How do I make animations occur in sequence?

From my haphazard experimentation, I have found that sync="1" on an animation means that the game waits for the animation to finish before allowing any further action. However, if one spell happens to trigger another, sync does not seem to delay the second spell's animations.
Am I using sync wrong?
Is there another way to do this without making the spell span multiple turns?

Spoiler: Relevant code.

Code:

<spell name="Power Down" type="self" icon="skills/spells/zombyfycation32.png">
  <effect type="removebuffbyname" name="Soul Power" amount="1"/>
  <description text="Lowers your soul power" />
  </spell>
 
<spell name="Soul Dump" type="targetmonster" icon="skills/spells/zombyfycation32.png">
  <effect type="trigger" spell="Soul Convert" amount="0" requirebuffontrigger="1" requirebuffontriggername="Soul"/>
  <effect type="trigger" spell="Depower Convert" amount="0" requirebuffontrigger="1" requirebuffontriggername="Souled Out"/>
  <effect type="trigger" spell="Dump Damage" amount="0"/>
  <effect type="trigger" spell="Depower Revert" amount="0"/>
  <effect type="trigger" spell="Soul Revert" amount="0"/>
  <description text="Dumps your souls, hurting dudes" />
  </spell>
 
<spell name="Dump Damage" type="targetmonster" icon="skills/spells/zombyfycation32.png">
    <effect type="damage" existential="2" existentialF="1" aethereal="2" aetherealF="1.5" secondaryScale="15"/>
    <effect type="trigger" spell="Power Down" amount="0" requirebuffontrigger="1" requirebuffontriggername="Soul Power"/>
    <effect type="trigger" spell="Dump Damage" amount="0" requirebuffontrigger="1" requirebuffontriggername="Soul Power"/>
    <effect type="trigger" spell="Retarget" amount="0" requirebuffontrigger="1" requirebuffontriggername="Soul Power"/>
    <description text="Damages the target, removes a soul, and if the target is still alive calls itself again. Otherwise changes targets" />
    <anim sprite="sprites/sfx/divine_hit/divine_hit" frames="8" framerate="80" sync="1" sfx="rune_set" centerEffect="0"/>
  </spell>
   
<spell name="Retarget" type="template" templateID="20" anchored="0" icon="skills/spells/zombyfycation32.png">
    <effect type="trigger" spell="Dump Damage" amount="0" requirebuffontrigger="1" requirebuffontriggername="Soul Power"/>
  <description text="Changes targets" />
  </spell>