The fifth spire's chamber buzzed with the aftermath of the frostborn legion's defeat, the air still thick with the fading mist of shattered enforcers. Qin Mo stood, the Frostflame Core's heat a steady pulse against the lingering cold, the bells' chime from his pouch a sharp, insistent pull that gnawed at his chest. The FFD System hummed, its warning a quiet thread in his mind.
[FFD System: Frostflame Balance: Heat 38% / Cold 62%.]
The team gathered, their breaths fogging in the frigid air, their eyes fixed on the shadowed figure atop the spire—Ren Wei, his red eyes glowing with the Silent Tax's unyielding grip, his silhouette framed by the cluster of bells that rang a discordant melody. Ren froze, his daggers slipping in his grip, his face twisting with a mix of hope and anguish. "Wei," he whispered, his voice breaking the tense silence.
Before anyone could react, Wei raised a hand, the runes on his skin flaring, and a wave of frost surged downward, forcing the team to scatter. Qin Mo dove aside, the cold grazing his arm, while Yi's frost threads lashed out, coiling toward Wei but slipping off as the ice resisted. "He's too strong!" she shouted, her voice tight with frustration. Lian notched an arrow, her relic glowing, but she hesitated, her gaze locked on Wei's face. "We can't hurt him," she said, her tone heavy.
Ren charged forward, his daggers flashing as he climbed the icy slope toward the spire's peak. "Wei, it's me—fight it!" he yelled, his voice raw with desperation. Wei's head tilted, a cold smile spreading across his face, his voice layered with an eerie echo. "Brother… you're too late," he rasped, thrusting a frost-clad fist that sent Ren sprawling back down the slope, the impact cracking the ice.
Qin Mo intervened, the Frostflame Blade igniting as he parried a second strike aimed at Ren, the clash sending sparks flying. The cold surged, testing his balance, but the Frostflame Ascendancy flared, his movements fluid as he countered with a Frostfang Strike, the icy edge grazing Wei's arm. The shard drank the essence, a rush that steadied his stance, but Wei's runes pulsed brighter, the Tax's hold unyielding.
[Binding risk: 45%.]
The bells rang louder, their chime weaving into a haunting chorus that clawed at their ears, and Wei summoned a frost array, blue tendrils snaking across the chamber toward the team. Qin Mo raised the Frostmirror Shield, the barrier flaring to absorb the brunt, though the effort drained his heat. Yi's threads coiled protectively around Ren, pulling him clear, while Lian's arrow flew, striking Wei's shoulder. The shot drew a hiss, the ice cracking, but Wei turned, his red eyes locking onto her with a cold fury. "Traitors," he spat, his voice no longer his own.
The team rallied, their coordination sharpened by the Frostflame Harmony. Yi's threads lashed out, binding Wei's legs, while Ren scrambled up, his daggers clashing with Wei's fists, each strike a plea for his brother's soul. Qin Mo channeled the Frostflame Surge, the wave of ice and fire crashing into Wei, staggering him, the red in his eyes flickering. For a moment, Wei's expression softened, his hand trembling as if reaching out, but the runes flared again, and he roared, breaking free.
"He's fighting it!" Ren shouted, tears freezing on his cheeks. But the Tax's power surged, and Wei unleashed a frostfire blast, the wave forcing the team back. Qin Mo braced, the Ascendancy holding, and drove the Frostflame Dominion into the ground, the shockwave shattering the array. The bells' chime faltered, Wei staggering, but he fled into a shadowed passage, the ice sealing behind him with a groan.
The chamber fell silent, the bells' echo lingering, and Ren dropped to his knees, his hands trembling. "I can't lose him again," he murmured, his voice hollow. Qin Mo lowered his blade, the shard stabilizing, the cold pressing harder. Yi placed a hand on Ren's shoulder, her face tight with sympathy, while Lian and Qin Mo exchanged wary glances. "He's still in there," Qin Mo said, his voice steady. "We'll find him."
The chamber's runes pulsed, a new path opening, its entrance framed by cracked ice. The team gathered, their breaths visible, the fight's adrenaline fading into a weary resolve. Wei's betrayal echoed, fracturing their unity, but the path ahead promised a chance at redemption, each step drawing them closer to the bells' heart.