Istredd was technically trained in mage combat, but it was a long time ago and unlike the others, he simply walked away from a lot of different things he wasn't interested in from his training. He has very little practice. He did knock a man off a horse with Geralt, but he wouldn't have been much help with that monster. He would have tried, but he's rusty, for certain. Maybe he should go back to training, because he is very quickly thrown off when she abruptly attacks him.

Despite the fact that intellectually he knows she can't kill him for good in the Horizon, his breath still catches and he feels a sliver of fear. A natural response to someone far more dangerous than he is getting into his space. He looks more surprised than upset though, and he resists his instinct to use his telekinesis to blow her back. What's the point? It won't get them answers to fight in here.

"I haven't told you a single lie, I am a historian. I'm also a mage. I grew up with Yennefer, if you know her, we were in school together."

The fear has given way now that his instinct calms down and his eyebrows are furrowed, caught up in her.

"Who the fuck are you? Why are you afraid of monoliths? What are they to you?"