Hungary kept her word, Austria did not see her for the rest of the evening. After this "pathetic" conversation with Italy, she went up to her room. Yes, it was her room, not theirs. Because of their lack of romance and the two of them living in a mansion, they had a room each for themselves. Austria hated things being wasted or left out to get covered with dust, so it was all good they both had a room for them to use. Austria always claimed he did not want to share a bed with Hungary, and he never told her why. Hungary seemed hurt when Austria did not tell her why that time, but Austria did not understand why she fussed about it...

"

Austria sat on the sofa and read the newspaper. Italy was still in the mansion, doing housework. But that was done slower than usual, the pace was at its lowest. Italy seemed to be in his own world, it had to be something on his mind he wanted to let out. Austria noticed.

"What is it with you, Italy? Don`t slack off just because your work hour is almost done!" Austria told Italy sternly.

"I-I-I... It is not what I am doing...N-n-not on purpose at least..."Italy stammered.

"Then what are you doing? What do you want?!"

"It is Christmas tomorrow and I was wondering...if I...could have... Half a day off?" Italy departed his sentence little by little as he got quieter and quieter.

Austria was near yelling at Italy for coming with such a foolish request. But he made it just in time and Austria stopped to think for a moment.

"I suppose you can, but I will deduct half a day of your salary"

Geniue happiness returned to Italy`s features again.

"Of course, thank you sir!" Italy said with a big smile on his mouth.

Austria folded the newspaper and put it on the table in front of the sofa. With a sight he got up from the sofa.

"Just finish your work and get going, I will retire for the day"

"Yes, good night. You are so kind!" Italy waved at Austria as he walked up the stairs.

"

Austria came into his room and felt relieve when he closed the door. His private room was bigger than an average bedroom. In his room he had a big bed, a little fireplace and some small instruments: A violin, some flutes and a harmonica. Austria was very virtuoso, he could play many instruments but his number one favourite was the piano. The piano was in his music office outside his home, he kept the portable instruments in his room and took the ones he wanted to bring to the music office with him from time to time.

He never played the harmonica. It was a gift from Hungary a long time ago, she said he could play this to use his great talent and spread joy. But there was no chance he would do that, he thought the harmonica was a sordid thing not worth to play and waste his musical talent on. And joy had been dead within him for a long time...

The answering machine to his phone on the nightstand was blinking. Austria kept his phone in his bedroom because he was only in the bedroom during nighttime when he was asleep, so during this time no one would call him. If he had the phone in the living room, Hungary or Italy would get it and call for Austria and say the call was for him. He did have this answering machine so he could find out why the caller called and call back if it was something important. Austria activated the answering machine:

Hey Austria, its Germany calling. I invite you to a Christmas party at my place tomorrow. I know you did not show up last year or the year before or the year BEFORE, but I hope you will come. This is a party for all the Germanic countries to celebrate, it would be great if you would come to celebrate Christmas with us. We all welcome you! Wir heißen sie herzlich willkommen!

Austria rolled his eyes. When was Germany going to learn? No way Austria would ever want to come to such wild and messy events! Especially if it all was because of Christmas! There was no point calling back to say he was coming to the party or not, Germany and the other would figure it out on their own anyway if they were to be stupid enough to think there would be a chance Austria would come this year.

"

Austria changed into his pajamas and folded his clothes neatly together. He went towards the light switch to turn off the lights. As he was was reaching towards the light switch, it automatically went off by itself and the room became dark. The only light left in the bedroom was what was left of the fire in the little fireplace. Austria stared at the little source of light, breathing heavily. One would be soon to asume there was something wrong with the power when lights went off on it own. But Austria did not have that thought, he saw the light switch move on its own! He did not come up with logical explainations on how that could have happened, his only thoughts were about superstition. He did not believe in such things, or...

Austria shook his head, trying to snap out of the fear. With a shaky hand he turned on the lights and turned them off again. He repeated the action a few times, he turned the light switch up and down rapidly. He stopped, leaving the lights on and stared at the light switch for a moment. After a little while as he did not see the light switch turn itself off again, he breathed out.

"Strange... What was that?" Austria mumbled to himself.

He felt everything was okay now so he turned off the lights, no more self actions from the object. He found his way to his bed, layed down to get comfortable and covered himself up with blankets.

Only a few minutes after laying down in bed, Austria could hear some noises. It was not sounds of the wind or the rain, neither any sound coming from Hungary since she never made any sounds during the night. Austria layed completely still, not moving a muscle, nor breathing. It sounded like someone was struggling walking up the stairs, someone who was carrying heavy things. There were sounds of chains rattling and heavy objects falling down, one thud at the time. The "no moving and breathing" was no longer so he could listen carefully, Austria was paralyzed out of fear. Who, or, what was it? Where was it going and what would it do? Another thud was heard, but that was the sound of a bang loud enough to make the room shake. It snapped Austria out of the paralyzed state, and with a twich he hid himself underneath the blankets. After a while underneath the blankets, when it was out of oxygen, it became quiet. The sounds faded and faded till it became quiet enough for him to hear his own breathing. He slowly pulled the blankets away. There was nothing unusual to be seen.

"What was that sound right now?" Austria asked himself, now completely out of the blankets.

"The sound of an old friend coming for a visit"

A shock ran through Austria`s spine as he let out a scream. Next to his bed stood a figure. Or could it be called a figure? Austria`s eyes got attached to who, or what, replied to his words. It looked like a person made out of light blue fading air who was floating above the floor. What was on the floor were many concrete blocks attached to chains, and the said chains were all around this person, thing, or whatever. Around the waist, shoulders, neck, legs and arms. As for the apperance of this floating creature: It wore an all torn up millitary combat attire. The body seemed to be all torn up as well; both fresh and blood dried bandages, and wounds that never seemed to get bandages with those looking wide open and sealed with rotting attempts with skin trying to heal itself. As for the main appearance with the features... Austria frowned.

