Selene lifted her hand without a word. Frost and gravity rolled outward together in a low pulse, spreading around the guardian's legs like a ring of winter.
"Permafrost Halo."
Ice formed in a wide radius, the air turning sharp as the halo reduced the monster's movement, not stopping it, but forcing every step to cost more. The ground groaned under the weight, yet the pace stuttered just enough to matter.
Elyra knelt and slapped her palm to the stone.
Lines of mana lit up beneath them like a grid drawn by invisible ink, spreading outward under the group and stabilizing their spells as it expanded.
"Mana Grid," she said, voice clipped. "Stay inside it."
Elena shifted to the flank immediately, vines and leaf-thin currents moving around her like a quiet storm held in check. She didn't waste mana trying to bind the guardian again. She aimed for control, angles, and anything that tried to approach from the sides.
Then Charlotte moved.
