Round 2

As Jeane's dark red eyes locked onto the pulsing runes, her slender fingers danced across the air, tracing the intricate patterns with a precision that bordered on reverence. The symbol she drew in response to her own gesture pulsed faintly, as if echoing the rhythm of the ancient magic that bound the gate. Her gaze never wavered, even as Halie's words hung in the air, a stark counterpoint to Jeane's focused intensity.

Halie's silver cross necklace glinted in the fading light, a beacon of hope against the malevolent energy that seemed to seep from the very stones themselves. As she pressed her symbol against one of the runes, a shiver ran down Merrin's spine, a reminder that even with all their preparation, they were still trespassing on forbidden ground. Jeane's hands hovered over the gate, poised to make contact, while Seraphine leaned in closer, her nose almost touching the cold stone as she absorbed every detail of the ancient magic.

The air vibrated with tension, heavy with the weight of centuries of death and decay, as if the very fabric of reality was being stretched to its limits. Merrin's eyes darted between her companions, searching for reassurance in their faces, even as she continued her search for hidden mechanisms, her hands moving with a quiet confidence that belied the unease growing in her chest.