But Fedlimid was already in motion, weaving spells through quick fingers. Wind magic snapped fiercely into place, forming a shimmering protective barrier around them. Aleks, suddenly alert, drew his daggers, gripping the handles tightly as lightning crackled within the clouds, illuminating the tense lines of his face.
Thunder roared beneath their feet, loud enough to shake their bones, each echo vibrating deeply, resonating within their very cores. For a single breathless instant, everything seemed to freeze, sound bleeding away until only silence and anticipation remained.
