Family system

The night passed in relative quiet, the spire's energy receding as the relay core's destruction severed its sinister grip on the region. The small room they had chosen as shelter proved to be a surprisingly haven.

Elena had taken the first watch, her eyes sharp as she sat near the entrance, her molten blade softly glowing like a beacon of warmth. When her shift ended, Hana took over. By the time Isabella's watch began, the faint hum of danger had diminished to almost nothing, and even Valentina's light snoring became a reassuring sound.

…

The first rays of what passed for morning in this place broke through the cracks in the walls, casting faint light on the group. Despite their surroundings, the women woke up feeling rested. The silence outside felt less foreboding and more welcoming.

Elena stretched, rolling her shoulders as she let out a contented sigh. "I didn't think I'd sleep well here," she admitted, the faint warmth of her blade dissipating as she extinguished its glow.

Valentina, already awake and rummaging through their supplies, smirked. "See? Even Commander Elena can relax."

"Keep calling me that, and I'll let you do the next solo guardian fight," Elena glared.

Valentina pretended to think about it, twirling an apple she'd found in their rations. "Tempting, but I'll stick to group fights for now."

Isabella stirred from her meditation, her silver gaze calm as she glanced at the others. "The air feels... different this morning. Lighter." She could feel this because of her connection with the moon, and while this was a whole different universe, that didn't mean that the energy it used in nature was that different.

Hana nodded, leaning against the far wall with her neatly sheathed daggers. "The core's destruction has disrupted the energy here to make it more corrupt so that nothing can grow in this region. It's temporary, but it's a start."

The group settled into a leisurely breakfast. Valentina tossed an apple to Isabella, who caught it gracefully and took a bite. Elena unwrapped some dried meat from her pack, tearing into it as she kept an eye on the chamber's entrance.

"This is almost too quiet," Elena remarked, her molten eyes scanning the horizon outside. "I don't trust it."

"Paranoia suits you," Valentina teased between bites of her apple. "Keeps us alive."

Isabella poured water from a flask into a small cup, handing it to Hana. "Drink. You didn't rest long enough last night."

Hana accepted the cup with a faint nod. "I'll make up for it later."

Elena watched her team with a faint smile, feeling that while they teased each other a lot, they made a good team that could have each other's backs.

Valentina leaned back, propping herself against the wall. "So, what's next? More relay cores to smash?"
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Hana set the empty cup down and straightened it. "There are other cores, but none as vulnerable as this one. The next step will require more than brute force."

"That sounds suspiciously like work," Valentina groaned, though her grin betrayed her eagerness.

"Don't worry," Elena said, standing and stretching. "We'll figure it out after we finish breakfast. For now, let's enjoy the calm while it lasts."

…

The faint light of their makeshift camp faded as the group packed their belongings, readying themselves for the next step. The air still carried an eerie weight but lacked the oppressive suffocation from the day before.

Elena adjusted her sword belt, her molten blade now sheathed but still radiating faint warmth. "Alright, Hana. What's the quickest way to the next core?"

Hana, who had been studying a small crystalline device emitting a soft blue glow, glanced up. "The next relay core isn't in this region. It's in a more fortified zone several kilometers north."

Valentina groaned, rolling her shoulders. "Several kilometers? Are we walking the whole way?"

"Not exactly," Hana said, holding up the crystal. "We have two options. I can use this to teleport us closer to the next region, but it will only get us near the outer boundary. Teleportation to a fortified zone risks triggering alarms. The other option is to move on foot and stay under the radar."

Isabella raised a brow as she fastened her bow over her shoulder. "Teleportation is faster, but if it alerts them to our presence, we'll lose the element of surprise."

Elena crossed her arms, her gaze shifting between the group. "And traveling on foot means more time for them to reinforce their defenses."

Valentina smirked. "So, do we go loud or stay sneaky?"

Hana's eyes glinted. "We'll take the teleportation. It's not perfect, but we'll save time and energy. If careful, we can avoid detection until we're at its core."

Elena nodded, her expression firm. "Alright. Everyone ready?"

The group gave their affirmations, each preparing their weapons and gear. Hana stepped to the center of the room, placing the crystal on the ground. She drew a small dagger from her waist, slicing it across her palm. As blood dripped onto the crystal, it began to pulse with energy, glowing brighter with each beat.

"This will feel... odd," Hana warned.

"Define odd," Valentina quipped.

"Like being squeezed through a tube made of raw mana," Hana replied dryly.

Before anyone could react further, the crystal emitted a brilliant flash of light. The air around them crackled with energy, and the group was pulled into the teleportation field.

They reappeared abruptly, the air of the spire replaced by a bitter chill. Snow crunched beneath their boots, and a biting wind howled through the surrounding peaks. The stark contrast of the frozen landscape was weird after the desolation of the previous region.

