An Introduction to Lila

Well, I never believed I would write a story about myself. 

My life had always been a steady cycle of sell-and-steal, until recently. I now have too much to say, and too much in my mind. Now that I am awake and my companion Ashildr is arguing with nature once more, I decided to write down my story, least I forget it, or I am ready for people to know some day. 

Huh, I never thought I was the ‘diary’ type. 

I guess one could say this all started when [REDACTED]. 

[REDACTED]

I did not have a reason to say no, so I accepted. 

While Taegan's father and eldest brother were discussing wonderful plans they had for the land, Tae seemed to be… removed. There was a whisper of a moment in which he seemed to be in full disagreement of the fantastic announcement made by his brother. However, I refused to dwell on it - he had had an eventful day. 

I needed to return home to make sure my family was okay. “Please come back tomorrow, I have something to show you,” he made me promise. Of course, I agreed. He is my best friend. 

The next day, when I was preparing to return to the elven city, a crier came to our village. Most of what he had to announce passed as a blur, but was stopped in my tracks when I heard “Val’Lyera was attacked this morning - the two youngest princes have gone missing”

People loved the young princes. Taegan and Ranil were now missing. They were taken that morning. 

I should have been there. I was meant to be there. I could have helped them. 

My brother and I decided to go looking for them. While my brother enjoyed the inspiration that adventure provided for his music, killing drove him mad. He walked to Val’Lyera with me, and helped me explain that we were going to go out to look for Taegan and Ranil. The elven elder was kind - he gave me a dagger carved from the bones of the Fallen Titan, blessed by Selune, our Father’s goddess, and blessed my brother’s guitar. 

On our way, we met a small group of adventurers, who claimed to be looking for Ranil. 

When we found him in that forsaken dungeon, it was too late. 

He was beautiful even in death. 

That day, I pledged to do whatever it took to find Tae. However, the next morning I woke up in a strange, different land. I decided to follow another group of adventurers. In our adventure, I could feel my dagger becoming more and more natural in my hand, and the shadows became my friends. I went from a petty thief to a dangerous person. And I would not stop until I was strong enough to find my friend. 

I kept seeing new lands, out of my control, and kept seeing friends get hurt and die. I most recently met a group of giants in the town of Aurelia. They are kind, however seem to be influenced by Shar. That night, the Goliath Mogron died, and after prayers, Shar’s influence flowed from Erim to the dead bard. A clear, comforting voice in my mind told me to ‘save them’. I know, deep down it was Selune. I was never sure she truly existed, but now I try to turn to her for comfort. 

After a battle I found myself back home. As soon as I could, I returned to Val’Lyera, where the elder welcomed me with open arms. He had found that a teleportation circle had been drawn nearby, possibly allowing Taegan to travel to another land. He sent me through the circle, and I found myself surrounded by both the living and the dead. 

I had found myself back in the land of the giants, in Aurelia. 

The man we saw that day… he had become an experiment. One that seemed to be transforming him into a dragon. He was still aware of who he was, and although I wish the others had not killed him, I know that his mind was not his own, and he would have killed us instead. 

Humans are so fragile… and the people who did this to him were bright. 

How hard could this be to reproduce on an elf? 

I only slept for a moment on my shift around the campfire, but it was enough to see visions. I saw Tae, surrounded by unconscious children, in front of a foreign throne and a woman with red hair. I saw a library, in a forest. I saw a gem in my pocket, and a man I can only describe as looking like summer. I do not know what these visions mean, but I am now certain that Taegan is in this land. And I will not stop searching for him and getting better until I see him. Dead or alive. 

I need to know what happened.

It was my fault. I will fix it.

And I refuse to let others get hurt.