Round 217

The gaunt woman in tattered robes regards Seraphine and Jeane with an unreadable expression, her eyes seeming to bore into their souls. "The knowledge you seek is indeed hidden within the labyrinth's archive," she says, her voice like a sigh from beyond the grave. "But first, you must prove your worth by facing the trials that lie within." As she speaks, the air around them shimmers, and the walls of the chamber begin to shift, revealing a narrow corridor beyond.

Jeane's crimson eyes narrow as she stares at the gaunt figure in tattered robes—a being of obvious ancient and potent power. Her demonic instincts scream a warning, but her sorcerous mind recognizes something calculating beneath that spectral exterior. "Prove our worth?" she repeats skeptically, her hand instinctively moving towards her crossbow despite knowing it'll be useless against such an opponent in this confined space.

I stare at the gaunt figure in tattered robes, her words echoing through my mind—"prove our worth," "face the trials." The air crackles with an ancient power that makes it hard to breathe, and the groaning of the collapsing tower above us feels like the very world is about to come undone. Jeane's skepticism is understandable—this isn't what we expected when we activated the heart—but her frustration is a luxury we can't afford right now. "The knowledge you seek is indeed hidden within..."