Round 46

The air was heavy with tension as the massive chitinous limb re-emerged from the darkness, its claws scrabbling against stone mere inches from Jeane's face. Sister Hale stood firm beside Gravedigger Renn, her voice cutting through the chaos as she shouted over her shoulder, "We need to get Gravedigger Renn inside that church! He knows more than he's saying—I heard him mutter something about an awakening." The city guard leader growled, his hand tightening on his sword hilt as he took a step closer to the party. His lantern flickered, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

Gravedigger Renn's eyes were wide with terror as he stammered, "It's coming out! The tunnels are opening up!" He pointed frantically at the grating in the ground, where fresh ash was spilling out in rhythmic bursts. Sister Hale's grip on her holy symbol tightened, and she pulled back harder against the unseen force, her face set in determination. The city guard's grip on Gravedigger Renn tightened, but the old man refused to budge, his eyes fixed on Sister Hale with a mixture of fear and pleading.