Round 240

Silra's teal eyes locked onto Jeane's crimson gaze, the sorceress's wings fluttering weakly against her back in a futile attempt to counteract the chill. The air in the corridor grew colder with each passing second, and the sound of machinery whirring to life from deeper in the facility intensified, signaling the fusion experiments' approach. The blue glow surrounding Jeane's unconscious body began to pulse with an otherworldly energy, as if the very fabric of reality was being stretched to accommodate her magical reserves.

I'm acutely aware of Silra's heat pressed against me—my body instinctively trying to draw warmth while mind fights the vulnerability. Her teal eyes were cold despite proximity, seeing through every shiver and lie I'd been telling myself about 'acceptable risks.' The blue glow from left passage pulsed stronger now, fusion experiments getting closer with each heartbeat as my 3% shield magic struggled against metabolic demands it couldn't meet alone.

"Eight seconds before complete magical blackout," Silra repeated, her voice sharp with barely contained irritation as she positioned herself between me and the approaching threat. "What the actual fuck did you do, burn reserves early just to prove some point about sacrifice?" Her daggers gleamed in the dim light of the chamber, extensions of hands that itched for action rather than standing guard over a partner who seemed more interested in complaining than surviving.

"I don't need emotional comfort," I snapped back, though my teeth were chattering harder now despite the heat she was supposedly providing. The cold was seeping deeper than just skin, into muscle and bone, and with each passing moment my magical defenses weakened further.