SECRETS OF EXOCLYUS

1: ACROSS FROZEN LANDS

  Winter...

  Stella hated winter.

  The cursed season always came with its wicked cold winds, impromptu blizzards, and worst of all its monsters that would travel the vast tundras in search of unfortunate travellers who believed the gods would keep them safe from any harm.

  But the gods abandoned everyone a while ago.

  Twenty three years ago to be exact, when the moon suddenly vanished from the sky and the realm was tossed into a state of chaos as magic itself seemed to tip off into the wrong side of balance.

  Stella wasn't alive to witness the event, she came into the world two years after it, but that didn't mean she had been safe from what happened, infact as she rode across this frozen desert in search of shelter it was clear that the gods had abandoned this world.

This winter was harsher than the last, a lot more monsters roamed about, howls and roars broke through the sound of ominous winds which threatened to peel off Stella's skin, and it didn't help that she could barely see a few feet infront of her.

  "Stupid fucking weather." Stella cursed with chattering teeth. Despite being covered up the cold slipping through her clothes, if it weren't for the magical protection stone hanging from her neck she would've either be frozen out here along with this unfortunate horse, or one of the monsters hiding about in this tundra would eat her.

  She wasn't certain which was worse honestly.

  The protection gem was dimming, her steed seemed to be out of energy, and Stella could feel her consciousness slowly slipping.

  Her mind traveled home for a moment, to where the sun bathed her in golden light as she would run across a field of reeds, back there the worst she had to worry about was sword practice...atleast until...her nineteenth birthday.

  Two years away from home, on a whole other continent, where the worst often happened. Atleast the sword practice paid off, it won't do much against a yeti, but it did help against bandits and small beasts.

  However, from what she's heard, a sword wouldn't do much against what she was planning to hunt.

  After a few more hours of riding through the terrifying white a dim number of yellow glows came to view, they weren't too far away, she could make it.

  But her horse couldn't.

  The sudden drop threw Stella face first into the snow, causing all the cold she was suffering to double. It was a soft landing, yet a pain cut through her body, if she stayed here any longer frost bite would surely kill her and yet she couldn't find the energy to rise.

  All she managed to do was roll over and stare up into the blank void. As she laid there snowflakes stung her face, and howls close by seemed to be a wolf telling its pack it was time to feast.

  "Come on." Stella groaned towards the heavens. "Haven't you taken enough from me? What would you gain from my life? Is it all just comedy to you?"

  Ofcourse no answer came.

  Only snow, misery, and...footsteps?

They were heavy, unlike a wolf's own, but that didn't mean she was safe. It could be a much bigger wolf, or some guy who would take advantage of her state and rob her belongings. Or do something much worse.

  She waited until the approaching thing was looming over her and it turned out to be a person with a hood thrown over their head, it was too dark and blurry to make out their face properly but once they looked over at the pale face planted horse and spoke she knew it was a man.