Fantasy: The Counterattack of the Female Sovereign

The light at the core surged violently like a surging tide, continuously releasing heart-pounding energy fluctuations. Each flash of light was like a thrilling storm, sweeping across everything around it, causing the entire space to tremble under this unparalleled power.

Calvin, Song Yao, Arya, and the mysterious woman stood side by side, their eyes wide open, their faces filled with awe as they gazed at the core before them, which emanated endless mystery and majesty. The ancient and powerful force, like an invisible giant hand, tightly grasped everyone's heart, making it almost impossible to breathe.

The core voice was as low as rolling thunder, and seemed to come from the end of distant time and space, carrying the vicissitudes and heaviness accumulated over the years: "Who... dares to wake me up from my sleep?" The voice echoed in the empty space, lingering for a long time, deafening.

Calvin took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil within him. He bit his lip, straining to stop his body from shaking. Finally, he spoke slowly, "Respected One, we are brave explorers from Earth. We have come here after enduring countless hardships. We come here to unravel the mysteries shrouding the vortex of shadows and to find effective ways to protect our home, Earth." His voice was low, but filled with determination and courage, like a sword piercing straight to the core.

As Calvin finished speaking, the core's light began to gradually fade, its dazzling brilliance gradually becoming softer. However, even so, the powerful aura still permeated the air, making it difficult to breathe.

The core's voice echoed again, this time tinged with an indescribable complex emotion: "The Shadow Vortex... it is the last remaining treasure of our civilization, and it is also our unfinished sacred mission. But, you outsiders... why are you so determined to pursue the power it contains? Don't you know the dire consequences that will follow if this power gets out of control?"

Song Yao's slender fingers danced across the datapad like nimble butterflies, the subtle sound of her fingertips touching the surface remarkably clear in the quiet surroundings. She stared intently at the constantly flashing data and images on the screen, her mind racing, straining to decipher the complex and mysterious energy fluctuations within the core.

"Its energy frequency is stabilizing!" Song Yao's voice trembled slightly, a tinge of undisguised nervousness laced throughout. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, but she paid no attention. Her eyes remained fixed on the datapad, not daring to relax even a moment.

At the same time, Arya gripped her weapon tightly. The cold, hard touch gave her a slight sense of security. Her beautiful eyes were now filled with a cold, sharp light, like two icy rays of light shooting straight at the core before her eyes. "We must not let our guard down," Arya's voice was low and serious, revealing a strong sense of vigilance. "The power this guy possesses far exceeds our previous expectations and imaginations."

At that moment, the mysterious woman stood quietly by, her figure graceful and elegant. However, what caught her most attention were her eyes, as deep as a lake, as if they could easily penetrate the Core's massive body and reach its inner depths. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her lips parted, and she whispered in a soft yet firm tone, "The end of the end is only the beginning. The truly difficult test awaits us..."

As time passed, the Core's restless body finally calmed down. It slowly turned its head, scanning Song Yao, Arya, and the mysterious woman in turn. Finally, when its gaze settled on the mysterious woman, it suddenly asked, "Who... are you? Why is the power within you so strikingly similar to that of our civilization?" The Core's voice was a bit harsh, but the doubt it contained was genuine.

The mysterious woman remained silent, staring at the core like a sculpture. Her eyes were deep and focused, as if she was silently communicating with the core, or perhaps she was patiently waiting for a critical moment to arrive.

Amidst this tense atmosphere, Calvin stepped forward without hesitation, quickly taking the lead and attempting to ease the tense atmosphere. He took a deep breath and spoke in a deep yet powerful voice, "Your Excellency, we come here with a humble heart to seek your assistance. The terrifying power of the Shadow Vortex has begun to erode and affect our world, and the situation is extremely critical. Therefore, we urgently need to find a way to effectively control it and save our homeland and our people from suffering."

After hearing Calvin's sincere words, the Core's previously impassive gaze slowly shifted to him. With a gentle humming sound, the Core responded, its voice tinged with an unmistakable heaviness. "The Shadow Vortex was our civilization's last, desperate attempt. We once hoped to leverage its unparalleled power to save our world, which was teetering on the brink of destruction. However, this failed miserably. Despite our utmost efforts, we ultimately declared defeat. Its power was too vast and unfathomable, far beyond our control."

Song Yao, who had been standing by and listening, couldn't help but frown, a hint of anxiety in her beautiful eyes. Then, she couldn't wait to interrupt and ask, "So, may I ask, how did you successfully seal off such a terrifying shadow vortex? Is it possible for us to emulate your methods and find a breakthrough to solve the problem?"

In response to Song Yao's question, the Core's body suddenly trembled slightly, as if struck by an invisible force. It then fell into a brief moment of contemplation, as if trying to dig out from the depths of its memory a distant past long forgotten by time. After a long moment, the Core raised its head again and slowly recounted in a slightly hoarse voice, "Back then, after countless difficult explorations and experiments, we finally discovered the magical power contained within the space-time rifts. We cleverly used this power to successfully seal the Shadow Vortex. Unfortunately, this method isn't perfect. While it can temporarily suppress the ravages of the Shadow Vortex to a certain extent, it's ultimately just a stopgap measure."

Just as the entire team was absorbed in an in-depth discussion with the core, the previously stable surroundings suddenly underwent a dramatic change. The invisible, yet real, energy fluctuations, like waves in a storm, began to violently roll and surge, with no discernible pattern.

