The Rune Tapper - Prologue
Imported from SF2 with no description.
The Rune Tapper
Part I Fire and Tears
Prologue
“I hear angels live there.” Iary said, staring up at the full moon shining brightly in the ocean of stars blanketed across the sky. The small rat’s body was covered in more bandages than clothing. There had been little rain this season and this meant the rocks that made up their home were sharper and easily broke the skin when brushed up against. This was a stark contrast to the previous year, where a sudden rainstorm had flooded many of the tunnels, resulting in many of the young rat’s family members drowning.
“Angels on the moon?” Tek asked, tilting his head as he stared up at the glowing white orb, “Surely they’d be demons. Mom said when the moon turns red like blood, I should always run to her to hide. That’s when monsters come out to snatch up small children.”
Iary shook her head. “I hear the angels are trapped there. When the world ended and the Iron Doors opened they all-”
Tek hushed Iary, nudging her with his elbow, “You know we’re not supposed to talk about that.”
“Why not! They don’t do anything anymore and all the rune tappers are gone so no one can even open them,” The small rat’s eyes widened as a streak of light cut through the sky. “A shooting star! Tek, we have to make a wish!”
“What’s the point?” Tek said, kicking his legs over the edge of the cliff, “The rainy season is almost over and we’ve hardly received any rain as it is. No amount of wishing is going to change that.”
“Rodentia says a wish is the last bastion of hope. You can never give up on wishing, Tek.” Iary said, rubbing one of the bandages on her arm. It was still damp from the blood leaking through. Such a painful life they had to live in the Burrow. “I wish… I wish we could leave the Burrow. I wish I could live somewhere soft, where the walls didn’t scratch my fur. A place with lots of water and food.”
“That’s more than one wish.” Tek said, earning him another elbow jab from Iary.
“Well, go on. You have to make a wish too, that way our chances are doubled that one of our wishes comes true.”
Tek sighed, but played along with Iary’s little game. “I wish…” He paused, realizing he wasn’t sure what he wanted to wish for. He took a moment to consider what was important to him before continuing. “I wish-”
Before Tek could finish his sentence the moon turned a deep crimson that spread out across the sky like blood from a gaping wound. Tek’s eyes widened in horror and he grabbed Iary by the arm in an attempt to pull the rat to safety.
“Iary we have to go!” Tek pleaded, but his friend was too shocked by what she was seeing to move. Soon the land was bathed in a demonic red light. A chill shot up Tek’s spine as he continued pulling on Iary’s wrist. “Iary!”
Snapping out of her shock, Iary allowed Tek to pull her to her feet and together the two small rats retreated into the sharp and narrow tunnel from whence they came.
Then the screaming started.