1019 Four years With The Myrtharian Nerds (part 1)

Will didn't respond immediately, carefully choosing his words or perhaps hesitating over something. As the suspense reached a fever pitch and Lucia was on the brink of prodding him, the merchant replied with a wearied voice, more subdued than before,

"Our situation isn't as dire as my response might suggest, but it's far from good. For starters, let me assure you, we reacted in time when everything went to hell. As soon as you all became unreachable, we were on high alert, and the Digestor offensive hit roughly five days after your departure. Fortunately, I was on Thelma for business two days prior. I narrowly missed the first Sinewshades of Thelma, and thank God, the preceding Digestor Virus..."

Even recalling it sent a chill down his spine. Shaking off the fear creeping in at the memory, Will continued with a more matter-of-fact tone,