Halta's reflexes react as if it was full size, but slowly adjusts herself instead of shifting back to position immediately.

"Same area of magic, but more permanent? I believe it can be sustained without magic after the spell is cast... I may be more of a scholar than a knight, but I am still a knight _{of sorts.} My magical theories are not in research and learning for the sake of it, like a bearded elder in a tower somewhere who accomplishes nothing."

"Magical research sounds fascinating," she says, trying not to yawn. "Tragically I have a castle to maintain."

Fireball! (Again, small.)

This fireball just gets deflected to the side.

"Rather boring to me. Apologies for getting sidetracked, but you are at least willing to talk to me. Why?"

"I figure you're gonna kill me eventually and I'm gonna spend a hundred years or whatever standing around in Hell, so," she shrugs. "Why not make the most of the opportunity."

Eyebrow raise. "That makes it seem like being here is not much of an improvement."

"No, no, it's quite a lot better," she says. "I can assure you of that."

"Well then."

Pause.

"Have you thought of getting someone to talk to?" It might be irrelevant to suggest her to stop waging war...

"Why, I have all my lovely demons, of course."

"The dogs and the... Gardener? Understandable I suppose."

A moment to think of wordings, before deciding to just be blunt about it. "Sorry for being blunt, but, is there some reason why you do all this?"

"– I have no idea what you mean," she says.

Larger fireball, with far more force behind it.

Jump over it. "Seems I have to play hot-and-cold with responses to my questions here?

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to."

Another one, hurled very theatrically but again with a lot of power.

Fifth fireball, third jump. "I will ask them regardless, let alone I doubt you can decide if I want the answer."

"Then be happy you're able to dodge the answer, namely: fireballs."

Another.

Again.

"You already told me there is some reason. If I can keep dodging, I can keep asking. Hatred of humanity?"

She smiles. "At least one of them."

Knife.

Halta smiles, and decides now is a fine time to put some of that magic towards enhancing her speed. The knife is dodged.

"Funny. World ending scheme? Some sort of thing you want and have to obtain by force?"

"Would you like me to start reciting war chants?"

"If you mean the babbles that come from your 'army', then they fail to explain anything of use. Besides, you seem to be the best source of information."

"I'm sure I am," she responds, smiling again. "Would you like to ask a better question?"

"Are you going to tell me this better question, or am I to be jumping in your throne room until I guess it?"

"There are a lot of better questions," is the response. "My age, my true name, how I came about, how you might defeat me permanently, how you might conquer the underworld, what magical lore I might know, if I know the secret to immortality."

She picks at her nails a bit, then sends another fireball.

Trivial dodge. "Sorry, I don't speak fireball and I doubt you'll answer with much else." Halta throws her hands up in the air and summons her best pokerface. "How, pray tell, might I defeat you permanently?"

"Well if you find my greenhouse…" she responds, and then throws another fireball.

Dodge. A very deadpanned reply, "I did, remember? I walked through it on my way here."