The Siren's Curse

Family Secrets Lead to a Cultist Village

You woke up to the sound of knocking on your window.

Alina... you thought with a groan.

Alina was a young child in the village, she and her family lived right next door to you and she loved to wake you up five minutes before noon. Granted, you did need to wake up and you did ask her to wake you up by knocking on your window... and not stopping. Alina was happy to do it since that little sweetheart liked helping people. But it didn't stop you from being annoyed that your dream was over.

Like every morning, Alina would continuously knock on your window until you answered it. That way, she knew you were up and she could go eat.

You crawled out of bed and made your way over to the window shutters.

"Alright, Alina," you said, opening the shutters, "I'm awake. I'm awake."

Alina was quite the energetic eight-year-old. She would always run around and pretend that she was saving someone from something. Be it saving her family, her friends, she even pretended to aid Mother Miranda in her little fantasies. You thought that Alina should do something better with her time than imagining about a damn cult leader but you said nothing, you would always just let her indulge in the happiness youth provided.

"Good morning!" Alina was as cheery as ever, bouncing up and down like a toddler. "Sorry for waking you earlier than you usually ask but someone wants to talk to you."

You raised a brow and looked at your clock on the nightstand. Alina did, indeed, wake you up earlier than usual. Your clock read 9:45 am, two hours and ten minutes before you usually wake up.

"Don't worry about it, Alina," you reassured her, rubbing some sleep from your eyes, "I have a bit more work to do today anyway."

Alina smiled and waved someone over, supposedly the someone that wanted to talk to you. That someone just so happened to be Maria, the village crazy lady. Maria worshiped Mother Miranda more than any human in the village, she practically lived in the church dedicated to Miranda and her 'Children'. 

You smiled at the old woman and held out your hand, only trying to be polite.

"Good morning, ma'am. Your name is Maria, correct?"

The old woman nods and takes my hand in her's. "Yes, dear, I am Maria."

You quickly introduce yourself before Maria grabs Alina's hand and links you all together in a circle.

"Before I state the reason for my visit, shall we pray for good fortune?" Maria asked, knowing she wouldn't be refused.

"Yes, of course," you replied and looked at Alina.

"Okay!" she squealed excitedly.

All three of you bowed your heads and started the, in your opinion, unnecessarily long prayer.

"Great ones, hear our voice, together as one in reverence. We call on thee within the endless dark to deliver us into fate's hands. As the midnight moon rises on black wings, so we make our sacrifice and await the light at the end. In life and death, we give glory, Mother Miranda."

You all dropped each other's hands and Alina excused herself to go to her mother.

"Would you like to come in? I think I have some extra tea if you would like." You offered.

Maria shook her head. "This won't take long, I just wanted to ask how devoted are you to Mother Miranda's children."

You paused for a moment, unsure of how to answer. 

"I have a very strong respect for the Four Lords and I do pray every day, but I have to say that is the extent of my devotion..." you eyed Maria carefully, gauging her reaction.