My friends lay around me in a circle. America, his bomber jacket stained a horrible crimson. England, curled up net to the wheat blond, but little blood flecked his uniform due to the amount of magic he had used that had caused his death. France, his arm crushed, his open, staring eyes wide with horror. China, his long hair reduced to nothing but shreds, and with blood matting what was left. Russia, whom I had never heard scream once, even when he was torn nearly apart. Canada, the nearly invisible nation clearly visible with the scarlet drenching every part of him. Prussia, the albino's throat cut open. Japan, his white outfit dirtied, his beautiful katana shattered. Germany...

I couldn't even bring myself to even glance at my best friend.

They were dead. They were all dead. My friends, with whom I had spent centuries with, shared many laughs and fought with...

I-...I had told myself this would be the last time. I had promised. I had promised them.

And now, they were dead, again. Because I couldn't protect them.

Tears pour down my face, clearing their path against the dried blood on my cheeks.

I had failed again.

I had failed again.

I lurch forward, slamming my palms against the ground, making the red liquid splash back onto my uniform. I can't stay still, not right now. I grab a fistful of my auburn hair, getting it wet with the blood of my friends. It was that book. That stupid book!

I snatch it up, getting red handprints on the spine and cover. I could still make out the words, 'Property of Ryuuzu' right under the golden cross before I open it and begin tearing pages out.

Madly, wildly, I shriek, "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" until my throat feels like it will rip itself out. I turn into a feral animal as I stand up and smash every piece of furniture I can reach. "IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME! I SHOULD'VE DIED! I-...I should've died...Not them..." My voice is quieter as I stare at the wrecked room. Pieces of broken wood litter my friends' mangled bodies even further.

I grab my hair again and tilt my head backwards, glaring at the ceiling through my hysteric tears. "WHERE ARE YOU?" I scream at the mansion. "COME HERE!"

I knew it'll come. I'm its' last trophy. It'll succeed in the task that I had been trying to prevent throughout too many, FAR too many time loops.

It was going to kill me.

And I was going to let it.

I shakily walk to the corpse of what was once Germany and lay my head on his cold, unmoving chest. "G'night, Germany. G'night, everyone," I add, lifting myself just enough to take one last look at my friends' dead bodies. I close my eyes and snuggle into Germany's coat.

The door opens, and I hear the heavy footsteps indicating the monster's approach. I look at it in annoyance. It gazes back at me through coal-colored eyes that seemed to stare straight into my soul. It's sickly gray skin is still dirtied with blood of one of my friends. "What took you so long, dummy?" I giggle, an insane smile taking over my normally innocent face. "I've been waiting for you."

It lifts one of its'...Hands? Paws? I really don't know what to call them. It lifts one of its' claws, sharpened almost daintily in preparation for my demise.

I take a deep sigh and think about me for the last time.

My name is Italy Veneziano. I am the country of Northern Italy. I guess my brother, Italy Romano, or South Italy is just Italy now. I came here because of a rumor, and I brought my friends with me. They all died, but I survived. I turned back time in an attempt to save them, save them all, but I couldn't prevent all of them to escape. This last failure has sent me... "over the edge", or so to speak.

I give up.

I feel the talons rip through my body, and I fall with a thump to the floor, landing in between Germany and Japan. As the last of my blood slowly drips out of my body, I laugh. I can finally rest...

You can not easily set foot in that 'mysterious mansion' in your town...

Because if you anger its' former occupant...

You won't get away lightly...

Especially when no one is living there...