A dark cloud of gloom had descended on Ephemere since news that Xavia's capital had fallen at last reached the kingdom.
Lookouts had been tripled, and archers patrolled the fortified battlements. Caches of weapons and arrows were stashed in strategic locations. Outside the battlements, ditches were dug, and defensive spikes were constructed. Soldiers had been divided into companies and assembled in defensive positions.
The evacuation of settlements had already begun.
Caravans of people hauling what little belongings they could grab fled into the main town in long lines, waiting to be screened by the guards at the town gates. Inns and taverns were cleared to accommodate the refugees. Private homes and shops were ordered to make space for more lodgings.
