Round 189

Seraphine moves with fluid grace despite her exhaustion, circling to stand beside Jeane rather than facing the reflection directly. Her voice is low and measured, an attempt at calm authority that barely masks the underlying tension. "I'm not suggesting we trust it," she says, eyes fixed on the ethereal creature before them. "But think about it—what if there's a way to break this stalemate without resorting to violence? We're dealing with something beyond our usual methods here." The chamber groans again, louder this time, and dust rains down from the ceiling. "Every moment we spend arguing or maintaining spells we can't sustain is another moment closer to that ceiling coming down. We need a new approach—one that doesn't involve throwing magic at an incorporeal being we can't actually harm." She turns to Jeane, her expression a mix of concern and barely-veiled frustration. "I know you want to protect me, but holding onto this binding circle isn't working. It's draining you, it's not containing the reflection, and it's not getting us out of here. We have to try something else."