Round 27

As Sister Hale rappels down into the darkness, the air thick with ash and the scuttling noises from beneath grow louder. The ground gives way beneath her feet, and she catches herself on a rusty pipe before drawing her holy symbol. A burst of psychic energy washes over her, making her eyes widen in surprise as the voice whispers again, its words dripping with malevolent glee: "You should have listened...and now you'll never leave this place."

Sister Hale's steady gaze takes in every detail, her firm resolve unwavering. Jeane, above ground, watches her with a mixture of concern and calculation. She recognizes the tactical manipulation now—psychic pressure coordinated with structural assault designed to separate them methodically rather than by force alone. The crimson eyes gleam in the dim light as she processes what her memory tools have just confirmed: they're not mere scavengers down there; they've developed an entire system for this, one that aims to exploit their fear and uncertainty.