The wind rolled across the Antarctic ice plains, creating a white storm that swirled endlessly. The sky was overcast as if reluctant to let the sun penetrate the cold of this land. In an instant, one could feel that the world here was quieter than death itself.
Dr. Elias Vayne took a deep breath, exhaling slowly until a thin vapor escaped from his oxygen mask. Despite years of leading expeditions to extreme regions, there was something about this place that made him feel... small. As if Antarctica was not just a frozen territory, but a tomb holding more secrets than humans could comprehend.
Behind him, the hum of equipment filled the air. The expedition team was working quickly—installing sensors, checking geological data, and adjusting the communication system with satellites that were often disrupted by the harsh weather.
"Twenty more minutes, and the first stage of drilling will be complete," Jonas Caldwell's voice came through the radio.
Elias glanced at the technician, who was busy with his monitor screen. "What are the latest scanning results?"
Jonas frowned. "The structure beneath us is larger than initially estimated. Not just small ruins, but a city... and it appears to be intact."
Elias exchanged a look with Naomi Weiss, an investigative journalist who had joined the expedition. Naomi didn't just come as an observer; she had her own agenda. She wanted to uncover the truth that had been hidden from the world.
"If this city really exists," Naomi whispered, "it will change the history of human civilization."
Elias nodded slowly, but his mind remained alert. Something had been bothering him since they first arrived—a vague feeling that they shouldn't be here.
❆ ❆ ❆
An hour later, a large crevice had opened on the ice surface.
Layers of ice that had solidified for thousands of years were now split, revealing a dark and mysterious depth.
The expedition team gathered around it. Naomi held her camera tightly, recording every second of this historic moment. Jonas activated the exploration drone, a small cylindrical machine equipped with spotlights and advanced sensors.
"Drone ready for deployment," Jonas said.
Elias nodded. "Lower it slowly. Make sure we get a clear recording."
The machine began to descend, penetrating the layers of ice that still emitted a piercing chill. The first few seconds only showed chunks of ice surrounding a narrow path downward, but when the drone reached a depth of thirty meters, something extraordinary appeared on the monitor screen.
Giant stone pillars.
Buildings that still stood majestically, though covered in thick layers of ice. Strange carvings adorned the walls, unrecognizable symbols, but seemingly holding meanings lost to time.
Elias held his breath. "This isn't just ordinary ruins."
Naomi zoomed in on the screen. "This language... I've never seen anything like it before."
Marcus Halloway, a linguist who joined the expedition, squinted at the symbols. "This isn't from any civilization we know. There's no resemblance to Egyptian hieroglyphs, Sumerian script, or any other ancient language."
Sofia Albrecht, their geologist, pointed to a specific part of the screen. "Look at this. These structures aren't just carved... but seem to be sculpted with technology far more advanced than what should have existed in ancient times."
Jonas adjusted the drone's sensors. "Wait. There's something moving down there."
The atmosphere suddenly turned silent.
All eyes were fixed on the screen. A large shadow passed between the ruins, too fast to identify its shape.
Elias felt his heart beat faster. "Is that...?"
Then, the sound came.
A faint whisper, barely audible, but clear enough to send chills down their spines.
A foreign language. Unhuman.
Naomi swallowed hard. "Please tell me that's just audio interference."
Jonas shook his head, his face slightly pale. "There's no interference with the audio system. If that sound was recorded, then... there really is something down there."
They exchanged glances. No one spoke, but fear had already crept into their hearts.
On the screen, the drone continued to move slowly, navigating the ancient, long-buried corridors. Its spotlights swept across a vast room resembling a royal hall—and in the center, there was a large altar with the same symbols as on the walls.
However, that wasn't the only thing that caught their attention.
In the corner of the hall, something moved.
Jonas hurriedly directed the drone's camera there, but all that was visible was a shadow disappearing behind the ruins.
Elias straightened up. "We have to go down there."
Naomi stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious? We don't even know what's down there!"
Elias returned her gaze. "That's precisely why we have to go down. This is the greatest discovery in human history. We can't stop just because of fear."
Marcus sighed. "I must remind you that we don't know how stable these ruins are. If there's any tectonic movement, we could get trapped down there."
Sofia added, "Not to mention, we don't know what we just saw."
Elias looked at each team member. "I know this is risky. But isn't that why we came here? To uncover the truth that has long been buried?"
Silence.
Finally, Naomi took a deep breath. "Alright. But if anything feels wrong... we get out."
Elias nodded. "Agreed."
They didn't know that this decision would change everything.
❆ ❆ ❆
That night, the storm raged even more fiercely above the ice surface.
Inside the expedition tent, Elias replayed the recording they had obtained. Every symbol, every shadow movement, and especially... that whisper.
He played it repeatedly, trying to analyze its frequency. However, the longer he listened, the stranger it felt.
As if the sound wasn't just an echo from the past, but something still alive... and trying to speak to him.
Outside, the wind roared loudly.
Down there, in the frozen city, something began to move.
And the ice that had long guarded the boundary between their world began to crack.