Rune Guardians

Prologue

Magic is more complicated than I thought...

"Sam!" Screamed Lilith as she kept running across town, Spark following closely behind. Both of them were worried and looking for me.

It had been a few hours since Jojo the Mean attacked the town of Skullheart, the common people running for their lives. Lilith and Spark looked in shock and horror as they watched the troll turn helpless children into toads, but every time he'd realize it wasn't me, he'd eat those children. He really was a monster; inside and out. Lilith slowly tiptoed to the other side of town but all the while Spark was following her, Jojo could hear them from a fair distance. The monster smiled menacingly and took a giant leap to where the girls were. As the girls tried to reach the center of town, where the Grand Sorcerer's palace lay before them, the troll landed in front of it and glared at the girls.

"Ah! He's found us!" Screamed Spark, hiding behind Lilith.

"What do you want, Jojo?!" Said Lilith with a very angry look.

"I thought it was pretty clear by now, girls..." said Jojo as he chuckled. He then unsheathed his sharp claws, all colored in a disgusting trash-green as if they hadn't been cleaned or chipped for weeks.

"Tell me where Sam is, and I won't terrorize Skullheart anymore," demanded the troll as he kept walking closer to the girls.

"We'll never tell you where he is, you jerk!" Said Lilith, truly determined and brave.

"Yeah! What she said!" Replied Spark, still behind Lilith. This only made Jojo chuckle even more evilly.

The troll then started channeling his dark magic and as he used it to create a small thundercloud and commanded it to pour enchanted rain. As the rain fell, Lilith and Spark got scared and began running for their lives. Little by little, the girls' human features were no more as they slowly turned into toads. Jojo laughed maniacally as he grabbed them and put them in his pouch. He then began being on his way.

Boy was I glad I arrived just in time.

"Jojo!!!" I screamed from a nearby cliff with a sight of the town, angry and tears leaking from my face as the thunderclaps were stronger and louder.

The troll recognized me from the sound of my voice. He then pointed at me, a menacing smile across his face.

"So you finally decide to reveal yourself, eh Sam? That's really cute," said Jojo.

"Let. My friends. Go!" I demanded the troll, but stubborn as he is, he wouldn't listen.

Using his dark magic, he conjured up another small thundercloud with the rain to turn me into a toad. I was the only one to be invulnerable to its magic. Jojo growled angrily as I leaped even higher from the cliff, landing in front of Jojo. The troll, stupid as he is, put the pouch down without even bothering to tie a knot on it as Lilith and Spark got out and came to me. Jojo realized what had happened and grew even angrier.

"Turn them back, Jojo. You know how the story ends," I told the monster.

"Like I would ever listen to a pathetic niño such as yourself," said Jojo very mockingly.

That's the one thing I truly hated: being called a "niño", even though I was 16 years old. Jojo reminded me of a bully I once knew in school before he got expelled. Jojo was exactly that, but ten times worse. I clenched my fists as the monster's comment.

"What's the matter, niño? Too afraid and fragile to fight?" Sneered the troll as he generated an aura of dark magic around his hands.

"Stop calling me that," I told the monster.

"Why should I? The only reason you're considered a muchacho is because of those stupid runes! Those relics are nothing!"

"Hey!! Those relics are what hold Mysticopia and you know it! Do you know what happens if someone steals them?! Everyone could die, and you're good with that?!"

"Yeah. I'd rather die knowing none of you idiots would last."

That really got me mad as I lunged towards the troll. Jojo laughed as he ran, only making me angrier. Lilith and Spark, despite being toads, used their strength to help me up. As I looked at Jojo's pouch, I smiled and had an idea.

"Hey girls," I asked them as I looked down at them.

"How about we play a game called Catch the Troll with Toad Slime?"

The girls smiled with agreement and after I picked up the pouch, I opened it so they would get back inside it. Then with all my might, carrying the pouch with the girls inside it, I sprinted across Skullheart where I always kept my sight on Jojo as he also kept running.

No matter what they throw at you míjo, you'll always be my brave little muchacho. Those were the words of my loving mother Esmeralda. As I heard them in my head, a tear of love leaked across my face and it gave me the encouragement to run even faster; my sights were still locked on Jojo.

The troll turned to see me truly sprinting to him. He was starting to get scared; so scared that in fact, he ran into a stone wall and hurt his face. He then fell down as if he were fainting. I slowly walked to Jojo as he groaned in absolute pain, covering his hurt face.

"You know, I was gonna throw my friends at you, but... this works too, you know," I said with a cocky smile. The troll just looked unamused.

"Now, turn them back."

The troll chuckled evilly which then evolved into a menacing laugh that boomed and echoed all over Skullheart, including the rest of Mysticopia. I realized he was absorbing my soul.

My name is Samson Felípe. This is the story of my journey in a world of magic and wonder. Now, let me tell you all how it all started from the very beginning.