Round 52 Transcript

As Halie begins her severance ritual, the air in the chamber seems to thicken, as if the very fabric of reality is being pulled apart. The crystalline object at the center of the room pulses with an otherworldly energy, its glow intensifying as the ritual's power takes hold. Silra's teal eyes widen in alarm as she feels the corruption probing her mind, trying to disrupt the synchronization between the trio. Suddenly, the chamber is filled with a blinding flash of light, and the air is filled with the acrid scent of ozone. When the light fades, Halie stands frozen, her holy symbol still glowing brightly but her eyes vacant. The crystalline object at the center of the room has shattered into a thousand pieces, and the Starheart artifact lies exposed, its power coursing through the chamber like a river of liquid fire. The pressure plate trap behind the trio reactivates, its metal jaws closing with a deafening screech. The ground beneath their feet gives way, and they find themselves plummeting down a hidden shaft, the Starheart artifact still clutched in Halie's outstretched hand.