[i]"He stormed in"[/i] Earlson explained [i]"Completely insane, nobody could stop him...we tried to get everyone out sir...but we had no warning."[/i] He look down in shame, but Mathias was quick to assure his old friend. [i]"You weren't to know Earlson, how could you of? Hell, I didn't realize what he was capable of! He's gone now though, how many causalities?"[/i] The young guard Martin Golunski stepped forward, notepad in hand [i]"Twelve fatalities sir, none that were attacked survived."[/i] Mathias sighed, the only way Samuel got in was because he was a resident, because Mathias gave him a home. It was his mistake and it has cost so many lives.

[i]"Right!"[/i] Mathias projected from the bottom of the grand staircase, all eyes were on him, all those saddened, tormented eyes. [i]"Today is a sad day, we have lost so many good people; friends, relatives, strangers who you never got the chance to talk to. Why has this happened? Because i trusted the wrong man, I would beg your forgiveness, but that wont bring them back, I will fall to my knees and curse the gods but they will not listen. We are alone in this hell, surrounded on all sides by crazed killers and vindictive deceivers. We must stay strong, I promise you we will have vengeance one day, not just on Samuel, but on this whole rotting carcass of a city. This I swear to you, when we rule over this city it will change, who's with me?"[/i] 

Mathias' heart sank for a moment, nobody spoke, they just stood. That was it, he had lost the favor of his people, he turned to his wife and children and imagined then being thrown from their home because of his mistakes, he could clearly see the next few weeks; scavenging, hiding, running, they would not make it into the next turn of the calender. His imagination was distracted by the sudden clapping of hands, in unison the entire hall was filled with applause and cheers, they had forgiven their leader for his foolishness and they would share his vision, his body found a fantastic lightness as he was overcome with pride.

The next few hours were filled with security checks, Mathias was assured that the estate was perfectly safe. The gates were to be more closely monitored, as were the parameter and rooftops. Before the cataclysm the Winters estate was one of the most secure locations in the city, today its former glory had been restored, but not only by new security measures, but by the best warning money could buy; The clouds remained over the estate, continuing a flurry of snow now and again, the fields were permanently white, the river a trail of ice. Mathias suspected that most of the city could see the frozen landscape in the distance, he knew that it would only enhance the old wives tale that within this estate roamed yeti-like beasts and malevolent wraiths, all commanded by the mysterious Ice-King. One thing was for certain, they wouldn't be seeing many traveler's around these parts for a while.