Jenny handed over the five coins to the storyteller. This time though, he didn't begin his story with a grin, there was a sad look upon his face.
"The four heroes thought they had sealed away the demon and all of its power, but the demon used a tiny opening before the seal was complete to curse them all."
The four friends looked at each other upon hearing this, but let the storyteller continue his tale.
"While holding the Crystal Stars, they felt nothing, but when they let them go a black box would appear to seal their souls within. The four heroes travelled the world, scattering the stars so the seal would remain."
The four heroes, brave and strong and bold and mighty, traversing the lands, scattering the stars to protect them from evil. The seal would last now. With the stars scattered so far apart no one would be able to break it.
"But the last four stars each carried the curse, which claimed each hero..."
The tale ended here, leaving Tim with a very unhappy look on his face.
"It's not done" he muttered, sitting down, "it's not over."
"Yeah, so" Jenny said "but that's good, isn't it? Just yesterday you were worrying about what you were going to do when the tale was over. Said you'd be bored."
"Yeah, but that was before I found out…"
"Found out what?" Karl asked
Tim sighed, and looked at his friends with a grim look on his face "this is my last day in Rougeport" he said.
"What? Since when?" Jenny asked
"My parents finally got enough money to move. We're leaving tonight, all our stuff's already on the boat."
"But that means…" Belle said
"There's no likely possibility of me coming back anytime soon. You're going to have to finish the story without me"
"But you're the strong Toad! We can't continue without you!" Karl said
"It's either that or we put this entire thing on hold for a few years until I can come back" Tim replied "there's no way my parents are going to let me return in a few months, it costs a lot of money to get a boat ride here and back, I'd have to save up for years. Just continue without me."
His three friends looked at him sadly, unsure of what to say.
"Hey," Jenny said after a moment "you just got that Mailbox SP from your uncle, right?"
Tim nodded
"We'll email you" she said "we can keep this going over email"
"It's not the same…" Tim muttered