[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/qSXKgkY.png[/img]
[sub][@Nanaya][@Psyker Landshark][@Sifr][@Estylwen][/sub][/center]
Two activations, and then something of an involved risk.

[i]Understood[/i], was Otis’s response to Hildegunde. [i]Hold off on that.[/i]

The situation was evolving, the combination of Ciara and Iraleth’s attacks enough to keep the instructor occupied and unable to disentangle himself from either of them in the same way that he had done to Rio. Despite the chaos of the melee now, the Strigidae could spy the fluctuations in his Personal Barrier. As expected of Iraleth. Even when facing the full weight of a primal leyline, her Ethos had enough raw power to affect the integrity of the barrier that Alto possessed.

Within the melee then, what was their next move? Rio possessed four shields with differing capabilities, Chloe possessed a one-touch-kill. Chunji wasn’t participating, Davil was a non-factor, and Hildegunde had one more activation of her persisting bullet. Their options were…

A dome of thorns ensconced itself around the three combatants, preventing interference.

…quite straightforward now. It just had to be [i]fast[/i].

[b]“Despair in struggle,, embrace her to Return? Living the for but.
Prepared are coffins our, lungs our leaves last the when
Earth and air of beings remain we, scattered or buried whether.
Cremating and embalming, pyres and temples.“[/b]

He clasped his hands together as the arcane incantation gradually made its way through his lips, binding them together tightly. From such motions, the essence of ‘embracing’ and ‘binding’ was realized, and the earth around the dome rose up to form two self-same walls that clapped together. Damp soil, solidifying under the effects of Otis’s spell, formed a second layer, a [i]denser[/i] layer over the dome of thorns.

Shutting off all sources of sunlight.

Creating a void within this essence-less space, a deep darkness that was only driven away by the inherent radiance of the Inheritor.

[i]Iraleth, deactivate your Ethos and disengage best you can. If not, then just fortify your Personal Barrier. Ciara, strike with intent, but leaving the top of the dome unguarded by your shadows. Rio, I know one of your shields has a repulsing effect. Coordinate with Chloe. Alto’s best bet would be to break out by ascending upwards; launch Chloe at him in that moment and ONLY in that moment. I’ll trust that you weren’t lying about the power of your finger, Miss Steeler. Hildegunde, I’ll leave you to handle any unpleasant tricks Instructor Alto may use to enable alternative escapes. As a primal mage, you have a better understanding than I do of the possibilities.[/i]

It would be a flurry of actions, soon enough.

And now that Otis had taken direct action, he suspected that he’d be earning some unwanted attention too.