"Okay." Skuld leaned forward to put her hands on the floor, fingertips brushing the edge of the paper there. "O element of earth..."

Sculpting an ax and chain out of metal pipes involved a lot of different steps, making it a lot harder than she'd expected. She'd learned how to pace herself a little, so she didn't doubt she could do it not that she would have anyway, but it was still definitely a strain. As the last of the chain linked itself together, she was aware of sweat beading on her forehead; she struggled to control both the power and herself until she could finish the job.

When the last link had been formed, she let go of the little trickle of power she'd still had and half-collapsed; she caught herself before she could really hit the floor, but she was left crouched on all fours, forehead lightly touching the floor and trying to catch her breath.

Maybe I should stop doing this with an audience.