Round 40

As Sister Hale stepped into the newly revealed corridor, the symbols etched into the stone walls pulsed in rhythm with her own heartbeat. She turned to Silra and asked, "What do you make of these marks?" Silra's eyes narrowed as she examined the symbols, her hand still gripping the handle of her shard. The air grew colder, and the mist swirled around their ankles like cold fingers, making it clear they were not alone.

The symbol on the wall seemed to be reacting to Silra's presence, its pulse matching the rhythm of her own heartbeat. Sister Hale's unholy symbol in her palm pulsed faster now, its edges warming against her skin as it took on a life of its own. The cleric felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized that this was not natural.

"These symbols... they're older than Gravehill by centuries," Silra said, her voice low and measured. "Probably pre-human work, which means we're trespassing in something's leftovers." She calculated the risks, noting that pre-human meant they didn't understand their rules. Her shard pulsed again, thankfully not matching the wall symbols.

Sister Hale's gaze darted to Silra's face, her eyes searching for reassurance. "My unholy symbol pulses in my palm—faster now—and I can feel its edges warming against my skin," she said, her voice steady despite the growing unease. The rhythm wasn't matching Silra's shard anymore; it had its own insistent beat.

As they stood there, the air seemed to thicken with anticipation, and the mist swirled around them like a living entity. Sister Hale felt a sense of foreboding, her gut telling her that they were in for more than just traps and puzzles. The corridor seemed to be waiting for them, its secrets hidden behind the symbols etched into the stone walls.