Family system

The sound of approaching constructs grew louder. It was a low thrum that reverberated through the air. Kael gripped his blade tighter, glancing at Amara and the exhausted Lira.

"Positions!" Kael barked to the rebels nearby. "They're coming in force. Don't give them an inch!"

The rebels moved fast, forming a defensive line in the narrow approach leading to the conduit. The terrain worked in their favor—the constructs would have to funnel through the cramped space, limiting their numbers to a few at a time. Kael knew it wouldn't be enough to stop them, but it might slow them down.

Lira leaned against the conduit, her golden aura flickering. Her hands pressed against the glowing structure, channeling its energy outward towards the people. The rebels' weapons shimmered faintly again, their strikes powered up by the conduit's flow. Each pulse of light cost Lira more strength, but she gritted her teeth and focused, knowing that if she didn't hold on to this, she would lose the dream that she had had had since her family was taken from her.

The first wave of constructs appeared, their bodies glowing ominously. Their forms were sleek and humanoid, but their eyes were cold, empty, and glowing with an unnatural light. They moved quickly simultaneously; their footsteps synchronized as they moved forward.

"Hold!" Kael shouted.

The constructs surged forward, their limbs slashing through the air with deadly attacks. The rebels met them head-on, their weapons enhanced by the conduit's power. A spear thrust shattered a construct's arm, but another rebel was knocked aside by a sweeping strike from a glowing blade.

Kael ducked under a crystalline fist, his blade slicing through the joint of a construct's knee. The glowing energy of his weapon severed the limb cleanly, and the construct toppled. He rolled to avoid another strike, his movements fluid and precise.

Nearby, Amara darted between the combatants, her hands glowing with healing energy. She knelt beside a rebel clutching a bleeding arm, sealing the wound in moments before springing back into the fray. Her focus never wavered, even as the constructs bore down on them.

"Lira, another surge!" Kael shouted over the chaos.

Lira pressed harder against the conduit, the golden light around her intensifying. Another energy pulse radiated outward, and the rebels felt its strength, boosting their morale. Weapons glowed brighter, and their strikes hit harder, cutting through the construct's forms.

Despite the surge, the constructs kept coming. Their numbers seemed endless, and two more replaced everyone they destroyed. The rebels' line wavered under the relentless assault.

Kael gritted his teeth as he parried rapid strikes from a construct-wielding twin blade. The constructs adapted, moved faster, and targeted the weakest points in their defense. "We can't hold them forever!"

Above the battlefield, the conduit began to glow erratically. Lira's power pushed it to its limits, and cracks appeared in the glowing lines as the energy became unstable. She could feel the strain in her body and the conduit, but she couldn't stop.

Another wave of constructs approached, larger and more heavily armored. These moved slower but with greater force, their strikes shattering barricades and sending rebels sprawling.

"Fall back to the conduit!" Kael ordered, his voice hoarse. "Regroup and hold the line!"

The rebels retreated coordinatedly, their formation tightening around the conduit. Kael, Amara, and a handful of others stood at the front, shielding Lira as she continued her work.

Amara's voice rang out, and even though there was chaos around her, it was calm. "We can hold them here! Focus your attacks on their cores!"

The rebels followed the command and aimed their strikes at the glowing centers of the constructs. One by one, the constructs fell, their movements slowing before collapsing into piles of inert crystals.

But the larger ones pressed on, their attacks breaking the rebels' defense. A massive crystalline hammer slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves that knocked several rebels off their feet.

Kael and Amara rushed to cover the breach; their movements were fast and without hesitation. Kael's blade glowed as he severed the arm of the construct, wielding the hammer while Amara darted in to shield a fallen rebel from a killing blow.

Lira's vision blurred as she pushed herself further. The golden light around her burned brighter, and the energy flowing through the conduit became more intense. The rebels felt their power surge again, their strikes becoming more powerful and devastating.

With a defiant shout, Kael leaped onto the back of the largest construct, driving his blade into its core. The construct shuddered, its glow flickering before it collapsed into shards.

The remaining constructs began to falter as the rebels pushed back. Empowered by Lira's energy and determination, they pushed forward, cutting through the crystalline invaders—one by one, the constructs fell, their broken forms littering the battlefield.

The rebels cheered as the last construct crumbled, their voices echoing through the smoke-filled air. The conduit's glow dimmed slightly as Lira slumped to the ground, her strength nearly gone.

