Insight is distracted by her need to know instead of focusing on the problem in front of her.
What the Prisoner is able to freely create flexible shields within a small radius around himself. This is his domain as an arch-magus. He extends his shields outside of his domain by sending visible tendrils. This is a power creep, taking this comic to the next level. It has always been about epic stories and stakes. This is another step in getting there.
Honestly I expected book 1 to be completed in about 200 pages when I first started out. But the story has taken a life of its own. Details NEEDED to be filled. We are still at least 100 pages away - hope to see you guys there when it does.