Round 63

Merrin stepped forward, her small frame tense but determined between Jeane and Halie. "Hold on, both of you," she said, her voice firm despite the fear that gripped her own heart. She knew the ancient entity demanded a sacrifice, but this wasn't the way—she wouldn't let them turn Halie into a martyr.

Varrika stood nearby, crossbow aimed at the portal, her dwarf nature screaming at her to flee the cursed place. She glanced at Merrin, pride warring with concern in her eyes. The halfling had guts, but sometimes that reckless courage bordered on stupidity.

"Merrin," she growled, lowering her weapon slightly. "I appreciate the sentiment, but sending Halie in alone? That's just swapping one bad option for another."

Jeane's crimson eyes narrowed as she considered Merrin's words. The succubus sorceress knew better than most what lurked in the shadows of such places—knew the temptations that could corrupt even the purest soul. "Reckless," she hissed, but something in her expression shifted. An idea was forming.*

Seraphine watched the exchange with growing unease. She understood Merrin's desire to avoid sacrifice, but the cost of such a plan... She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. They needed solutions, not more arguments.

The portal pulsed ominously, its surface rippling like dark water disturbed from below. The Keeper's laughter echoed through the chamber once more—a sound that grated against sanity itself.