:The dragon descended upon the Mainland, at a frightening speed. Those on the ground were terrified that he would land upon them, and kill them. The dragon spoke common; had the emblems of the House of Carazzi upon his hyde, branded in. Guards identified the dragon, and when learning of the message, rushed into the Mainland Manor. Sir Alterio I was awoken in his bed, and none too pleased about it. Who likes being roused from sleep. He went downstairs in his bedclothes and got the news.

He soon came back in, a glass of rye in his weathered hand, and sat to write.::

Dear Journal,
My son, the namesake is dead.

We'd not spoken in two years; I heard portions of his life as it trickled back here. Gossip always spreads. He did alright for himself.

He'd have been twenty-four in twelve days from today.

He's with his sister and brother and mother. Why do I idealize them in death? Granted, I am an old man now. Fifty years is much time to watch what goes on round yourself. I am not the ilk that would have told them, "Oh how I cherish you" whilst they were here. That is for the weak.

The wife did have a hard life with me. The children knew what I expected of them, and generally lived up to my standards.

Generally.

Now I have but the alcoholic pirate left. And grandchildren that I truly have no interest in seeing; I am not good with little ones. My own children could tell you that.

..No, they can't. Particularly not my namesake.

For he is dead, Journal. Slain in the line of his Knightly duty.

::He seems to age another ten years as he sits, his hand shakily holding his rye::

--Journal Entry, 15 December, Alterio Carazzi I

:::sits in her Shoppe, beside the newly alighted forge, with journal in hand, writing as she thinks:::

Its happened...theyre gone. Both of them. Uncle Alterio is dead...Ben's dead. I watched them both die, and couldnt do anything about it. I couldnt beg Uncle Alterio to forfeit...he was doing his duty. I know what it is like to have to tend your duty, I could not have embarassed him that way. I kneeled at his side, after he head taken his last breath, closed his eyes, kissed his cheek, and told him I loved him. :::sighs as again her tears threaten, but, still, she wont let them fall::: I didnt get to tell him before he died. I didnt get to thank him for everything hes done for me. He's gone...the man I adored is gone. He will never again call me 'Nephew', or threaten me with a bratstick.

Ben's dead. Neo and I took him to the volcano, along with Tika, to be interred. I didnt get to say goodbye to him, either. I didnt say anything, I just did what had to be done. I made sure he was interred properly. As best I could.

I feel so empty without those two around. I cant believe they are gone. I cant blame Vixxy for Ben's death. I would have reacted the same if someone had done Taelie that way. I know I would. I cant even cry. I feel as though my own life has seeped out. It doesnt belong to me anymore. So many deaths. So many loved. I just want them back. I want them back DAMNIT.

Ive been walking around in a stupor. I couldnt even get drunk. I wanted to, so badly, but, I couldnt. I dont want to be around anyone. I just want to be left alone. I want the sun to rise and wake up, it all just having been some horrible nightmare. All my Family, besides the children, are gone. They are no more.

:::rakes a hand through her red hair, looking around the shoppe:::

There is enough here to do. I dont want to go to sleep, I dont want to see their faces again, as I reached out, closing their eyes. Uncle Alterio is in the parlor of the Manor. I cant go there, too many memories. I dont want to have to tell Lia yet. I...I cant tell her. I cant give her such news.

:::she sits back to the wall, staring off into nothing, not moving, nor blinking, just simply being, on auto-pilot, having forgotten all about finishing her journal entry. The scenes of her closing their eyes returning to her again, and the elder Carazzi's words..."He'd have been 24 in 12 days...."...echoing throughout her shellshocked mind::::::

--Journal Entry, 15 December, Lyrias Dreams

::: in a shaky hand, Tika begins to write, her writing quick, and unlike her speach, recalling the events, tears flowing down her cheeks onto the pages::::

Benjamin is dead. Vixen killed him. He killed Alterio, and she killed him. He crawled to me on his hands, begging me to heal him...I couldnt. I couldnt. All I could see was my dead husband there. Somewhere I knew what was happeneing, but, I couldnt stop it. He died in my arms, his head on -my- lap. Another, dead in -my- arms. Am I cursed? Am I meant to -never- have love? ::she breaks down into tears as she writes, wiping them away before picking up her quill once again::: H..h-he locked his eyes on mine before he died. He held my gaze as though I were the most special woman on the Island...and I failed him. I couldnt save him. The second man I have -ever- loved is now lying in the bottom of the volcano....after dying in my arms, just like the first.....

:::she rests her cheek against the chaise lounger, near the window, whispering out into the wind.... " I love ye, precious one..I do, and I always 'ave."...wiping the silent tears from her face, she writes once again::::

Vixen and I were going to try and save Alterio....Ben called for me to save him. He asked that I try to save him. Had he not already drawn his last breath, perhaps we could have saved him. It was impossible to do though. It was too late to save M'Lord Carazzi.