At the same time, the Core, which had been standing quietly, suddenly erupted with a dazzling light. This light was so intense that it seemed to completely illuminate the entire space. Along with the light, the Core's voice, slightly anxious and urgent, echoed: "Not good! The powerful force contained in the Shadow Vortex is gradually awakening. If we don't take effective measures to deal with it in time, the consequences will be disastrous. Therefore, everyone must accelerate! There is no time to lose!"

Hearing this, Calvin, standing nearby, didn't dare to slack off. His hands danced rapidly, muttering to himself, straining his nerves to control the terrifying force emanating from the Shadow Vortex. Beads of sweat streamed down his forehead, and his face paled from the exertion. But his gaze remained resolute, and a deep, powerful voice emanated from the depths of his throat: "Everyone, the situation is dire. We desperately need your assistance! Especially you—" At this point, he abruptly turned, his gaze fixed on the woman shrouded in mystery. He continued, "Only your special power can resonate with the legacy of our ancient civilization. Therefore, I implore you to step forward and lend us a helping hand, so that together we can unlock the vast secrets hidden within this Shadow Vortex!"

Faced with Calvin's earnest request and everyone's expectant gazes, the mysterious woman did not respond immediately. She just stood there quietly, with her head slightly lowered, as if thinking about something important. Time passed by minute by minute, and the atmosphere on the scene became extremely tense, and everyone's heart was in their throat. Finally, after a long and difficult silence, the mysterious woman slowly raised her head, nodded her chin lightly, and said in agreement: "Okay, since the situation has developed to this point, I have no choice but to do it. But I have to say it first, I can only promise to try my best. As for whether it will succeed in the end, I am afraid it is still unknown. But no matter what, there is no time to lose, let's get started!"

Under the guidance of the mysterious and powerful core, the entire team, like a ignited flame, threw themselves passionately and determinedly into the exploration of the power of the Shadow Vortex. Song Yao's slender, nimble fingers, like spirits dancing on piano keys, swiftly leaped and tapped across the datapad. Each touch seemed to trigger a series of data ripples, as she concentrated on finding the optimal resonant frequency that would allow the power of the Shadow Vortex to resonate perfectly with the core energy network.

"The energy fluctuations are gradually stabilizing!" Song Yao's slightly excited shout lifted everyone's spirits. However, amidst this seemingly smooth progress, Arya remained on edge. Her beautiful eyes flashed with a cold, sharp light. She gripped the gleaming weapon tightly in her hand, watching her surroundings with vigilance like a guardian angel.

"Everyone, be absolutely vigilant! The power of the Shadow Vortex is like a ferocious beast. A moment's carelessness could unleash it, and it could spiral out of control." Arya's words rang like a warning bell, ringing in everyone's ears. Meanwhile, Calvin remained unfazed. His piercing eyes fixed on the core, capturing every subtle energy fluctuation. As they drew closer to the core of the Shadow Vortex, the energy fluctuations grew stronger, like surging waves crashing against their mental defenses.

"We are almost reaching the core area of ​​the Shadow Vortex, but the energy fluctuations here are beyond imagination! Everyone must be careful, one wrong step may lead to all our efforts being wasted..." Calvin's tone was solemn and serious, reminding his teammates of the huge challenges they were about to face.

The mysterious woman stood silently by, like a tranquil statue. Her eyes, as deep as a pool of water, seemed to penetrate the core of the incredibly solid body, as if she was gazing at a being hidden in the void, invisible to ordinary people. Her red lips parted, and slowly uttered a chilling word: "The end of the end is only the beginning. The true difficulties and obstacles still await us."

Inside the core area, Calvin's once resolute face now revealed an unconcealed weariness, but at the same time, his piercing eyes still gleamed with a fierce desire for the unknown world ahead. Song Yao tightly gripped the tablet carrying crucial data, her beautiful brows slightly furrowed, clearly racking her brains for a response.

Arya's tall figure, illuminated by the bright lights of the core area, exuded a cold and stern aura. Each step she took was steady and powerful, as if imbued with boundless strength and resolute determination. Yet, the mysterious woman remained standing silently, her figure shrouded in light, becoming increasingly inscrutable, as if she herself were a profound mystery.

Just as the entire team, working together, seemed poised to successfully stabilise the Shadow Vortex's unruly power, something unexpected happened! The core's body suddenly and violently trembled without warning, and a low, rapid cry emanated from it: "Oh no! The core of the Shadow Vortex... has begun to awaken! Without delay, we must locate it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, once it fully awakens, everything will be irreversible!"

Calvin and Song Yao stared into each other's eyes, which seemed to be burning with a fire, containing both the longing and yearning for a better life in the future, and a hint of indescribable uneasiness and worry.

Arya gripped the gleaming weapon tightly, her fingers turning slightly white from the strain. She was hyper-aware of her surroundings, every nerve on edge, ready to react with lightning speed to any impending danger.

The mysterious woman stood silently by, like a statue. Her gaze, like a sharp sword, pierced through the core of the body, as if she could see through all appearances and perceive some invisible threat hidden deep within. However, her face, as calm as water, showed no trace of emotion, which made people wonder about her true thoughts.

In this tense moment, time seemed to freeze. But soon, the gears of fate began to turn, and a new story unfolded like a picture scroll before everyone. Calvin, Song Yao, Alia, and the mysterious woman were about to embark on a journey full of dangers and challenges, bravely facing the countless challenges and thrilling adventures that lay ahead.