Chapter 18: The Source of Darkness

Wrapped in golden light, Jack, Sarah, Tom, and Anna felt as though they were being guided by a warm force, their bodies floating gently in midair. It was a strange yet serene feeling, as if they had transcended the reality of this world, with all their fears and worries temporarily dispelled. The four of them closed their eyes, allowing the light to guide them forward.

After what felt like an eternity, the golden light gradually faded, and the four of them slowly descended to solid ground. The surface beneath their feet was cold and hard, and the surrounding scene stunned them. It was an entirely unfamiliar place, with ancient runes etched into the icy walls around them. Each symbol glowed faintly blue, as if whispering an ancient story.

Jack looked around, his gaze drawn to a massive ice sculpture not far away. It was a towering statue that appeared humanoid but with distinct differences from any human. The figure's arms were outstretched, its eyes stern, as if guarding something significant. In the center of its chest was a black symbol, unlike any of the surrounding runes—a symbol emanating an indescribable aura of malevolence.

"Is this… the source of the darkness?" Sarah asked, her voice filled with suspicion and caution. Her eyes were locked on the black symbol, and she could almost feel its power gradually encroaching on her mind.

Tom stepped forward cautiously, his voice low. "This looks very similar to what was mentioned in the notebook. The power of the runes stems from some dark presence, and this statue… might be key to sealing that dark source."

Jack nodded, then turned to Anna. "How are you feeling? Is this place affecting you?"

Anna took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "I can feel it… It's trying to pull me in, to make me submit, but I can resist." There was a determined gleam in her eyes, showing that she was not intimidated by the malevolence in front of them.

"Good, we need to act quickly," Jack said, stepping toward the statue, holding the Heart of Oblivion. It emitted a gentle warmth, as if responding to some unseen force.

The four of them gathered around the statue, carefully examining the black symbol. It seemed embedded deep within the ice that made up the statue. Through the layer of ice, they could feel an overwhelming pressure radiating from it, as if all the darkness in the ice cave was concentrated at that point.

"The notebook mentioned that the sealing power of the runes can be neutralized by the Heart of Oblivion, but we need to find the core of the runes," Tom said in a low voice, clutching the notebook tightly, his eyes filled with unease.

"The core… must be right here," Jack said, staring at the black symbol. He slowly raised the Heart of Oblivion, moving it toward the statue's chest. As the golden light from the Heart touched the black symbol, it began to tremble slightly, as if agitated by the light.

"Keep going, Jack!" Sarah urged, her gaze fixed on the statue, gripping her flashlight as she scanned the surroundings warily. Anna also stepped closer, placing her hand gently on the Heart of Oblivion, trying to lend Jack more strength.

As the Heart of Oblivion neared the black symbol, the entire ice cave began to quake. The ice walls around them emitted a low hum, as if countless creatures were growling softly. The blue runes glowed intensely, flooding the cave with blue light, while the terrifying whispers once again invaded their consciousness, as if they wanted to devour them.

"Hurry up! We need to finish this quickly!" Tom shouted, feeling the whispers gnawing away at his mind, making it hard to stay conscious.

Jack used all his strength to press the Heart of Oblivion against the statue's chest. The moment the golden light met the black symbol, an immense force erupted, as if all the energy in the ice cave had been concentrated at that single point. The black symbol let out a sharp screech, then began to shudder violently. The dark aura seemed to be gradually peeled away.

"Hold on! We're almost there!" Sarah yelled, struggling to keep hold of her flashlight. The sight before her was overwhelming. The black symbol grew dimmer until it eventually vanished from the statue's chest. The golden light of the Heart of Oblivion enveloped the entire statue, suppressing the blue glow of the runes.

With the disappearance of the black symbol, the whispers in the ice cave also gradually weakened until they were completely gone. Silence returned to the cave, and only the faint hum of the Heart of Oblivion echoed in the air. Jack took a deep breath, lowered the Heart, and leaned against the statue, feeling as though he had just fought a life-and-death battle.

"Did we do it?" Anna asked softly, uncertainty in her eyes.

"It looks like it," Jack replied, gasping for breath. "The darkness is sealed, at least for now… We're safe."

Tom and Sarah let out sighs of relief, exchanging smiles. Despite knowing that this might not be the end, they had defeated one of their most fearsome enemies, and that gave them a sense of relief like never before.

"What now?" Tom asked, looking at Jack, his eyes filled with hope and anticipation.

Jack looked around. The ice cave remained cold and desolate, but it no longer carried the oppressive malevolence. He took a deep breath and held the Heart of Oblivion firmly. "We need to find a way out, to return to civilization, and to reveal the truth of all this."

Sarah nodded, her gaze filled with determination. "Yes, we need to let the world know what happened here, to make sure no one else ends up trapped like this."

Anna clenched her fist, her expression resolute. "We must survive, and take these answers with us."

The four of them looked at each other, their hearts filled with determination. Though the path ahead was still unknown, they knew that as long as they stood together, they could leave this cursed ice field and return to the world under the sun.

They turned away from the statue, the light of the Heart of Oblivion guiding their way through the cave. Each step was heavy, but every step also brought them closer to hope. They believed that as long as they kept moving forward, they would eventually find a way out of the darkness.