Round 202

The wardstone pulsed again, slower this time, like a beast waking up from long sleep—and she felt the building shift around them, concrete groaning under stress. The corridor was dark except for the pale light bleeding through cracks in the door and the faint glow of the wardstone itself. Water from burst pipes mixed with spilled lubricant on the floor, making every step treacherous.

Hera was hyperventilating behind her, each breath a wet gasp that made Halie's stomach twist with protective instinct even as she fought to maintain focus. "Silra!" she snapped, voice sharp with urgency. "Timing! How many seconds until this gives way? My hands can't hold it much longer!" The darkness beyond the door seemed to pulse in rhythm with the wardstone—waiting, hungry, impatient.

Halie pressed her full weight against the frame, muscles burning as she tried to hold back the tide of corruption seeping through. The wood creaked under her palms, splintering audibly as the wardstone energy fought against her attempts to contain it. She could feel it trying to seep through, looking for purchase...

Jeane stood a few feet away, her expression tight with concentration as she manipulated some kind of magical device—a large dildo plugged into an outlet—that seemed connected to the wardstone somehow. The succubus woman's eyes glowed faintly crimson in the dim light, her wings half-spread as if ready for flight or combat. "I've got it contained," Jeane said through gritted teeth. "But I can't hold this position forever. We need to move fast."

"Move where?" Halie demanded, not letting up pressure on the door. "The elevator's a death trap and the stairs are collapsing behind us! Where exactly do you suggest we go, Jeane? The wardstone's energy is getting stronger with every pulse—we have minutes before this whole floor comes down!"

Jeane's expression darkened. "I know that, Halie. I can feel it in my bones. But panicking won't help anyone." She glanced at Silra and Hera huddled behind a makeshift barricade of furniture. "We need to create a safe zone—somewhere we can shield ourselves from the worst of the collapse AND the wardstone's corruption. There's a reinforced section near the penthouse suite's main living area. If we can get there, I might be able to use my magic to protect us."

Halie felt her heart sink. "The living area? That's halfway across the floor! We'll never make it through those collapsing corridors without being crushed or falling through the floor." She risked a quick look over her shoulder at Silra and Hera—both looked terrified but determined. At least they were behind something solid for now.

"Then we'll have to move fast," Jeane growled, her demonic nature showing through in the crimson glow of her eyes. "Halie, I need you to hold that door for exactly thirty seconds while Silra and I get Hera moving. Then you fall back and we run together. Can you do it?"

Thirty seconds felt like an eternity when your hands were already burning from wardstone energy. But Halie nodded anyway. What choice did they have? "I can do it," she said, voice steadier than she felt. "But if that door gives way before then, I'm not waiting—I'm getting behind whatever barrier you've built."

Jeane's lips curved into something that might have been a smile if not for the desperate urgency in her eyes. "Agreed. Now count us down—loud—and we'll move on your signal."