The room was eerily silent, a buzz hung in the air that left everyone in the room unsettled from anticipation. Zilian sat in the far corner watching Erica care for Gienna; occasionally helping her to sips of water, puffing her pillow and when not doing anything else, simply holding her hand for reassurance.

Blade placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention, “Zilian. “

Zilian lifted his head in response, "Yeah?"

"The sun is going down, it will be dark soon. It will be best if we find some accommodations; some sheets, candles, beds, anything we could use." Blade laid out everything clearly, they were going to stay for a while and it was best to get settled when they could.

He sighed tiredly. "Yeah, best to do it now before it gets too dark."

He stood and followed Blade out of the room, trusting Erica would be fine without them for a little while longer. He looked down both ends of the long hallway, one side led back to the main entrance while the other led to the corner.

Blade left orders of what to do with no uncertainty in his tone whatsoever, "I'll go get some supplies in the kitchen here to the left, I saw candle sticks and holders in there. While I am there, I will look for any supplies or food we can use. Since there is no need both of us to do the same thing, you can go down there there to the right and find beds. We will sleep in the same room to be safe."

Zilian nodded in agreement and left for his destination, while Blade went on his way to the kitchen. The first room he went into on the right had a bed tossed aside, just as messy as the one they had left Gienna in. He lifted the bed and dragged it into the hallway back to the room they were in and leaned it straight against the wall. He went back to the same room and dragged out the remaining two beds, bringing them back in the dormitory everyone would be sleeping in.

Now I just need to get some proper cushions. He said to himself so as not to bother Erica.

Back into the room that had all the beds, he remembered spotting several pillows on the ground. He returned to the room with the pillows in hand, dropping them on the table. He saw that Blade had already come back into the room with candles and matches as well as a basket filled with fruits that look like they are starting to spoil but were still good to eat placed near the foot of the table.

Blade lit one of the candles in a candle-holder and handed it to Zilian." Put that somewhere high." He ordered.

He looked around and found an open and high up shelf on one wall, and upon placing it there the room lit up as the candle light waved around.

"Give me another." Zilian requested after setting the candle down.

Blade lit another and handed it to him. He took the small light source and walked back into the dark hallway. The sun was already on its last rays of light, offering little solace for their given predicament.

"Where are you going?" Blade called after him.

"Just going to have a check around, since there really isn't anything else to do except wait in the dark."

"Alright, just do not do anything stupid, I do not want to have to pull you out of a hole." He seemed a bit too lighthearted in for their current circumstance, which left Zilian a bit unsettled.

"I doubt there is a hole in the house." He said while walking away.

He went deeper into the house, past the rooms he was in just minutes ago. All of the rooms he passed were all in same conditions, the deeper he went in the more noticeable of how much damage had been done. He rubbed his hands along the walls, occasionally feeling the grooves which seemed to have come from sword strikes.

The end of the hall led deeper into the left wing of the house and with a turn to the right, he followed the hallway deeper inside towards the end. He saw a light glimmer at the end of the dark corridor, the final stretch of a dead-end with one room to the right. He looked out the left windows, giving him a clear view of the vast plains that led into the forest.

Zilian crept slowly towards the end of the hall, noticing the light bouncing in front of the door more clearly as he neared it. He wedged himself silently against the wall, closing in on the door and peering slowly inside to see who was in the room. He saw a large table in the center of the room lit up by a large candle. However, it was almost dead and only a small strip of the wax remained, even now melting away. He opened the door which gave a loud ear-breaking creak. This room was different from every other room he had seen previously, it appeared to be a large study with shelves covering the all four walls and books occupying every inch. The decorations on each shelf portrayed the value these books had been given, a value not necessarily monetary in nature but of a personal love for reading.

However, his attention was not caught on the countless of books tucked in the shelves, rather the sole large one that had been placed on the table. He walked to the book which appeared old and worn off from age, seemingly made by hand. Upon lifting the book, he saw it was made from a sturdy piece of leather.

The title to the book was Chronicles. He felt the thickness and quality of each one of the pages, clearly this was a book that was made to last for a long time. From the first pages Zilian read, his eyes widened with excitement. This book was what they needed to find out everything that had happened. He closed it and ran back with the tome tucked in his arms to his friends.

"Guys, check this out!" He exclaimed excitedly as he burst into the room.

