Too late.
The heat wave erupted outward, a dome of pure thermal energy that shattered Salomonis's remaining spells. Yue was thrown backward, her small form skidding across the floor, vials shattering around her.
The avatar wasted no time. A sphere of concentrated fire formed before its maw, growing rapidly to the size of a human torso. It aimed directly at Yue's vulnerable form.
"No!" Salomonis abandoned his spell matrix, racing toward his fallen comrade. Golden energy gathered in his hands as he slid to position between Yue and the demon. "[Glacial Sanctuary]!"
A dome of ice and magic formed around them just as the fireball struck. The impact was catastrophic. The dome held for a fraction of a second before shattering, the residual force throwing both mages against the far wall with bone-breaking force.
Silence fell across the chamber, broken only by the demon avatar's triumphant growl as it surveyed the fallen warriors.
Then the rubble at the chamber's edge shifted.
