*Gael PoV*
The icy projectiles twisted through the air, leaving trails of frost that shimmered in the orange glow of the barrier. If I could just pin him down for a second, Orlin might land a hit.
Great-Gramps laughed, his crook spinning. "Predictable!" A pulse of green lightning erupted from him, vaporizing my shards mid-air. The heat from the blast grazed my cheek, stinging like a slap. I ducked, rolling to avoid a stray bolt that scorched the ground where I'd stood.
"Damn it, old man, slow down!" I growled, popping up and firing again, this time mixing in a few decoy shots to throw him off.
"Slow down? At my age?" he teased, sidestepping Orlin's next strike with infuriating ease. "You two need to speed up if you want to keep up with this 'old man'!"
Orlin grunted, sweat beading on his forehead as he pushed harder, his sword glowing with dark mana. "Gael, cover me!"
