Round 22

Silra edged sideways to position herself between Jeane and the creature, her dagger at the ready but held low. The key in Jeane's hand pulsed with an otherworldly energy as the creature began to move closer, its movements slow and deliberate. 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.

The creature's malice was plain, its voice dripping with malevolence. The key in Jeane's hand seemed to sense the approaching threat, pulsating in agreement as if eager for whatever happened next. Silra shifted to Jeane's flank instead of directly in front, keeping her dagger ready but held low. "Welcome, sorcerer," the creature repeated, its eyes bulging with an unnatural hunger. The air grew colder by degrees, and the ash-storm swirling around Gravehill's skeletal buildings seemed to intensify, as if responding to the creature's presence.

Jeane stepped forward slowly, her eyes scanning the creature's form, noting the wrong joints and bulging eyes. Her fingers tightened around the staff as she raised it slightly, ready to defend if needed but keeping an open stance for now. "I am Jeane," she said calmly, despite the cold seeping into her bones. The key in her hand pulsed hotter now, like it recognized its own kind within this thing rising from the water.