章 578: THIS IS IT, THIS IS WHERE I DIE

ARIANNE POV

My sword rang.

The piercing sound echoed through the frozen peaks, cutting through the eerie silence that had fallen over the mountain. The undead swarmed around me, their decayed hands outstretched, teeth chattering like beasts thirsting for flesh. Their hollow eyes locked onto mine, and despite their lifeless state, I felt the weight of their hatred. It was cold, so cold that even my breath seemed to freeze before it hit the air.

I could feel my muscles screaming, the exhaustion from days of fighting creeping into every corner of my body. My sword, slick with ice and blood, had become an extension of me—every swing an act of survival. The ringing sound as steel met bone was deafening, but I couldn't let it stop me. I couldn't stop, not with them coming in waves.

I hacked my way through them, alone, and fought my way to try to reach the cave, but they were relentless.