135 The Realm Below

People crave warmth, lust for the flame.

The mountains that ran along the southern region of the northern lands were covered with snow all year round, just as they were on that day.

Amidst the frigid, whispering winds, a cold swell blowing in from vast and distant oceans locked the earth in ice. White snow, gray clouds, and black forests were the only colors to be seen here. The gloom and monotony of this scenery weighed heavy on one's spirits, while the cold, harsh weather ravaged the body.

To a human, this vast and barren wasteland of ice was essentially no man's land. To cross here without having made extensive preparations beforehand, without a doubt, would only end in a pile of bones buried beneath a blizzard. Even if the climate had grown warmer of late, such remained the fact of this land.

Of course, not everyone shared the same fear of this weather.

Starfall Year 832, the 26th day of the 2nd month, noon.