Family system

The first rays of dawn crept over the city as the rebel army gathered before the Arbiter castle. The giant structure loomed over them, its stone walls glowing faintly with mana-powered wards and its gate reinforced with iron and protected by towering constructs. The Arbiters' final bastion of power stood tall.

Kael stood at the head of the rebel forces, his blade resting against his shoulder as he addressed the gathered fighters.

"This is it," he began. "The castle is their last stronghold. Beyond that gate lies the symbol of everything they've stolen from us—our freedom, our families, our lives. Today, we take it back."

The rebels cheered. They had all seen the massive constructs stationed near the gates, each glowing with the ominous energy of mana crystals. Soldiers lined the battlements, their bows and crossbows poised to rain death on the attackers.

Kael turned to Lysara and Hana, who stood by his side. Lysara had her twin blades unsheathed, the steel reflecting the light of dawn. Hidden beneath her hood, Hana checked the edge of her dagger before slipping it into its sheath.

"We take the gate first," Kael said, pointing to the towering structure. "It's heavily reinforced, but if we bring it down, we can flood into the courtyard and press on. Hana, your team will handle the inner mechanisms. Lysara and I will lead the charge at the front."

"Understood," Hana replied. "But those constructs will be the real problem. Mana crystals power them, and their cores are heavily shielded."

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Lysara smirked, spinning one of her blades in her hand. "Then we'll just have to get up close and personal."

Kael nodded, his expression grim. "Let's move now."

The rebels surged forward, a wave of fighters armed with swords, shields, and whatever weapons they could scavenge. The castle's defenders responded immediately. Arrows rained down from the walls, clattering against raised shields or finding their marks in the advancing ranks. The constructs roared to life, their cores glowing as they met the rebels.

Kael led the charge, his sword cutting through the air as he deflected an arrow aimed at his chest. He reached the first construct, its massive frame blocking the narrow approach to the gate. The construct swung its arm, a spiked limb slamming into the ground where Kael had stood moments before.

"Take out the legs!" Kael shouted, circling the construct as more rebels joined the fray. A group of fighters swarmed the construct's base, their blades hacking at its limbs. Sparks flew as their strikes connected, and the construct's movements grew sluggish.

Above, the defenders poured boiling oil and unleashed bolts of mana-infused projectiles. Lysara darted ahead of the main group, her movements a blur as she scaled the castle's outer wall using a grappling hook. She reached the battlements and tore into the guards ruthlessly, creating a gap in their defenses.

Hana's team slipped through the chaos, using the shadows and debris for cover. They reached a side entrance to the castle near the gate mechanisms. Hana crouched near the door, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger. "Stay sharp," she whispered to her team. "This will be heavily guarded."

The door creaked open, revealing a narrow hallway lined with glowing sigils. A squad of Arbiter soldiers waited within, their weapons drawn. The two groups clashed immediately. Hana moved fast, her blade finding gaps in the soldiers' armor as her team pushed forward. Blood pooled on the stone floor as the rebels pressed deeper into the castle.

Outside, the battle raged on. The rebels managed to disable one of the constructs, its glowing core exploding in a burst of light as Kael drove his sword into its chest. But another construct stood behind it, its spiked arms swinging wide and scattering the attackers.

"Push harder!" Kael roared, rallying the rebels. "The gate won't hold much longer!"

Lysara, now on the walls, spotted a mechanism controlling the gate's outer defenses. She jumped toward it, dodging arrows and slashing through guards who tried to intercept her. With a swift strike of her blade, she severed a glowing cable, causing one of the gate's protective wards to flicker and die.

Hana and her team reached the inner mechanisms controlling the gate's locks. The massive gears and levers were heavily reinforced, but Hana's eyes were sharp. She spotted a glowing mana crystal powering the system and signaled to her team. "The crystal—destroy it!"

One of the rebels hefted a heavy hammer and swung it into the crystal with all his strength. The crystal shattered, its glow extinguishing instantly. The gears groaned, and the sound of the gate's locks disengaging echoed through the corridor.

Outside, the rebels heard the noise and continued their assault. Kael led the final push, slamming his shoulder into the weakened gate. With a deafening crash, the gates buckled and fell inward.

