Round 205

Jeane staggers back against the wall as the blinding light fades, her eyes wide with shock. "What… what just happened?" she mutters, more to herself than anyone else—her mind still reeling from the surge of arcane energy that coursed through the chamber. The binding circle flickers ominously before fading completely, leaving only scorch marks on the stone floor where it once stood. She looks around at the now-exposed passageway with a mixture of relief and lingering unease. "Was that… did we actually stop whatever was coming?"

I take the healing potion from Jeane with a grateful nod, the cool glass a small comfort against my flushed skin. I drink deeply, feeling the soothing liquid course through my body, easing some of the exhaustion that clings to me like a second skin. The runes on my arms still feel warm, humming with residual magic from the clock face mechanism. I look at the newly revealed path before us, my eyes narrowing as I study the shadows and flickering light. "You're right," I say, my voice tight but controlled. "This could be our way out—at least for now."