Round 201

I move toward the main entrance, assessing the structural damage with a practiced eye. The frame groans under stress, metal plates already straining against the weight above. I pull out my welder and set up the equipment, the familiar hiss of compressed gas grounding me in the moment.

"Halie's right—we can't let this situation tear us apart," I say over my shoulder, more to myself than anyone else. "We've come too far together to fall prey to these... demands now." The word tastes bitter on my tongue, but I force myself to focus on the task at hand.

I ignite the welding torch, the intense blue flame cutting through the gloom as I begin to reinforce the weakened supports. The heat and light provide a small sense of control amidst the chaos, a reminder that we still have agency here despite everything.

As I work, I can feel the building's presence pulsing around us, its demands growing more insistent by the second. But I push them aside, concentrating on the steady rhythm of my breathing and the precision required to save this structure—and hopefully all our lives—with nothing but skill and determination.

The metal glows red-hot under my hands, bending and shaping to my will just as I hope we can resist the building's corrupting influence. One more support beam to go, then we can assess the next weak point and repeat the process.

I glance back at the others—Halie still trying to reach Jeane, Silra helping with equipment, everyone focused despite the escalating tension in the air. We're not alone in this nightmare, and that small fact gives me strength even as the clock ticks inexorably toward disaster.

The welder sputters as I finish the last joint, the hiss of cooling metal filling the sudden silence. I straighten up, wiping sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, and survey our progress. It's not perfect, but it's holding—for now.

"We've bought ourselves a little more time," I announce to the group. "But we need to find a real solution soon—either to the building's demands or to its structural issues. Either way, we're running out of options."