Counterspells are often unpredictable and very dangerous to both mages. Depending on the magnitude and nature of the original spell, the tools used, and the skill of both mages,the success of a counterspell is never certain until the deed is done. It becomes a battle of wills between mages, each trying to hold the fraying ends of their spell long enough to overpower the other. In this instance, both mages were equally matched. Both mages possessed powerful tools. Both mages were bolstered by their righteous conviction that their actions were justified and their cause was just. However, their magic was not the only force at play. The stone bowl that Ingriss chose as a vessel had imprisoned six being for centuries, and they were eager to get out. They recognized the edge of the serpent’s tongue, their cousin’s blade, and called to it to split the stone bowl from the inside. Ingriss’ spell was shattered, and there was a brief moment when both mages saw six shadows emerge from the cracked stone, surrounded by an eerie stillness. Both mages had but a single breath to brace for the backlash of their handiwork, however that might manifest.