The sun was little more than a faint glow on the horizon as Rannah and Hannah left the ancient temple behind, the frozen mage entombed within its icy walls. The shard, now securely tucked away in Rannah’s pouch, pulsed faintly with its cold energy, a constant reminder of the power they now carried. The air was still frigid, but the oppressive weight of the battle had lifted, replaced by the silent tension of what lay ahead.
The frozen north stretched out endlessly before them—vast, white, and desolate. Every step was slow, the snow crunching beneath their boots as the wind whipped around them. The sisters trudged forward, their breaths coming in short, visible puffs as the cold bit at their exposed skin.
"So, what’s the plan now?" Hannah asked, breaking the silence. She pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, shivering slightly as another gust of wind tore through the air. "Because unless we’ve suddenly developed a love for frostbite, I’m not sure wandering around aimlessly in the cold is the best idea."
Rannah’s eyes scanned the horizon, though there was little to see beyond the endless snow and ice. "We keep moving. There’s bound to be shelter somewhere up ahead."
Hannah groaned. "Great plan. ‘Keep moving’ sounds like a solid strategy when we’re one ice storm away from freezing solid."
Rannah shot her a sideways glance, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Would you rather go back to the temple and hang out with the frozen mage?"
"Ugh, pass," Hannah muttered, shaking her head. "But seriously, we need to find some kind of shelter soon. Or at least figure out where we’re going next."
Rannah didn’t respond right away. Her thoughts were still tangled in the events of the temple and the revelation of the shard’s existence. The dark mage’s words echoed in her mind—The others will rise, and you can’t stop it. There were more artifacts out there, hidden in places just like this one. And if there were other forces seeking them, they would have to act fast.
"The Keeper said this was only the first artifact," Rannah said, her voice thoughtful. "If that’s true, we need to figure out where the others are before someone else gets to them."
Hannah sighed. "I hate it when you’re right."
They walked in silence for a while longer, the cold sinking deeper into their bones as the wind howled around them. The shard in Rannah’s pouch continued to pulse faintly, its cold energy almost in tune with the frozen land around them.
"Do you think the shard knows where the other artifacts are?" Hannah asked suddenly, her voice curious.
Rannah frowned, considering the idea. The shard’s connection to the elemental forces was undeniable—it had reacted to her in the temple, almost as if it had a will of its own. But whether it could lead them to the other artifacts… she wasn’t sure.
"It’s possible," Rannah said slowly. "The shard seems to be connected to the elemental forces, like the Heart of the Earth. Maybe it’s part of a larger whole, and the pieces are drawn to each other."
Hannah raised an eyebrow. "So, what? We just wait for it to start glowing brighter or whispering directions in our ears?"
Rannah chuckled softly. "Something like that."
They continued onward, the landscape shifting slightly as they moved further north. The snow grew deeper, the wind colder, and the sky darker. It felt as though they were walking into the heart of winter itself. Every now and then, Rannah would glance at the shard, half-expecting it to react to something in the environment, but it remained quiet—its pulse steady, but faint.
As they rounded a small hill, Hannah stopped suddenly, her eyes narrowing at something in the distance. "Hey," she said, her voice tense. "Do you see that?"
Rannah followed her sister’s gaze and squinted. At first, she saw nothing but snow and ice. But then, in the distance, something dark stood out against the white—a structure, half-buried in the snow.
"It looks like a building," Rannah said, her voice low. "Maybe some kind of outpost?"
"Whatever it is, it’s better than freezing out here," Hannah said quickly, already moving toward it. "Let’s go check it out."
They hurried toward the structure, their boots sinking deeper into the snow with every step. As they drew closer, the details of the building became clearer—it was an old stone tower, worn and weathered by the elements. The walls were cracked, and large chunks of the stone were missing, but it still stood tall, its roof covered in a thick layer of snow.
"Looks abandoned," Rannah said, her breath clouding in the air as she examined the tower.
"Abandoned sounds good to me," Hannah replied, already making her way to the entrance. "Let’s just hope it’s not haunted or something. I’m not in the mood for cursed towers today."
They reached the door, which hung slightly ajar, its wood swollen from the cold and damp. Rannah pushed it open with a grunt, the hinges creaking as it swung inward. Inside, the tower was dark and cold, but at least it offered some shelter from the biting wind.
The sisters stepped inside, their footsteps echoing in the empty space. The interior was sparse—just a single room with a stone staircase leading up to what remained of the upper floors. Dust and debris covered the floor, and the air was thick with the smell of damp and decay.
"Charming," Hannah muttered, kicking a loose stone out of her way. "But at least it’s out of the wind."
Rannah moved further into the room, her eyes scanning the space. Something about the tower felt… off. There was an energy here, faint but palpable, like the remnants of an old magic that had long since faded.
"This place was important once," Rannah said quietly, her fingers brushing against the stone wall. "I can feel it."
Hannah frowned. "You’re not going to tell me this is another ancient temple, are you?"
Rannah shook her head. "No, not a temple. But there’s magic here. It’s old, though—faded. Like it’s been dormant for a long time."
They explored the room in silence for a few minutes, but aside from the strange energy lingering in the air, there was little of interest. The upper floors of the tower were inaccessible—collapsed in on themselves, leaving the lower room as the only viable shelter.
Hannah dropped her pack to the floor with a sigh, slumping against one of the walls. "Well, it’s not exactly luxury, but it’ll do for now. I’d kill for a fire, though."
Rannah smiled faintly and knelt down, pulling a small bundle of kindling from her pack. "I’ve got us covered."
It didn’t take long for them to get a small fire going in the center of the room. The warmth was a welcome relief, though it barely cut through the deep chill of the frozen north. As the flames flickered and danced, Rannah pulled the shard from her pouch, holding it up to the light.
The cold energy within the shard pulsed faintly, its blue glow reflecting in the firelight. There was something mesmerizing about it, something almost alive.
"Do you think there’s more to this thing than we realize?" Hannah asked, eyeing the shard warily. "Like, is it just raw power, or is there a mind behind it?"
Rannah didn’t answer immediately. She stared at the shard, feeling the cold magic thrumming through her fingers. It didn’t feel sentient—not like the Heart of the Earth had—but it was connected to something much larger. Something she couldn’t quite grasp.
"It’s part of something bigger," Rannah said quietly. "The shard alone is powerful, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. The real danger is what happens if someone gathers all the pieces."
Hannah shuddered. "Let’s hope that’s not on our to-do list."
They sat in silence for a while, the fire crackling softly as the wind howled outside. The warmth from the flames offered a brief respite from the cold, but Rannah couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. The faint hum of magic in the air hadn’t disappeared, and she could feel it pressing down on her like a weight.
"We should rest," Rannah said eventually, though her voice was laced with tension. "But stay alert. Something doesn’t feel right."
Hannah nodded, though she didn’t look convinced. "You’re telling me. This place gives me the creeps."
They settled in for the night, the fire burning low as the cold seeped into the room once more. But as Rannah closed her eyes, the faint hum of magic grew louder in her ears. It wasn’t the shard this time—it was something else. Something deeper, older, hidden beneath the layers of ice and stone.
And in the darkness, she heard it—whispers, faint and indistinct, carried on the wind.
The tower wasn’t as abandoned as they thought.