Round 114 Transcript

At dark corridor in New York high rise penthouse suite, the pressure shifts from waiting to immediate risk. The ward answers the party's presence with a fresh pulse through the stone and no one can mistake it for safety. The nearest sign of danger is now structural collapse imminent. Someone has to answer that change now.

I grab for any leverage on this cursed door before it gives way completely—it's slippery enough as is without water turning everything into an ice rink. The wardstone pulse feels like a drumbeat now, getting faster. "Hera, hold your position. Jeane, get that barricade across the other side of the corridor ASAP. We need to contain this mess before it spreads." I'm not letting whatever's in there have access to us—and definitely not giving Jeane an excuse to go all demon on everything.

I step closer to the door, pressing my palm against the wood—not to brace, but to feel what’s happening on the other side. The wardstone pulses aren’t just rhythmic now; they’re accelerating like a heartbeat before cardiac arrest. “Hera, move back,” I snap, my voice sharper than intended. “Everyone except Silra, get behind that dresser.” The water on the floor is turning the spilled lube into something obscene—just another layer of filth in this cursed place. My wings itch beneath my robe, and I force them still. Not yet. Can’t lose control here. “Silra,” I say, trying to keep authority in my tone despite the urgency clawing at my throat, “find me something heavy we can slide across the corridor entrance when that door goes. Something solid enough to hold back whatever’s beyond.”

I see what you're trying to do here, Silra, but I don't think using yourself as an energy conduit is our best option. The wardstone's pulse is getting faster—I can feel it through the floor—and whatever's on the other side of that door isn't just waiting anymore. We need a real solution, not a temporary fix that might get one or more of us corrupted. Jeane, I know you want to act now, but rushing into that corridor blind could make things worse. If we're going to move, let's do it smart—check for structural weaknesses first, then go as a group. Hera, your hands are shaking—I understand why, but we can't afford hesitation right now. Let me take point on this side of the door while you brace it from behind. That way I can shield you if something comes through or the frame gives way completely.