"Germany. Is this a prank because you know I won`t show up at your silly Christmas party? Reveal yourself now!"

"Germany? I don`t know , nor am I this Germany. Don`t you recognize me? And this is no prank, I am for real"

Austria got off the bed. He went to the fireplace and picked up the fire iron.

"What are you doing?"

Austria poked, or tried to poke, this figure he surely thought was Germany. The fire iron did not stab anything solid, it just went through and "Germany" was not affected at all.

"I don`t know how you do this... It is a good trick, I will give you that much" Austria said.

"You refuse to believe? Fine, I will make you believe"

"Germany" dissolved into visiable blue air and blew its way to Austria`s instruments. The air stopped by the violin and suddenly dissappeared. Seconds later the bow was rising and touched the violin strings. The violin was rising up in the air as well and the bow went back and forth the strings of the violin. All by itself, the violin was playing an awful sound no one would define as music. Austria covered his ears and watched this solo performance. His disbelief was vanishing, there was no way someone could do a trick like that spontaneously! Austria dropped the fire iron and fell on his knees. His hands remained to his ears, but his fingers crawled their way to his eyes. The violin stopped playing and both the instrument and the bow was let down gently. Blue air came out of it and the one looking like Gernamy appeared in front of Austria.

"Do you believe now?" It asked.

"Yes, yes, yes! I do, I do!" Austria shouted out.

"Look at me closely, Austria. Can you not remember me, the little boy who used to live here with you and Hungary?"

Austria put his hands down to his lap. It was not something he enjoyed to look at, but he scrutinized the one he thought was Germany. His eyes widened out of realization. No, he could not be...

"H-h-holy Roman Empire?" Austria stuttered.

The figure nodded.

"It took you a while"

"

Holy Roman Empire was a little boy who was growing up to become a strong soldier. Austria used to have this position too, so it was agreed to let the little boy live with Austria and his wife in hope for the little one to learn a thing or two from Austria. Holy Roman Empire and Austria did not have a very close relationship, but they respected each other and had formal meetings from time to time. Austria did not learn Holy Roman Empire a thing about the life as a soldier, but that was not needed, Holy Roman Empire managed to get strong and skilled all on his own. Despite him being only a child, he voluntarily went of to fight in wars in order to become mighty. He never came back home and it was confirmed years later afterwards that he died. For Austria to see him again was a scary surprise, how and why was Holy Roman Empire`s ghost here?

"You don`t look the same since the last time I saw you" Austria managed to say after letting the whole situation sink into him a bit.

Despite Holy Roman Empire`s appenance as an injured air figure, he was not the little boy Austria lastly saw him. Earlier when Austria thought he was Germany was because he looked a lot like Germany, a smaller and less muscular teen Germany with his hair down. Holy Roman Empire made a thin smile.

"I did grow up when I was fighting in wars. But I never reached adulthood and I never got to see my beloved before I passed away"

Austria frowned.

"What..? What do you mean?"

The ghost looked at Austria with intense eyes.

"I have come here to warn you, Austria . I will not let you do the mistake I made."

"You make no sence at all. What mistake? I will never go out to fight wars again"

"No, but I made a sudden mistake you have been doing for a long time. You push away and reject the people around you, the ones who respect and hold you dear"

The fear Austria had seemed to have disappeared. He stood up from the floor and was ready for a proper conversation with Holy Roman Empire.

"That is your warning you had to leave the underworld for? Why not come if the matter is very important?"

Holy Roman Empire looked at Austria in disbelief.

"I thought this attitude of yours was only a shield but you really have become like that have you not?"

Holy Roman Empire`s look became serious again.

"I also thought it was no problem to leave others behind since my actions were far more important. But as I was lying in a pit dying with my wounds rotting and getting eaten, I could not stop crying as I thought what an idiot I was for leaving the one I loved back home and wishing I was back home together with my beloved, Hungary and you"

Austria cringed.

"You don`t have to tell me in detail of you death, your appearance tells me enough"

Holy Roman Empire sighed. He lifted up the chains.

"You see those? My regrets have become these chains I must carry for an eternity. And this will happen to you as well if you do not change!"

Holy Roman Empire threw down the chains he had in one hand and lifted up said hand holding up three fingers.

"My words are not enough to convince you, so tonight three spirits will come to you, they will show you different perspectives. Listen to them, you should not wish to become a remorseful ghost carrying heavy chains. Realize your sins, or this faith will come to you sooner"

Austria`s usual stern look disappeared and insecurity replaced those features.

"This faith..will come sooner?" Austria said in a volume just above a whisper.

Holy Roman Empire flew through Austria, his concrete block following him as they scraped the floor. Holy Roman Empire stopped in front of the door and turned to look at Austria.

"Farewell, Austria. I hope for your sake this will be the last time you see me"

Holy Roman Empire was fading away and he was completely gone after he flew through the door. No sounds were heard afterwards unlike the ones he made as he was coming.

Austria just stood where he was standing for a while, not sure what to belief. Was all this for real? What was awaiting him if these three spirits came?

"

This chapter became longer than I thought, I really did not want it to take long to be finished! I hope I will get it all done during December.

PS: Please don`t start any arguments with this Germany/HRE theory, I don`t care about it now, in this fic they are two different people.