The morning light filtered through the cave's entrance, casting a soft glow on Rusty and Kal. The storm had passed, leaving the air fresh but charged with the lingering scent of rain. Rusty woke first, carefully disentangling herself from her brother's embrace. She quietly stepped outside, taking a deep breath of the clean air, and gazed at the world beyond their temporary shelter.
The landscape was a testament to the Age of Rusting. Once towering cities now lay in ruins, covered in a thick layer of rust. The ground was littered with remnants of a bygone era: twisted metal, shattered glass, and overgrown vegetation reclaiming what was left of human civilization. Rusty recalled her father's stories of the world before the portals, a world she could scarcely imagine.
Kal stirred and soon joined her, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Morning," he greeted her with a yawn.
"Morning," she replied, giving him a brief smile. They began their daily routine, packing up their belongings and preparing for the day's journey. As they worked, memories of their past life surfaced, unbidden but relentless.
Their father had been an important figure in their community, a man respected for his knowledge and skills. He had taught Rusty and Kal everything they knew about survival in this harsh world. Despite his quiet demeanor, he had a strength and determination that inspired those around him. Rusty admired his resilience, while Kal inherited his practical wisdom.
Rusty carefully folded her tattered, well-worn blanket, a silent reminder of her mother. She glanced at a small locket around her neck, inside a faded picture of a woman she never met but felt connected to. Her mother had died giving birth to her, leaving a permanent scar on their small family.
Kal, adjusting the straps of his backpack, pulled out a small, hand-carved wooden figure from his pocket. It was one of the few keepsakes he had from his own mother, a figure of comfort during their endless wanderings.
Everything changed one fateful night when a monstrous creature emerged from the portals, bringing with it a devastating rust storm. This creature, with its piercing crimson gaze and towering form, had rusted their entire shelter, reducing it to ruins. The mere thought of the creature brought PTSD to both Rusty and Kal. Their father had fought to protect the community, but despite their efforts, the creature's destructive power overwhelmed them.
Rusty and Kal had survived, thanks to their father's final act of sacrifice. He had stayed behind to hold off the creature, giving them a chance to escape. With heavy hearts, they had fled, carrying the weight of their loss and the responsibility to survive in his memory. Now, as the last survivors, they lived in the wild, constantly moving to avoid danger and searching for resources.
As they walked through the desolate landscape, Rusty pulled out an old map, a relic from her father. The map, though worn and faded, was a precious guide to the remnants of old cities where they hoped to find supplies. "Do you ever wonder if there's a place untouched by all this?" Kal asked, gesturing to the rust-covered world around them.
Rusty shrugged, adjusting the map
"Maybe. But if there is, it's probably far from here." She glanced at him, her expression serious. "We have to keep moving, Kal. For Dad."
He nodded, determined. "For Dad."