Round 114 Transcript

As Seraphine continues to plead with Merrin and Jeane to find a way down to Varrika, the ground beneath her feet gives another ominous groan. The section of wall that slid open earlier has dislodged a chunk of masonry, revealing a narrow ledge running along the inside of the tower's passage. The ledge stretches several feet before disappearing into darkness. Merrin glares at Seraphine, her hand on the hilt of her sword. "We can't keep standing here, waiting for the whole thing to collapse. We have to keep moving."

Jeane nods in agreement, her eyes fixed on the ledge. "But where do we go from here?"

The air is thick with dust, and the smell of damp earth hangs heavy over the scene. The sound of grinding stone continues, a steady hum that underscores the growing sense of urgency. Seraphine's voice is resolute. "We have to try. Jeane, can you see anything down there?"

Jeane leans out over the edge of the crumbling passage, her wings beating slowly to maintain balance as she peers down into the darkness below. I see it... a narrow ledge leading along the tower's inner wall. Varrika must have fallen onto that shelf before dropping further. She turns back to face Merrin and Seraphine, her expression grim but determined. The ledge is there, but it's barely wide enough for a pixie, let alone one of us. If we try to reach down, the whole thing could collapse, taking whoever attempts it with them. Jeane's crimson eyes flicker with an inner light as she considers their options. But if Varrika survived that fall and is conscious on some lower level... her knowledge of engineering might be our only hope of finding a way out of this cursed place. She pauses, her fingers tracing the hilt of her sword—a weapon that has betrayed them all in different ways now. Seraphine, I understand your desire to help Varrika. But rushing blindly into another trap won't save anyone. We need to think this through. The walls around them shudder again, sending a cascade of loose stones tumbling down the passage. Merrin's right—we can't stay here much longer without risking being crushed like grapes in a wine press. The tower is collapsing around us faster than before, and I don't know how much structural integrity this place has left. Jeane spreads her wings slightly, ready to take flight if needed. If Varrika managed to survive that fall—something I'm not prepared to confirm or deny—I doubt she'd be in any state to help us from down there right now. Our priority should be finding a way forward and securing our own safety before attempting any rescues. She turns her attention back to the ledge disappearing into darkness. That path might lead us to another section of the tower, one not yet affected by this... time collapse or whatever unholy magic is at work here. If we can find stable ground and reassess with clear heads, maybe there's a way to help Varrika without sacrificing ourselves to another death trap. Jeane's voice takes on a harder edge as she addresses Seraphine directly. I won't abandon our sister-in-arms if there's a viable plan. But throwing away all three of us when we have no guarantee she's even alive down there serves neither her nor the party. Let's find solid ground first, then we can reassess with clear heads and proper tools. She extends one hand toward Seraphine, offering it as both comfort and invitation. Come. The path forward may hold its own dangers, but at least we'll face them together on steady earth rather than clinging to crumbling ledges in the dark.

I feel a chill run down my spine as Jeane describes the narrow ledge disappearing into darkness. The thought of Varrika clinging to life on some lower level, injured and helpless, is almost too much to bear. But Merrin’s words echo in my mind—the tower is collapsing, and we’re running out of time. Jeane’s offer of a steady path forward, however uncertain it may be, feels like the only sane option left.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic pounding of my heart. The Watcher said something about the echoes of time itself... could there be some truth to that? Some way for us to trace back through the moment and find Varrika before she fell? It’s a desperate thought, but right now, desperation is all we have left.
I look at Jeane's extended hand, then up into her crimson eyes. There's no judgment there, only concern and a shared resolve. She's right—we can't keep standing here, waiting for the whole thing to collapse. And if Varrika did survive, she'd want us to find a way out so we could come back for her with a plan, not just blind hope.
My fingers brush against Jeane's as I take her hand, feeling a spark of warmth that seems to cut through the cold dread settling in my bones. It's a small comfort, but one I cling to. "Alright," I say, my voice steadier than I feel. "Let's find this path out of here."