Round 39

The walls pulsed with a sickening rhythm, each beat sending a fresh wave of false memories crashing through Halie's mind. She gritted her teeth, forcing them back down—each suppression took more effort than the last, like trying to hold back an ocean with her bare hands. The sweet smell grew stronger as they slid deeper into this fucking hellhole, coating everything in a layer of cloying nostalgia that made her skin crawl.

By the time they reached the bottom, Halie was panting slightly from the mental strain. She staggered to her feet in the dim blue light, eyes scanning the chamber with professional paranoia. The walls here were slick and organic, pulsing with a hungry rhythm that set her teeth on edge. "Everyone alive?" she called out, voice echoing strangely in the enclosed space. "Speak up—identity check!"

The others responded one by one—Jeane's sharp tone cutting through the air, Silra's nervous stutter barely audible over the background hum of the walls. Halie nodded, though they couldn't see her approval in the gloom. At least everyone was still... themselves, for now.

"Alright," she continued, her voice tight with controlled anxiety. "We need to move fast through this chamber—it's clearly designed to erase identity somehow." She gestured at the walls with her free hand, holy symbol still clutched in the other. "Every second we spend here makes us more vulnerable. Stay close, stay alert, and for fuck's sake keep your minds shielded against whatever mental attacks this place throws at us."

She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the lingering effects of the blue fluid and the growing corruption she could feel seeping into her senses. "Jeane, you're on point—if anything moves that shouldn't, slice it first and ask questions later." Her eyes locked onto Silra next. "Silra, I need you to fly overhead if possible—give us early warning of any threats from above or below."

"And me?" Hera's voice cut in, rougher than usual.

Halie hesitated for a fraction of a second before responding. "You're on rear guard—keep our six covered and watch for anyone getting too far behind." She didn't mention Hera's unstable condition, but her eyes lingered on the other woman's face a moment longer than necessary. They needed all hands on deck right now, even if one of those hands was... compromised.

"Questions?" Halie asked, already moving forward with purpose despite the creeping dread in her gut. "Good. Then let's get this fucking artifact and get out before we forget who we are."