Family system

Breathing heavily, the four women regrouped, and ash fell beside them like black snow. Valentina wiped her blade clean from the monster's remains. "We should keep moving. They know that we are here."

Elena rested a hand on Ashen's molten scales, her fiery aura still crackling. "That was amazing. You truly are the best." The massive dragon rumbled in acknowledgment, lowering her head affectionately.

Isabella offered Sköll an approving scratch behind the ears, earning a pleased wag of the massive wolf's tail. "You were perfect, as always," she murmured.

Hana surveyed the battlefield one last time, checking if no reinforcements were incoming. "The path to the relay is clear... for now."

Valentina sheathed her blade. "Then let's do this."

The four women ran forward to their destination. Their surroundings shifted as the jagged mountains loomed closer.

The relay spire stood tall before them, its dark surface covered with glowing mana circles that pulsed. Sharp, jagged towers jutted out at irregular angles. A faint hum vibrated through the air, growing louder as they approached.

"They know we're here," Hana said softly, her daggers already drawn. She didn't need to say anything else as the defenses were already stirring and making sounds.

As if summoned by her words, the air around the spire rippled.

Monsters emerged from the shadows, their hulking forms glowing sickly. Their movements were unnaturally smooth as if the laws of nature had been bent to accommodate their grotesque existence. Their limbs scraped across the ground, producing a sound so disgusting that it would even creep out the gods themselves.

"They're stronger than the last wave," Valentina observed, her flaming blade igniting in her hands.

The largest Phantom, towering over the others with a crown of burning mana etched into its twisted head, let out a guttural roar. The sound echoed through the spire, awakening more of its kin inside the structure. Dozens of creatures surged forward, their movements fast and erratic.

"Here they come!" Hana shouted, flipping her daggers into a reverse grip as she darted forward.

Valentina charged head-on into the horde of monsters, her blade carving through the first Phantom to reach her. The creature disintegrated into ash, but two more lunged at her from either side. With a burst of speed, she spun on her heel, her sword slicing through one enemy while her free hand erupted with a blast of fire, incinerating the other.

The biggest Phantom roared again, its body pulsing with dark energy as it summoned a massive weapon formed from the corrupted earth itself. The blade gleamed with malice as it swung down toward Valentina, aiming to crush her.

Valentina leaped high into the air with a burst of flame, her sword blazing like the sun. She struck it with a powerful strike, meeting the Phantom's weapon mid-swing. The collision sent shockwaves through the battlefield, forcing the others to brace themselves.

The creature growled, shoving her back with inhuman strength, but she landed on her feet. "Is that all you've got?" she taunted, flames dancing around her.

Elena moved with precision, her molten blade cutting through the dense ranks of Phantoms. Each strike was accompanied by a surge of lava, searing through their twisted bodies. She created rivers of molten rock in her wake, using the terrain to her advantage.

One Phantom, larger than the rest and covered in spikes, charged at her. Elena ducked under its swing, her blade trailing fire as she slashed upward. The creature staggered, its chest glowing red-hot from the strike, but it wasn't finished. It lashed out with a spiked limb, narrowly missing her as she rolled to the side.

With a roar, Elena slammed her blade into the ground. A surge of lava erupted beneath the Phantom, engulfing it. It let out a piercing scream before collapsing into a molten heap.

Her gaze locked onto another group of approaching enemies. "Come on!" she yelled. Ready to take on more monsters.

Isabella stayed back, using her bow to provide cover. Her mana-covered arrows sliced through the air, piercing Phantoms with deadly accuracy. Each shot was precise, each strike lethal. The wind carried her arrows with precision, guiding them to their targets.

Sköll moved alongside her, a blur of silver. The massive wolf tore through the Phantoms with fangs and claws; her movements were fluid. One creature attempted to flank Isabella, but Sköll intercepted it, leaping high and tearing through its chest with a feral snarl.

