text: Rain drowned the world in terror as it passed, men and women hid their children between trembling arms. "Father," whispered the glowing gal." Why are we hiding? It's just rain, isn't it?" Her father rested his palm on the little girl's mouth, sweating like a rainy cloud. "Shush!" He said in a voice hardly heard."Just stay quiet and wait for the storm to pass." The girl still couldn't understand why her father was scared, yet she still obeyed for she had never seen him like this. Then it came. A shriek so mighty it nearly split the sky in two, followed by an earth shattering thud that sent the girl flying to the ceiling. "*This is it...*" A voice shook between the crowds. "*We're done for...*" Another trembled. the girl felt her father's tears falling between her hair, she looked up, seeing the man covered in his own tears. "I'm sorry."He held the girl tight. "I can't do anything to save us...no one can. " The gal found herself tearing up."Fathe--" Her voice faded away as she finally noticed what was peeking from the window. A massive, black, grotesque face watched them with twinkling white dots for eyes. suddenly, the ceiling above them rose, revealing the dark, raining sky. Everyone went silent, no one could even dare to move. They all understood what was about to happen, it was inevitable. Death took the form of a shiny arm that descended upon them, it seized the girl's father and slowly lifted him up towards the clouds. His daughter simply stood and watched as her only parent escaped her grasp. "I'm sorry...for everything." The father forced a final smile towards his daughter, slowly feeling his bones crumble from the monster's grip. The beast opened its enormous mouth for its meal, letting everyone witness the man getting devoured before their eyes. Prayers haunted the place as the silence faded to muffled screams and cries. As for the girl, she didn't pray, didn't cry, did not even let out a scream. She just watched. Watched as what was left from her father's blood was scooped by the monster that just stole the life of the only person who she still cared for. She felt nothing as the rest of the people fed the beast's insatiable hunger one after the other. Then came her turn, the monster's hand grabbed her as she finally screamed. *Why?* The girl wondered as the creature stretched it's jaws. *What did we do to deserve this?* The blood stinking breath of the monster made the girl vomit in an instant. She cried as the red teeth closed in to embrace her. The rain grew louder and louder, the sounds of crackling thunder sent a rumbling through the heavens. A swoosh sent the monster crying louder than any of it's victims ever did, the beast threw the girl to the ground and continued to wallow in pain. The girl's vision went blurry from the fall, but she could still see the figure that stood before the beast. A man donning a round, tall, black hat wore a rain coat as black as the night's sky. He extended a hand to his side and the rain gathered between his fingers, the rain drops slowly took the shape of a translucent blade. "Run along, kid."He said as he readied his weapon to strike."These Rain Dwellers spare no soul." The Rain Dweller smacked it's hand on the ground, aiming to squish the man. He however, dodged the giant arm with ease and proceeded to run his blade through the beast's fingers, cutting two and leaving three. The monster cried out again, this time even louder. It struck with its other hand and sent the man's hat flying to the sky, revealing his long, white hair that shone as it fluttered against the strong wind. The monster then unleashed a barrage of punches on the ground, causing the man to lose his balance. "Sly fucker!" The man sent his weapon flying towards the beast's face, sticking right on it's eye. The Rain Dweller screamed in anguish, covering its face with his badly damaged hands. The man extended two hands to his side, turning the rain into two, stunning blades.He jumped on the screaming beast and swung his dual blades at it with inhuman speed. Each swing sent a piece of the Rain Dweller's flesh flying to the sky. By the time the man was done, almost nothing remained of the creature's corpse. He took his hat from the ground and wore it as he embraced the warmth of the sun that peeked from the dissipating clouds. "I thought I told you to run." The man finally noticed the girl. "Wh-Who are you?" She could barely speak after all she had witnessed. The man approached her and Knelt down to meet her eyes. "Me? Well I am no one you need to know, I am but a humble Rain Wielder." He wiped the blood off her forehead. "I'm sure this has been quite the day for you. You should get some rest. Come, I'll take you to the upper city." "What upper city? There's nothing but small villages near here." "Oh, how oblivious you are." He chuckled. "Just follow me, can you walk?" "Y-Yeah." The girl followed the Rain Wielder as he climbed up a small hill. "What's your name? " The man stopped and asked. "Uh, Lifa." She replied. "Well, Lifa, what you are about to witness is the result of countless years of struggle and death. A place made by the hands of those who survived through the restless rain that curses this land." He pulled out a golden key from his pocket. "This is the key to a heaven safe from monsters like the one you saw today." He waved the golden key in the air, going from left to right three times. And then, the clouds split, the sun sent golden rays that formed a stairway before them. "Come, Lifa, to man-made heaven." They ascended the endless stairway until buildings peeked from the horizon. Shortly, the city fully appeared, glorious towers sprawled across the limitless sky, hiding wonderful castles and buildings of all kinds that stood in the middle of this magnificent city. It truly was a heaven, there was no doubt about it. "Welcome to the new world, Lifa." The Rain Wielder smiled as he patted Lifa's shoulder. "No monster can harm you here. This is our world, humanity left the old one to rot a long time ago." Lifa teared up as she took in the sights, the thoughts of how different her life would have been if she'd lived here with her father clouded her mind. "Just tell me one thing." Lifa said. "Why are the streets empty, where is everyone?" The man's smile faded. "That's a good question...Perhaps you will find out soon enough." "What does that mean?" "Sorry, Lifa, I can't tell you anything, my job's only to lead people to this place, that's all." "But--" "No more questions! I have to go now, you should go get some rest, you've been through a lot." He turned his back to her and descended the golden stairway. "Goodbye, Lifa. I hope you find peace in this place...not many do." "Wait! Please don't leave me here!" She tried to follow him but a wall appeared in front of her. "Sorry..." Lifa turned to the city again, her feelings changed from relief to utter horror. What's wrong with this city? Where is everyone? Why did the man take her to this place? Alas, all the answers to her questions lay inside the false heaven, her only choice was to enter and see for herself. She let out a gasp as she saw the statue that stood after the gates, it looked exactly like the monster that man called a Rain Dweller.