Round 8

As the crystalline mist swirled around the party, coating their armor in a slick, icy sheen, Seraphine's eyes narrowed in dismay. The frost barrier at the threshold pulsed with a dark, malevolent energy, its translucent surface shimmering like a living thing. Halie stood beside her, a gentle presence as she too examined the runes etched into the barrier's surface. Jeane stepped closer, her breath misting in the cold air, and Seraphine could see the tension in her shoulders as she studied the failsafe mechanism tied to the binding spell. The air vibrated with an unnatural energy, as if reality itself was being rewoven by the ward's hidden layers.