Excerpt: Crossing Lines

“Well,” she began, as if preparing herself for a long story. “Once upon a time…” she started it as if it were a fairytale. Maybe it was, for her. “Once upon a time, when our countries lived in peace, there were cities dotted over the landscape. Civil, and they lived in peace. Here, where we are now, is actually an ancient road, but now it’s been taken over by the wilderness. Anyway, Galynia was a place of fairytales – everyone lived in peace. We got along with Akt, your country, quite well, too. Our fishermen on the coast provided your people with fish, our lumberman provided you with wood, and your people provided us with other things – livestock, and other supplies. Until one day, all that changed.
“King Trak of old, your great-grandfather decided that our two countries living in peace wasn’t enough for him. He bargained with the Glimbels and enlisted their help, and invaded Galynia on a cold, windy, autumn night with no warning. They blocked off our communication, and there was no way to send a message of the coming terror. Our cities fell quickly, and chaos reigned. You left everything in ruin except for the small town of Xaryl, which became a refuge for many. Xaryl was not created as a place where thousands, much less tens of thousands, could make it their home. Overpopulation became a problem quickly, but no one was brave enough to venture outside the city's newly built walls, in fear of the fast approaching wild.
“The wilderness here is magic, Mason. It has its own interests, and will not bend to the human will. It grows with an intensity and speed that you will never understand – I don’t even understand it. It’s untamed, and it won’t stop to think about devouring you. Almost no one, still, ventures out beyond the city walls, and when they do, they’re never heard from again. Lost forever.”

^ ignore any grammar or mechanical errors - I am not allowed to edit ^