The explosion gradually cleared, revealing a transformed battlefield.
Sirius gasped after the tremendous effort, feeling how every fiber of his being protested against the power he had channeled. Knowing the cost of maintaining fusion any longer, he decided to cancel it immediately.
That way he would still have some energy to jump in shadows and try to escape, as long as enemy beasts had been badly wounded and couldn't follow him at full speed.
But retreating had to wait, he wanted to make sure he had achieved something significant. If the Lion was near death or dying, perhaps it was worth trying to finish the job before fleeing.
When visibility returned completely, his heart sank.
Unfortunately, the Lion was still standing, though it was quite wounded. Its golden fur was stained with fluids that could have been blood or dispersed energy, and several deep wounds marked its left flank.
But it had survived, and Sirius could see why.
