Killian watched as Damien struggled through the ward. It seemed much less willing to let him through, curiously enough. There was some kind of tainted magical aspect about Damien, but Killian wasn't going to work that angle until later, when he had a little more time for research. The ward didn't usually repel this strongly.
But he couldn't help but feel a little smug that Damien reacted so negatively. His face didn't reflect that, but he was absolutely enjoying Damien's physical response. It was still interesting. There was something worth repelling. Good.
The ward disappearing as Belial passed through was just as interesting, if not more so. The ward faded and opened completely around Belial, leaving a hole in it's wake. The edges tapered and frayed and the visual hexagons vanished as Killian's magic faded as well. He would fix it as soon as he was able to gather information from it. No matter how small, there had to be a foreign magic mingling with the edges. The ward wasn't knitting itself back together automatically.
"It will not happen again," Killian replied. That was a promise.
Magnus grinned and approached Damien to rub his back gently. "See? Not so bad, there there."
"Magnus, will you at least explain your logic?"
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Killian. I have to focus on the task at hand. Gather your information and then meet me in the dining hall. Though he might want to sleep instead. The ward affected him a lot more than it was supposed to."
"There's something wrong with his internal workings as far as his magic is concerned. There is no other reason for the ward to push him back this hard."
"Interesting..."
Magnus looked at Belial carefully. "Ah, so I guess you did end up getting a meal, even if it was unexpected. Incredible. Is Damien going to be okay? He seems a bit more worse for wear. I suppose you've never come across a ward like this before, have you? Anywhere at all?"
It reminded her of her first ever encounter with a ward in general. She'd had a similar reaction, but only for the first time she'd ever passed through in her whole life. When she was a child. It was hard to believe that Damien would have never encountered a ward ever. Too unlikely even. Most settlements with any manner of dedicated mage population had some kind of protective barrier.
"Let's get you inside and to some water."
She hooked her arm with Damien's and half carried, half dragged him across the rest of the bridge. He'd probably need some water, poor thing.
But he couldn't help but feel a little smug that Damien reacted so negatively. His face didn't reflect that, but he was absolutely enjoying Damien's physical response. It was still interesting. There was something worth repelling. Good.
The ward disappearing as Belial passed through was just as interesting, if not more so. The ward faded and opened completely around Belial, leaving a hole in it's wake. The edges tapered and frayed and the visual hexagons vanished as Killian's magic faded as well. He would fix it as soon as he was able to gather information from it. No matter how small, there had to be a foreign magic mingling with the edges. The ward wasn't knitting itself back together automatically.
"It will not happen again," Killian replied. That was a promise.
Magnus grinned and approached Damien to rub his back gently. "See? Not so bad, there there."
"Magnus, will you at least explain your logic?"
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Killian. I have to focus on the task at hand. Gather your information and then meet me in the dining hall. Though he might want to sleep instead. The ward affected him a lot more than it was supposed to."
"There's something wrong with his internal workings as far as his magic is concerned. There is no other reason for the ward to push him back this hard."
"Interesting..."
Magnus looked at Belial carefully. "Ah, so I guess you did end up getting a meal, even if it was unexpected. Incredible. Is Damien going to be okay? He seems a bit more worse for wear. I suppose you've never come across a ward like this before, have you? Anywhere at all?"
It reminded her of her first ever encounter with a ward in general. She'd had a similar reaction, but only for the first time she'd ever passed through in her whole life. When she was a child. It was hard to believe that Damien would have never encountered a ward ever. Too unlikely even. Most settlements with any manner of dedicated mage population had some kind of protective barrier.
"Let's get you inside and to some water."
She hooked her arm with Damien's and half carried, half dragged him across the rest of the bridge. He'd probably need some water, poor thing.