Round 9

As Jeane's fingers danced along the ancient runes, her eyes gleamed with cold calculation. The weight of their predicament settled in, the air thickening with malevolence that seemed to seep into Halie's very bones. The sorceress's voice carried a sense of determination, her words echoing through the stillness: "This isn't just a lock—they built an entire prison here." The runes pulsed beneath her touch, their secrets slowly unraveling before her. Halie's gentle face set in a stern expression as she stepped closer to the ward, her eyes tracing the intricate patterns of the magic. Her voice was steady, but laced with the gravity of what they were facing: "The real question is: what's worth imprisoning for a thousand years?"