At the outside of the Dome
The air crackled with the strain of mana being funneled relentlessly into the barrier. Seven professors stood in a wide formation, their arms outstretched, raw mana pouring from their hands like rivers of light. Yet, the barrier of the dome remained motionless, unyielding.
Sweat gleamed on their foreheads as hours passed with no sign of progress.
Nearby, the rescue squads stood in grim silence. Among them were the academy's top professors, Volkhardt and Liora, along with the principal himself. His face was filled with deep lines of worry, his eyes darting between the dome and the exhausted professors.
Liana standing away from the chaos, her hands gripping her shawl tightly. She wanted to believe in her young master's strength, he was resourceful, always—but even that thought couldn't quell the concern in her heart.
Her gaze shifted uneasily until she spotted Erin, leaning against a tree, her expression unreadable.
