Thanks to Ciara's curse the front lines formed by those that could barely call themselves mages and half trained apprentices crumbled to bits. Imperial Dragon Steel met with black cloth covered necks. Crimson blood tanted with emerald green flowed out in copious amount from the headless bodies of the first dozen to great death. The emerald strains in the dead mage's blood was a clear sign that that had been effected by Ciara's curse that was truly wicked and one that would normally see her severely punished by the Elder Council for using or practicing.
That curse made it to where anyone that was effected by it would have their own blood turn against them as it became a deadly toxin that was so vile that even a few drops of their contaminated blood getting splashed onto an uninfected person would pass on the curse if they were not in possession of a protective charm made by the original witch who cast the curse spell.