Valentina shivered, rubbing her arms. "Did no one think to mention we'd be dropped into an icebox?"

Hana glanced at her, her expression cold. "Welcome to the Northern Wastes. The core here draws its power from ice ley lines. It's why this region is so hostile."

Isabella adjusted her cloak, her breath visible in the cold air. "This terrain gives them an advantage. The cold slows us, but not them."

Elena's blade ignited briefly, casting a warm glow that melted the snow at her feet. "We'll manage. Let's find some cover and assess the situation before we head for the core."

Hana led them to a ridge overlooking a frozen valley. Below, the relay core stood like a shard of ice, its glowing form encased in massive spires of enchanted frost. Surrounding it were patrolling Phantoms, their forms adapted to the cold with icicle-like appendages.

Elena crouched beside Hana, her sharp eyes taking in the scene. "What are we looking at?"

Hana pointed to the spires. "Those are frost wards. They'll detect and attack anything that gets too close. We'll need to disable them before we can reach the core."

"And the Phantoms?" Isabella asked.

"Stronger and faster in this environment than the last ones," Hana replied. "They'll be harder to fight but not invincible."

Valentina grinned, her blade igniting with sun mana. "Good. I needed a workout. I slept well, so I need to stretch a bit."

Elena rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smirk. "We'll split up. Hana and I will disable the wards. Isabella, cover us with ranged attacks. Valentina, you're on Phantom duty. Keep them off us."

"Sounds like fun," Valentina said, unsheathing her blade. As she hungrily looked at the numerous phantoms.

Hana drew her daggers, her gaze focused. "Let's move quickly."

The group moved into position, their movements as silent as possible despite the crunch of snow. Isabella perched herself on a high outcrop, her bow drawn and ready. She loosed her first arrow, striking a Phantom in the chest. The creature howled, its icy form shattering into shards.

Valentina charged into the fray, her flaming blade cutting through the cold air. Each swing sent heat waves rippling outward, melting the snow around her. The Phantoms swarmed her, but she dodged and countered, flames bursting with each strike.

Meanwhile, Elena and Hana approached the nearest frost ward. The spire crackled with icy energy, tendrils of frost lashing out at anything that came near. Elena's molten blade met the frost tendrils, steam hissing as the elements clashed.

"Hana, now!" Elena shouted, holding the tendrils at bay.

Hana darted forward, her daggers glowing as she carved intricate patterns into the ward's surface. The runes dimmed, and the spire crumbled into icy fragments.

"One down," Hana said, already moving toward the next.

Isabella provided cover fire, her arrows striking Phantoms that tried to intercept Elena and Hana. Each shot was precise, keeping the creatures at bay.

Valentina continued her assault, her fiery blade cleaving through the horde. "Come on! Is this all you've got?" she taunted, flames blazing brighter with each swing.

The group moved seamlessly, disabling the wards one by one. With each spire destroyed, the frost core's glow dimmed, its defenses weakening.

As the final ward crumbled, the core emitted a low hum, its icy casing cracking. Elena turned to her team, her molten blade raised. "Now! Focus on the core!"

The four women converged on the relay core, their combined mana surging as they struck. The core shattered in icy energy, sending shockwaves through the frozen valley.

The group regrouped, their breaths visible in the cold air. Valentina grinned, wiping sweat from her brow. "That wasn't so bad."

Elena smirked, sheathing her blade. "Speak for yourself. I'm still melting the ice around my body."

Hana looked around, her expression thoughtful. "Another core down. Let's move to the next one because the Arbiters will notice the disruption soon."

Isabella nodded, adjusting her cloak. "Then let's move before they can do anything."

The group prepared to leave the Northern Wastes with the relay core destroyed.

The group gathered in a tight formation as Hana once again prepared the device for teleportation. The blue glow pulsed, casting faint light on their faces. Elena tightened her grip on her blade, glancing at the others.

"Same drill as before," she said.

Hana sliced her palm, her blood activating the crystal. The air around them grew heavy with mana, crackling as it coiled tighter. A flash of light enveloped the group, and in an instant, they were gone.

When the world came back into focus, the team found themselves in a new environment that felt different from the icy desolation they had just left.

The sky above the Shadowed Plains was eerie. It was a mixture of black and deep violet, illuminated by flashes of crimson lightning. The terrain itself moved, masses of dark soil that seemed to ripple underfoot as though alive. Strange whispers carried on the wind, chilling the group despite the warmth of their mana.

"What is this place?" Isabella murmured, her voice hushed as she looked at the alien landscape.

"The Shadowed Plains," Hana said grimly. "A region corrupted by a dimensional bleed. The Arbiters likely use this area to experiment with blending energies from different worlds."