Round 217 Transcript

As Jeane's chanting reaches a crescendo, the air around her shimmers and distorts, reality bending to accommodate the spell. The glowing symbol on the floor pulses faster, its light illuminating the dark water-stained tunnel in a blinding flash. Abby feels a sudden jolt of electricity as the stone's power surges through her, and she gasps as her vision blurs. When her sight returns, Jeane stands frozen, her eyes closed, her hands still clasped around Abby's wrist. The air is heavy with an otherworldly energy that seems to vibrate through every molecule. The humming of the stone has stopped, replaced by an eerie silence. A faint, blue-green glow emanates from Jeane's outstretched hand, illuminating a shimmering portal where the stone once lay. Abby's gaze darts between Jeane and the portal, her heart racing with anticipation and fear. She knows that whatever lies on the other side of this spell, it will change everything.

The silence after the spell's completion is more unnerving than the stone's humming ever was—a vacuum where danger might be gathering itself to strike. I don't trust this quiet any more than I trusted that woman in the depths or whatever controls these trials. My magical reserves are at their absolute limit—3% remaining, maybe less—and maintaining a portal takes energy I simply do not have. The shimmering gateway pulses with an eerie blue-green light that seems to leech warmth from the already chilly air of this collapsing chamber. Whatever lies on the other side likely requires more power than we possess just to hold it open long enough for us to pass through—and even if it does lead us to something stronger, as I suggested earlier, that strength could be a threat in its own right. I glance at Abby's face, illuminated by the portal's glow. She looks terrified but determined—an expression I've seen before from those who don't truly understand what they're agreeing to when they step into my world. This spell is already drawing on reserves I can't afford to lose; keeping it stable requires concentration and energy that leaves me vulnerable to everything else around us. The skeletal dust figures have been silent so far, but I know better than to assume they've given up or dispersed. They're simply waiting—their animated bones always have been—and the moment my attention fractures will be the moment they strike again. My wings ache with fatigue despite their constant motion keeping track of potential threats; exhaustion is a physical weight pressing down on me now that the immediate crisis of maintaining the barrier has passed. Abby's hand in mine is warm, almost feverishly so, and I realize she might not understand what this portal truly costs. The magical backlash from creating something like this could knock us both unconscious at best—at worst, it could destabilize everything else I'm maintaining and send us tumbling into that watery abyss below. I open my mouth to explain the risks when a sound comes from behind us—the soft scrape of bone on stone. One of the skeletal dust figures is moving through the doorway we entered by, its glowing eyes fixed on our position. It's alone for now, but more will follow; they always do in groups when something interesting presents itself. The timing couldn't be worse—we're trapped between advancing threats and a portal that might lead us to salvation or damnation. My mind races through possibilities despite the exhaustion fogging my thoughts. We could try to fight our way past the approaching figure, but that would drain what little magic I have left and likely bring more of them. Holding this portal steady requires every ounce of concentration I can muster—if I divide my focus even slightly, it'll collapse. "Abby," I say, my voice strained, "the portal won't hold for long. Once we step through, we're committed." The skeletal dust figure is closer now, its bony hands extended in front of it as if sensing something in the magical currents swirling around us.* "And I can't maintain both it and any kind of defense against whatever's on the other side."

She meets my gaze, her expression steady despite the fear plain in her eyes. There’s no going back now—not with the skeletal figure closing distance and the portal growing more unstable by the second.

"Then we go together," she says simply. "Right now."

I can feel the energy crackling off Jeane as she tries to hold the portal open, her body tensed with effort. The skeletal dust figure is closing in fast, its bony hands reaching out like claws. Behind us, deeper within the library, more of them are stirring—the soft skittering of bones against stone echoing through the chamber. Fear clutches at my heart, but Jeane's words cut through it all. She’s right—we have no choice now. This is our only way out.
I look into her eyes, seeing the strain there, the determination. Her demonic features are more pronounced in the eerie blue-green light of the portal, making her seem almost alien and powerful. I know she can't fight off what's coming and hold this spell at the same time. We have to make a decision, and it has to be now.
"I trust you," I say, my voice firm despite the tremor that runs through me. "If we go through together, we'll come out the other side stronger."
I take a step closer to Jeane, pressing myself against her side so our bodies are flush. The contact is grounding, a reminder of what’s at stake here—the two of us against everything this nightmare library can throw at us. My hand clutches hers tighter, my fingers intertwining with hers in a silent promise.
The skeletal figure is almost upon us now. I can see the individual grains of dust clinging to its bones in the flickering light. Jeane's breath hitches as she prepares for whatever comes next. I feel her wings flutter at my back, a constant presence of comfort and power.
Suddenly, without warning, the skeletal figure lunges. It moves with an unnatural speed, its bony arms outstretched to grab us. I let out a scream, but it’s swallowed by the roar of magic as Jeane pushes forward. We stumble into the portal together, the world around us dissolving into shimmering light and chaos.