Round 17

The dark shape halted before the party, its presence suffocating as it fixed them with an unyielding stare. The air seemed to vibrate with tension, the silence broken only by the relentless hammering at the front doors and the ominous rumble beneath their feet. Outside, creatures began to move back towards them once more, driven by some unseen force. Jeane's crimson aura pulsed in response, its rhythm mirroring the dark shape's heartbeat. The pentagram pattern on the board arrangement shifted subtly, as if reflecting the shifting dynamics of the situation.

Silra stood motionless, her silver-blonde hair catching the faint torchlight filtering through the gaps in the boards. Her teal eyes narrowed, drinking in every detail as she assessed the figure before them. Its presence seemed to fill the space around it like a dark, palpable mist. The sound of hammering at the front doors grew louder still, and Jeane's gaze snapped back to the board arrangement, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the ancient corruption operating with deliberate predatory intent.