((Sort of a mini-backstory here. I likely will add some songs and a few sparse journal entries in the future.))

Eulogy for a Lost Soul Alexi Fawkes

"I need Sanctuary in the pages of this book."

I love this city. It's beautiful. So many people, from everywhere and nowhere. The surface, the dark. A living thing, most glorious at it's wicked depths.

My whole life here. Childhood, mom and dad. Nothing but good memories. Mom and dad died. We lost the house. Alec. Sora.

I haven't seen Alec in a week. I think he's running drugs for the drow. Dad would kill him.

I'm getting better with the sword. I'm getting better with the words.

A fiend tried to buy my soul today, and I didn't let it. Why didn't I say yes?

____________________________________ "Mom, why do me and Alec's names sound the same?" -"When you were young, you got very sick, and we thought you were going to die. Alec was born during that time, and we made his name like yours so that if you had died, we could carry on your memory." ____________________________________ "Sora, Alec and I have to do this. We need the money. You're sick of eating rats, aren't you? Just wait here, we'll be back soon." -"Lex, please! I don't care about rats! Things will get better! Stay with me... please?" ____________________________________ "Alec. You have to stop. You're going to get yourself killed." -"Fuck you Alexi! I'm doing what I have to do! You used to know what that meant! The darkness, Alexi. It's all around you, and if you aren't with me then you're - nothing."

The blow glanced off his shoulder and struck his cheekbone, stunning him and forcing a few steps back.

The next strike came from his right, out of the corner of his eye. He ducked it and swung his foot around, landing a kick squarely in the chest. Alec hit the dirt.

"Nice, Lex!" Alexi turned to face his father's praise beaming with pride. The next moment, his legs were taken out from under him, and he crashed to the stone.

He looked up to see his brother grinning at him, and hear his father's laughter echoing... __________________________________________________

Two of the trio sat in the small alley they called home. Lex leaned against the wall and gazed at Sora. Little sister. Even the dirt and grime of the streets of Lower couldn't take away from her beauty. She was knitting (who knows how she had found the wool) and humming something sweet and tuneless.

"Dinnertime!" Lex turned to look as Alec strode in, and tossed him a loaf of bread. He caught it easily and wolfed down about half of it.

-- Alec was asleep. "Sora. You've got to eat." She preferred rats to stolen bread. He tossed her the other half of the loaf. She checked to make sure Alec was asleep, then ate the bread hungrily. "I know, Lex." She wiped her lips. "But I'm worried Alec will be caught." "Alec can take care of himself." "I know he can, Lex. But can he take care of all of us?"

_________________________________________________

Click! As the lock gave way to Alec's pick, and the brothers rushed into the room. He was waiting for them.

Lex's greatsword met the man's axe. Once, twice. Damn, he was fast, but there are two of us. Alec dodged around the axe, circling around the man in the small room. Lex saw his chance at the man's first distraction, stepping forward and tripping the armored man, and laying him out with a kick.

In an instant, the brothers' blades were at his throat. Lex could see fear in his eyes. "Why - why are you doing this?"

Alec sneered. "You fucked with my boss. And now youre going to die." Alec's dagger flicked down, severing the man's unguarded throat. Lex watched the stain begin to spread on the floorboards. "Time to go, Lex!"

They dashed out of the small house. "Let's get paid!"

edits for typos/corrections

"You let her die, Lex."

"I didn't! She's - She's still alive. I know she is!"

"Then she's a slave in some drow mine by now."

"No, Alec! We have to save her!"

Tears stained their cheeks. The loss of a sister. A mother, a father, a home.

"What do we do, now?"