Round 7

As the ancient gate creaked open, a blast of frigid air swept out, sending frost shards dancing across the floor like skeletal fingers. Varrika shielded Halie from the wind's icy bite, her eyes fixed on Jeane, who stood poised, her crimson cloak swirling around her like a dark halo. Merrin's hands moved with a precision that belied the turmoil in her expression, her brow furrowed as she wrestled with the containment ward's intricate magic. The air vibrated with an unnatural energy, as if the very fabric of reality was being rewoven by the binding spell's hidden layers.