Round 36 Transcript

As Jeane leads the group toward the newly revealed stairway, the whispering in the walls grows louder, the words becoming clearer: "You should not have come here..." The air seems to vibrate with malevolent energy, and the stone beneath their feet shudders. Suddenly, the wall behind them slides shut, sealing off the corridor they had just entered. The sound of grinding stone and scraping metal fills the air as the ancient wards activate, trapping them on this side of the barrier. A faint glow emanates from the stairway, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The group exchanges worried glances, their eyes fixed on the narrow passageway that now seems like a lifeline. Jeane's gaze remains steadfast, her hand on the hilt of her sword, ready to face whatever dangers lie within.

I grab Halie's wrist sharply before she can finish her argument about that cursed stairway. "You think that thing opened because it wants us OUT? I laugh bitterly, sweet girl, everything in this place lies—even its own fucking architecture." My wings beat the air uselessly against the crumbling walls. I don't have time for more debates while we wait to be buried alive. That heart chamber is the only thing keeping this whole mess from collapsing on us right now—that's a fact, not a theory. The stone groans again, louder this time, and dust rains down like dirty snow. I cover my face with an arm. Fine—as you all stand here arguing about which death sentence we prefer, I snap, I'm going back to where we KNOW the tower is still holding itself together. I can work with corruption—I've been doing it since before any of you were even born—and if that means going back into that nightmare of a core room, then that's what I'll do. Without waiting for their approval—because this isn't fucking democracy when we're all seconds away from becoming tomb decorations—I turn sharply and start moving back toward the sealed-off corridor. Come or don't. But understand: every moment we waste here is another moment closer to those walls caving in on us, and I'm not dying today because some of us couldn't make a decision faster than gravity could fall. Over my shoulder, as I walk away, I add: Seraphine—you look like you're about to pass out from magic exhaustion. Stay here if you want; Halie can keep you alive until the ceiling collapses and puts you both out of your misery together. My tone is harsh but not cruel—I'm just done pretending we have time for debate. I, however, am going to find a solution that doesn't involve us all being buried under this cursed tower.

I feel the fear rise in my throat as Jeane turns away, her wings flaring in frustration. The walls around us seem to pulse with malice now, the whispering growing more insistent. Wait—My voice comes out sharper than intended, but there’s no time for soft tones. Think about what you’re doing! That chamber—the core of this corruption—that’s where the danger is most concentrated. I take a step toward her, my hand still clutching the holy symbol that’s grown heavy with absorbed taint. You said it yourself: the whole building wants us out. Why would we go back into its throat?*

My eyes flick to Seraphine, her face pale and drawn with exhaustion. We can’t afford more magical exhaustion—not here, not now. We need a better plan than throwing ourselves back into the heart of this thing’s power! The stone groans again, louder this time, and a fresh rain of dust falls from above. See? Even the walls are screaming at us to leave! I move closer to Jeane, my voice dropping to a near-whisper that carries intensity rather than volume. I understand your desperation—I feel it too! But we need to be smart about this. My gaze is steady, searching her eyes for reason. Let me try something—just... give me a moment. I close my eyes briefly, focusing on the holy symbol’s cool metal against my palm. A memory tool flicker crosses my mind—the sensation of using an earlier spell to stabilize the structure around us. The cost was high, but there was clarity in that moment.

I watch Halie move toward Jeane, her voice rising above the groaning of the stone around us. The air is thick with dust and something darker, more malevolent. My own head swims with exhaustion, the magical drain from maintaining the ward spells through this corruption taking its toll. I stumble slightly as another tremor runs through the tower, catching myself against the rough wall. "Halie's right," I say, my voice hoarse. "We can't just keep throwing ourselves back into the heart of this thing's power. We need a new approach." I push off the wall, my legs feeling like they’re made of lead, and take a few unsteady steps towards them.
My eyes fall on the newly revealed stairway, its dark opening seeming to beckon me with a promise of escape, even though I know it's likely just another trap. The whispering in the walls has grown louder, more insistent—a chorus of ancient voices urging us to leave this place of torment. "But what choice do we have? If the tower itself is trying to get rid of us... maybe that's the only way out. Maybe whatever consciousness remains here wants us to find a different solution than just resetting its broken purpose over and over." I look at Jeane, her face set with determination even as her wings flutter in agitation. "Your plan is sound—finding the heart chamber and using inverse runes to pinpoint the source of this dissonance—but not if it means we get drained dry trying to fix it. We need to be smart about this. If there's a chance that new path leads us to a secondary chamber, or even an exit... then perhaps that’s our best hope."
I turn to Halie, my expression showing both gratitude and concern. "What do you mean by 'trying something'? What are you thinking?" My gaze drops to the holy symbol in her hand, its surface now tinged with a faint, ominous glow. The air around us seems to hum with a strange energy, different from the tower’s usual malevolent aura. "Because if there’s another way out of here—any way at all—that might be our only chance. This whole place is coming apart at the seams, and I don't think even my magic can hold it together much longer." The thought sends a chill down my spine, and I instinctively press my back against the cold stone wall for support. "So if you've got an idea—any idea at all that doesn’t involve us all becoming permanent fixtures in this cursed structure’s ruins—I want to hear it."