Kael and Amara wasted no time. The two sprinted toward Lira, slumped against the crumbling stone pillar, her golden aura flickering weakly.

Amara reached her first, dropping to her knees beside the exhausted young woman. Her hands glowed with healing energy as she gently cupped Lira's face, inspecting her for injuries. "Lira! Can you hear me?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

Lira's eyes fluttered open, her breaths shallow but steady. "I'm... fine," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Amara exhaled in relief, her fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from Lira's sweat-dampened forehead. "You've pushed yourself too far. You shouldn't have—"

"She's fine," Kael interrupted gruffly, stepping closer and crouching beside them. His face was etched with exhaustion. "She's tougher than she looks."

Lira managed a faint smile, her voice gaining a little strength. "Glad to see you're still in one piece, Kael."

Kael smirked, standing and crossing his arms. "Thanks to you, we're all still standing. But don't think you're off the hook. You can't keep pulling this self-sacrificing act, Princess." He turned to Amara "She's stable, right?"

Amara shot him a sharp look but nodded. "She needs rest, but yes, she'll recover."

Kael's gaze lingered on Lira for a moment. "Good. Then stay here and catch your breath. We've still got work to do."

Without another word, Kael turned and strode toward the remaining rebels, barking orders as he went. "Form up! Secure the area and prepare for a counterattack. We're not done yet!"

Amara watched him go, shaking her head. "That man has problems with showing emotions."

Lira chuckled weakly, her eyes closing for a moment. "It's... fine. He means well."

Amara shifted her focus back to Lira, her voice softening. "You scared me, you know. I thought we might lose you."

Lira opened her eyes, meeting Amara's gaze. "I couldn't stop. They needed the strength. And now... they have a chance."

Amara sighed, placing a steadying hand on Lira's shoulder. "Rest now. Let me handle the healing here."

Lira nodded weakly, leaning back against the pillar. Her golden aura flickered faintly, still providing a small boost to the rebels as they regrouped.

Meanwhile, Kael moved through the battlefield, gathering the scattered rebels and assessing their strength. The area around the conduit was littered with crystalline shards, the remains of the constructs. The rebels, though battered and bruised, stood tall, their spirits strengthened by their victory.

Kael raised his voice and said in a commanding. "We've pushed them back, but they'll come again. Secure the perimeter, and get ready to hold this position."

A group of rebels saluted and began reinforcing their defenses, using the shattered constructs as barricades. Kael spotted a squad struggling to lift a fallen comrade and strode over, helping them carry the wounded soldier to safety.

"Get him to the healers," Kael said, his voice stern but with support. "We can't lose anyone else."

As the rebels worked to secure their foothold, Kael glanced back toward the conduit. Lira's faint glow was still visible, a reminder of the strength she had given them.

"Stay strong, Princess," Kael muttered under his breath before returning to the task. There was no time to rest—not when the rebellion's future hung in the balance.

…

The battlefield near the Arbiter's barracks was a big contrast to the narrow pathways of the conduit. The fight was brutal and chaotic, an open clash of willpower and tactics. Lysara stood atop a crumbled watchtower, her eyes scanning the carnage below as rebels fought fiercely to breach the heavily fortified barracks.

The enforcers had gathered at this position, their crystalline constructs standing in rigid formation. Massive barricades and glowing barriers surrounded the barracks, pulsing with mana drawn directly from the grid. The Arbiter forces held strong, and the rebels struggled to gain ground.

Lysara turned to a runner, a young rebel boy clutching a satchel stuffed with messages. "Get word to the demolition teams," she ordered, her tone calculated. "We need those charges on the east gate now. If we can breach it, their formations will collapse."

The boy nodded and darted off into the smoke-filled streets. Lysara's gaze returned to the battlefield, her mind racing. The golden glow from Lira's efforts reached even here. It was faint but unmistakable, and the rebels fought with that strength, but it wouldn't be enough to break through unless they disrupted the enforcers' defenses.

"Commander Lysara!" a voice shouted from below. A rebel captain scrambled up the tower, his face smeared with soot and blood. "We're losing too many on the north side. Their constructs are pinning us down."

Lysara clenched her jaw, her hands tightening on the tower's edge. "Redirect the archers to the north and focus fire on their legs. Take out their mobility. We can't let them pin us in."