The Winter kingdom

Version 2.0

In the hallowed embrace of the ancient Heart Tree, four humans sat in awe, their eyes wide with wonder as they beheld the gathering. Brandon, Jon, Edric, and Halvar found themselves amidst the enigmatic Children of the Forest.

Seated at a table crafted from the vines and branches of the forest, with its delicate intertwining branches that formed their seats and the table itself. In their midst stood the Oldest Child of the Forest, resplendent in mossy robes woven from the fibers of the Heart Trees. The Elder's eyes gleamed in and out of focus, as he saw everything before him.

Next to the elder sat Acorn. Acorn's features were petite and adorned with moss-green skin, as she smiled happily at the gathering. With luminescent lime-green eyes, she turned from the elder to Brandon smiling proudly at them.

"Humans, I give you the elder of our Grove, Elder Oak," Acorn said.

"Welcome, humans, to the centre of the forest, our home," He said. "Ages we've witnessed, countless suns we've seen, yet now we must turn to you, to mend the realm before it comes to be."

"No need to beat around the bush, mate," whispers Edric to Jon.

"We need your help in something only you can do; far beyond our forests are your lands, lands that we cannot travel through, but beyond them are lands that we need to see. Nature's weave is frayed, the threads grow thin, winter's icy fingers grasp, a tale that must begin," Elder Oak said.

"Um, okay, not to be rude, but what can three kids and a hunter do to help; it's not like there is much that we can do?" Halvar asks.

"But it is exactly because of those traits that you are perfect for it. As we have learned over time, human children are when you humans are at your most absorbent of nature around you. And you are already in tune with the nature around you, Halvar. Children, you must learn all that you can before heading for a journey through realms both wild and tamed, where magic and mystery shall be named," the elder explains as his eyes switched from dilated to contracted.

"What? I won't just allow you to take kids from the nest and send them off," Halvar asserts, standing up and moving in front of the three kids.

"Please, Halvar, we mean no harm. Quite the opposite, just like you, we mean to teach them magic, as you call it so that they can find it beyond these forests. Nature does not feel right; this winter is too odd, drastic in a way. Angry towards everything. It's more controlled than it should be. Winter should be harsh, cold, and unforgiving, but it should not be villainous, tyrannical, hungry," he said before his eyes dilated. "Nature's guardians, long gone astray, beckon you to where they lay. Ancient truths beneath the snow, reveal the tale of an eon ago."

The elder stands and walks toward the Heart Tree. "The lands feel fleeting, crying for growth. Something is wrong, but there is little we can do in our forests, and so we turn to you humans. To the north, you must traverse, and uncover nature's poetic verse. Seek the root of the ailment that plagues the land, and with newfound knowledge, nature's balance you'll understand."

"Hey, you can't just force us to do this; we can't just change our lives for your needs," Edric exclaims.

"Who said that it was I forcing you to do this? You must have seen it in your village, the winter much longer, colder even. Less food on the table with each passing day. It is not I who is making you do this, but nature itself. In shadows deep and whispers old, truths and challenges must unfold. Embrace the mystic path ahead, for the answers lie where forests and men die."

"Um, what?" asks Brandon.

"Apologies, humans; Elder Oak can be confusing when he speaks," the first of the Children of the Forest says while standing up. "Let me explain it better. The world seems to be crying out; something has upset the balance of nature; something is upsetting the magic of the world. What we need you to do is find out what." 

The second child of the forest then stands up and continues. "Due to our agreement with the humans, we cannot leave our forest without a good enough reason, and what you humans would call speculations will not pass as a good enough reason. So, we need your help. We specifically pick you guys because children can learn quickly and you, Halvar, are already in tune with the spirits of the forest. We need you to venture further north and find out what is going on and stop it if you can. For this, we are willing to trade some of our secrets. With our help, you can find the source of this problem and either bring it back to us to stop or end it yourselves, if you can."

"No, we cannot put something like this on some kids, and I have the village to help; people are going to need food, and if I go on this adventure, they will be left to fend for themselves," Halvar explains.

Brandon tugs on Halvar's arm. "But Halvar, if we do nothing, then it will get worse, won't it?" 

"Brandon, do not mix up your need for adventure with reality; we cannot just go running off on an adventure we have no understanding of it or even if it is true. I am sorry, but I will not help you; apologies, Acorn."

"No need, Halvar, we expected this," she says while smiling at Halvar.

"Bran, he is stealing your girl," Jon whispers into Brandon's ear.

"Shut up; can't you be serious for a bit," Brandon seethes back to him.

"But that is why you and Edric are here. You can be serious, and I can have fun."

"And I won't allow you to just take children from the village. I am sorry, but we will be leaving now," Halvar continues.

"But-" Brandon starts. "Silence, Brandon. Kids will not be forced to do this."

Halvar is quick to stand, gathering the kids and dragging them away, with the Children of the Forest simply looking on, not stopping them, though with an odd twinkle and knowing look.

With Halvar at the lead, they are quick to leave the forest grove and head back home.

"Hey, Halvar, stop it, why did you stop us? We could have learned magic," Brandon exclaims while tugging his arm away from him.

"Brandon, this is not just a fantasy you can live and just go on. What do you think your family will do if they find that children of the forest have taken their child to teach them magic? This is not something that you can just decide on your own. Children of the forest are incredibly powerful and if they are scared of something then something must be going on. This is not something to force children to take on."

"Hey, we are also a part of the village; we can take care of ourselves," Jon exclaims.

"Exactly so. We all take care of each other, so kids should not take on that responsibility alone. Stay as the kids that you are and enjoy the time that you have. As kids, you have the free choice to do what you want. Don't just lose that because you want to be grown up."

"And yet you are forcing us not to do what we want, Halvar," asks Edric.

"Yes, you are right, but your choice affects more than just you. Go home for the day and talk with your family; they deserve to know. I am not your parents, so I don't know what you want or what is best for you, but they do. Just go home. If this problem is so real, it won't disappear overnight. Go home."

And so, with the three kids sulking behind them, Halvar leads them out of the forest and back toward the village.