"Good girl," Isabella murmured, her voice calm despite the chaos. She loosened another arrow, imbued with a burst of wind magic. The projectile exploded on impact, scattering a cluster of enemies like leaves in a storm.
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As more Phantoms surged toward them, Isabella raised her bow, summoning a glowing array of mana-infused arrows. With a flick of her wrist, the arrows rained down upon the enemy forces, their light illuminating the battlefield.

Hana darted through the fray, her crystalline daggers flashing like streaks of light. She targeted the weaker points of the Phantoms, severing limbs with deadly strikes. Her movements were almost impossible to track, her agility allowing her to slip between attacks effortlessly.

A particularly large Phantom lunged at her, its claws crackling with dark energy. Hana ducked under its swing, spinning and driving her daggers into its side. The creature let out a guttural screech as the runes on its body dimmed, and Hana twisted her blades before yanking them free.

Another Phantom tried to ambush her, but she leaped into the air, flipping over its head and slashing its throat as she landed. The creature crumbled, its form dissipating into ash.

The towering Phantom Valentina, which had engaged earlier, roared in frustration, its mana glowing brighter as it prepared to unleash a devastating attack. Its weapon pulsed with corrupted mana, and it swung with incredible force.

"Now, Sköll!" Isabella called out.

The massive wolf leaped into the air, her silver body glowing radiantly. She collided with the Phantom, her fangs sinking deep into its flesh. The creature howled, thrashing wildly, but Sköll held on, her divine power surging through her bite.

Valentina took the opportunity, her sword blazing brighter than ever. With a powerful jump, she drove her blade into the Phantom's chest, her fire mana overwhelming its defenses. The creature let out one final roar before collapsing, its body disintegrating into ash.

The battlefield fell silent once more as the monsters were dealt with, the remains of the Phantoms scattered around them. The women regrouped, their breathing heavy.

"Another wave dealt with," Valentina said, wiping her blade clean as she looked at the crumbling remains of the spire.

Hana nodded, her sharp gaze scanning the area for any lingering threats. "Let's not waste any more time and get inside."

The entrance to the spire was an archway of black stone, giving off a cold aura. As they stepped through, the air changed immediately. The temperature dropped.

The interior was cavernous, a sprawling maze of different corridors.

"This place feels wrong," Elena muttered, her molten blade held tightly. "Even the air tastes like weird."

Hana motioned for silence, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "Focus. The relay's core should be at the top, but expect some traps along the way."

They cautiously move forward, their steps echoing faintly. Sköll's ears twitched as she padded beside Isabella, her nose sniffing the air. The massive wolf let out a low growl, her fur rising.

"Something's ahead," Isabella whispered, raising her bow.

The floor beneath them shimmered without warning, and spectral Phantoms emerged from the walls. Their forms cracked with unstable energy, and their movements were erratic and unnatural.

Valentina stepped forward, her sword igniting in a burst of flames. She swung upward, her blade cutting through the creature's ethereal form. It screamed, dissipating into smoke.

Elena slammed her molten blade into the ground, creating a wave of lava that surged forward, incinerating two Phantoms that had attempted to flank them.

Isabella's arrows flew, piercing through the spectral figures. Each shot shattered a Phantom, their forms exploding in bursts of mana.

Hana moved like a blur, her daggers flashing as she struck the Phantoms' weak points. One tried to claw her, but she ducked, spinning and slashing through its core.

"They're buying time," Hana said between strikes. "We need to keep moving."

Valentina cleaved through another Phantom as she yelled out. "Then let's go!"

After clearing the ambush, they ran up a winding staircase carved into the spire's interior. The climb was steep; the air was growing heavier.

At the top, they entered a massive chamber. The relay core stood in the center—a pulsating sphere of dark energy suspended by pillars of mana. The air around it cracked with power.

"This is it," Hana said, her voice low. "Destroy the core, and this entire region's connection to the Arbiters is severed."

"Looks simple enough," Elena said, though her tone was wary. "What's the catch?"

As if on cue, the ground trembled, and the pillars surrounding the core moved. Massive, hulking figures emerged—guardian constructs forged from the same stone as the spire. Their glowing eyes locked onto the intruders, and they let out thunderous roars.

"There's the catch," Valentina muttered, igniting her blade.