19 March 2024

Reyzha knew she was being a bit ridiculous. When you prayed to the Deep Gods, you asked for things like safety or good loot in the dungeon that was her town’s lifeblood. You didn’t ask for children; that was the domain of the Celestial Gods, particularly the Lifegiver.

But they hadn’t answered. So here she was, before another dungeon raid, asking for a child instead of something sensible like protection or good fortune.

So when she saw the basket resting on an altar, ten or so floors down, Reyzha assumed it was an offering left by a previous party. However, before she and her group could leave, they heard a baby crying within.

After exchanging a glance with her husband, a fellow adventurer, Reyzha dashed to the basket, and peered inside. Within lay a beautiful baby girl, and a note on silver paper. It read,

Reyzha,

Her Name is Seila. Take care of her.

-D

8 March 2024

…dragged her off. It wasn’t long before they found the others, and soon the five of them were gathered together in a group outside.

Seila’s hands trembled as she broke the seal on the scroll, a wide smile on her face. She unfurled the scroll, but to her and the other kids’ surprise, a musical score accompanied the words of the spell.

“A Ka Dua No Ra?” Seila muttered.

“Can you read it?” one of the other kids asked.

Each of them shook their heads and Seila frowned. “Maybe I can ask Mama.”

Seila barely waited for the kids to agree before she raced off for home. Mama was harvesting from their garden when Seila arrived, and waved the scroll in her face. “Mama, look what I found!”

A light smile appeared on Mama’s face. “Oh?” Then she opened the scroll, and her smile faded. “Where did you get this?”

Mama’s serious tone scared Seila a little. She explained the whole story, with the strange door and the statue, and Mama frowned. Once Seila finished, Mama said, “This is a very special, very dangerous song. I want to forget you to forget about this, alright? If you sing it, the song will kill you and everyone around you. Do you understand?”

This time, it wasn’t excitement that made Seila’s hands shake, and she nodded. Mama flashed her a tired smile, and locked the scroll with the other dangerous artifacts she’d collected.

But Seila didn’t forget about the scroll.