The shockwaves from the detonation had rolled outward in visible rings, shaking the air itself and sending distant debris flying in every direction.
Yet the protected forest behind Benjamin remained (mostly) completely undamaged, shielded by the combination of his barrier and his quick redirection of the excess force.
The contrast was stark: one side of the battlefield reduced to a smoldering, lava-filled ruin, while the trees and vines at the forest edge stood serene and mostly unharmed.
***
Benjamin dropped his arm down slowly, the limb still hissing with thin trails of smoke rising from the heated skin.
The decision to redirect most of the explosive force had actually been a wise one.
The main barrier he had raised around the forest held firm against the raw destructive power of the blast, absorbing the brunt of the cataclysmic energy without shattering.
