The moment Arran came within a hundred paces of the city, a raging torrent of sensation fell upon him, immediately hammering his Sense and muddling his mind. It was like being screamed at by thousands of giants or staring into a million suns at once.
Yet this time, he was prepared for the onslaught.
He now knew that what he Sensed was a city full of uncontrolled and violent Essence, the residue of terrifyingly powerful magics that had been used in a devastating battle.
As soon as he felt his Sense being assaulted by the violent aura of the Essence in the city, he sat down on the ground and closed his eyes, then braced himself for the onslaught.
Now that he knew what to expect, maintaining control despite the pressure he felt was much easier than it had been the first time, and it wasn't long before he recovered from the initial shock.
