The Eternal Journey

Chapter 16: Echoes from the Past

The wind howled as Aric, Selene, and Garen made their way down the mountainside. The shrine and its mysterious visions were now behind them, yet the discomfort persisted. The sculptures on the altar remained in their minds, a cruel reminder of the dangers they faced and the unknown path that lied ahead.

The terrain was hazardous, with sharp rocks and loose gravel underfoot. The mountain's grasp on them had not yet relaxed, and every step felt like a battle against the elements. The bitter wind battered their faces, bringing with it the pain of ice and snow. Even the Heartstone, with its faint glow, appeared to fade in the suffocating cold.

Despite the difficulties, they persisted, motivated by the necessity of their objective. The weight of the Heartstone was ever-present, a continuous reminder of the duty that had been placed on them. Aric, who carried the relic in his pack, could feel its strength pulsing against his back, as if it were alive and responding to the rising darkness that around them.

The path they took was tiny, meandering along the edge of a steep cliff. The ground under them sank away into a deep valley, its bottom concealed by whirling clouds. The sensation of danger was intense, yet they had no choice but to move forward. The trek to the Sanctum was dangerous, but it was necessary.

As they dropped, the landscape started to alter. The mountain's craggy summits gave way to flat hills with thick layers of snow on their slopes. The wind eased down, and the sky above them cleared, displaying a sprinkling of stars twinkling in the cool night air. It was a brief respite from the mountains' relentless severity, and they permitted themselves to believe that the worst was behind them.

But the quiet was short-lived. As they approached the bottom of the slope, the ground underneath them began to tremor. A deep rumble rumbled across the hills, becoming louder and more fierce with every passing second. The ground shook furiously, filling the air with the sound of shattering ice and shifting soil.

"An avalanche!" Garen yelled, barely audible over the loud roar.

Without hesitation, they broke into a run, dashing across the snow-covered plain as the mountain behind them collapsed. The tremor intensified, and the ground crumbled beneath their feet, knocking them off balance. Aric tripped, his heart thumping in his chest as he struggled to remain on his feet.

The avalanche was upon them in seconds, a wall of snow and ice that rushed forward with alarming speed. There was no time to think or plan. They rushed for their life, the cold air scorching in their lungs.

Aric felt the Heartstone vibrating in his pack, its power responding to the impending threat. It was as if the artifact was driving him forward, pushing him to move quicker in order to avoid the disaster that was closing in on them. He could hear Selene and Garen just behind him, breathing in ragged gasps as they strained to keep up.

But the avalanche moved too quickly. The snow engulfed them, blocking away all other sounds. Aric's world blurred into white as he was carried off his feet and hurled around like a ragdoll in the rushing stream. He strained to stay aware, to preserve his grip on the Heartstone, but the avalanche was too powerful.

As he slid through the snow, time appeared to pause, and the world spun around him like a dizzying tornado. He could feel the cold penetrate into his bones, draining his power and freezing his consciousness. The weight of the Heartstone was the only thing keeping him grounded, a tiny glimmer in the blackness around him.

The world came to a halt, just as abruptly as it had started. The sound of the avalanche faded into silence, and the ground underneath him ceased to move. Aric lay unmoving, covered beneath a thick blanket of snow, his body beaten and broken by the unrelenting assault.