After a brief rest, the team decided to move forward. They knew staying there wasn't safe; although the power of the Heart of Oblivion had temporarily weakened the influence of the runes, the whispers still lingered on the edges of their consciousness, as if reminding them that danger had not yet passed.
Anna had regained some strength. Though her face was still pale, her gaze was firm and strong. Jack and Sarah carefully supported her, while Tom walked ahead with the notebook, occasionally glancing at its records, trying to find any clues about the "Guardian."
They trudged across the icy plain against the wind, hearing nothing but the howling wind and the crunch of their boots in the snow. The air was cold and thin, each breath seemingly draining them of heat and energy. Yet the faint glow of the Heart of Oblivion offered them a small comfort, warding off the despair in their hearts.
"The Guardian… what could it be?" Sarah murmured, her eyes gazing into the distance, as if trying to find answers in the vast expanse of snow.
"There's no clear description in the notebook, only that it's the opposite of the runes—maybe a force of protection." Tom replied, frowning as he rubbed the edges of the notebook, seemingly lost in thought.
Anna lifted her head, a determined look in her eyes. "Whatever it is, we have to find it. It's our only chance."
Jack nodded; he felt the same way. They had witnessed the power of the runes and the terror of the whispers—Anna's ordeal was proof of that. If they didn't eliminate these threats entirely, they'd never escape this cursed ice field.
"Head north." Tom suddenly looked up, pointing towards the distant ice field. There was a note of certainty in his voice. "The notebook mentioned that the source of the rune's power is in the south. To find the Guardian that can counter it, we must go in the opposite direction."
Jack looked at the distant horizon, the sky gray and the blizzard intensifying, obscuring the way forward. The northern horizon seemed shrouded in an unknown darkness, but he knew they had no other choice.
"Alright, north it is," Jack said firmly, leading the way.
The wind and snow grew fiercer, and their progress across the ice plain became increasingly arduous. Every step felt like it cost all their strength, but no one stopped. The four of them were just shadows in the storm, blurred but supporting each other, their hearts bound by a single belief: to find the Guardian and escape this place.
After what felt like an eternity, they came across a huge crevasse—a naturally formed abyss in the ice plain. Its depths were unfathomable, seemingly leading straight to hell. Jack stopped, motioning for everyone to be cautious as they approached.
"Why is there such a big crevasse here?" Sarah asked softly, her tone full of confusion and wariness.
"Maybe… it's a natural phenomenon," Tom speculated, though his voice held uncertainty. The walls of the crevasse were smooth, as if carved by some great force, and they could faintly see familiar runes etched into the ice.
"Look, those runes…" Jack pointed to the symbols on the ice wall, his face growing solemn. These runes were similar to the ones they'd seen before in the caves, but there were subtle differences, as if they were another variant.
"They're guiding us," Anna said suddenly, her eyes fixed on the runes as if drawn by some power. There was a strange calm in her voice. "Perhaps the Guardian is on the other side of the crevasse."
Jack hesitated. He knew the path was fraught with danger, but Anna's intuition had always been sharp. Perhaps this was their only clue to finding the Guardian. "We have to cross," he decided. "We have to find the Guardian."
"But how do we cross such a huge crevasse?" Sarah looked at the abyss, her eyes filled with worry.
Tom surveyed the terrain carefully, then pointed to a large ice block spanning the crevasse not far away. "Maybe we can cross there. Just be careful and keep your balance."
Jack led the way to the ice block, stepping onto it to make sure it was sturdy before signaling for the others to follow. One by one, they carefully walked across the massive block of ice, beneath them only unfathomable darkness, seeming to echo with countless whispers calling to them from the abyss.
Anna was the last to cross. Her steps were slow but steady, her gaze fixed firmly ahead. She knew that no matter how dangerous this road was, she had to keep moving.
Finally, they made it across, reaching the other side. The terrain here was more rugged, and the ice walls glowed with strange blue light, as if some power was welcoming their arrival. Jack took a deep breath, lifted his flashlight, and continued onward.
They followed the ice wall, gradually entering a more enclosed area. The ice around them shimmered with a warm golden light, starkly different from the blue runes they had seen before. Jack felt a stirring in his heart—perhaps this was where the Guardian resided.
Suddenly, a deep humming sound echoed from ahead, like some colossal creature awakening. The four of them stopped, staring tensely towards the source of the sound. At the end of the golden light, a tall ice wall slowly cracked open, and a warm glow shone through, gradually forming a massive humanoid silhouette.
"The Guardian…" Anna whispered, her eyes filled with awe and wonder. It was a giant made of light, towering and majestic, as if it embodied the power of the entire ice field.
The light giant lowered its head to look at them, its gaze carrying no malice, but rather a sense of compassion. Its voice resonated in their minds, deep and powerful: "Why have you come here, mortals?"
Jack felt as if his blood had frozen. He gathered his courage and spoke to the light giant, "We are here to fight the power of the runes and seek a way to leave this ice field."
The light giant remained silent for a moment, golden light flowing across its form as if assessing their resolve. After a few moments, it nodded. "The power of the runes comes from darkness, and my existence is to guard this sacred land. Your determination has shown me hope, but to gain my help, you must prove yourselves worthy."
"How do we prove ourselves?" Sarah stepped forward, her voice full of unyielding determination.
The light giant extended its hand, and a sphere of golden light rose from its palm, floating before Jack, Sarah, Tom, and Anna. "Find the source of the darkness, face it, and purify it. Only then can you earn your freedom."
The four of them exchanged glances, a look of determination passing between them. No matter how dangerous the path ahead, they had already made up their minds. To leave this cursed land, they would fight to the end.
"We accept the challenge," Jack said loudly, gripping the Heart of Oblivion in his hand. The golden light shone before them, as if responding to their resolve.
The light giant nodded slightly, and golden light enveloped the four of them, carrying them toward a new journey—a journey to the source of darkness, and to their ultimate hope.