Round 9 Transcript

I won't lower this symbol. It's the only thing keeping whatever's animated those bones from sensing us more clearly. Jeane, your dispel was useful, but we need to move fast—before they reanimate again or worse things take notice. Merrin, let me go first with Varrika covering my back. I'm better suited than you to handle undead at close range if things go wrong. The heavy mace feels solid in her grip as she steps forward, silver holy symbol held high, eyes scanning the shadows ahead.

I watch as Halie and Varrika approach the tower entrance, their movements tense and deliberate under the oppressive weight of those ancient runes. The air here feels thick, almost solid, as if the very stones are holding their breath in anticipation. My own heart hammers against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat of both fear and exhilaration.
I pull my heavy mace closer, its comforting weight a stark contrast to the icy chill that has settled deep within my bones. Jeane's words echo in my mind—the runes aren't mere warnings, they're command sequences, active enchantments binding those skeletal puppets to this place with an unsettling purpose. A shiver runs down my spine as Merrin slips past the gate, her crossbow at the ready.
Suddenly, a flash of dark energy illuminates the entrance, and Jeane’s voice rings out clear and firm, "The runes are coordinates and commands etched in stone, pulsing with dark magic. Something darker is using these bones as puppets."
My eyes dart to the crumbling stonework, tracing the intricate patterns of the runes. They do seem to pulse, almost imperceptibly, like a heartbeat. A terrible thought occurs to me—what if those runes aren't just guarding against us? What if they're summoning something even worse?
I take a deep breath, steeling myself. We came here for the Time-Splitting Sword, and I won't let a little dark magic intimidate me now. "We need to find that sword," I murmur to myself, my voice almost lost in the wind. "But first, we need to get past these... puppets."
I turn to Jeane, my expression serious and focused. "Jeane, if you can keep disrupting their animation, I think I can try to decipher some of those runes. They might be the key to getting deeper into the tower without drawing more attention."
Without waiting for her answer, I begin to approach the gate, my gaze fixed on the nearest rune-carved stone. It feels like a mistake, but I know that sometimes mistakes lead to the greatest discoveries. And right now, discovery might be our only hope of survival.