"Good job, Annika," Ingrid shouted, her eyes never leaving the battlefield. "But we need to keep moving!"
Their podium shuddered again as Team 9's earthbearers sent a tremor through the arena floor. The walls of the podium cracked but held firm thanks to Frode's constant reinforcement. Kai knew they couldn't sustain this defensive strategy forever.
"We need to take the fight to them," Kai yelled, his voice carrying over the din of the battle. "Ingrid, keep them off balance with your wails. Annika focuses on disrupting their formations with water spikes. Frode, maintain the shield but be ready to drop it if we need to make a quick move."
Frode nodded, sweat beading on his forehead. The strain of maintaining the shield was immense, but he knew he had to keep going. The podium shifted again, and Frode felt a moment of panic as the lightning crackled and sputtered. But he gritted his teeth and pushed through, the shield holding firm.
