Jason's cover begins to move, sending his borrowed insect's instincts into enough of a panic that he finds his elytra opening up to allow his wings to carry him into the air. For a second he matches the height of the levitating pillar, but soon opts to move back behind the standing structure so as not to risk the dangers that would inherently come from hiding behind something that is moving. The scarab touches briefly on the top part of the far side of the pillar from Clarence, but takes notice of the frozen flames now licking the battlefield. If those flames reach his height he can of course simply fly off, but even then he feels that perhaps it is best to stay airborne and so begins flight again, staying in a somewhat static hover out of Clarence's sight and away from the hazardous cold flame.

Looks like Clarence didn't fall for the trick after all.

Sensing his master's thoughts, Mimring gives a questioning mental prod, but seems appeased by Jason's somewhat confident wordless response. The prey did not fall for part of the ambush; that doesn't mean the situation is not salvageable. What debris Jason can see from his vantage point is being tossed around like pebbles- or perhaps Clarence is trying to, in the case of the fallen pillar- no doubt in an effort to flush out an enemy that simply is no longer there. What conclusion Clarence will draw is yet to be seen, perhaps he will continue to think a 50-foot-long dragon is still somehow hiding or perhaps he will think that he actually has finished off his enemy. In either case, both scenarios can be used to Jason's advantage.

In fact...

The magnetic charge on the debris Mimring's Burning Sky Conflux had knocked loose intensifies. Whether Clarence had moved it or not, Jason can make use of it all the same. At first nothing seems to happen, but then the smallest pieces seem to jolt from their positions and fly toward Clarence. Then the slightly larger pieces. Then larger. To the observer it would seem as if some invisible [i]force[/i] is flinging the chunks of debris from the pile toward Clarence, at projectile speeds easily high enough velocity to cause serious damage upon impact. The largest chunk of debris, however, doesn't move- acting as a sort of reverse anchor, a standard for the objects to repel from.

Jason doesn't wait to see if the attack makes much of a mark before testing the charge of the debris Clarence has been flinging around. There doesn't seem to be one; clearly, Clarence's movement of objects does not operate on the same principles as the duo's. All this means is that Jason has to adjust the charge himself, and gets to work on it while keeping his senses on his enemy. Of course, any illusion that Mimring isn't there now falls to pieces; not that the stranger seemed to have fallen for it regardless. While he adjusts and strengthens the other debris' ability to hold a charge, the shapeshifter plans his possible next action- or rather, a collection of possible actions- but waits for the moment before acting to prepare any of them.