Round 244

The figure across the water raised its hand once more, and the stones beneath it began to shift. Merrin watched as they rearranged themselves into a clear warning: "Turn back now." She felt a tremor of fear work through her, but Varrika was already crouching down beside the message, her scarred hands tracing the outline of each stone with practiced precision. Her expression was grim, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "These aren't just stones," she growled, more to herself than Merrin. "There's a pattern here—a warning maybe." She glanced up at Merrin, her gaze sharp and assessing. "What do you think? Should we heed the warning or push forward?"