:::letting out a long pent up sigh, she turns to face the window, slowly drifting to sleep, uneasily, as she sees Benjamin's eyes peering up into hers, his throat gaping from the vicious slash, and his torso ripped open and in shreds, drawing in his last dying breath as he placed his head in her lap::::::

--Journal Entry, 15 December, Tika Flynn

"rubs her temples as she pulls the journal to her and begins to write"

Why did this happen? He should not be dead. HE SHOULD NOT BE !!! I should have stepped in sooner but i knew he didnt want me to. DAMNIT why didnt I do it anyways? I will never forgive myself for this. But his death was avenged. I will never say im sorry for that...NEVER. I would do it again If i had to. His death was needless and should never have happened. Gods why? The children, within just a few short weeks of losing their baby sister and their aunt..now their father.

"she shakes her head thinking of the murderers blood still on her claymore, it now hanging behind the bar at 'Dome." It will not be removed. His name not to be mentioned in my presence ever....

"she glances at his will laying there on her desk and sighs as tears roll down her cheek blotting the page in the journal" The things he left in trust for Mia, Alkane, Mairin and Thirlia will remain so.I shall do as he bid me but i cant deal with it right now. I have had gold and his merchant vessel turned over to Anthony. The Meat Market now belongs to Lord Embrich. His other possessions and those of the murderer will be disposed of according to his wishes and not mentioned in the will.

I have to try to stay strong for the childrens sakes...Inside is another story... Im falling apart. Gods I loved him so much. I just hope he knew that.

Alterio, I love you with all my heart.. I always have and you will never be forgotten. Never.

Its bye for now my love, I cant say 'good-bye' to you though. I never could... I know you are with Marissa now, taking care of her.

Journal Entry, 15 December, Vix

"she crying harder now, shoves the journal aside and lays her head on the desk and cries til there are no tears left"

:Looking out from the Meat Market's window, he just doesn't feel right about this. He goes to one of the few shops open and buys a bolt of black cloth. A peasant woman on the street passes by and he asks, "Can you sew"? He sure can't. In no time, the cloth is fashioned into a black curtain that hangs inside the window, blocking the brutal sun.:

The island is in mourning. A friend gone, another I didn't know as well. Didn't know until I arrived here this morning, the bazaar teeming with SSAGmen who were shoring up the broken window of the Toy store, and padlocking it shut. It wasn't looted, but it was heavily damaged.

I only wanted an advance on my salary here. I surely didn't want my friend dead. Now, I don't think I want anything. He left me this shop..free and clear. I never expected that. I think I'll be content living in the back room. I don't need anything opulent, that I'm learning.

Where did opulence get him? Nowhere. And I don't know why, but I get a feeling I'm being watched. I see a strange man, a human, in the shadows. He was down here earlier, down the block and attempting to blend in. But I saw him.

If the citadel opens today, I'll be making some purchases. Something's not right. Above and beyond the obvious, there is something going on.

::Locks the front door until Monday after hanging a sign on the door. "The Meat Market is closed in observance of the death of Sir Carazzi." And goes to the back of the shoppe, finding a bottle of rye in the drawer, left by the previous owner::

Journal Entry, Lord Embrich Silverton, friend of Sir Carazzi, 15 December.

*the Elf sits down in the common room of his home, his journal opened to a blank page before him, his quill in hand. He dips the quill into his inkwell and begins to write*

More death...can there ever be aught but death? Benjamin, a man whom I considered a friend...a man many said had duped all of the Light. Should I believe that? I don't know, and he isn't around any longer to converse with.. Alterio...the man leaves behind a legacy on this isle. I don't know if there is a person who hasn't, at the very least, heard of him on the island...And Goddess, his children..the poor wee ones..they've lost so much in so short a period of time. Children are always the ones whom suffer the most from their elders' fights, their duels, their battles and their fueds.. I shall light a candle for them all...

*the Elf sighs, knowing not what to write of the dead, or of the living they leave behind. Leaving his journal out to dry, he walks back to the bedroom and stands in the doorway long, his eyes upon his wife and the one whom has become his son. After some long moments, he lays down beside the both of them, falling into an unrestful sleep..*

Journal Entry, 15 December, Sylverleaf.

::Again sits on his balcony that over looks the ocean. He takes out his journal and begins to write::

Dear Gods this is going ot be a rough time! Ben is dead...Alterio is dead... *sighs heavily* Yes, I wanted Ben to die, it was my wish. MY WISH! Mom was right when she said be careful what you wish for, because it just might come true.

On a second note, what have I become as of late? Running around hacking up others for plain fun. *laughs* Yes, I have done this for quite awhile, but not with such malice as just to watch them bleed. I have drifted far from my Knighthood days. Alterios death has shown me that. He was slain in his duties, just like Orion did.... Speaking of such, what a grim reunion it must have been for Tika last eve when Lyr and I tossed the carcuss of Ben into the Volcano. He died much like Orion, in battle. It must have been truely hard for her to see things happen again as they did in the past. I know I wouldn't have been able to handle it as she did.

Vixen now owns the Pleasuredome. *chuckles* I wonder how long before it is just women in there? No, no I am kidding. I feel for Vixen. She is a friend, and I will try and stand by her decisions at the Dome.
Journal Entry, 15 December, ~Neo~

::sets the journal down. He stands and moves to the banister, and stares omniously out over the waters::