Round 115

The ancient symbol on the wall flared with sudden crimson light, pulsing in rhythm like a heartbeat gone wrong. The magical binding between them still thrummed under Halie's skin—discordant, unsettling, but undeniably real and active despite her attempts to ignore it. She pressed herself against the far wall instinctively, eyes locked on Jeane across the chamber.

The sorceress didn't flinch at the sudden activation; instead she stepped forward with predatory grace despite obvious magical exhaustion. Her wings remained half-spread in a defensive posture that spoke of long-practiced instinct rather than conscious thought—each membrane catching theRed light and throwing it back amplified. "Everyone back!" Jeane snapped, voice carrying authority despite visible fatigue evident in her labored breathing and the way residual fluids still glistened on her skin from Silra's earlier binding.

Halie hesitated for a single heartbeat before complying, moving to stand beside the wall rather than retreating further into the chamber. She wasn't about to let herself be cornered again—not after what they'd just endured at Silra's hands under Zha'thik's silent watch. The very thought sent another jolt through the binding residue still.". The symbol's light pulsed faster now, matching the rapid heartbeat pattern of someone facing mortal danger rather than mere alarm.

The footsteps outside stopped abruptly—Zha'thik had heard them despite their best efforts at stealth. A low chuckle echoed through the stone walls like oil sliding over water, sending fresh shivers down Halie's spine. She gripped her cross necklace tighter, the familiar metal cool against her palm as she tried to draw comfort from something tangible in this magically corrupted space.

"Everyone back," Jeane repeated, voice dropping to a dangerous growl that made it clear she wasn't about to tolerate hesitation or questions right now. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly in theRed light as she began weaving complex gestures with both hands—preparations for some kind of defensive spell no doubt.

Halie didn't need to be told twice. She pressed herself against the wall opposite Jeane, putting maximum distance between herself and whatever new horror the activated symbol portended. The binding's resonance shifted again beneath her skin—if possible, even more discordant now as if sensing her unease and feeding off it.

"Fifteen seconds," a rasping voice whispered directly into Halie's mind, barely audible over the pulsingRed light show. She gritted her teeth against the intrusion, focusing every ounce of willpower on maintaining the containment field around Silra's magic—magic that felt increasingly unstable and hostile under her control.

"Can try," she managed out loud after a moment, voice strained but steady despite the mounting pressure from multiple fronts. "What exactly are we trying?"