Guest post by "JD" @Azure It's not a force field, it's an aura created by the artist so the reader can better see the subjects in a dark landscape. It's a very common technique, though it can be done in various ways. Ever notice in a TV program when they turn out the lights it seems another light comes on, just a bit dimmer? That's because if they showed you a dark room that's all you would see, a dark room, not the characters within it.