Round 25

The storm-dark sky seemed to press down on Gravehill's ruins, its relentless rain drumming a dismal cadence against the ash-choked road. In the midst of this bleak backdrop, Silra's gloved hand hovered near the rope, her teal eyes locked onto the darkness below, where a massive chitinous limb burst forth from the ground mere inches from her face. The rasping voice echoed through the ruins once more, its tone taking on a manic quality: "You should have listened..."

Fresh ash spilled out of the grating in rhythmic bursts as the air vibrated with scuttling noise. Silra's grip on the rope tightened as she peered into the darkness, her expression a mixture of tension and focus.

Jeane stood firm above ground, her crimson gaze darting between Silra and the opening in the tunnel. Ash continued to spill out from the grating, casting an acrid haze over the area. "Two-taps-plus-three," Jeane murmured, her eyes narrowing as she processed Silra's words alongside her own knowledge. The voice whispered again: "Alone...you'll be easier this way..." Jeane's crimson eyes flashed dangerously in the dim light above ground.