Round 206

The air in the chamber shifts suddenly, magic fading like a retreating tide. Jeane sways on her feet, the sudden absence of arcane energy making her dizzy. The binding circle between them and the monstrous arachnid dissolves into nothingness, leaving only scorched stone behind. She stares at the empty space where their enemy had been contained, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. "It's… gone?" I pocket the empty healing vial and step forward to examine the newly revealed passage. The stones seem ancient here, covered in dust and cobwebs that predate our arrival. A draft carries through from deeper within—the scent of old paper and something else, something metallic and wrong. "This isn't an exit," I mutter, more to myself than to Jeane. "It's a descent."