Clarissa's eyes widened as she spotted blood trickling down Sefi's arm. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice sharp with concern.
Sefi flinched, trying to hide the tremor in her hands. "I—I'm fine," she stammered nervously.
"You're not," Clarissa said firmly, yanking Sefi back with her telekinesis before the eagle's firestorm could scorch her again. Dust and embers licked at the barrier as she dragged the girl into relative safety.
"T-thank you," Sefi murmured, cheeks burning as she clutched at her wound.
Reimon appeared beside them in a flash of light, his portal snapping shut behind him as he barely dodged another fiery blast. His expression was calm but tight. "It's impossible to attack right now. That thing's defenses are too fierce."
"Then we hold our ground," Clarissa declared. She extended her hands, her telekinetic energy shaping itself into a shimmering barrier that absorbed the next wave of searing wind. "Wait for the opening. We'll strike when it comes."
