They continued down the road.
Gray was stuck clearing his thoughts. His gaze remained distant as the truck rolled on, the hum of the engine giving him a faint sense of stability. Yet something gnawed at him. The Hollow Path and its carved warning stuck in his mind like a thorn.
Korr leaned back, attempting to catch some rest. Even though they had only gone out for a few minutes earlier, it had really taken a toll on them. Both physically and mentally. He lay still with his eyes half open, watching the frost creep along the inner edges of the vehicle walls.
As for Adel, she simply sat quietly. Watching the window cautiously, her hands fidgeting around a small shard of broken glass she had found earlier. The weight of silence made it seem like the entire truck was holding its breath.
Minutes passed. Minutes turned to hours. The rank 6 and 7 students had fallen asleep, slumped against the side of the vehicle. Korr was standing guard now, positioned behind Lira who sat in the front with her arms crossed. Her eyes were alert, flicking between the foggy windshield and the map spread across her lap.
The surroundings didn't change much. Sometimes they felt as if they were going uphill. Sometimes downhill. The fog still covered their sights, smothering their vision in an endless haze. Everything felt the same. But Gray knew it wasn't. He could sense it.
Eventually Renn spoke up. His voice trembled more than usual.
"There... there is another fork in the road."
His words caused a ripple through the air. Even the silence seemed to grow tense. He turned around slightly in his seat, pale from stress.
Lira glanced forward and analyzed what lay ahead. One of the paths was wide and familiar. Identical to what they had been following all along. But the path on the right was different. It was narrow. Almost unnaturally so. The truck would barely fit, and the terrain was worse. More than that, the path itself seemed wrong.
Along the right path were sticks embedded into the snow. Almost like crude markers. Beside one of them was a sign half buried into the white powder. The wood was dark, warped, and frozen. The words were nearly unreadable, but Gray stepped forward and squinted until he made them out.
"The hollow path yields no warmth. Only those without breath may pass."
He spoke calmly, but his body was tense. Shivers crept down his spine.
"I think we take the other path," Korr muttered, rising up. "I mean... whoever built this clearly tried to warn us."
The rank 6 stirred from his sleep and rubbed his eyes. "I... I agree with Korr."
Gray narrowed his eyes at the boy. Something about his tone was off.
"I agree with them," Gray muttered. "There's no reason to take unnecessary risks."
Lira hesitated. She stared at the narrow path a little longer before nodding slowly.
"Then it's decided. Unless anyone else has better ideas?"
Adel remained quiet. The rank 7 pretended to still be asleep. No one else objected.
Renn sighed, visibly relieved. He restarted the engine and the vehicle rolled forward, taking the safer path.
Despite their problems, they hadn't encountered anything too dangerous lately. Compared to the other group, they were relatively lucky. Or so they thought.
But deep down, everyone knew it wasn't luck. It was timing. The frostmanes weren't the worst Glacierfang had to offer. They had only nibbled at the edge of what was to come.
Just then, the truck shook.
The road suddenly became bumpy. Everyone sat upright. Eyes alert. Gray's hand drifted to his blade.
The vehicle came to a stop.
"Why did we stop?" Lira frowned.
Gray started to sweat. The rank 6 and 7 noticed and shrank back into their corners.
"Renn... we don't have time. Why did we—"
"Goddammit," Renn snapped. He slammed his fist on the dashboard. His voice cracked.
Gray didn't wait. He moved into the front cabin and peered through the windshield alongside Lira and Renn. Korr took position at a side window, scanning rapidly.
The fog thinned.
The reason for the stop became clear.
It wasn't a monster.
It was an avalanche.
Tons of snow and ice covered the path, forming a massive blockade. Gray's eyes widened. He understood instantly. The road ahead was completely blocked. Their only choice was the path they had just avoided.
"Open the door," Lira said calmly.
"Are you crazy?" Gray narrowed his eyes. "What if another avalanche hits us?"
"It won't."
Renn looked to Gray for confirmation. Gray sighed, then gave a single nod.
With a click, the ramp dropped and a blast of frigid air flooded in. Lira stepped out and turned to Gray.
"You're with me."
Gray wanted to protest, but couldn't.
They made their way out, boots crunching against the snow. The wall of ice loomed before them. It was immense, almost reaching the clouds. Sunlight scattered across its surface, glimmering like diamond dust.
Lira stabbed her sword into the ice. It barely made a scratch.
Gray scanned the area and noticed a sloped mound to the side.
"Over here," he called, his voice echoing.
He climbed the mound. His hands burned from the cold, but he pressed on. Step by step he clawed his way to the top.
Lira hesitated before shouting.
"Thats dangerous! Your too high up you might fall!" Her words didn't reach Gray's head however. He continued to climb.
Renn held his breath.
'Is that guy insane or what?'
He continued to climb until he reached the top.
At the summit, he stood breathless. Before him stretched an endless white plain. Rolling hills of snow reached into the horizon, shimmering faintly.
But what drew his attention was the structure in the distance.
A tower.
It was tall, black, and narrow, rising like a needle into the pale sky. The stone looked ancient, chipped and frosted over. Spires crowned the top, some broken, others jagged like fangs. A faint light pulsed from its upper chamber.
Gray's breath caught in his throat. He felt... drawn to it.
The structure didn't belong in Glacierfang. It looked too regal, too deliberate. Something from before the fall. Before corruption. Before the collapse.
He waved to Lira below.
As Lira climbed up he pondered.What was that place? Why was it hidden so deep in the mountain?
When Lira reached the top she gaspwd for air. Following his gaze. Her lips parted, but no words came out.
Together they returned to the vehicle. Renn and the others waited.
Would they would take the other Path?
It was inevitable but exploring this tower could give them answers or directions.
But Gray couldn't forget that tower. They way it remained distant but unblinking, as if watching him. It was embedded into his mind.
And though he couldn't hear it, something called to him from its peak. A low whisper that reached into his bones.
He didn't know what it wanted.
But he knew he had to explore it.