Chapter 17: Spread of the News

As they strolled down the streets of the small town, Ethan cracked jokes and made puns, keeping the group in good spirits despite the looming prospect of leaving.

Charlotte walked beside them, her eyes misty with emotions, as they talked about the possibility of leaving.

As they passed by vendors selling street food, Ethan's stomach growled. "My hunger will kill me if I don't eat something soon," he quipped, making the others chuckle.

"We should stop focusing on our business and have some fun while we can. We only have two days left before we go to live in the capital," Charlotte added, her voice tinged with sadness.

Blake placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Focusing on the business is important right now because it's going to allow us to live in the capital which I and Ethan plan on FINALLY learning magic."

"I don't think you guys are capable of using magic," Lucy said with a smirk

As they walked, they remembered the memories they had made in this new town, the friends they had made and the business they had built from scratch.

The thought of leaving made them feel nostalgic, but they knew that they had to make the best of the time they had left.

As the group walked down the street, Ethan couldn't help but crack a few jokes and make silly faces at the passing townspeople. Charlotte rolled her eyes at his antics but couldn't help but smile at his lightheartedness.

Blake, on the other hand, was more focused on the task at hand.

"I can't believe we have to leave this town," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "It's so vibrant and alive compared to our old one."

Ethan put his arm around her shoulder. "We have made a lot of money here and our manager for this town will still send us the funds. I decided we will permanently live in the capital Kojahn because of the women and- the women."

"Also because we're pussies and the capital is the safest place to go." Blake chimed in.

As they entered a tavern they saw lanterns hanging from the ceiling which cast a warm and inviting glow throughout the room.

They're made of brass and glass and emitted a warm light from the oil burning in them.

The light danced and flickered on the wooden walls and beams, creating a cozy atmosphere.

The smell of spices and cooking food wafts through the air, making their mouths water. They can smell the rich aroma of chicken steak, roasting on an open fire in the kitchen.

The scent of herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, and sage mix in with the rich aroma of gravy.

The tavern is bustling with activity. They see people dancing to lively music with beer in their hands.

As they sat down, the group immediately placed their order for steak. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, with a charred crust on the outside and a juicy, pink center.

The rich, beefy flavor was accented by the herbs used to season it and the smokiness from being cooked on an open flame.

Lucy took a bite and let out a satisfied sigh. "This steak is absolutely delicious," she said, savoring the taste. Charlotte nodded in agreement as she shed tears of joy, "I wish we could eat this every day."

Ethan took a big bite, and spoke with his mouth full "Holy shit it's chewy."

Blake took a small taste and said, "That's just a you thing, Ethan. It seems fine to me."

They were suddenly interrupted by a man shouting out at the top of his lungs. "Demon Queen army takes over Javlem! The city has fallen!" He was holding a piece of paper in his hand, which he waved frantically for all to see.

As the man shouted out the news about Javlem, the tavern grew quiet with concern. The patrons exchanged worried glances and murmured amongst themselves, trying to make sense of the dire news.

The group, who had just heard this shocking news, exchanged worried glances and murmured amongst themselves.

As the group sat in the tavern, the mood quickly shifted from relaxed and festive to one of concern and unease as the man shouted about Javlem's fall to the Demon Queen's army.

Everyone in the tavern began to murmur amongst themselves, their faces etched with worry. Some began to gather their belongings, clearly planning to leave the town as soon as possible.

Charlotte, Lucy, and Blake looked over to Ethan, expecting him to make a joke to ease the tension. He, however, did not.

"Why are you guys looking at me?" Ethan asked

"Just go ahead and say it dickhead." Blake said expecting him to say a joke.

"What am I supposed to say?"

"Say some horrible timed joke already."

"I wasn't planning on saying anything."

Tables were being abandoned as people rushed to gather their things, some leaving behind unfinished meals and drinks.

The tavern staff was caught off guard by the sudden influx of customers leaving, and could be seen rushing around trying to keep up with the demand for bills and change.

The chatter in the tavern was now a mixture of panic and fear, people were discussing what they had heard and how they were going to protect themselves and their loved ones from the Demon Queen's army.

In just a matter of minutes, the tavern went from being full to almost empty, as a lot of people left to fortify their homes, flee or find information about the Demon Queen's army

As the tavern emptied out, the man who had shouted the news of Javlem's fall stood at the center of the room.

He looked around at the remaining people, who were still in shock and trying to process the news they had just heard.

The man cleared his throat and spoke in a strong and determined voice. "We cannot let the Demon Queen's army win. We cannot let them take our homes and destroy our lives. We must stand together and fight for our survival."

The man's words seemed to shake the remaining patrons out of their shock and fear. They looked up at him, listening attentively.

"Javlem had fallen but our town has not. We must be prepared for an invasion at any time. If we keep running away then eventually there will eventually be nowhere left to run. NOWHERE! I know some people in here are weak. It is not a sin to be weak but it is to stay weak. How long will you remain weak? How long will you live in fear? If we don't stay and prepare then we will all die!"

As he spoke, the man's words began to inspire the remaining people in the tavern. They began to nod in agreement, determination, and bravery showing on their faces.

As the man delivered his motivational speech, everyone in the tavern except for Ethan, Lucy, and Charlotte, were looking determined and resolved.

They were ready to stand up and fight against the Demon Queen's army. However, Ethan, Lucy, and Charlotte had a different look on their faces.

They were still in shock and fear, their expressions filled with memories of the horrors that they had witnessed at the hands of the Demon Queen's army.

Ethan, Lucy, and Charlotte had seen the destruction and devastation caused by the Demon Queen's army firsthand.

They had seen the burning buildings, the dead bodies lying in the streets, the screams of the innocent and the smell of smoke and death.

These memories were still fresh in their minds, and the thought of facing the Demon Queen's army again filled them with dread.

Lucy knew that Blake and Ethan were right about not fighting the demon queen's army. She knew they had no chance but her pride prevented her from admitting this.

Ethan and Blake felt anger and regret.

"Are we still leaving or will we help fight?" Charlotte asked.

"We're still too weak. I couldn't even take on one of the soldiers alone. It would be suicide. That doesn't mean we won't fight mess.

We will just not now. The plan is to move to the capital settle down there with our business and then use the money we have to find a home and learn magic and then do quests." Ethan responded.

"Ethan you're really good at making plans and being book smart but deadass you're useless for anything else," Blake said.

"Every time you give me a compliment does it always have to be followed by an insult Blake?"

"Yes."

As the group gathered their supplies and prepared to leave the tavern, they stepped back out into the streets.

What they saw was a stark contrast to the lively and bustling atmosphere they had experienced just a few hours ago.

The streets, which were once filled with vendors selling street food, musicians playing instruments, and people bustling about their business, were now much quieter and less vibrant.

There were still people milling about, but their numbers had greatly decreased, and their faces were etched with fear and worry.

"I think it's better that we leave tomorrow just to be safe. I don't want to risk our lives by staying here too long." Blake said