The blizzard gradually subsided, revealing a faint gray light in the sky, as if foretelling a brief respite from the storm. Jack, Sarah, Tom, and Eric dragged their weary bodies forward, the blue glow of the crystal lighting their way and giving them a glimmer of hope.
"We should be out of that eerie zone now," Sarah said, looking out at the now relatively calm icefield. Her voice carried exhaustion, but her eyes burned with hope.
"Let's hope so," Jack replied, his gaze fixed ahead. He held the crystal tightly, as if only by doing so could he stave off the fear inside.
Suddenly, Eric stopped and pointed ahead, surprised. "Look, what is that?"
They all followed Eric's gesture, and far off in the distance, they saw large silhouettes. Jack squinted, trying to see more clearly. Those outlines seemed to be the remnants of some buildings.
"Is that... a city?" Tom asked in a faint voice, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
Jack nodded, a hint of astonishment on his face. "Looks like it. Let's go check it out."
They cautiously approached the structures, gradually seeing them more clearly—a city abandoned and buried under the snow. The ruined buildings looked like sleeping giants, covered by thick ice, as if forgotten by time.
"This city looks like it's been here for hundreds of years," Sarah said, observing the surrounding structures. The buildings were no longer intact, covered in frost, with broken windows that seemed to be silent witnesses, gazing at them.
"A city, out here? In such a desolate icefield..." Eric muttered, clearly struggling to comprehend what they were seeing.
Jack looked around, filled with questions and unease. "Maybe this city was once the center of some civilization, later buried in ice and snow. For now, though, we should see if we can find some shelter."
They moved towards the center of the city and found some relatively intact buildings, with a few that could provide some shelter from the wind. Sarah found an old wooden door and pushed it open. Behind the door was a small, dry room. Though it was worn and dilapidated, it could at least give them a place to rest.
"Let's rest here for a while," Jack said, stepping inside and checking the surroundings to make sure it was safe. He then gestured for the others to come in.
Sarah and Eric helped Tom settle into a dry corner. Tom's face remained pale, but at least he now had a chance to catch his breath.
"What do you think happened to this city?" Eric asked, curiosity in his voice as he looked around the room, trying to find answers.
Sarah shook her head, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "These buildings look really old, maybe a few centuries. Everything here feels surreal, almost like some... otherworldly existence."
Jack leaned against the wall, contemplating all they had been through. "Maybe this city has some connection to the runes. The power of those runes couldn't have come from nowhere—they must have an origin. This city could be key to unlocking those mysteries."
As they were talking, a slight tremor suddenly ran through the room, the ground beneath them quivering slightly. Jack immediately became alert, standing up straight, and the crystal in his hand glowed brighter with blue light.
"What's happening?" Sarah whispered, unease evident in her eyes.
The tremor quickly subsided, and the room returned to silence. Jack looked at the crystal, its glow still gentle, showing no sign of danger.
"It could be ice shifting, or some underground movement," Jack speculated, trying to stay calm.
Sarah nodded, but her instincts told her that there was something more hidden within this city—something more complex than they had imagined.
"Everyone, stay cautious," Jack said. "Everything here is too strange. We can't let our guard down."
They rested in the room for a while, and Tom's breathing gradually steadied, his complexion improving somewhat. Eric moved around the room, trying to find more clues. In one corner, he found some old books covered in dust, though some of the text was still legible.
"These books… they seem to record the history of this city," Eric said softly, flipping through one of them. "It mentions something called the 'Ice God.' They worshiped it, believing it would bring them eternal life…"
"The Ice God?" Jack frowned. "Sounds like it's connected to the power of the runes we encountered."
Sarah took the book and read it carefully. "The Ice God mentioned here seems related to the whispers… Maybe the destruction of this city was linked to their worship of it."
Jack nodded, realizing they might be touching on the truth behind the icefield. "Maybe that's why we hear those whispers—they're the echoes of the Ice God, or remnants of some ancient power."
As they discussed, the sound of the wind outside suddenly deepened, as though something massive was approaching. Jack immediately signaled everyone to stay quiet.
"Listen…" he whispered, his gaze fixed on the door.
Heavy footsteps echoed outside, as if something large was wandering among the ruins of the city. Sarah held her breath, gripping her flashlight tightly, her eyes filled with tension.
"It's them…" Tom whispered, his voice trembling as though he knew what was coming.
Jack gripped the crystal, its blue light flickering in response to the threat outside. "We need to stay quiet, don't let it find us."
They held their breath, sitting silently in the room as the footsteps outside grew closer, then slowly faded away. Each step seemed to resonate with their hearts, as if the entire city was echoing with the presence of that unknown entity.
Only after the footsteps completely disappeared did Jack let out a slow breath. "It seems… this place isn't safe."
Sarah nodded, her expression serious. "We can't stay here long. Once the storm calms a bit, we have to leave."
They knew that while they had found a temporary haven, the danger still lurked around them. This sleeping city held too many secrets, and those secrets could bring more threats.
Jack looked at the crystal in his hand, its blue light still flickering, reminding them that the path ahead was full of unknowns and challenges.
"We'll move out as soon as the storm subsides," he said firmly, determination in his eyes.
Sarah, Tom, and Eric all nodded, a flicker of hope reignited within them. No matter how dangerous the road ahead, they would keep moving until they found the way to unravel the mystery of the icefield, find their comrades, and discover a way back home.