Shennong stood in the center of the room, his silhouette glowing faintly in the dim light as he opened his hand.
"Release the Cores," he declared, his voice calm but heavy with importance.
A moment later, dozens of deep blue crystalline orbs fell from above, clattering gently onto the stone floor in front of Yenissa, Rilith, Velara, and Romina. They sparkled like stars captured in glass. The four women blinked, wide-eyed, clearly confused.
Rilith tilted her head. "What... are these?"
"They look beautiful," Romina whispered, kneeling to observe one. "But… they feel strange."
Velara narrowed her eyes, gently prodding one with the tip of her boot. "They look harmless."
Yenissa, folding her arms, furrowed her brows. "I've never seen anything like this. Shennong, what are these?"
Shennong stepped forward, eyes fixed on the orbs.
"These are the creatures that attacked me," he explained gravely. "Each one of these cores… belongs to one of those creatures. I call them Cores."
