Round 70 Transcript

<beat>
<character>Abby</character>
<action>Abby presses herself into the corner of the bathroom, feeling fear and helplessness.</action>
<intent>Abby wants to block the wardstone with something heavy.</intent>
<claims>water from broken shower stall is soaking her feet; building groans above them like an angry beast</claims>
<requests>should try to block it somehow</requests>
<change>Abby feels helpless and fearful</change>

As Abby presses herself into the corner, she knocks over a nearby bottle of lubricant, spilling it across the floor. The slick surface catches the attention of Jeane, who quickly grabs a nearby towel to clean up the spill. Jeane's eyes meet Hera's, and she mouths "hold the door." Hera's response is a silent nod, her hand instinctively reaching for the door handle. The structural collapse continues, causing the bathroom to shudder violently. The wardstone's energy pulses faster, its power building to a critical point. <immediate consequence>Abby's attempt to block the wardstone has created a new obstacle: a slippery surface that could lead to a fall.</immediate consequence>

<new detail>The sound of the wardstone's energy growing more intense is now accompanied by a low, ominous hum.</new detail>

<pressure>Will Hera be able to hold the door against the increasing pressure, or will the structural collapse force its way in?</pressure>

I try to think clearly through the panic rising in my chest like bile. We can't stay here—every groan of this building feels like death rattling its chains—but moving toward that wardstone feels like walking into Hell itself. "Wait," I say, voice shaking despite my best efforts. "We don't know what touching it will do." The stone pulses again, slower now, as if waiting for us to make our choice. My skin crawls with the wrongness of its energy, a violation that makes my teeth ache.

The bathroom door rattles in its frame as I press my full weight against it, trying to keep the wardstone from bursting through. Water from the broken shower swirls around my ankles, and the air is thick with the sickly-sweet scent of lubricant that Abby knocked over in her haste to join us. "Jeane, Halie, Silra!" I shout, my voice cracking with fear. "Is anyone still out there? We need to brace this door before-"

A deep, ominous groan echoes through the penthouse, and for a moment, the entire structure seems to shudder around us. Panic rises in my throat, but I swallow it down. Losing my head won't help anyone. I risk a glance over my shoulder at Abby, huddled in the corner with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her eyes are wide with terror, and I feel a pang of sympathy even as irritation flares in my chest. She's not the only one scared out of their wits right now, but at least I'm trying to do something about it. "Abby," I say, keeping my voice low and steady. "I need you to help me find something heavy to block this door. Can you do that for me?"

She nods mutely, her gaze darting around the room as if searching for an escape route that doesn't exist. With a sigh, I turn back to the door and redouble my efforts to keep it shut. In the distance, I can hear the sound of something large and heavy shifting against its restraints. It's a sound that sets my nerves on edge and makes me want to scream, but I force myself to stay focused. We're running out of time, and if we don't find a way to stop that wardstone from breaking through... I don't even want to think about what might happen next. All I know is that we need to hold this door, no matter the cost. And if that means sacrificing ourselves to keep whatever's on the other side contained, then so be it. I just hope the others are ready to make the same choice when the time comes. Because in a situation like this, there's only one thing that matters: survival at any price.