Round 37 Transcript

The skeletal horror lunges for Merrin and Jeane, its bony fingers closing around Jeane's wrist. The two women stumble backward, their eyes wide with fear. The sound of the wall receding further into darkness echoes through the chamber, growing louder with each passing moment. Suddenly, the runes on the columns begin to glow brighter, illuminating the chamber in an eerie, otherworldly light. Merrin takes advantage of the distraction to strike at the creature with her dagger, aiming for its shoulder joint. Jeane follows suit, her staff crackling with arcane energy as she tries to drive the creature back. The skeletal horror recoils, its grip on Jeane's wrist loosening momentarily.

I tear my wrist free from the skeletal horror's grip, stumbling backward and nearly falling as I catch myself on a stone column. "Fuck!" I cry out, clutching my staff tighter as Merrin moves to intercept the creature. "Merrin—wait!"

The runes along the columns pulse with ominous light, casting flickering shadows across the chamber. The sound of that sliding wall receding grows louder—whatever's behind it is getting closer.

I try to focus through my rising panic, searching for a solution in the chaos. "The runes," I shout over the growing noise and Merrin's clashes with the skeleton. "They're alive somehow—they responded when I spoke earlier. If we can disrupt them or use their energy against this thing—"
A massive splash from below cuts me off—I spin around, heart pounding, to see more water gushing into the pit chamber. "Seraphine!" I scream uselessly into the darkness. "Shit—the flooding's accelerating!"
The skeletal horror lunges for Merrin again while I'm distracted—she leaps aside just in time, but her foot catches on rubble and she goes down hard.

"Merrin!" I start forward instinctively to help, then freeze as something massive slams against the wall where that section is sliding open. "Oh gods, it's through!"
Before I can react, a towering undead monstrosity shambles into view—a grotesque amalgamation of rotting flesh and bone, easily twice my height and wide as a horse. Its eyes burn with malevolent green flame, and in its hands it carries an enormous greatsword that looks like it could cleave us all in half.

My wings beat reflexively as I stumble backward, clutching my staff. "Fuck, fuck, FUCK—this is how we die!" I can't think through the terror, but I know one thing for certain: if this monster gets to Merrin while she's down, she won't survive it.
Without thinking, I raise my staff and thrust both hands forward. "Ignis Minor!"
A jet of flame roars from the rune-carved tip of my staff—not nearly powerful enough to harm something that size, but hopefully enough to draw its attention away from Merrin. "Over here, you overgrown corpse!" I shout, trying desperately to sound brave despite every instinct screaming at me to run.

Fuck, fuck, FUCK! I scramble to my feet, dagger clutched tightly in my hand as I stare up at the towering monstrosity now blocking our path. "Jeane!" I yell over the roar of water and the creature's guttural snarls. "Get behind me!"

My heart hammers against my ribs as I take a step forward, trying to put myself between Jeane and the undead horror. The runes along the columns pulse ominously, casting strange shadows across the chamber that seem to writhe and dance before my eyes.

I can't let this thing touch her—not after everything we've already lost. "Halie!" I scream down into the pit, praying she can hear me over the rising water and chaos. "Varikka—can either of you hear me?!"

The skeletal horror lunges again, its bony fingers grasping for my throat. I duck just in time, feeling the rush of air as it misses my flesh by mere inches. "Gods damn it!" I snarl, slashing at the creature's outstretched arm with my dagger.

Water surges around my legs now, cold and heavy as it threatens to drag me down into the pit. "Jeane!" I call again, desperation creeping into my voice. "The stairs—we need to get to higher ground before this whole place collapses!"

The undead horror shifts its massive bulk, greatsword raised high as it prepares to cleave us all in half. "Fuck," I breathe, realizing there's no way we'll make it to the stairs in time.

I glance around frantically, searching for any means of escape or defense. The runes along the columns pulse brighter still, almost as if they're responding to my presence—or perhaps to the monstrosity looming over us. "Jeane," I call out, raising my voice over the chaos. "Those runes—if we can find a way to tap into their power, maybe we can turn this thing against itself!"

It's a desperate plan, but it's all I've got. "Can you try to channel some of that arcane energy? We might be able to use it as a weapon!"

I ready my dagger, heart pounding as I prepare for the creature's next attack. "Just... stay back," I tell Jeane, hating how weak and useless my words sound. "Let me handle this thing. You focus on those runes."

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what comes next. "Alright, you overgrown sack of bones," I growl, leveling my dagger at the monstrosity. "Let's see if you can dodge this!"

And with that, I lunge forward, striking at the creature's nearest leg with all the strength and skill I can muster. Gods help us all if this doesn't work.

I stare up at the towering undead horror looming over us, heart pounding so hard I can feel it in my temples. The greatsword in its hands looks heavy enough to split stone, and those burning green eyes bore into me with malevolent intent. Stay back? I almost laugh despite the terror clawing at my throat—Merrin always did have a flair for understatement. I clench my jaw against the fear threatening to overwhelm me, raising my staff defensively as the skeletal horror circles around to flank her position. I'm not useless here—I just need to focus through this rising panic and channel whatever arcane energy fuels these damned runes. If we can turn that power against our attackers, maybe—just maybe—we stand a chance at surviving this cursed tower. "Merrin, move back!" I call out over the rushing water and groaning stone. "I've got an idea—but it's going to take concentration!"
With shaking hands, I trace a sigil in the air with my staff's tip, muttering an incantation under my breath as I try to sense the ambient magical energy coursing through this place. The runes along the columns pulse brighter still, responding almost hungrily to my call—good sign or bad, I'm not sure which.

Another massive splash from below makes me flinch—I can't see what's happening in the pit anymore, but whatever's down there is still alive and thrashing against the rising water. Seraphine, I think desperately, hoping she's somehow still conscious. Hold on—we'll find a way to help you, I swear it!

The undead horror lurches forward with alarming speed for something its size, greatsword swinging down toward Merrin where she stands defensively near the pit edge. "MERRIN!" I scream instinctively, but there's nothing I can do from here—my arcane focus is already committed to this rune-channeling attempt.

My staff glows brighter as I pour more power into the sigil, trying desperately to tap into that ambient energy and direct it against our attackers. "Come on, come ON!" I snarl through gritted teeth, wings beating frantically in time with my racing heartbeat.

Suddenly, one of the nearby columns explodes outward in a shower of stone shards and arcane energy—the resulting wave of force slams into both skeletal horrors, staggering them backward. Yes! I cry out triumphantly before immediately redoubling my efforts to maintain control over the released power—too much and it'll collapse back on us.

My vision tunnels as I struggle to channel this torrent of arcane energy, sweat beading on my forehead despite the cold water still soaking me from earlier. Stay afloat. I think desperately through the strain. Don't let fear win—you've faced worse than this before!