He dropped the book with a loud and heavy thud on the table, leaving Blade to lift the thick book to read the title aloud.

"Chronicles. What is this about?" He asked.

He snatched the book from Blade, "Here, let me read the beginning for you."

He flipped open the cover to the first page, the pages were faded and the edges were worn. A strong odor spread and left a tangy taste in the air, not unlike how the forest would smell like after a rainstorm.

He placed his fingers on the top of the page where it started. "It says, Mother said I should write everything down in my life. At least anything important to me and significant for others. I do not know how or why but she says it is the best for me. I did not know where to start, so mother said for me to start with my favorite things. I love reading, I love finding new stuff to learn. I guess I am good at learning, all the local tutors said there is nothing more to teach me, I learned everything from them. I love eating my eggs between two toasted breads, for breakfast and dinner."

Erica rose from her chair for the first time, intrigued from what Zilian had found, "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, this is Kenplar's personal journal, it has everything as it says here of significance to him. Starting ever since he was a child."

"How about what happened to him here? There has to be something for us to know what happened here?" She asked hopefully.

"I was going to get to that. Give me a sec to find the page." He flipped through the pages, getting slightly past the middle of the journal.

"Ok, this seems to be where it all started.”

“I have heard disturbing reports of the Mountain have had passed our borders, I became more worried as later reports suggested they were on direct routes to some of the villages and cities on edges of our lands. As I readied myself to depart for the Council and deliver these reports myself, the situation took a terrible turn for the worst of the worst. The nearby villagers fled to me, their homes brought down to ashes and their families slain in front of them. I let them all into my Estate, there is no neglecting the pleas of souls in distress, my only regret is that I did not leave sooner for the Council.

A great crowd entered through my gates, just like the waters to floodgates. Accounted of all that had come, a final count of two-thousand-three-hundred-twenty-five. Men, women, children and elders all made up two-thousand-three-hundred-twenty-five refugees. I immediately sent my medics to attend to the wounded, and I assisted myself as well. Sadly fourty-two passed away shortly after that day and today, as if the hope was all they clung to and to breathe that one extra breath. I worry that some terrible fate looms over us and what might happen next.”

He flipped to the next page.

“The mourning ends today. Knowing the Mountain's cold hearts and their driven relentlessness, they will be heading here now. I sent a message to the Council last night requesting for emergency aid, but I fear it may be too late. I estimate the Mountain will be here no less than a week, so I have begun the makings of weapons and armor. They will not be of the finest quality, but they will suffice. I also began training the men and boys of sufficient age and form with various weapons, namely bows, swords, spears and daggers. The women, elderly and children have been tasked to the farms. If the Mountain looks for a fight, a fight will await them.

The blacksmiths today brought to my attention their inability to complete the task in time, I told them it had to be done or else we would certainly fail. Their trust, along with everyone who came to me for refuge, my family, every living being on my land has laid out their trust on me and I will not betray that trust. I have set up strategies, barricades, sentries and teams today. I have learned two things as well, one that there still is no end to knowledge and when you fight for something you believe in, power you’ve never known you had before will be found. The villagers have learned well and they will fare well in battle.

It has been a little over of a fortnight since the time the villagers arrived, two weeks and two days. The Mountain made their first appearance, attempting an ambush. The surprise was on them, they were not prepared for retaliation, much less a trained army. We lost few that day, the Mountain lost many. Our count has been one-hundred-twelve perished by the sword and eighty-five injured, the Mountain to our count had three-hundred-thirty-one perished by the sword and a minimum of five-hundred injured. We celebrated over our victory, as well mourned for our brothers that day. We know we must keep our guard up, the Mountain does not take defeat lightly."

Erica interrupted, "Zilian, can you get to the final entry please? I don't want to see all the death, I just want to know what happened in the end."

He saw the weight hanging on her shoulders, the pain in her eyes of the inability to see the suffering of others. Kenplar clearly suffered a lot, considering the amount of graves outside.

"Right." He nodded.

He flipped several pages till he found what seemed to be the conclusion of the battle took place here, "This looks like his last entry.”

