Further inside the floating fortress, mages gathered behind a wall of mana barriers. Mana-gunners stood among them, the runes along their weapons glowing as they charged.
"Fire!"
Beams of concentrated mana shot toward the infiltration team alongside the mages' spells.
"Spread out!" Sir Aldren ordered.
A young noble raised his shield while the mage beside him cast a barrier. A beam struck their overlapping defenses, and the spell that followed drove them both backward.
Before the defenders could fire again, a large figure stepped in front of them. Sir Thalos's aura mantle burst forth like a blazing sun.
A spear of ice struck his forearm and shattered. The stone floor cracked beneath his feet, but Sir Thalos did not move back.
"Come on, Inevir mages, show some more spirit!" He then charged forward.
Sir Thalos crossed the distance before the mages could finish their next spell.
A mana-gunner turned his weapon toward him. The runes along its barrel glowed, and a beam shot out.
