Data and Magic

The remainder of the journey to Sharwood was, thankfully, uneventful in terms of further encounters with hostile creatures. The immediate threat of the wolves had passed, leaving behind a lingering unease, a heightened awareness of the dangers that lurked within the Tallenwood Forest. This unease, however, was tempered by the growing anticipation of reaching safety, of finding respite from the constant vigilance required for survival in the wild. William, leaning heavily on the makeshift crutch Edward had provided, focused on putting one foot in front of the other. The rhythmic throb in his leg, a constant, fiery reminder of the wolf's attack and his own vulnerability, became a strange sort of metronome, marking the passage of time and distance.

As they walked, William seized the opportunity to learn more about this strange, new world. His mind, still reeling from the encounter with the wolves and the blatant display of magic, was a whirlwind of questions, a chaotic jumble of curiosity and apprehension. He was a man of data, of logic, of quantifiable facts, and he was now adrift in a reality that seemed to defy all the rules he'd held dear. He needed to understand, to categorize, to impose some semblance of order on this beautiful, terrifying chaos. Julia and Edward, though weary themselves, patiently answered his inquiries, their words painting a picture of a kingdom under siege, a land teetering on the brink of collapse.

"This kingdom... it's called Aver?" William asked, testing the unfamiliar name on his tongue, trying to anchor himself to this new reality with the tangible weight of words.

"Yes," Julia confirmed, her voice soft but firm, carrying a hint of pride, a subtle resonance of belonging. "The Kingdom of Aver. For centuries, we have lived in peace, under the wise and just rule of King Bartam Aver the Third. Our land was prosperous, our people content. Our fields yielded bountiful harvests, our artisans crafted works of beauty, and our scholars pursued knowledge and wisdom. But..." Her voice trailed off, a shadow of sadness crossing her face, a fleeting glimpse of the pain that lay beneath her calm exterior. "Peace can breed complacency. It can lull you into a false sense of security, blind you to the dangers that gather on the horizon."

Edward snorted, a sound of bitter agreement, a harsh counterpoint to Julia's melancholic tone. "We were soft. Fat and happy, like prize hogs ripe for the slaughter. We neglected our defences, allowed the weeds of darkness to take root in the neglected corners of our realm, to fester and grow strong in the shadows."

"The Dark Lord Neverus," William said, the name sounding ominous even to his own ears, a foreign word that carried the weight of untold suffering, of unimaginable power. "He's been building his power for a long time?" He needed to understand the enemy, to grasp the scale of the threat, to quantify the danger, as if reducing it to data points could somehow make it less terrifying.

"In secret, yes," Julia explained, her gaze distant, as if looking back through the mists of time, recalling the gradual, insidious encroachment of darkness. "For years, there were rumours, whispers of growing unrest in the north, of monsters becoming bolder, of villages disappearing without a trace. But most dismissed them as isolated incidents, the usual skirmishes that happen on the fringes of civilization, the inevitable friction between order and chaos. No one wanted to believe that a true threat was rising, that a storm was brewing that could engulf us all. Complacency is a dangerous luxury, one we could ill afford."

"Until two years ago," Edward interjected, his voice hardening with a barely suppressed rage, a cold fury that burned beneath his stoic exterior. The memory of the event, still fresh and raw, fuelled his anger, sharpened his resolve. "When Neverus attacked Shendek. A city on the far north-western edge of the Tallenwood Forest, the very forest where you found yourself." He spat on the ground, a gesture of disgust, of contempt for the enemy, a physical manifestation of his hatred. "He overwhelmed them with an army of undead and monsters, a tide of horrors that crashed against their walls like a relentless wave. Slaughtered those who resisted, enslaved the rest to serve his twisted will. That's when everyone finally woke up, when the comfortable illusion of peace shattered, revealing the brutal reality of the threat we faced. But by then, it was almost too late."

William absorbed this information, his mind racing to process the implications, to construct a framework of understanding, to fit this new reality into a coherent narrative. A kingdom caught unprepared, a powerful enemy on the rise, a desperate struggle for survival. It was a scenario ripped straight from the pages of the fantasy novels he'd devoured in his youth, tales of epic battles between good and evil, of heroic deeds and tragic sacrifices. But now, it was his reality, a terrifyingly tangible world where magic was real, where monsters roamed the forests, and where the fate of a kingdom hung in the balance.

"And Aver... has been fighting back?" he asked, needing to hear some reassurance, some glimmer of hope in the encroaching darkness.

"We've been trying," Julia said, a hint of weariness in her voice, the weight of the conflict pressing down on her, a burden she carried with quiet dignity. "King Bartam has rallied the troops, conscripted soldiers from every corner of the kingdom, poured resources into rebuilding our military, a desperate attempt to make up for lost time, for years of neglect. We've also heavily invested in the Adventurers Guild, fostering talent, seeking out individuals with unique skills, with the courage and the will to fight back, to aid in the war effort, to become the heroes we so desperately need."

"We've held them back," Edward added, his voice laced with a grim satisfaction, a warrior's pride in a hard-fought battle, even in the face of overwhelming odds. "The north and west have fallen, vast swathes of our kingdom swallowed by the darkness, but the Dark Legion hasn't yet broken through to the heart of Aver. It's a stalemate, for now, a precarious balance of power, a desperate holding action. But they're constantly growing stronger, raising more undead from the fallen, breeding more monsters in their foul lairs, replenishing their ranks with the very victims of their aggression. We're holding on by a thread, fighting a war of attrition we can't possibly win in the long run." He clenched his fist, the knuckles white, his body tense with barely contained fury.

"You're both... adventurers?" William asked, realizing the significance of their affiliation, understanding the role they played in this desperate struggle, the courage and dedication it required.

"We are," Julia confirmed, a hint of pride in her voice, a quiet affirmation of her commitment to the cause. "We were tasked with scouting the Tallenwood, investigating reports of increased goblin activity, to gauge the extent of the Dark Legion's influence, to see how far their tendrils had reached into the heart of our kingdom. It's dangerous work, but necessary. We are the eyes and ears of the resistance, gathering intelligence, disrupting enemy movements, striking where we can."

Edward grimaced, a flicker of dark humour in his eyes. "We found a small band of them before we found you. Dispatched most of them, sent them screaming back to whatever hellhole spawned them, but one got away. Probably the one that attacked you, the miserable cur. They're getting bolder, venturing further from their usual haunts, a sign that the Dark Legion's power is growing, that their control is spreading."

William felt a surge of gratitude, realizing the danger they'd faced, the risk they'd taken to help him, a stranger in a strange land. "I... I'm glad you found me," he said, his voice thick with emotion, the words inadequate to express the depth of his relief, his appreciation for their selfless act. "I wouldn't have lasted much longer on my own. I owe you my life."

"We do what we can," Julia said, offering him a small, reassuring smile, a flicker of warmth in the encroaching darkness, a symbol of the enduring human spirit. "These are dark times. We must help each other if we are to survive, if we are to have any hope of defeating the darkness that threatens to consume us all. We are all in this together."

William felt a heavy sense of duty from Edward and Julia in these desperate times, and it left a deep impression on him. He wasn't sure how he could help, but he wanted to help!