Round 330

The walls pulse faster now, their breathing synchronized with the creature's grip on her hand. The air grows thick with decay as more power seeps into the chamber. Abby knows she has seconds left before the corruption overtakes her will completely. She reaches out towards the wall opposite, fingers brushing stone as the symbols begin to writhe and intensify their light.

She screams and stumbles back against the creature's solid form, its arms wrapping around her waist to keep her upright. For a moment they are pressed together so closely she can feel every beat of its heart, every contour of its body. The air grows thick with ozone and the scent of deep rot rising from the stairs below.

The creature's grip tightens as electricity courses through both their bodies, holding her steady against the shock. She tries to pull away but her limbs refuse to obey, pinned between terror and corruption. The stairs loom before them, promising more horrors beyond—but staying here means certain death consumed piece by piece while the thing feasts on her fear.

Abby takes a deep breath, steeling herself for what's to come. She has to keep moving forward no matter how terrifying it may be; her life depends on it. The walls continue their grotesque dance around them, the hum growing louder with each passing second as more power seeps into the chamber.