Round 100

The forest beyond the mirror's reflection pressed in closer, trees seeming to lean with malicious intent as the air grew colder still. Merrin felt her skin prickle with unease, every instinct screaming at her to turn back. But Varrika’s hand on her arm was solid and real, grounding her despite the increasing sense of wrongness that permeated this place. "What is this?" she hissed, eyes scanning the shadows between the trees. "It's like the forest itself is alive, watching us." Her free hand tightened around the hilt of her dagger, fingers tracing the familiar shape as if to reassure herself it was still there. The ground beneath their feet felt unstable, as though the very earth was shifting and settling underfoot with each step they took. Varrika’s grip on her arm tightened fractionally, drawing Merrin’s attention back to her companion. The dwarf woman’s face was set in a grim mask of concentration, every muscle tense and ready for action despite the exh...

The trees seemed to close ranks around them as they pressed deeper into the twisted forest. Every rustle of leaves or creak of wood felt like whispers of warning—or something far more sinister. Merrin’s rogue instincts screamed at her to backtrack immediately, but Varrika’s presence beside her offered a measure of reassurance. The dwarf woman’s hand on her arm was a solid anchor in this sea of shifting reality, grounding Merrin despite the increasing sense of wrongness that permeated this place. "What is this?" she hissed, eyes scanning the shadows between the trees. "It's like the forest itself is alive, watching us." Her free hand tightened around the hilt of her dagger, fingers tracing the familiar shape as if to reassure herself it was still there. The ground beneath their feet felt unstable, as though the very earth was shifting and settling underfoot with each step they took. Varrika’s grip on her arm tightened fractionally, drawing Merrin’s attention back to her companion. The dwarf woman’s face was set in a grim mask of concentration, every muscle tense and ready for action despite the exh...

The air grew heavy with an unnatural chill as they stepped deeper into the forest's embrace. The trees seemed to lean inwards, their gnarled branches forming a living ceiling that blocked out what little starlight might have filtered through above. Merrin felt her skin prickle with unease, every instinct screaming at her to turn back. But Varrika’s hand on her arm was solid and real, grounding her in the moment despite the increasing sense of wrongness that permeated this place. "What is this?" she hissed, eyes scanning the shadows between the trees. "It's like the forest itself is alive, watching us." Her free hand tightened around the hilt of her dagger, fingers tracing the familiar shape as if to reassure herself it was still there. The ground beneath their feet felt unstable, as though the very earth was shifting and settling underfoot with each step they took. Varrika’s grip on her arm tightened fractionally, drawing Merrin’s attention back to her companion. The dwarf woman’s face was set in a grim mask of concentration, every muscle tense and ready for action despite the exh...