The rebels moved through the shattered gates of the Arbiter's castle, their battle cries reverberating through the grand entrance hall. Inside, the luxury of the castle struck them like a physical blow. Glittering chandeliers cast warm light over floors of polished marble veined with gold, and art hanging the walls, each depicting scenes of divine authority and the Arbiters' supposed greatness.

Kael raised his sword, shouting above the clamor, "Room by Room! Leave no corner unchecked! They've used this palace as their fortress—let's take it back!"

Lysara was the first to charge ahead, her twin blades spinning as she led a group of rebels into a corridor. The sound of clashing steel soon followed as guards stationed within the castle rushed to intercept them. The rebels fought with ferocity, their anger fueled by the sheer degeneracy surrounding them.

Hana moved through the chaos, her dagger in hand as she dispatched a guard attempting to gather reinforcements. She glanced briefly at a golden statue of an Arbiter, its exaggerated features etched with arrogance. "They've been living like kings while the rest of the city starves," she muttered, kicking open the door to the next Room.

Inside, the luxury was staggering: velvet drapes framed stained glass windows, and a table laden with untouched platters of exotic fruit sat in the center of the Room. One of the rebels, a young man with a tear-streaked face, paused momentarily, his fists clenched.

"This…" His voice wavered. "This was what they hoarded while my family died eating scraps."

"Focus," Hana snapped, though her own anger was bubbling to the surface. "We'll settle accounts soon enough."

The rebels cleared the Room, moving on to the next. Each chamber they entered revealed more extravagance—silk bedding, luxurious furniture, and wardrobes filled with finery that most of the city's people could only dream of. The rebels' fury grew with each discovery.

"Even their guest rooms have gold-trimmed bath basins," one rebel spat, pointing his blade toward a basin filled with perfumed water. "Who were they saving this for? More bloated merchants who sell out the city?"

The rebellion's pace was slowed as they fought through the guards stationed inside the castle. These guards were better trained than those at the gates, their strikes heavier and coordinated. Each hallway became a new battlefield, and each staircase became a choke point where blood was spilled.

Kael led the charge through one of the castle's grand halls, its ceiling a painted depiction of the Arbiters ascending to divine status. He struck down a guard blocking his path, his blade slicing through the armor. "They've made monuments to their lies," he growled. "Every painting, every statue—let's make them pay for every piece of this stolen wealth."@@novelbin@@

Lysara moved next to Kael, her blades slicing through another set of guards who had attempted to corner them. She glanced at a lavish banquet hall they passed, the table still set with untouched silver platters. "A feast they'll never eat," she sneered, kicking over a chair.

Amara stayed behind with a group of medics, tending to injured rebels while casting healing light to keep the front lines moving. "Press on," she urged, wrapping a soldier's arm. "Don't let them slow you down. This place is ours!"

The rebels reached the castle's central wing, where the lavishness reached new heights. Every surface gleamed with wealth, from golden candelabras to crystal chandeliers. Hana stopped briefly, her eyes narrowing as she noticed a stack of imported wine crates in a corner, each stamped with a foreign sigil.

"They didn't just take from us," she said quietly. "They plundered the world and brought it here to rot in their halls."

The fighting intensified as the rebels pressed further into the castle. Guards poured from side corridors and hidden doors; some wielding enchanted weapons that glowed with faint arcs of mana. The constructs had followed inside, their heavy footsteps echoing ominously as they joined the fray.

Hana leaped over a fallen guard, her dagger finding the exposed neck of a construct operator who tried to react too slowly. The construct faltered, its glowing core dimming before it collapsed.

"Keep moving!" Kael shouted, his blade cutting down another guard. "We can't let them regroup."

Room by Room, hallway by hallway, the rebels cleared the castle. Their exhaustion was evident, but so was their motivation to see the end of this.

The luxury turned from infuriating to grotesque when they reached the upper levels. A massive gallery displayed golden portraits of the Arbiters, their faces bloated with self-importance. One rebel stopped to throw a knife at the largest painting, embedding it directly between the eyes of the central figure.

"Let's see them brag about that," he muttered before rejoining the fight.

The castle grew eerily quiet as the rebels stormed closer to the council chamber where the Arbiters were said to gather. The remaining guards were few, their morale shattered by the rebellion.