Chapter Text
Moonlight shone through the snowy canopies of the leafless trees, grass covered with a thick layer of white snow.
Snowflakes drifted downwards as Dusekkar passed calmly through the woods, leaving hoofprints indented in the snow as he walked. The heat from the fire beneath his pumpkin mask melted any snow that threatened to land upon his head, lighting up the dark forest around him.
He had only made this trip through the forest in hopes getting away from the bustle of the HQ—perhaps find a herb or two to study in his free time.
Dusekkar walking through the snowy woods, watching as a small fawn crossed his path. The deerlet paused, watching the wizard closely. Dusekkar smiled warmly as its ear gave a quick flick and it continued on its path.
The pumpkin exhaled a breath he wasnt aware he was holding, preparing to continue on his own path before a noise that did not belong in the woods caught him off guard, causing him to stop in his tracks.
The cry of a baby could be faintly heard beyond the trees, barely audible over the sound of the falling snow.
Dusekkar quickened his pace, his path changing towards the direction of the cry. He gripped his staff tighter, not out of cold, but out of anger.
‘Who in their right mind would leave a baby out here in the snow?’ He thought, the cry growing louder as he neared the source. His pace turned from quickened walking to a steady sprint, brought on by a newfound sense of urgency to aid this unknown child.
Dusekkar abruptly paused his pace as he stood just outside a miniature, snowy clearing in the trees. In the middle, lay a small baby swaddled in a black blanket, a stark contrast to the pristine white snow around them.
The baby, as if sensing the wizards presence, let out another cry, the sound echoing through the dense trees.
Dusekkar hesitantly took a step forward.
Then another,
And another.
Until he was standing directly above the wailing infant. The baby opened its eyes, and ceased its crying, instead letting out a small laugh at the warmth radiating from the pumpkin.
He leaned down, carefully taking the small child in his arms, watching it coo and nuzzle into his warmth. Dusekkar let out a soft chuckle at the child’s actions, shifting his grip to be more comfortable for them.
“I can’t leave you here alone, now can I?” Dusekkar muttered, bouncing the now giggling infant in his arms. Dusekkar hummed softly, contemplating his choices. He could bring the baby to an orphanage, where it could be adopted by anyone, or he could raise it as his own.
Obviously he couldn’t do the latter—he had a job as an admin of Robloxia after all!
But despite that, he couldn’t bear the thought of this child being brought up in an orphanage or adopted by the wrong kind of people—so, with a deep sigh, Dusekkar began to retrace his steps with the baby still in his arms, knowing he’d regret this decision in the morning and brought the baby home with him, to raise as his own.
Sparing one more glance at the infant, he mummered a promise under his breath, “You shall henceforth be known as Taiza, and I shall raise you with all the care a child deserves.”
The child—unaware of what was happening—just babbled, reaching a small hand up towards the wizard happily.
The pumpkin continued walking back to his home, unbeknownst to the presence watching him from beyond the trees—a man with long black hair, donning a blue cloak and a symbol Dusekkar had grown to dislike. Perhaps, if they had gotten here a moment sooner, they would be the one who adopted a child that night. A child, who instead would’ve grown up worshiping a god that didn’t exist.
But fate had a different idea this time.
The only reason this man hadn’t been there sooner, was because a purple butterfly had distracted him for a moment. And the only reason the wizard had been there, was because he had been distracted by a deer.
Strange, isn’t it?
How one single moment can change so much.