The sky had not yet lightened, and the blizzard outside had slightly subsided. The fire inside the cave had gradually burned out, leaving only faint embers reflecting off their tired faces. Jack stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave, looking out towards the vast ice field. The pale light reflecting off the endless snow seemed to stretch into an infinite dead silence.
"We must leave as soon as possible," Jack said quietly, his voice low but firm. Sarah and Tom woke up one after the other, rubbing their eyes as they got up to prepare for departure. They knew that any delay would only create more opportunities for unknown dangers to catch up to them.
Anna's condition had slightly improved, and with Sarah's help, she managed to stand up and exit the cave. Though her face was still pale, there was a glimmer of clarity in her eyes. Jack looked at her and nodded slightly, "How are you feeling? Can you go on?"
Anna forced a faint smile. "I'm... I'll be fine, just a bit weak." Her voice was still hoarse, but her determination brought some comfort to Jack.
They ate some of the dry rations they carried, then began heading deeper into the ice field. Despite a night of rest, the coldness of the ice field remained relentless. Each step felt like it landed on the silence of the frozen world, with only their footsteps echoing across the vast emptiness.
Anna leaned on Sarah's shoulder as they moved slowly. Jack and Tom led the way, knowing that although the Heart of Annihilation had temporarily suppressed the power of the runes, the ancient threat had not been eliminated. They needed to find the source and discover a way to completely eradicate that power.
"Jack, something doesn't look right up ahead." Tom suddenly stopped, pointing into the distance. Jack followed his gaze and saw a giant crack running through the ice field, like a winding serpent stretching far away.
Jack frowned. The ice fissure added to the challenges of their journey, and what lay beneath could contain even more unknown dangers. They had to be extra cautious to avoid falling into it.
Approaching the fissure, they found it unfathomably deep, as if darkness flowed within—a darkness not like a typical shadow beneath the ice but something alive, lurking deep within the abyss. Anna stopped, her face showing a mix of fear and astonishment, and she tightly gripped Sarah's hand, sensing some unknown threat.
"There's something down there... I can feel it..." Anna whispered, her voice trembling with fear.
Jack stared into the fissure. He also felt an inexplicable chill rising from within, as if countless eyes were watching them from the darkness. He turned to Tom and Sarah, his expression alert. "We need to go around it. Stay away from the edge."
They moved cautiously along the fissure, keeping a safe distance to avoid falling in. Suddenly, Anna stopped, her entire body frozen in place, her eyes fixed in a daze on the fissure.
"Anna, what's wrong?" Sarah quickly supported her, her voice filled with concern.
Anna's eyes were hollow, as though trapped in some hallucination. She murmured, "They are down there... they're calling me..."
"What? What are you talking about?" Jack rushed over, but Anna seemed oblivious to his voice, slowly walking towards the fissure.
"Anna, stay away!" Jack quickly grabbed her arm, trying to pull her back. But Anna's strength was astonishing—she struggled against his grip, as if the darkness was drawing her in.
"Help me!" Jack called out to Tom, who immediately rushed over, and together they managed to drag Anna back. She suddenly regained her senses, her eyes clearing, but her face was pale with fear.
"I think I saw something..." she stammered, "Those things... they're down there, waiting for us... they want us to come down."
A chill ran down Jack's spine. He realized that something might indeed be lurking beneath the fissure, some ancient, incomprehensible force. It could affect Anna's mind, making her walk towards the fissure against her will. The realization filled him with dread.
"We need to get out of here," Jack said decisively, knowing that staying longer would only put them in greater danger.
Sarah and Tom nodded, helping Anna as they continued onward, away from the fissure. The blizzard remained harsh, but they pressed forward. Throughout the journey, Anna remained visibly uneasy, as though she could still hear the whispers.
After a grueling trek, they finally bypassed the fissure and reached a relatively flat area. Jack stopped, looked around, and after ensuring there was no immediate threat, signaled for them to take a break.
"What exactly are we fighting against?" Tom asked quietly, his eyes full of doubt and fear. They had gone through so much, yet they still knew so little about their enemy.
"It's some ancient power—something beyond our understanding," Jack replied gravely. "But we can't give up. We must find a way to end all of this."
Sarah turned to Anna and asked softly, "What did you see back there? Can you describe it?"
Anna took a deep breath, closing her eyes as if trying to recall the vision. "I saw shadows, like human figures, but their faces were blurred... They were beneath the fissure, waiting for something. I could feel it—they were calling me, wanting me to join them."
Jack's unease deepened. He knew that this wasn't just an ordinary hallucination; those shadows might very well be the ancient entities they were up against.
"We need to keep moving forward, to find the true power of the Heart of Annihilation," Jack said firmly. "We must uncover the secret of these runes and devices—that might be the only way to stop them."
Anna nodded, her resolve unwavering despite her frail condition. Sarah and Tom exchanged glances and silently nodded as well.
"Let's go." Jack said, leading them onward.
Although the path ahead remained shrouded in snow and filled with unknown dangers, they knew they had to press on, face the visions lurking beneath the ice, and uncover the truth hidden within the ice field. Every step was difficult and heavy, but hope still burned within them. Even in this endless cold and darkness, it would not easily be extinguished.