Frosted Hearts

Chapter 13: Beneath the Surface

The narrow passage seemed endless, its twists and turns pressing them farther into the earth. The faint, golden glow of the shard provided just enough light to guide their steps, but it also made the shadows around them dance eerily. Ethan led the way, his jaw set and flashlight trembling slightly in his hand. Annie followed close behind, her heart pounding as she clutched the shard tightly.

The footsteps behind them grew fainter, but Ethan didn’t dare stop. “We’re getting close to the outer tunnels,” he murmured over his shoulder. “If we can reach the drainage exit, we’ll have a chance to lose them completely.”

Annie nodded, though the oppressive air and the weight of their situation made it hard to speak. She couldn’t help but glance back every few steps, half-expecting to see shadows emerging from the darkness.

Finally, the passage opened up into a wider tunnel. The sound of water rushing in the distance filled the space, mingling with the faint hum of the shard in her hand. Ethan paused, shining his flashlight across the area. His eyes scanned the walls, searching for the next landmark.

“There,” he said, pointing to a ladder embedded in the concrete wall. “That should lead to the drainage system.”

As they approached, the shard began to glow brighter, its heat radiating through Annie’s coat. She frowned, her steps faltering. “Ethan, something’s happening. It’s... reacting to something.”

Ethan turned to her, concern etched across his face. “What do you mean?”

“It’s pulling me,” she said, holding the shard out slightly. The glow intensified, casting an almost golden haze over the tunnel. “It’s like it’s leading us somewhere.”

Ethan hesitated, torn between the need to escape and the strange allure of the shard’s behavior. “We can’t stay here,” he said firmly. “Whatever it’s doing, we’ll figure it out later. Right now, we need to get out of this tunnel.”

---

A Moment of Resistance

Annie shook her head, her grip tightening on the shard. “What if it’s trying to warn us? Or guide us to safety?”

Ethan stepped closer, his voice low but urgent. “And what if it’s a trap? We don’t know what this thing is capable of, Annie. We can’t take the risk.”

The shard’s glow pulsed again, brighter and faster, as if responding to their argument. The air in the tunnel grew heavier, charged with an unseen energy that made the hair on the back of Ethan’s neck stand on end.

“Fine,” Annie relented, though her reluctance was clear. She tucked the shard away and grabbed the ladder. “Let’s go.”

Ethan followed her, his eyes scanning the tunnel one last time before he began climbing. The sound of rushing water grew louder as they ascended, and the faint light of dawn peeked through the grates above them.

As they reached the top, Ethan pushed the heavy metal cover aside, revealing a frost-covered clearing surrounded by dense trees. The cold air bit at their skin, but the open space felt like a relief after the oppressive tunnels.

“Where are we?” Annie asked, her breath visible in the icy air.

“Edge of the forest, just outside town,” Ethan replied, helping her up. “We’re not safe yet, but we’ve put some distance between us and them.”

---

A New Threat

Before they could catch their breath, a low growl broke the silence. Ethan spun around, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the treeline. A pair of glowing eyes appeared in the shadows, followed by another, and another.

“Wolves,” he muttered, stepping in front of Annie protectively.

Annie’s grip on the shard tightened, and its glow returned, faint but steady. The wolves hesitated, their glowing eyes locked onto the shard. It was as if they were both drawn to it and repelled by its presence.

“What do we do?” Annie whispered, fear creeping into her voice.

Ethan kept his gaze fixed on the wolves, his hand reaching for the knife at his belt. “Stay behind me. If they attack, aim for the throat.”

The wolves began to circle, their growls growing louder, but they didn’t close the distance. Instead, they seemed to be waiting for something.

Suddenly, one of the wolves let out a sharp, almost human-sounding cry and bolted into the forest. The others followed, disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.

“What just happened?” Annie asked, her voice trembling.

Ethan shook his head, his hand still on his knife. “I don’t know. But we need to keep moving.”

---

The Forest Path

The forest was dense and silent, the snow muffling their footsteps as they pushed forward. Ethan kept his eyes on the path ahead, his mind racing with questions. Why had the wolves retreated? What was the shard doing to them?

Annie walked close beside him, her hand brushing against his arm occasionally for reassurance. “Do you think Calloway’s okay?” she asked softly.

Ethan’s jaw tightened. He didn’t have an answer, but he knew they couldn’t go back—not yet. “He’ll be fine,” he said, though his voice lacked conviction.

As they reached a small clearing, the shard began to pulse again, its glow cutting through the morning light. Annie pulled it out, staring at it with a mix of wonder and apprehension. “It’s leading us somewhere,” she said again, more certain this time.

Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Then let’s see where it’s taking us. But we need to stay on guard.”

The shard’s glow illuminated a narrow path through the trees, one that didn’t appear on Ethan’s map. With no other options, they followed it, their steps cautious but determined.

What lay ahead, neither of them could say, but one thing was certain: their journey was far from over.

The narrow path led them deeper into the forest, the towering trees forming a canopy that blocked out much of the daylight. The shard's glow lit their way, flickering like a heartbeat. Every step they took seemed to resonate with the same rhythm, as though the forest itself pulsed in tune with the shard.

Ethan’s grip on the flashlight tightened as his instincts screamed that they were heading into something unknown—and dangerous. Beside him, Annie held the shard tightly, her face set with determination despite the cold air stinging her cheeks.

“It’s strange,” she whispered, her breath visible in the icy air. “The shard feels... alive. Like it knows where it’s taking us.”

“That doesn’t mean we should trust it,” Ethan replied, his voice low but steady. “It’s leading us somewhere, but we don’t know if it’s safe.”

The forest grew eerily silent, the usual sounds of wildlife replaced by an oppressive stillness. Suddenly, the shard flared, illuminating a clearing ahead. At the center stood an ancient stone arch, covered in frost and strange carvings that glimmered faintly in the shard’s light.

“What is that?” Annie murmured, taking a cautious step forward.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know. But I don’t like it.”

Annie’s breath hitched as she approached the stone arch, its carvings pulsating faintly, echoing the shard’s glow. Each symbol seemed to twist and shift, as though alive, defying the frozen stillness of the forest.

Ethan reached out, grabbing her wrist before she got too close. “Wait,” he warned. “We don’t know what this thing is or what it can do.”

“But the shard brought us here,” Annie argued, her eyes fixed on the arch. “It wants us to find this.”

As they stood there, a low hum began to fill the air, emanating from the shard. It grew louder, vibrating through their bones as the frost on the arch melted away, revealing smooth, obsidian stone beneath.

Ethan’s instincts screamed at him to run, but Annie stepped forward, her hand trembling as she held the shard closer to the arch. “This is it,” she whispered. “This is where it all begins.”

The hum crescendoed, and with a brilliant flash of light, the arch came alive, revealing a swirling portal within its frame. Ethan’s heart raced. Whatever lay beyond, there would be no turning back.

End of chapter 13