Round 80 Transcript

As Seraphine moves sideways along the root system, the Time-Splitting Sword at her hip hums in harmony with the pulsing energy of the forest. Merrin holds the ancient tome securely, its glowing symbols casting an ethereal glow on the surrounding trees. Varrika descends the path, her crossbow trained on the darkness below. Jeane, still hovering above the abyss, spots a faint shimmering effect around herself, like a soft aura. It settles into a subtle pattern that seems to be synchronized with Khaos's hum. Suddenly, the air around her crackles with energy, and she feels an intense psychic push, as if Khaos is testing her connection to the realm. Jeane grits her teeth, resisting the urge to flinch, and focuses on maintaining her balance. The ground beneath them begins to ripple and distort, reality warping once more. The whispers in the wind grow louder, and the symbols on Merrin's tome pulse brighter, as if they're being rewritten in real-time.

I feel the psychic pressure intensifying—the hum from Khaos is no longer just sound but a force pressing against my mind—and I grit my teeth, refusing to yield even an inch. It's testing me. Testing all of us. And I won't be found wanting.

"Seraphine's right," I call out, my voice barely audible over the wind and Khaos's humming. "I can't stay up here much longer." My wings are already screaming with exhaustion from maintaining this hover for so long. Every beat sends fresh agony through my shoulder muscles, but I refuse to show weakness in front of the others.

I spot a small ledge just below me—barely wide enough to stand on, but it's something. "I'm going down to that ledge," I announce, already calculating angles and distances. "Then I'll use my magic to create a handhold for Merrin." My fingers trace patterns in the air as I prepare an incantation under my breath—the spell will be delicate work in this unstable realm, but it's the best option we have right now.

The shimmering effect around me pulses brighter as I focus my power. "Everyone—stay where you are until I'm secure on the ledge. Don't try to move or help until I give the all-clear." My wings beat harder one last time, and I descend in a controlled spiral, eyes fixed on that narrow perch below.

The moment my feet touch the stone, relief washes over me—solid ground underfoot instead of empty air. But there's no time to savor it. I raise both hands, drawing on every ounce of magical energy I can muster in this strange place. The symbols from Merrin's tome burn bright in my mind as I shape the spell, willing a sturdy handhold to form out of thin air. The ledge obeys my command with unsettling ease—stone extrudes from the cliff face under my fingertips like clay sculpted by an invisible artist. It forms into a rough grip, just large enough for Merrin's hand and wrist. I test it myself first before calling up, "Merrin! The handhold is ready!"

As I wait for her response, I notice the shimmering aura around me pulsing in sync with Khaos—and with something else too. The symbols on my skin seem to be glowing faintly now, responding to the magical work I just performed. It's as if... as if part of me is already changing, adapting to this realm.

I push that unsettling thought aside for now—I can't afford to lose focus. "Merrin!" I shout again when she doesn't immediately respond.* "Can you reach the handhold?"

I watch in awe and trepidation as Jeane’s magical work comes to fruition—her spell creates a perfectly shaped handhold on the cliff face, just large enough for Merrin to use it. She is incredibly talented, able to adapt her magic to this new realm with such precision. We are lucky to have her leadership.
"Excellent work, Jeane!" I call out, my voice carrying easily over the wind and Khaos's humming. "Merrin, you heard her—test that handhold and get yourself down here safely."
As I wait for Merrin's response, I feel the strange shimmering aura around me pulse in a new pattern, seeming to sync with the humming of Khaos. The sensation is both unnerving and strangely exhilarating. Is this what it feels like to be attuned to a magical entity? To have one’s own magic resonate with another’s?
My eyes dart between Jeane on her ledge, Varrika descending the path she cleared, and Merrin still clinging to her outcropping. They’re all looking to me now for what comes next. We can’t stay like this, exposed and spread out, I think, my mind racing through possible solutions. But where do we go from here?
The ground beneath us continues its eerie ripple, as if the entire cliff face is one huge, living creature. The whispers in the wind grow louder still, repeating fragments of ancient rhymes about unity and sacrifice.
"Varrika," I shout, my voice sharp with urgency, "once you reach us, can you use your crossbow to anchor a rope line? We could create a safety net if anyone slips."
My gaze returns to Jeane, her form silhouetted against the swirling patterns of Khaos in the distance.
"Jeane, once Merrin is down, I want you to focus on what’s happening with that aura around you. See if you can get a better sense of how it’s reacting to our movements and the magic we’re using."
The Time-Splitting Sword at my hip suddenly grows warm against my leg, almost painfully so. I flinch, looking down at its hilt as if it might have answers. Could this be another sign? A reaction to Khaos's power? Or just my own nervous energy manifesting?
I take a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart. We’re on the cusp of something extraordinary here—maybe even terrifying—but we have to see it through. For knowledge. For power. And, perhaps, for survival.