Bunny and the Moon

"Tuzi! Tuzi!"

The goddess's voice echoed deep through the empty halls of her palace. She ran frantically through the premises, calling her friend's name and searching everywhere with growing fear. But there was no sign of her.

She came to a stop at the palace courtyard. The eerie feeling that had settled on the grounds of what used to be her favorite spot in her home made her shiver. There was no life left in this area. Memories of what Sky's man, Atlas, had said came back to haunt her at once.

"My Lady Goddess," he started hesitantly, not able to meet her panic gaze with his own. "Your palace… There are signs of dark sorcery usage. All life lay dead upon your palace steps…"

Moon's eyes raked across the still forms of the animals that once graced her gardens. Their corpses were scattered across the stone steps of the courtyard and in the fountains, like discarded toys. Withered flowers and dead leaves were carried across the way by the slight breeze that was moving through the area.

She had no doubt that Atlas's assessment was right; Dark sorcery had indeed been cast here. The use of it was forbidden in the Realm of Gods as it required life to be sacrificed in exchange for the benefits it would bring the summoner. It was blood magic. And seeing the sight of so many dead animals meant that the dark spell had to have been a very powerful one.

Her hand shook as she covered her mouth, trying not to retch at the awful sight. She held onto a palace column for support, as the setting became too upsetting to digest. This palace had been her home for countless millennia now, and she had created many wonderful memories here with Tuzi. To think that someone or something had entered her home and violated it this way was too hard to bear.

"Moon! Where are you? Come back! It's too dangerous for you to wander off by yourself!" Sky's voice echoed behind her, growing more urgent with each passing second.

But it's not supposed to be dangerous, she thought solemnly. This was her home. She was supposed to feel safe here. There was nowhere else that was her haven.

"Moon, are you alright?" Sky asked, finally catching up to her. He placed a hand on her back, hoping to steady her. It was clear that she was having a hard time processing the scene. Sky quickly glanced around the courtyard, taking in the carnage. He knew that something dark had indeed passed through, and that this was no longer a safe place to be.

"I need to find Tuzi," Moon gasped, her voice barely above a whisper. She pushed away from the column and out of Sky's grasp. Stepping over the bodies of the dead animals in her palace, she made her way across the stone steps of the courtyard. Her gaze wandered over the fountain, where dead birds floated in the water next to the dead lotus plants. The sight made her heart rate quicken as she hurried to the far side of the courtyard.

When she came upon the Mortal Mirror, her own reflection caused her to take a step back. She didn't recognize her own face, streaked with tears and terror. This ancient mirror was an object she interacted with for hours each day, ever since it was gifted to her by her father. She knew every detail about it, as well as she knew her own soul. But this mirror was not right. Something was terribly off about it.

Once a divine artifact that she was proud to possess, the Mortal Mirror now stood before her, its once-pristine surface marred by a foreboding essence that seemed to ooze from its depths.

"Moon," Sky's quiet voice came up behind her. "We should go. We need to find help. You can't stay here–"

"Sky, someone has tampered with the Mortal Mirror. There's something wrong with it. I can feel the dark magic radiating off of it." She looked down at her feet, where she stood on the stone step in front of the mirror. "This is the last place where I can feel Tuzi's essence." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

The Sky God reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently turning her to face him. Her blue eyes were glazed with tears, and she was trembling.

Sky took Moon's hand in his own and spoke with urgency.

"Moon, listen to me. You can't stay here. Blood has been spilled, and this place reeks of dark sorcery. It's not safe for you or me to be here. We have to go."

"No, but I have to find Tuzi–"

"She's not here," Sky interjected firmly, hoping to get through to Moon. "I know what she means to you, but she's not here. You being here and putting yourself in danger isn't going to bring her back. We need to get to somewhere safe first. That will allow us to think more clearly."

Moon looked at the Mortal Mirror, her eyes filled with sadness and despair.

"But Sky," she started helplessly, her hand gesturing to the ancient artifact against the wall. "The Mortal Mirror. It's the last place where I can feel her essence. If I leave now, I don't know what will happen to her…"

"I know. I hear you, Moon," his eyes surveyed over the mirror. Something was seriously off about the object. He could practically feel a curse rolling off of it in layers, as if it was threatening to pull them into it.

"We need to let the Creator know," he said, his emerald eyes settling back on her. "He molded this thing. He would know exactly what has happened to it. Moon, we really must go. We can't stay here."

Moon hated to admit it, but Sky was right. They were the highest-ranked deities, but even they were unnerved by the ominous essence that had settled in the palace. Gods were nearly invincible, but they were not impossible to kill. And they could not defend themselves against what they did not know. Moon knew that she had to put herself in a safe position so that she could think clearly and find her most precious Tuzi.

"Okay," she responded with a weak nod. "Let's go…"

Sky silently thanked her for agreeing with him. He offered her his arm as they turned to leave the awful sight. The Sky God was on high alert every step of the way out, not wanting to be caught off guard by any more surprises.