Round 85

Jeane’s crimson eyes flash with dark amusement as she steps forward, her leathery wings stretching wide before the obsidian guardian. The Liminal Wretch observes from a portal, its glowing eyes fixed on Halie as it speaks in a voice that sends shivers down the spines of the party. “Your faith is strong, but can you resist my temptation? You must choose: surrender your essence to me, or risk the lives of those dear to you.” The creature's words hang in the air like a challenge, and Halie hesitates, her eyes darting between Jeane and the Liminal Wretch. Meanwhile, Seraphine’s sharp eyes narrow as she observes the unfolding drama between Jeane, Halie, and the unseen Liminal Wretch. Her mind races, already working through potential arcane solutions and dangerous possibilities. The air grows heavy with dark magic, visible only to her trained senses—a palpable aura emanating from both the distant entity and the succubus standing so close to the young cleric. She opens her mouth to speak, then closes it again. This is not a situation that calls for her usual scholarly detachment or clever wordplay. The stakes are too high, the power too raw. Her gaze flicks to Merrin, standing ready with her crossbow, and then to Varrika across the chamber—both women poised for violence but held back by the invisible bonds of this magical standoff. Seraphine knows that brute force will solve nothing here. The entity is ancient, its power beyond their combined might. They must outthink it, find a loophole in its rules or a weakness in its form. *The wizard's fingers twitch, an involuntary movement as she fights the urge to cast a spell—any spell...