December.. 15th I guess..

I'm sitting in my room. What's left of it.

A behemoth. That's what they called it.

Giant magic reptiles that... That...

I can't do this.

I can't..

December 16th.

I'm sitting on our lawn. I slept in what's left of my room the last five days.

Yesterday we held a memorial service. That- That thing, it...

It laid eggs. That's what happened. Usually, they find a herd of animals. This time-.. It found a village..

Took out all the small islands on it's way there. Every island in sight is a ruin.

Including ou- my home..

They had to burn the eggs. Or the spawn might get a taste for kin and kith, they said.. They are too resilient to destroy any other way.

First time I saw fire.

Some ceremonial guy in an elaborate costume lit the eggs on fire. They went up like candles..

I never saw fire act like that. Even his torch was...

It acted like someone kept pouring oil on it. I get why they are scared of fire. Some of the-.. the eggs were still inside of-..

There were 3 inside Alfred's house.. They had to burn what was left of the house down.. It was burnt to cinders in minutes.

Another just outside, the largest of them all..

Aunt Caitlyn stood there, silently watching as they burned that one.

I never saw her that quiet.

He wasn't even supposed to be there..

``Nathan..'' [Shawn]

I hear from behind.

``Oh, Shawn..'' [Nathan]

``I came to take you to your Aunts house, child. She has something she needs to talk to you about.'' [Shawn]

``... Alright.'' [Nathan]

Shawn was at the memorial service too. He had been friends with Mom and Dad. With uncle Graham too.. And it seems he and aunt Caitlyn are on good terms, somehow.

``Also..'' [Shawn]

He takes out a piece of cloth wrapped around a small item and hands it to me.

``They finished your vestige..'' [Shawn]

``.. Thank you..'' [Nathan]

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Slowly, I unwrap it.

It's made from a midnight blue crystal, with a silver trim. The motif is a set of stars, one for each of the people I lost. Two large emerald stars in the middle, next to each other.

I asked for this design.

It had to be this..

I take the vestige and put it in my inner pockets.

``Shall we?'' [Shawn]

We get on the boat Shawn brought to get me.

He sits at the stern of the boat, steering us towards aunt Caitlyn's house.

I sit at the bow, as I always do, starring out across the waters.

I pull out the vestige..

This is all I have to remember them by..

Staring out across the sea, I slowly start to hum to myself.

``When, i sit under the stars.

They heal my ragged scars.

I feel the love aro~und me.

If, I feel a world apart.

My heart, they do impart.

A love, given so free~ly.

When, the world is cold and dark.

I'm guided by their mark.

A light, so kind and true.

And when I fall, they're the first thing I see.

Slowly get up, and they whisper this to~ me.

We stand watch, over the sea.

Our love, will always be.

Gi~ven~free~ly." [Nathan]

We are almost at the house.

Elena came back from the academy with Shawn.

She has been here, together with Samantha and Sarah ever since.

Apart from me, they are the only ones that survived.

Walking through the snow-covered garden, not a sound between the two of us, we reach the front door.

First time in my life I walked this road without listening to stories about orchids.

It has never felt this desolate.

Shawn knocks on the door.

Steps are heard from within the house, and aunt Caitlyn opens the door.

``Hello Shawn, it's good that you came. Nathan.'' [Caitlyn]

Ugh.. Callous as ever.. I really don't have the energy to deal with her right now..

But she's family. I'll grit my teeth as much as I need to.

After all, she lost as much as I did..

Aunt Caitlyn guides us to the living-room, offers some sweets and tea, and gestures for us to sit down.

She starts talking with Shawn about the memorial, his job at Bightkeep, and other irrelevant small-talk.

I don't have the energy or the will to follow their conversation.

Can we just get this over with?

I want to get back to what's left of my home.

``How is Elena coping with it? And Samantha?'' [Shawn]

``Sam hasn't stopped crying. Elena is a brave child but she cried a lot the first night.'' [Caitlyn]

``And Sarah?..'' [Nathan]

She turns her head and glares me.

For a fraction of a second, her face warps into a pained, sad look of.. What?.. Pity? Regret? Shame?.. I'm not sure.

``The poor girl hasn't said a wood since she heard the news. Just sits there, staring blankly ahead.'' [Caitlyn]

``Oh.. By the way, aunt Caitlyn, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?..'' [Nathan]

She look sat me, disinterested, before she turns to Shawn.

``You were going back to the city today no? Could you possibly bring Nathan? I don't think it's healthy that he sleeps in that ruined house any more.'' [Caitlyn]

``As you wish. I'll shall go wait by the boat, you can join me when you want to Nathan.'' [Shawn]

He gets up and leaves, after exchanging a short farewell with aunt Caitlyn.

After he closes the door, aunt Caitlyn turns back to me.

``Today is your ninth birthday.'' [Caitlyn]

``Oh. That's right. I forgot all about that.'' [Nathan]

``Jessica had me store their present to you.'' [Caitlyn]

``I see.'' [Nathan]

She gets up. After shortly leaving the room, she returns with a sheathed dagger.

``Jessica bought this for you. It's a steel dagger of excellent quality. It was quite expensive.'' [Caitlyn]

``Mom.. Mom told me some time ago how valuable these are.. I will make sure t-'' [Nathan]

``-And I will give this to you, as long as you agree to change your family name.'' [Caitlyn]