Dear Ros,

Hey there, dear brother. It's me, Rio.
 
I took your journal. I don't think you're going to even notice it's missing. You haven't been writing in it much since Elion agreed to stick with us, but I get it. I know that there's so much going on in your head now, so much so that you don't even know where to start writing. There's also so much going on in my head, too, you know? We're really in the same position, Ros. More than I think you realize.
 
I don't know how to talk about what happened. I don't want to think about it. I don't know if I'll ever be able to say anything about it. But I do know that... You did what you had to do. You were protecting me. Us. You promised you'd protect me, and you succeeded. At an awful cost, but a necessary one. A life for a life, right?
 
We weren't raised that way. I hate thinking that way. But I have to think that way, because there's nothing else I can do. Elion traded lives in Everska and you... Defended me... And I... My magic was stronger than I thought it'd be...
 
But. People die. All the time. And all of the party have taken lives before. I will never think that it's okay to take a life from someone, but there will always be circumstances where it's either you or someone else. I... I never want to be put into situations like that, but that's what happened. The cultists are trying to destroy the world, too, so perhaps the loss of their lives is not such a tragedy.
 
I write, but that's not how I feel. And that's not how you feel either.
 
I don't know what's going on in your brain, Marros. What I do know is I love you. I will always love you. You're my brother. You've kept your promise, and I know that you will continue to do so. Nothing that you can do will make me love you less, and I'll never fear you or hate you (I did peek at your last journal entry, sorry).
 
I love you, brother. I know that things are awful now and it feels like nothing will ever be right again. Life does not stay awful. Bad can only last so long. It cannot remain cloudy. If it did, then the flowers would never bloom. If you cannot ever find a brightness in a day, then please allow me to be that brightness for you. I want to chase away your storm clouds, but you have to let me see them first. I don't care how dark they are. They won't scare me.
 
I am here with you. I will always be with you. Even if you do break and show me your undesirable side, I will not leave you. It might be good for you to break and lash out and be angry or cry. I know that you've always held yourself back. You don't need to anymore. Our parents aren't around to stifle you now. No one will judge you. You can do whatever you want to.
 
With love, forever and always, Riole.