(This is an older piece of mine uploaded from wattpadd so it wont we as well written)

A bearded man stood behind the bar, carefully decorating and preparing plates of homemade stew made from local ingredients, alongside freshly sliced bread. The rich aroma of the beefy stew and the freshly baked bread filled the small but cozy tavern. The inn had one large table, enough to seat ten people, with four chairs on each side and additional seats at the front and end, perfect for a grand feast. There were also four stools positioned at the bar. The inn was mostly empty, frequented only by travelers and a few townsfolk stopping in for drinks after their day's work. The tavern would only be full when a particular adventuring party arrived—a group of eight, larger than most, many of whom had grown up in the neighboring town. They had known the innkeeper, Merrick, and his half-elf wife, Ariella, for most of their lives. Even in their young adulthood, the party continued to return to the inn to share their tales of adventure with the couple.

The innkeepers were preparing a feast in anticipation of the party's return from one of their biggest quests. Merrick and Ariella hoped that this special meal—a beef stew made with fresh, locally grown ingredients and freshly baked bread covered with herbs and spices—would evoke fond memories of their childhood. They had also prepared fine wines and ales, preserved especially for their arrival. Merrick stood at the large table, meticulously arranging the plates and positioning the bottles of wine and loaves of steaming bread. The savory scents of their childhood wafted through the tavern, with the windows misted from the warmth of the fire, contrasting sharply with the bitter chill of the approaching winter outside.

Hearing footsteps outside, Merrick quickly adjusted his clothes and took his place behind the bar. Ariella, with a welcoming smile, grabbed a mug and wiped it with a cloth. The door swung open, revealing the party's rogue, Cassian Cross. His clothes were torn, and cuts marred his body, though his mask still covered his lower face. Merrick chuckled softly as he saw him.

"By the gods, this must be the worst I've seen you battered and bruised since you were a kid playing with the cattle!" Merrick said, laughing heartily.

Both Merrick and Ariella laughed, their mood light and cheerful. They were fond of a joke and enjoyed the playful banter. Cassian, though, remained as quiet as ever. He entered slowly, took a stool at the bar, and sat down. Ariella smiled gently, shaking her head.

"Oh, Cassian, the table is set. You don't have to wait for the others; take a seat. I'm sure they'll come in once they've settled. You've been on a long adventure; some of them might be nervous to see us after so long!" Ariella said, her voice filled with warmth.

Despite Cassian's visible injuries, the couple remained optimistic, used to their returning adventurers bearing battle wounds, which only added to their stories. They weren't fazed by Cassian's silence, as he had always been reserved. Merrick and Ariella had barely heard him speak at all over the years.

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"I'll go outside and get them. They'll catch a cold if they stay out too long!" Merrick said, his tone caring and paternal.

Cassian raised his hand, making Merrick pause.

"What's wrong, lad? Are they busy with something? We don't mind waiting, but the food is better hot, you see," Merrick asked.

"They won't be coming," Cassian said in his cold, monotone voice, his eyes fixed on the bar table.

"They won't be arriving at all. I apologize for the wasted food, but you won't need to prepare any feasts for our party anymore," Cassian continued.

Ariella and Merrick, feeling a pang of sorrow, tried to remain positive. Ariella spoke up, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, that's alright! I assume you're heading to a new kingdom or something far away, and they sent you here to let us know!"

Despite their attempts to stay optimistic, their thoughts began to spiral. Cassian's next words confirmed their worst fears.

"The party is no more. They're dead... every last one of them. I'm the only one who made it out," Cassian said.

Both Merrick and Ariella froze, their faces draining of color as dread and sorrow filled them. Ariella placed a hand over her mouth, overwhelmed by a wave of sickness she had never felt before. Merrick struggled to find his words. The children they had seen grow up and prepared the feast for would never again sit at their table, never again share stories of their adventures. All was stripped away by Cassian's cold, emotionless announcement.

"I survived because I was too much of a coward to stay and die with my friends," Cassian continued, his voice trembling slightly. "I watched as every single one of them was slaughtered and dismembered. I fled without a second thought. My brother sacrificed himself so I could help save the others, but instead, I saved myself. All I can think about is that if I hadn't run, if I hadn't fled like a coward, maybe, just maybe, I would be sitting here with at least a few of my friends, making this blow a little easier for you both. But not one of them came back after me."

Cassian's words hung in the air, the weight of them settling heavily over the room. Merrick and Ariella stared at each other, their faces pale and expressions stricken with disbelief. The once-cheerful atmosphere of the inn had vanished, replaced by an oppressive silence that seemed to swallow every sound.

Merrick's his gaze fixed on the empty space where the adventurers should have been, struggling to process the magnitude of the loss. The festive table, now starkly empty of its anticipated guests, seemed a cruel reminder of what could have been.

The crackling fire in the hearth provided the only sound, its warmth a stark contrast to the cold realization settling over them. The smell of the stew and freshly baked bread, once a symbol of reunion and joy, now seemed to mock their grief, filling the room with a poignant reminder of the empty chairs.

For what felt like an eternity, the inn was silent, save for the occasional sigh of the wind outside. The large table, once set for a grand feast, now stood as a testament to the lives that had been lost and the stories that would remain untold. The quiet was profound, a space where words failed and only the weight of sorrow and the flickering fire could fill the void.

Finally, Merrick, his voice barely a whisper, broke the silence. "We'll always remember them. They were family."

Ariella nodded, her eyes still wet with tears. "Yes, always."

The couple stood together, finding some small comfort in each other's presence, as the room remained enveloped in its somber silence, a silent tribute to the fallen heroes and the enduring bonds of love and loss.