SECRETS OF EXOCLYUS

10: PLANS BY THE CAMPFIRE

Stella woke up before she could answer Koma's question, and she was kind of grateful for that because she didn't have a specific answer.

Sure she had a plan...of sorts, but everything has been tossed about by recent events. The Nyxlian turns out to be a mortal...or atleast most of him, then there's an unknown being with an ego that won his soul, and there are another set of spirits who supposedly also own his soul.

How multiple beings could share a single body without either of them losing their sanity was a mystery to Stella, but for now all conversations were on hold because the three adults were hungry and none of them wanted to actually talk.

Usgard felt awkward because he beat up a possessed Koma and also tried to capture him both in Luro and a long while ago when he thought he was only a monster.

Stella was still trying to fix up a plan in her head but was distracted by any sudden movements in the trees and bushes. Not because of the whispers, but because something else bothered her deeply.

And Koma kept quiet because inside his head he was currently fighting for his consciousness from the two forces that had a hold on his soul. The laughter of Shongo plus the chattering of the whispers made conversation near impossible.

But Usgard, being himself, broke the silence between them. "So, terrible weather we've been having lately."

The other two turned to him, both unamused by the terrible joke, but he ignored their judgemental gaze and kept roasting the boar he caught when Stella and Koma were going through shit in Koma's head.

"Are you always such a fool?" Koma asked.

"Feisty one, aren't you?" Usgard shot back.

"Could both of you not argue." Stella pleaded. "I still have a headache."

"Shouldn't have jumped into the crazy person's mind." Usgard scolded.

"And I suppose she'd be safe in yours because its empty." Koma snapped.

"Clearly my punches didn't teach you enough manners."

"Raise a fist at me and I'll send you to perxodial* so fucking fast."

"Enough!" Stella yelled. She had a feeling there would be a bit of bad blood between them but this bickering was as if they hated each other since childhood. "We're going to have to travel together for a while, so this issue cannot persist."

"I don't have an issue." Usgard said defensively. "I'm not just too comfortable sitting next to someone who has a nameless storm being residing inside him, not to mention a whole army of little hushed but murder loving voices."

"You can leave." Koma suggested. "Or preferably die. I can help with the latter."

"Oi, just because you're immortal doesn't mean you can't get your ass kicked."

"And just because you're mortal doesn't mean I will go easy on your weak ass."

"Weak ass?! I swear to the gods I will-"

Their childish argument was cut short when the flames below the boar suddenly erupted and they turned to see an infuriated Stella, but rather than scold them she rose and stormed off leaving the two men alone with a burnt dinner.

She found way up a tree, not caring about the whispers because their silence probably meant they were too busy with Shongo to deal with her, then once at the top she found a comfortable branch that could hold her weight and faced the skyline.

A lot was on her mind, mostly regarding the Alltale, part one of this insane quest was somewhat completed, after two years she's finally met the god, and although everything had been leading to this moment she really didn't know what to do now.