The serpent recoiled, the blast rippling through its scaled flank. Its body twisted violently, displacing waves large enough to slam against the barrier Moonbounce maintained—but the dome held firm, shimmering silver under the assault.
Sophia stepped forward, staff raised, her voice cutting cleanly through the chaos. "Secondary seal—bind and restrict."
Sigils spiraled outward from her, threading through the air in delicate arcs before slamming into the serpent's wake. Ethereal chains of light coiled around its midsection, slowing its next lunge.
Aria didn't waste the moment. Her spear flashed again, its tip glowing with a contained brilliance. She hurled it forward—not to pierce, but to mark. The weapon struck water and vanished beneath the surface, embedding itself somewhere near the creature's core.
A pulse of blue light flared beneath the water. "Mark set," she said. "Caria—ignite it."
