The second tower's interior loomed before them, a spiraling ascent of ice stairs that gleamed with a faint, eerie light. Each step was etched with bell runes that pulsed softly, their rhythm syncing with the chime still echoing from Qin Mo's pouch. The cold bit deeper here, seeping through his boots despite the shard's heat, and the FFD System buzzed a warning as he took the lead.
[FFD System: Frostflame Balance: Heat 38% / Cold 62%. Array detected, threat level: Moderate.]
Qin Mo's hand rested on his blade, the Frostfang Strike humming with readiness as he climbed, the team following close behind. The stairs shifted beneath their weight, the ice groaning as blue lines snaked upward, forming a frost array that pulsed with a life of its own. The runes flared, and the stairs tilted, forcing Qin Mo to grip the wall for balance. "Stay sharp," he called, his voice cutting through the chill.
The array's tendrils coiled toward him, their icy touch pulling at the shard with a force that made his chest tighten. He swung the Frostfang Strike, the blade's icy edge slicing through the lines, shattering a segment of the array. But the runes reformed almost instantly, the cold intensifying as the stairs began to slide. Yi's frost threads lashed out, disrupting the lines with a crackle of energy, while Ren carved at the runes with his daggers, his movements fueled by a quiet fury.
Lian notched an arrow, her eyes scanning the array for weakness. "My family's relics warned of this," she said, her voice steady despite the shifting ground. She loosed the arrow, the shaft striking a key glyph with a sharp ping. The array flickered, then collapsed, the stairs stabilizing with a shudder. Qin Mo exhaled, the shard's heat flaring to counter the cold that had crept into his limbs.
At the top, a frostborn guardian awaited, its towering form blocking the path. Its spear glinted with frostfire, a deadly mix of blue flame and ice, and its eyes glowed with an unnatural light. The fight began with a roar, the guardian thrusting its spear in a sweeping arc. Qin Mo ducked, the Frostflow passive absorbing some of the cold as he countered with the Frostflame Blade. The clash sent sparks flying, the heat of his strike melting patches of the guardian's icy armor.
Yi's threads wrapped around the guardian's arms, pulling it off balance, while Ren darted in, his daggers slashing at its legs. The beast swung its spear, forcing Ren back, but Lian's arrow pierced its shoulder, drawing a hiss of steam. Qin Mo seized the moment, driving the Frostfang Strike into the guardian's chest. The blade sank deep, the shard devouring the essence in a rush that left him dizzy.
[New passive: Frostflow — Increases cold resistance by 10%. Balance: Heat 35% / Cold 65%.]
The guardian collapsed, its body dissolving into a mist of frost, and the team caught their breath, the stairs steadying beneath them. Qin Mo wiped frost from his blade, the new passive tingling through him, a subtle strength against the tower's chill. Yi glanced at the fallen guardian, her threads retracting. "These things are getting smarter," she said, her tone wary.
Ren sheathed his daggers, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Wei's up there," he muttered, his voice tight with determination. Lian nodded, her gaze lingering on the runes. "The relics spoke of trials," she said. "This is just the beginning."
Ling Shou approached, his robes stained with blood from the earlier ambush, his face pale but resolute. "The towers are waking," he said, his voice low. "Each level tests your strength—and your will. We must hurry." Qin Mo met his gaze, the distrust from Yi's earlier accusation still lingering, but he nodded. The chime from his pouch grew louder, a reminder of the bells' claim, and the stairs stretched upward into the mist, their end unseen.
The team pressed on, the ice walls groaning around them, the runes glowing brighter with each step. The cold pressed harder, but the shard's heat flared, a defiant spark that kept Qin Mo moving. The ascent was far from over, and the shadows ahead hinted at greater challenges to come.