The elders stopped trying to break the dome.
One by one, they let go of their artifacts. The glow of their Spirit spells faded. The sounds of attacks quieted. The air inside the vine barrier grew still again, save for the soft crackling of the campfire near Aksai.
The lady elder took a deep breath and stepped forward. It was as if she had flipped a switch. Her shoulders were relaxed now, and the dagger she had once held tightly was back in its sheath. Her voice was calm when she spoke.
"It seems we underestimated you," she said, looking Aksai straight in the eye. "You don't have to talk bad about the Iron Mountain Sect just because there was a lapse in judgment on my part."
Aksai didn't reply. He simply looked back at her, waiting.
