Originally, this was meant to be the only Eternal Rain written novel, while the others were intended as graphic novels. PROLOGUE is the story of the Gate legends -- from a front-row perspective.
Preview
After they all finished, the boys pushed in their chairs and started for their rooms to work on their homework. Kanabe followed his wife into the living room and they sat down together. “What’s wrong?” Kanabe asked. “You don’t seem to like hearing me entertain the kids.”
His wife sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t lie like that to the children,” she said.
“Lie?” Kanabe asked. “Those weren’t lies at all. I saw–!”
“Sparkling water, giant trees and waterfalls?” his wife said incredulously. “Tall tales, Kanabe. Those things are only in the history books now. Why are you giving the kids false hopes like that?”
Kanabe took his wife’s hands in his and asked, “What if I told you that somewhere out there, those things still exist?” His wife started pulling away from him uncomfortably. “Because they do!” he told her. “We’ve found places where there’s clean air and clean water, blue skies, animals and trees! Birds still sing there and you can drink water straight from the streams–!”
“Kanabe, stop it!” his wife yelled. Kanabe slowly let go of her hand. “There is no place on Earth...like that anymore,” she said forcefully. “So don’t you lie to me, and don’t you lie to my children, Kanabe. Just come back home to stay...and put these fantasies behind you.”
Kanabe stood up from his chair and said, “I would never lie to my family.”
“This is a lie.”
“I can’t stop, don’t you see?!” Kanabe pleaded. “I’m doing this for you, and for the kids! If I could only show you what I’ve seen–!”
“I didn’t marry a madman!” his wife cried.
Kanabe sighed and fell silent. His wife got up from the armchair and quickly walked away.
