The Hero has fallen, the Quest has failed, and the Prophecy lies broken. With it so too has gone our last hope. The long dark arm of shadow spreads across the world, even now.

So here I stand, with my fellow soldiers. The burden of guilt falls upon our shoulders, for we were not there when Alern fell. Tasked with defending a narrow pass a week’s march to the west, we tell ourselves it wouldn’t have mattered. Secretly I think everyone of us questions that statement, despite knowing how badly our side was outnumbered at the last. I know as I sit here writing this, that I do. I can only think of my wife and our little one. I pray every night that they’re dead, knowing now that there are fates so much worse.

I leave this letter here as a vain attempt at marking that mankind was ever here. We go now to face the final dawn. We will go down spitting curses and blood, and make such a dent in that great army that the false one will never forget us, even if history does.