"It's no use. You can't reach it. This is beyond the realm of the mortal, I think," the old man told Pherdanta just as she was about to slash with the Bashful Abomination again. "Don't be fooled by the seemingly flimsy defence. I imagine the real protection against any kind of interference – like us – was this, rather these dark creatures that were guarding it."
Pherdanta agreed, but she muttered under her breath "I wasn't fooled, old man."