Round 203

The glyphs above pulsed faster now, their blue light strobing across the walls in time with Jeane's hammering heartbeat. The book's cover blazed brighter still, its ominous aura intensifying until it felt like standing too close to an active volcano—heat, pressure, and raw magic that threatened to incinerate everything in range.

Jeane grit her teeth, her entire body screaming for rest as she maintained the barrier with sheer force of will. The ward shimmered violently, barely containing whatever malevolent energy seethed within the tome. Her wings twitched involuntarily from the ambient magic, but she refused to let them fold in—she needed every inch of mobility if things went sideways.

The air crackled with tension as they waited for the spell to complete its cycle. Every second felt like an eternity, the magical backlash growing stronger with each passing moment. Abby clutched the adult toys tighter, her eyes darting between Jeane's strained form and the ominous darkness beyond the newly opened door.

Finally, with a sound like shattering glass, the spell detonated outward in a wave of raw force. The ward held, but just barely—Jeane cried out as the energy slammed into her, her wings flaring wide for balance. The glyphs above flickered once, twice, then stabilized at their faster pulse rate.

Silence descended, heavy and oppressive. Then, from deep within the newly opened corridor, came the unmistakable sound of rushing water. Great.