Cassandra steadied herself, mind racing. She knew this would be a battle of patience and wits. She had to uncover the weakness of Malefica's mysterious spell or, if necessary, force one to appear.
"Wind, become my steps…" she whispered, invoking the first element.
The wind gathered around her, swirling in fervent gusts. It wrapped itself around her legs like invisible wings, lifting her slightly. With each breath, the wind seemed to pulse in rhythm with her heartbeat, surging in strength until it felt as though she was an extension of the very air itself.
The ground beneath her feet blurred as the wind hoisted her up, leaving only faint impressions on the snow where she'd been standing.
"Earth, become my strength…"
The ground beneath her shifted, resonating with the chant. Yellow light poured from beneath the snow, illuminating the earth and flowing upward like molten metal, enveloping her in a radiant glow.