“These have been the darkest ages I have ever seen, and I fear we have not much time left. So much death and no help, I suspect the Mountain intercepted every one of my messengers. Just more dead souls on my conscience. I would give anything for a surrender, my life, my Estate, just to exchange for the freedom of the remaining villagers. Two-thousand-three-hundred-twenty-five we started with, now we are a mere two-hundred-ninety-one. We have downed a minimum of ten-thousand Mountain soldiers. How did they amass an army so large? I may never know now. Today will be our last stand, and I learned one last lesson in my life. It is about purpose; I used to believe our purpose was for to fight for what we believe, now I know that is not true. My purpose is to fight for the peace and my legacy to live and prosper in those days of peace. My heart is pained, how I wish to tell Gienna how I have failed her as a father. If only I had said 'yes', but all that is for naught as I failed her. Gienna will live as my legacy. Forgive me, remember I will be by your side forever from this life and past the grave in your heart."

He looked at his friends and saw that they had nothing to say, simply trying to digest what had just been revealed. Kenplar led a resistance to save these people, but was ultimately unable to prevent the onslaught of the Mountain.

"Jenson Tensis." They all turned to Gienna who was muttering nearly incomprehensible voice. "Lariat Kaosin. Kenbi Kaosin."

Erica rolled Gienna's hair back, "You ok Gigi?"

She rasped, "Yes, I promised to remember the names of them all." She muttered the names again.

Zilian looked into the book, turned the page over by one. It had more script to it, This Gienna, I promise to remember the names of them all. They may be perished by life, but they will be remembered through history and I will remember the names of them all to assure their existence in it. Jenson Tensis. Lariat Kaosin. Kenbi Kaosin...

A deep curiosity welled up him. "Did you remember the names of every last one of them?" Zilian asked.

"Let her rest, she needs to sleep." Erica scolded him.

"I need to know, why would you remember the names of them all?" He urged her as he stepped closer to the bed, to be able to hear her more clearly.

Gienna eyes flickered painfully and her voice was coarse, "They died... All of them..." She clearly had not heard Zilian’s question, instead she dozed off to sleep.

Blade criticized, "That is a ridiculous thing to do. Why would she remember everyone’s names for? They are all dead, so there is no point in it."

He eyed Blade and Erica, both of their faces gave the same expression, pity for Gienna to go through that and thinking she had gone mad from this trauma. He backed away with the aged journal tucked under his arms as Erica tucked the pillow under Gienna, departing from the room. Walking down the hallway back in the main entrance, he sat down at the beginning of the ruined stairway and opened the book back at the start of the list naming dead. He began to memorize all the names he read under his breathe, I will remember them too, he promised.

"Are you going crazy too?" He jumped from Blade who was towering over him, giving the same look he had given Gienna.

"I could ask you the same." He retorted.

"I know I have sanity, it may not be much but at least it is something." He grinned, "You on the other hand are doing the exact same thing as Gigi back there. That did not do her too much good and in fact it really does not seem like it did anything to begin with, except for putting more heartache into the pain she already has."

Zilian slapped the book shut with a loud clap. "It did not waste her time. Not everyone is as strong as you and you very well know that!"

Blade took an offended step back and spat, "So you are saying remembering a bunch of names makes you strong?"

"Yes, it does."

"That seems to be doing her a lot of good, here she is knocked out from exhaustion that perhaps may even be the cause of her deathly state."

"She lost her father. You will not understand, you never lost anyone important to you."

"My father is gone too." He crossed his arms defiantly.

Zilian became hot with anger, having forgotten what he had mentioned when they first met. He did not feel like to lose an argument against him.

"You never showed that you missed him, and she not only lost her father but her friends and everyone else she befriended here."

Blade glared back coldly, "And I lost an entire city of family. I believe I have a sense of a feeling of lost."

His mouth gaped, trying to come up with some witty response, "How do you deal with it? Sleep at night?"

"How I sleep at night? I just close my eyes and I slumber. How I deal with it is another story in itself, I try to let go of the past. I can not move forward if the memories of my family draw me back, if I hold on to those memories it will sway me from my objective."

"Let me guess, stop the Mountain Empire and end this war?" Zilian sneered spitefully.

Blade pushed him back with a finger, setting a foot down to clearly show he was crossing a line, "You may mock me or even others for what they believe. I tell you this, if you mock the belief of others, you in truth are mocking yourself because you yourself do not have a belief and are simply being led by the wind." His words had mighty weight in them, and Blade left him alone with drooped shoulders in the dark room alone to ponder over the significance of what he had said.