Round 8

The air thickened with anticipation as Sister Hale took a deliberate step forward, her holy symbol pulsating in harmony with the stormy sky. The dark shape within the window frame shifted, its glowing eyes locking onto Jeane with an unnerving intensity. A section of the boarded-up window beside Jeane splintered outward, revealing a dimly lit interior that seemed to pulse with an eerie life of its own.

Silra's teal eyes narrowed as she analyzed the sudden movement, her mind cataloging possibilities: torches suggesting ritual space, shadows within shadows beyond light radius, and an unmistakable wrongness in the ambient energy signature. She noted the deliberate invitation, the boards splintering outward more aggressively than calculated placement suggested – a clear signal that whatever was inside had deliberately opened the window for them.

Jeane's crimson eyes fixed on the newly opened window, her gaze tracing the subtle details of the interior. The dark shape in the frame seemed to lean forward, its presence almost palpable despite the absence of sound. It was as if it responded to Jeane's attention, its very existence seeming to be drawn to the sorceress's crimson eyes.

Sister Hale stepped forward, her own gaze scanning the revealed interior with practiced assessment. The torch patterns suggested ritual placement, a deliberate choice that hinted at a deeper purpose behind the church's abandonment. She noted the tension in her own posture, the weariness of duty etched into her features, but her eyes remained fixed on the dark shape within the window frame.