Round 21

As the creature's eyes locked onto Jeane, its voice dripped with malice, sending shivers down her spine: "Welcome, sorcerer. The Burning Mother has been waiting for you." The air grew colder by degrees, and Silra edged sideways to get between Jeane and the rising figure, her dagger at the ready but held low. She had no desire for a conversation that might escalate into violence.

The key in Jeane's hand pulsed with an otherworldly energy as the creature began to move closer, its movements slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. Silra's eyes were fixed on the creature, her senses on high alert for any sign of attack. The water churned below, revealing dark shapes that seemed to be moving in unison, their presence disturbing the otherwise calm surface.

The figure's gaze was fixed on Jeane, and she felt a cold dread creeping up her spine as it spoke again: "You have been brought here for a purpose." Silra's grip on her dagger tightened, ready to strike at a moment's notice. She knew that in places like Gravehill, welcome rarely meant good things.