The morning after the wolf attack, the group moved with renewed urgency. The air was thick with tension, each of them bearing wounds and exhaustion from the previous night. Rurik, still shivering despite layers of furs, pressed forward, his face pale but determined. The seer's dwelling was only a day's journey away, but the final stretch would be the most treacherous.
By midday, they reached the base of the Ice Cliffs. Towering walls of glacial ice stretched high into the sky, their blue surfaces shimmering under the weak sunlight. Wind howled through the crevices, carrying whispers of ancient storms trapped within the frozen behemoths. Jack's breath caught in his throat—this was unlike anything he had ever seen. The landscape was both mesmerizing and terrifying, an unforgiving realm of ice and danger.
Torvald scanned the surroundings. "We climb. No other way."
Jack eyed the cliffs warily. The jagged surface was slick with frost, and climbing it with their limited gear seemed almost suicidal. Anja pointed to a narrow path winding along the base, disappearing into a tunnel-like opening. "There's another way. The caves. They say the ice spirits dwell within, but they provide shelter from the wind."
Jack wasn't sure which sounded worse—scaling a near-vertical sheet of ice or venturing into haunted tunnels. Before he could decide, Eirik stepped forward. "The spirits are a myth. The caves are our best option."
Into the Frozen Caverns
The entrance to the cave was barely visible against the icy rock, a narrow fissure just wide enough for them to squeeze through. Inside, the air was colder, but the howling wind was mercifully absent. Frost coated the walls, glistening like crystals in the dim light filtering from outside. Jack ran his gloved fingers along the smooth surface, feeling the deep chill seep into his skin.
They moved cautiously, torches casting flickering shadows on the walls. The cave stretched on, narrowing and widening unpredictably. At times, they had to crouch to pass through tight spaces; at others, they entered vast chambers where the ice glowed eerily from some unknown source of illumination.
Then came the sound. A low, distant moan, like the earth itself was breathing.
Jack froze, exchanging wary glances with the others. "Tell me that's just the wind."
Rurik shook his head. "The caves… they have voices. The old ones say the spirits of lost travelers wander here."
Jack didn't believe in ghosts, but something about this place felt wrong. The moaning sound echoed through the tunnels, growing louder. Then, without warning, the ground trembled slightly beneath their feet.
Torvald cursed under his breath. "Avalanche above. We need to move."
They quickened their pace, navigating the twisting tunnels with urgency. As they rounded a bend, the path ahead widened into a frozen lake within the cavern. The ice was black, as if bottomless. Strange markings adorned the surrounding walls, symbols carved deep into the glacial surface.
Anja knelt, tracing the symbols with her fingertips. "These are not natural. Someone was here before us."
Jack examined them closely. The carvings depicted strange figures—humanoid shapes intertwined with spirals and jagged lines, as if merging with the ice itself. "Could this be from the seer's people?"
Eirik studied the markings, his expression unreadable. "Perhaps. Or something older."
The Collapse
As they continued, a distant rumble grew louder. Jack barely had time to register the sound before the ground shuddered violently. Cracks spiderwebbed across the icy ceiling.
"Run!" Torvald bellowed.
They sprinted as chunks of ice crashed down behind them. Jack dodged a falling slab, his heart hammering. The tunnel ahead was closing fast. He grabbed Rurik, hauling him forward as the warrior stumbled. Just as they neared the exit, a final tremor sent the entire chamber into chaos.
With a deafening crack, the tunnel behind them collapsed, sealing off their way back. Dust and frost swirled in the air, and silence followed.
Panting, Jack looked around. They had made it through, but there was no going back. Ahead, the passageway led deeper into the unknown.
The only way now was forward—to the seer.