Round 46

The ancient portal groans wider with each passing second, the darkness beyond it pulsing with an ominous energy that sets Jeane's teeth on edge. She feels the cold dread of something vast and hungry lurking just out of sight, its attention now fully fixed on them—predatory interest mixed with ancient, inescapable patience. Merrin's words about trapped souls echo through her mind, a warning she can't ignore. This creature... it speaks of sacrifice as though they're nothing more than currency to be spent.

Halie clutches her holy symbol tighter, the silver metal cold against her palm as she fights back a wave of panic. The dark magic pressing in from all sides is unlike anything she's ever encountered—it feels alive, hungry, and utterly without mercy. Every instinct screams at her to run, but the thought of abandoning Merrin or Jeane to this darkness alone is unthinkable. She takes a deep breath, centering herself on the familiar weight of her faith.

"I... I remember flashes," Merrin says, her voice quavering slightly as she tries to focus on the memories. "The entity was ancient, vast... it spoke of a great sacrifice needed to seal the crossroads." Her eyes dart to Halie, worry etched across her face. "It mentioned souls... trapped souls. But I don't know what that means." She takes another deep breath, visibly steeling herself against the lingering terror.

The ground beneath them lurches violently again, and the ancient rune-covered gate at the entrance to the tower slides open by itself, revealing a dark and foreboding passageway beyond. The rumbling noise grows louder, more insistent, and the air is filled with an ominous energy that seems to be drawing everything towards the portal. The party is faced with a concrete consequence: the gate is now open, and whatever is coming through it will soon emerge.

"Shit," Jeane mutters under her breath, her crimson eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the gate. "We can't let ourselves be divided." She turns to face Merrin and Halie, her expression grim but determined. "Whatever this thing wants—a sacrifice, trapped souls—we don't give it shit. We find another way." Her wings twitch restlessly, eager for action despite the terror coiling in her gut.