, and that she’s kept track of her over the years. She also confirms that she’s a geomest; she was born into the Leadership caste, but her parents disowned her. Since then, Tonkee has devoted herself to studying the socket, which she claims is where the obelisks were made. Her interest in Essun stems from the fact that as an orogene, she can potentially control the obelisks, which tend to drift towards orogenes who’ve used them in the past.

Tonkee informs Essun that two obelisks have been converging on Tirimo. This confuses Essun, who only remembers connecting with one intact obelisk—the purple one in Allia. However, when Tonkee tells her that the obelisks had recently started moving faster, Essun realizes that the other must have been traveling towards Uche.

Essun also speaks with Hoa, asking why and how he chose to make himself appear human. He implies the ability has something to do with the rocks he eats and says that he wanted to travel on foot with Essun (rather than through stone) because he likes her. He also warns Essun it isn’t safe in Castrima. Essun tries to ask about the other stone eaters, but Hoa insists he has nothing in common with them.

After resting, Essun goes to the public baths, where she unexpectedly encounters Lerna. He was forced to leave Tirimo because of his friendship with Essun and planned to seek out his mother’s family. He soon became lost, however, and then narrowly escaped a group of bandits. Ykka’s people discovered him sleeping in Castrima’s abandoned aboveground and decided to take him in when they learned he was a doctor.

Lerna tells Essun he hasn’t seen Nassun pass through Castrima. Though he tries to reassure her, Essun responds with despair: “It’s over. This whole strange journey, keeping it together, keeping focused on your goal…it’s all been pointless. Nassun’s gone, you’ve lost her, and Jija will never pay for what he’s done” (407).

Essun and Lerna return to her apartment, where she introduces him to Tonkee and Hoa. Hoa tells her a dying man from Yumenes urgently needs to speak to her; the man claims Essun “owe[s] him. For Corundum” (411), and she realizes it’s Alabaster.  

Syen, troubled by the role she played in the raid, doesn’t take part in the homecoming festivities. To cheer her up, Alabaster offers her two rings for quelling the volcano. Syen resists putting them on, saying there’s no need to continue practicing the advanced orogeny they learned at the Fulcrum.

Alabaster reveals the true story of Misalem and Shemshena. During a particularly brutal Season, Sanze began to raid weaker comms for human flesh. After the Season ended, the Sanzeds continued the practice of cannibalism, and Misalem was the sole survivor of a family slaughtered for that purpose. Alabaster reassures Syen that orogenes are capable of incredible things when they use their powers for good. Syen admits she might have seen a Guardian in Allia, and Alabaster says he’ll “tear the whole world apart if they ever hurt [them] again” (419).

Three weeks later, four ships carrying Guardians approach Meov. As Innon hurries to the Clalsu, Alabaster remains on the cliff tops, using the power of the amethyst obelisk to raise a wall of stone out of the sea and effectively blocking off the harbor. He begins to drop rocks on two of the Fulcrum’s ships. In order to attack the ships from outside the Guardian’s range—as Alabaster is doing—Syen splits a column of stone from the cliff face, causing it to fall on a ship passing underneath.

A cannon fires, and Alabaster falls to the ground. When he makes Syen promise to keep Coru from the Guardians, she looks closer and realizes that he’s sinking into the earth; she watches helplessly as he disappears, dragged into the ground by a stone eater.

Two ships are still approaching Meov, and Syen realizes one has an orogene onboard. She races to the Clalsu just as the orogene breaks a hole in Alabaster’s wall. A ship sails through, bombarding the Clalsu with cannon fire and sending militia onboard.

Syen finds Coru with Innon. However, as Innon moves to rejoin the fighting, a Guardian seizes him and uses his orogeny to split him apart. Schaffa, another Guardian, approaches and demands that Syen hand Coru over. Syen refuses, and then uses the obelisk’s power to blast the ships apart, killing nearly everyone on board—Coru included.

Syen settles in Tirimo two years later. Her use of the obelisk, however, has sent out “…a promise, a demand, an invitation too enticing to resist” (443). The first person to respond to this call was Hoa, who now reveals that he’s the story’s narrator, and that he’s been watching over Essun for the last decade.  

Lerna and Essun go to the infirmary, where they find Antimony. Antimony warns Hoa—who has followed in secret—not to approach, and Hoa assures her he’s only interested in Essun. Meanwhile, Essun goes to Alabaster’s bedside, finding him horribly injured; he’s been burned in several places and his arm—which has turned to stone—bears Antimony’s tooth marks.

Alabaster admits he suspected Essun was still alive but was too preoccupied to seek her out. Essun briefly recounts the story of her marriage and children, and Alabaster replies that as much as he understands her actions, he can’t forgive her for Coru’s death. He doesn’t want to kill her, however; instead, he asks whether she’s able to use the obelisks whenever she wants.

Essun notices a large pink object against the wall, and Alabaster confirms that it’s part of “his” obelisk. She accuses him of using the obelisks to split the continent, and Alabaster confirms that he did. When he asks for Essun’s help, she assumes he wants her to fix the rift, but Alabaster clarifies that he wants her to “make it worse” (449). He then asks her whether she has “ever heard of something called a moon” (449).