[An old, Inkstained Diary]

[Dredi]

Bound in supple leather, this small little book has seen many days of ownership, but far fewer of use. The pages are largely blank, barring the odd stain or ink blotch to accompany the scant few sketches and drawings that the book contains.

The first page is written in a different hand, its ink has faded with tears and time leaving it only partially legible.

It reads:

To our Darling T-----
May this jo---nal be filled with many pre----- -----ies
May it keep us in y--- ---rt whenever we cannot -- -----
Ne--r forget, We love you.

The sketches in the book vary in quality and content, sometimes it is something as simple as a plant or a rock, a setting sun or a strange bit of architecture. More often however does depict pictures of creatures and dangers - often shown incredibly viciously with sharp claws, teeth and mandibles, others meanwhile are just masses of black void, scratched into the paper with a sharp pen in harsh jagged lines.


More recently its owner has taken to writing in it proper, perhaps finally putting it to its intended use.

[Dredi]

Tesrin Hray, 21st. IY7788

A lot of people have been talking to me recently. Since I came back out of the woodwork (or is it stonework here?). Lots of people want to know stuff. All sorts of sadness. World's ending, again. Be..real sorta nice if it would not do that for a few years. Maybe let another generation deal with it, but here I am, painting away my days until there's nothing left.

I put the smile on and I paint away my worries and fears like ma' always told me to, but as the days and months and years go on, I dont really know who I am anymore. Its a weird sensation, like, not knowing yourself, you know?

When stuff happened, back then, I didnt really know what to do. I saw you and Pa' with more of the nothing on you than you were yourselves. Pale as snow and glassy eyed. You didnt even notice I was leaving in the end.. or maybe you did. Didnt seem like it. I hated that, you know? You never gave me a chance to say goodbye.

I didnt know - dont know - if you were still in there when I left. Part of me wishes you werent. That you didnt have to know I was just up and leaving you like that, that there wasnt enough of you left to even know... and now its been eating away at me for years.. and I dont know how much of me is even left.

Thanks for listening anyway. I've got to go though. Apparently Selwyn's got himself involved in some shenanigans again, I better go help.

-Triffi