The wind and snow echoed softly through the abandoned city, as if lamenting its former splendor and current desolation. Jack, Sarah, Tom, and Eric carefully continued exploring the mysterious city, hoping to find more clues that could help them understand the truth behind the runes.
After a brief rest, the blizzard had somewhat subsided. Jack motioned for everyone to move on. They needed to take advantage of this brief calm to search for more clues or find a way out of the icefield.
"It's too quiet here, except for the wind," Sarah muttered, her voice swallowed by the surrounding silence. She held her flashlight tightly, scanning the area cautiously. The ruined buildings resembled slumbering beasts, seemingly ready to awaken at any moment.
"What do you think we'll find?" Eric walked beside Jack, his gaze filled with complex emotions. "This city has been frozen for so long. If there are clues, why would they only be discovered now?"
Jack nodded. He had been thinking the same thing. The connection between the power of the runes and this city puzzled him, but he also realized that none of it could be explained by logic. Some force seemed to be manipulating them, leading them step by step deeper into the mystery.
Suddenly, Tom stopped in his tracks, his whole body stiffening. He stared at a half-collapsed building in the distance, as if seeing something incomprehensible.
"What is it, Tom?" Jack immediately became alert, quickly moving to his side and following his gaze.
On the ruined wall of the building, there were large areas covered in runes, slightly different from the ones they had seen before. These runes were more twisted, as if destroyed and rebuilt by some force, but each one radiated an unsettling aura.
"These runes... they're talking," Tom whispered, his voice filled with fear and disbelief. His face was pale, as if the runes were speaking directly to him.
Jack's heart tightened. He knew Tom's mental state had been unstable, and these runes seemed to be further eroding his sanity. He quickly grabbed Tom's wrist, shaking him firmly. "Stay with me, Tom! They're trying to control you!"
Tom shuddered, as if waking from a nightmare. He looked at Jack, his eyes vacant for a moment before regaining some clarity. He nodded, taking a deep breath. "Thanks, Jack... These runes, they... they really are whispering."
Sarah stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the runes. Her instincts told her that these symbols might hold critical information—perhaps the key to escaping the icefield.
"We should record these runes," Sarah said, taking out her notebook and quickly sketching the outlines of the symbols. "Maybe they can tell us something about the Ice God."
"The Ice God..." Jack repeated the name softly, feeling an inexplicable heaviness. They had read about the Ice God in previous records—those abandoned texts had mentioned it as the symbol of power on the icefield, the ruler of this city. However, they still couldn't determine what it truly meant.
"Maybe these runes are revealing some forbidden secret," Eric speculated, his voice tinged with unease.
Just then, a low hum came from deep within the city. The sound seemed to come from underground, carrying an inexplicable sense of majesty and oppression. Jack immediately raised the crystal, its blue light flickering in response to the sound.
"Stay alert. Something might be coming," Jack said quietly, his gaze scanning their surroundings vigilantly.
Sarah, too, felt the strange tremor in the air. She put down her notebook, gripping her flashlight tightly, her eyes locked on the distant darkness. Suddenly, it seemed as if something was moving in the shadows—something massive, slowly creeping closer.
"They're coming," Tom's voice trembled, sensing an invisible pressure.
Jack didn't hesitate. "We have to get out of here! Run!"
They turned and ran back the way they had come. The wind and snow intensified, as if the entire city had awakened at that moment. The cold carried eerie whispers, each step they took feeling heavier and more burdensome.
Jack led the way, gripping the crystal tightly, its blue glow illuminating their path. Sarah and Eric followed closely behind, with Tom bringing up the rear. Though Tom's stamina was nearly exhausted, his will to survive pushed him forward.
Suddenly, Jack saw a light ahead—it was the room where they had taken refuge earlier. Jack quickened his pace, rushing to the room and throwing the door open, motioning for the others to hurry inside.
Once all four were inside, Jack slammed the door shut and leaned against it, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. The whispers outside still lingered, seemingly pacing just beyond the door, unwilling to leave.
"They're searching for us," Eric whispered, his face pale, eyes filled with fear.
"But why?" Sarah sat on the ground, trying to calm herself. "What do they want?"
Jack shook his head, staring at the crystal in his hand. "These whispers... maybe it's the Ice God trying to communicate with us. But we still don't understand their true purpose."
Tom slumped against the wall, his expression vacant. "They're saying... they're waiting... waiting for some power to return."
Jack and Sarah exchanged glances, realizing that the danger they faced was far greater than they had imagined. They weren't just battling the harsh environment—they were confronting an ancient, unknown force, a dormant power waiting for its chance to awaken.
"We need to find more clues, discover why this city was destroyed, and uncover the connection between the runes and the Ice God," Jack said firmly, determination filling his eyes.
Sarah nodded. "Maybe there's something deeper in the city that can unravel this mystery."
Though filled with unease, Eric knew they had no other choice. He would follow Jack and Sarah, searching for more answers.
"We must be careful," Jack added. "Until we find the truth, we can't let these forces control our minds."
They rested briefly in the abandoned room, deciding to wait for the storm to fully subside before delving deeper into the mysterious city. They knew the path ahead was dangerous, but it was also their only chance of finding answers and a way out.
Outside, the wind and snow gradually lessened, but the whispers remained, faint and haunting, as if waiting for their next move. Jack, Sarah, Tom, and Eric exchanged glances. Despite the fear in their hearts, they knew that only by pressing forward could they find a way to escape the frozen land and uncover the secrets of the Ice God.
Their fate lay ahead, unknown, and they had no choice but to face the ultimate trial waiting in the depths of the icefield.