Round 5

As Seraphine's fingers danced across the rune-etched stone, the faint glow of a hidden glyph illuminated her face, casting an eerie light on the surrounding skeletal guardians. The sudden burst of energy sent the undead warriors into a new, more aggressive stance, their bony hands clacking against the ancient gate with a menacing rhythm. Jeane swiftly stepped between Seraphine and the glowing symbol, her voice low and sharp as she cut off her companion's exploration. "Enough. You've already triggered it once," she warned, her eyes fixed on the skeletal horde.

Seraphine took a cautious step back from Jeane's protective stance, her gaze still locked onto the pulsing glyph. The air crackled with an unnatural energy that sent shivers down her spine. "You're right," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the oppressive silence. "But look at their formation now. It's different." Her eyes darted from skeleton to skeleton, noting the subtle shift in their alignment, like the teeth of a great lock clicking into place.

Halie stepped forward with deliberate calm, her silver holy symbol gripped firmly in her left hand. "Merrin, Varrika—take positions to cover our flanks. Jeane, Seraphine, stand back." Her gaze was fixed on the skeletal guardians, her expression a mix of concern and determination. As she knelt before the ancient stone, her mace set aside, she traced the faded runes with a careful finger, one hand steady while the other clutched her holy symbol like a lifeline. The air was thick with wrongness here, but Halie pressed on, driven by her faith and her duty to protect her companions.