Round 84

Seraphine pressed herself closer to Jeane as they plummeted through the darkness, her heart pounding in her chest. The rough fabric of the sorcerer's tunic scraped against her cheek, a grounding sensation amid the chaos. The wind roared past them, a constant, deafening rush that filled her ears and made it impossible to think clearly. But even in this disorienting fall, one horrifying realization crystallized with stark clarity: the Time-Splitting Sword wasn't just affecting Jeane anymore—its dark power was spreading through both their bodies now. The obsidian blade pulsed at their side with each thunderous heartbeat, its heat intensifying with every second they spent hurtling down this hidden chute. Dark tendrils of arcane energy had already begun to curl around Seraphine's arms, leaving trails of searing cold that contrasted sharply with the burning heat radiating from the sword itself. She could feel the ancient magic coursing through her veins now, a terrifying fusion of power and corruption that made her entire body tremble. The whispers in her mind grew louder, more insistent—voices from beyond time itself demanding sacrifice and unity. Next to her, Jeane's wings beat futilely at the air, their descent too steep for even the sorcerer's powerful flight magic to combat. Seraphine could see the strain in her friend's face, the way her crimson eyes darted around in the darkness, searching for any sign of solid ground ahead. Are you... are you feeling this? Seraphine gasped out between clenched teeth, her voice barely audible over the rush of wind past them. The dark tendrils around her arms pulsed in response, seeming to tighten their grip as if in answer to her question.*