Round 33

As Gravedigger Renn tumbled backward, the ground beneath him gave way once more, sending a burst of ash and debris into the air. The sound of rushing water echoed through the chasm, growing louder by the second. The figure on the bridge remained motionless, its gaze fixed intently upon Jeane, who stood firm despite the unsettling energy emanating from it. Her eyes narrowed as she focused her arcane sight, detecting a subtle resonance between the wrongness signature and her own power.

Silra's teal eyes widened as she tracked the energy patterns beneath the road, her mind racing with the implications of Gravehill's quarantine system being deliberately triggered for their arrival. She swiftly calculated the timing of each impact, confirming that the figure on the bridge had stepped back onto it in perfect synchrony with the cessation of movement beneath the road. The realization dawned on her like a cold weight: whoever orchestrated this had been waiting specifically for them since they entered Gravehill, and the ancient corruption responding to their presence was more than just a random occurrence.

The air vibrated with malevolent energy as the ground continued to shake violently beneath the bridge, sending Jeane's thoughts careening toward the rusted key in her pocket. The symbol etched onto her attire seemed to pulse with an otherworldly power, as if it too were attuned to the unfolding events. As the storm-dark sky above seemed to press down upon them, Silra reached for her lantern, its faint light offering a meager respite from the darkness that loomed ahead.