Round 161 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 push myself against the wall, heart pounding as Jeane struggles to hold back the wardstone's power. The pulses are getting stronger, more insistent, like some eldritch heartbeat demanding to be freed. "Jeane!" I call out, fighting to keep my voice steady. "How long can you hold it?"

I don't dare move from my spot, terrified of slipping on the slick floor and adding to Jeane's burden. The mirror wobbles precariously in Halie's grip as she braces against the door. Silra is at Jeane's side, her face set with grim determination. I want to go to her, to offer some kind of comfort or support, but there's nothing I can do. Helplessness rises like bile in my throat. The wardstone throbs again, and a shudder runs through the hallway. We're running out of time. I look around frantically, searching for something - anything - that might help us survive this nightmare. But as the pulses intensify, I know it's only a matter of moments before everything comes crashing down. All we can do is hold on and pray to whatever gods are listening that we make it out of this alive.