Some time ago, a cleric who was standing near the amnesty booth in Branishor approached me. He could, he said, remove the balloon which had looped its cord around my throat more than a full cycle of the 'rifter prior to that turn.
I must admit to some reservations at first. The children, or their voices, or their souls - whatever was held within that balloon I was concerned as to how they would be dealt with. But Barnet eased my concern, assuring me that they would be safe and well looked after.
It's strange how we can become accustomed to things. To begin with, it was a strange feeling to be constantly surrounded by the sound of children singing. But when the balloon was taken from me there was a certain sense of loss. I had become used to the voices, and many was the time that they were a soothing sound, quietly ushering me to my rest.
Now that the balloon is gone I can once again wear a protective amulet. And that means I can now venture into the Reborn Zone without sustaining the fairly serious injuries I suffered in my last few trips there. The lack of an amulet had weakened me to the point where the creatures roaming the zone could hurt me badly. But once again I can enter the area without taking too many injuries - and that may be useful very soon.
Even so, in many ways, I miss the children and their never-changing, never-ceasing song.