Jacques, meanwhile, was throwing absolutely everything he had into the spell, power coursing through him, the familiar static thrill running along the skin beneath his fur as it coalesced at the base of his horn. A shot of pain pierced his head from the sore nerves from when he had hit his horn in the fight with that earth pony mage at the tournament, but he bore through it as the magic spiralled along the grooves of his horn and poured into the shield. Every impact threatened to penetrate the magical barrier, every reverberation strained his concentration and caused him to nearly drop it entirely. His side hurt, but it was nothing serious. He'd be able to get up so long as he survived the onslaught but he was going to be walking with a limp. The crystal star hovered in place, continuing its siege, and it was all he could do to hold out.