The plateau trembled beneath their feet as the Core pulsed with unstable energy. Its crystalline structure radiated an icy blue light, sending waves of cold that pierced even the thickest layers of their frost-resistant gear. The tension was palpable as Arya worked to set up the stabilization device, her movements quick and precise despite the biting chill.
Ryan stood a few paces away, his sword drawn as his eyes scanned the horizon. Grent was nearby, his hammer resting on his shoulder, while Lyra knelt near the Core, her hands glowing faintly as she muttered incantations to steady the surrounding energy.
"Any sign of them?" Arya asked, not looking up from her work.
"Not yet," Ryan replied, though his instincts screamed that danger was imminent.
Grent let out a low growl, his breath fogging in the freezing air. "They'll come. They always do."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ryan's HUD flashed a warning: Hostiles Detected.
From the shadows at the edge of the plateau emerged towering figures, their forms shrouded in frost and shadow. They moved with an unnatural grace, their glowing eyes fixed on the Core. Each step sent shivers through the icy ground.
[Frozen Wraiths] - Level 16
Arya cursed under her breath, drawing her bow. "Here we go. Ryan, Grent—hold the line!"
Grent roared, stepping forward to meet the first wave. His hammer swung in a wide arc, shattering one of the Wraiths into icy shards. "Come on, you frozen freaks! Let's see what you've got!"
Ryan activated [Quick Strike], darting to the side as a Wraith lunged at him. His sword flashed, cutting through the creature's arm, but it reformed almost instantly, its icy body regenerating with chilling speed.
"They regenerate!" Ryan shouted. "We need to hit their cores!"
Lyra stood, her hands glowing with frost as she summoned shards of ice to hurl at the Wraiths. Her strikes were precise, targeting the faintly glowing cores within their chests. When her magic connected, the Wraiths let out haunting wails before collapsing.
"Focus on the cores!" Lyra called, her voice cutting through the chaos. "It's their only weakness!"
Arya's arrows flew with deadly accuracy, each one aimed at the glowing cores of the advancing Wraiths. She moved with practiced precision, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the frantic battle.
Ryan activated [Blade Tempest], spinning in a flurry of strikes that shattered two Wraiths in quick succession. His HUD flashed: +300 XP.
Grent's hammer crashed into the ground, sending a shockwave through the icy terrain that knocked several Wraiths off balance. "How many of these things are there?"
"Too many!" Ryan replied, dodging another attack.
As the battle raged on, the Core's pulsing grew more erratic, its light intensifying with each beat. Arya worked faster, her fingers a blur as she calibrated the stabilization device.
"We're running out of time!" she shouted. "Keep them off me for a little longer!"
Ryan and Grent redoubled their efforts, their movements coordinated as they held the Wraiths at bay. Lyra stepped forward, her magic intensifying as she unleashed a torrent of frost that encased several Wraiths in ice. Arya loosed an arrow into the frozen figures, shattering them instantly.
Ryan's sword struck the core of another Wraith, and it let out a final wail before collapsing into shards. He turned to Arya, his chest heaving. "How much longer?"
"Almost there!" she replied, sweat dripping down her temple despite the cold.
The ground shook violently as a new figure emerged from the shadows. This creature was larger than the others, its form covered in jagged ice that pulsed with the same blue light as the Core. Its glowing eyes locked onto the group, and it let out a deafening roar that shook the plateau.
[Frostbound Colossus: Core Guardian] - Level 18
Grent let out a low whistle. "Well, that's new."
Ryan gripped his sword tighter, his heart pounding. "We take it down, or we don't leave this place alive."
The Colossus charged, its massive fists slamming into the ground with enough force to send Ryan and Grent sprawling. Lyra cast a barrier of ice to deflect the shockwave, her expression grim.
"Keep it distracted!" Arya shouted. "I just need a few more seconds!"
Ryan activated [Power Slash], his sword glowing as he aimed for one of the Colossus's legs. The strike landed, sending cracks spidering through the icy armor, but the creature barely staggered.
Grent roared, his hammer smashing into the Colossus's chest. The impact forced it back a step, but its glowing core remained intact. "This thing's a tank!"
Lyra unleashed a burst of magic, freezing the Colossus's left arm in place. "Focus on the core! It's the only way to bring it down!"
Ryan nodded, activating [Blade Tempest] as he closed the distance. His strikes chipped away at the Colossus's armor, exposing the glowing core in its chest. "Now! Hit it now!"
Arya's final arrow flew, striking the core with pinpoint accuracy. The Colossus let out a thunderous roar as its body cracked and splintered, the light in its core fading. It collapsed in a cascade of ice and snow, the ground trembling beneath its weight.
+800 XP. Level Up! (Ryan is now Level 13)
The plateau grew quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the now-stabilized Core. Arya stepped back from the device, her expression weary but triumphant. "It's done. The Core is stable."
Ryan leaned on his sword, his breath coming in heavy puffs. "That was too close."
Grent grinned despite his exhaustion. "Close or not, we did it. Another Core saved."
Lyra approached, her violet eyes scanning the now-quiet landscape. "This was just the beginning. The shadows won't stop, and neither can we."
Ryan nodded, the weight of her words settling over him. The Frostbound Expanse had tested them in ways they hadn't anticipated, but they had prevailed. As they prepared to descend the glacier, he couldn't shake the feeling that their greatest challenges were still ahead.