Of Beginnings

Chapter 4

Runa studied the rocks carefully. Itazura stood lazily next to her. "Maybe we can move it manually?" She asked herself. "I dunno." Itazura responded. After a few more minutes of looking, Runa sighed. "It's the best we have." They began work on the debris for a long time, until the heat became too much and they decided to take a break. Itazura was sitting in the pond, letting the water cool him off. Runa was laying in the shade on land next to him. "Hey," He said, starting conversation. "What's with the fancy clothes?" Runa looked down on herself and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm technically Royalty, I suppose." She answered. "I'm the daughter of a king, so..." Itazura smiled to himself as he looked forward. "You're a princess, huh?" Runa giggled then looked back up at the sky. "Yeah, I suppose I am!" Itazura smiled and followed her gaze. The sky flaunted a golden hue, marking the end of the day. They stared at it endlessly, time seeming to stand still. He liked this, Itazura. He enjoyed spending time with Runa. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he was stuck here for good. And honestly, Runa wasn't the worst of company... Itazura immediately shook his head as if those thoughts would disappear that easily. He can't, He shouldn't be thinking about her like that. She's like, nineteen. He searched around,

Trying to find another way of conversation "Hey, Princess, I know this is a bit personal, but...Where are your parents?" Runa's smile didn't waver, but her eyes seemed pained, suffering, even. "Heaven." She answered. "Oh." He whispered. "I'm sorry... I didn't know that they passed away." Runa stayed silent. "'Passed away'? What does that mean?" "'Passed away' means that they died." Itazura explained, not meeting her gaze. She still boasted that confused look, through. "What do you mean 'Died'? My parents didn't 'died', whatever that is." Itazura sat up and looked down on her. "Wait, what do you mean when you say 'heaven'?" Runa stared up at the sky, her eyes growing damp and glittering.

"My papa is the Moon Father, the creator of all the Moonbeams. The Moonbeams are a special race that can only be created whilst a full moon hovers over a lake during a rainstorm. Only then can we come into existence on earth." Itazura looked down and studied his pulse. "So, your dad is like an angel or something?" he asked. "My papa controlled everything under the moon, and most things under the Sun. Until one day, a woman called the Sun Mother appeared and stole his heart away from us. On the night of their wedding, she tricked him and locked him, myself, and all my siblings out of heaven. Moonbeams will still be created, but we won't have dominance over the Earth like we once did. And with our leaving came the Sunbeams. The Sunbeams are ferocious beings who thirst only for blood. They only want the exciting parts of life...Winning fights, drinking alcohol..." Runa's voice trailed off. "I mean, I'm not saying that those are bad things necessarily, but..." She too shot up. "They can't even go through a romance correctly! They don't care if you've got a great personality or what, they only care about your body and your outside appearance! The Sunbeams will find the most attractive boy or girl, and they won't even want to get to know them, they just want to skip right to the kissing, and-!" Runa cut off one more time.

"They don't understand that..." She picked a nearby wildflower and studied its' petals in the dying light. "...that the embrace after getting to know somebody is so much more better then tricking them into loving you..." A singular tear dripped down the side of her face, but her smile still held. Itazura reached his arm out, attempting to comfort her, but before he could her eyes widened in fear. She immediately rose to her feet and dropped the flower. She collapsed back onto her knees in a ragdoll like way, and she began chanting.

Forgive me, Sun Mother.

For I have shown weakness.

I deserve to be punished severely in the fiery jaws of hell,

Right next to, or if not, above the demons.

Please, oh please, forgive me.

Itazura got out of the water, then hoisted himself onto land. "What was that?" he asked, sitting down next to her. He wiped the tear off her cheek. "Th-That's what i'm forced to do when I show a sign of weakness, such as crying...S-she...The Sun Mother...She makes us do it..." Runa gently flicked her hand. A brand that resembled the Sun was burned into the back of it.

Itazura looked up into the sun, and he now felt a strong hatred towards her.