Round 206 Transcript

As Jeane taunts the skeletal creature, the air crackles with energy. The figure's robes billow around it, whipping up small whirlwinds that send dust particles swirling in the dim light. Suddenly, a hidden mechanism clicks into place, and the mirror behind Halie shatters, releasing a blast of magical energy that sends Abby stumbling backward against the wall. The sound of rushing water echoes through the chamber as the magical current controlling the descent begins to stir, responding to the sudden disturbance. The skeletal figure takes another step forward, its empty eye sockets fixed on Abby as it regards her with an unblinking gaze. Jeane's wards hold, but her exhaustion is evident in the slight tremble of her wings. The pressure builds: we must decide how to proceed, and fast.

The sound of shattering glass cuts through my concentration just as I'm about to launch another taunt at the skeletal figure looming before us. Time seems to slow as I whirl around, wings beating hard enough to create a small gust that ruffles Halie's hair—she looks stunned but alert now, thankfully free from whatever trance that damned mirror put her in. What the fuck— The words die on my lips as I see Abby pressed against the wall, eyes wide with something that might be terror or desperate inspiration. Behind her, where the mirror once stood, there's nothing but a frame and shattered glass scattered across the stone floor like frozen tears. My wings snap closed as I turn back to face our skeletal problem—it hasn't moved during this distraction, still standing less than an arm's reach from my wards which are currently the only thing keeping us all from being dusted ourselves. The tendril against my breast pulses once, twice, then settles into a steady warning thrum that feels almost like it's counting down. Abby? I call out without taking my eyes off our immediate threat. Whatever brilliant plan you've got cooking back there better be worth the risk of this thing deciding we're more trouble than we're worth. The skeletal figure takes another step forward, its robes billowing as if caught in a wind only it can feel. I can see the faint glow of magic pulsing along its bone structure like sickly veins—the same ancient energy that powers these trials and keeps us trapped here. You've got about five seconds to explain before I lose what little patience I have left, I warn, my voice tight with exhaustion and barely contained panic.

The tendril pulses again—three times now—and I realize it's trying to tell me something. My eyes narrow as I watch the creature's movements, noting the way its skull tilts slightly as if listening. Wait... you're not just attacking us blindly, are you? A cold dread settles in my stomach. You're waiting for— The tendril pulses a fourth time, and suddenly everything clicks into place with horrifying clarity. This thing isn't a guardian—it's a trigger.

Fuck! Abby, get down!

I hear Jeane's panicked warning just before she tackles me, her body slamming into mine and knocking the wind out of my lungs as we both crash to the cold stone floor in a tangle of limbs. The tendril against my breast pulses frantically now, a warning that feels like it's burning my skin from the inside out. I try to gasp out a question, but Jeane's hand clamps over my mouth, silencing me before I can even draw breath.
Above us, there’s an ear-splitting crack, like the sound of a thousand icicles shattering simultaneously. A blinding flash of light erupts from the mirror's empty frame, bathing the entire chamber in a harsh white glow that seems to scorch my retinas. The air grows heavy, thick with the scent of ozone and something else—something old and rotten that makes my stomach turn.
The skeletal figure doesn't move. It stands there, an unnaturally still silhouette against the blinding light. Then, slowly, it raises one bony arm and points directly at us. Or rather, at Jeane's back where she lies on top of me, trying to shield me with her own body.
Suddenly, the floor beneath us begins to shake. It starts as a low vibration that travels up through my bones, then builds into a full-body tremor. I feel Jeane’s weight press down on me more heavily, her wings wrapping around us like a cocoon of leather and feathers. The noise intensifies—a deep, rumbling groan that sounds like the earth itself is tearing apart at the seams.
This isn't just an attack. It's something far worse—a collapse. A massive section of the library chamber begins to tilt, sending books and artifacts sliding across the floor towards us in a chaotic wave. The stone door we came through swings open, revealing not a dark tunnel but a yawning chasm filled with rushing water.
The tendril against my breast pulses one final time, so hard it feels like a punch. Then, with a sickening lurch, the entire chamber begins to tip, spilling everything—us included—down into that roaring abyss below.