Fire blossoming like a bloody rose licked at the cage holding a bird. The brazier appeared nearly empty, but the fire stayed burning. Before it lay a stone altar, bloody and chipped from use, positioned so that whatever was sacrificed before it falls to the brazier. Surrounding the cage and altar a stone sepulchre. Darkness faned at the edges of the light. Within the cage the bird appeared charred.

  Several cloaked individuals climbed the steps to the room, one of them holding an axe another holding a child. She cried softly no longer begging to be let go. The night was not kind to this one, nor would it appear to be any longer.

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  The cloaked ones set upon the room, lighting candles and singing a song of undeciferable words, carrying magic long forgotten. They looked to be just going through the motions, not noticing the power of what they called upon. Soon they had the child set uopn the altar, her crying intensified by the rough handling.

  "Help me.." she cried softly to no one.