[there's a brief laugh at that, though it is distinctly devoid of any sense of joy]

It is certainly not the work of myself or the young one... There were a great number of difficulties for us to even arrive in this darkness.

In this case... First, I would advise each of you to rest and to regain your bearings. Even if there is an understanding that one day all things break... one rarely anticipates it to be so soon.

Second, come tomorrow with fresh minds. Answers will need to be unearthed to determine what happened.

[ . . . ]

... Steel your hearts, but do not allow them to grow cold. Even now, I believe kindness is the greatest strength in times like this.