Round 80 Transcript

As Merrin steps forward, ready to follow Jeane into the chasm, the ground beneath her feet gives a sudden, ominous creak. The sound echoes through the narrow ledge, making Seraphine's eyes widen in alarm. "What was that?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. The metal bar she clutched in her hand seems to weigh heavier in her hand, and she glances at Merrin uncertainly.

Jeane hovers at the chasm's edge, her crimson eyes narrowing as she processes the ground's ominous creaking. The very stone seems to groan beneath us. She glances back at Merrin and Seraphine, noting their expressions of concern. This ledge is unstable—perhaps Halie's foolishness isn't our only threat down here. Jeane's wings beat slowly, keeping her hovering position steady as she considers their options. We need to move quickly, but carefully. Let me check the chasm walls for safer descent points before we all plunge into potential doom.

My heart pounds in my chest at the ominous groan of the ledge beneath my feet. I glance at Seraphine, seeing my own unease mirrored in her eyes. "Stay sharp," I murmur to her, my voice tense. I turn my attention back to Jeane as she hovers at the chasm's edge, considering the instability of our footing. Her assessment is grim, but necessary. Halie's foolishness may have put us all in danger down here. "Be careful," I call out to the sorceress, my voice barely audible over the echoing darkness. "We don't know what other traps or threats might be lurking in this accursed place."

As Jeane begins to scan the chasm walls for safer descent points, I find myself fidgeting with my crossbow, my mind racing with possibilities and worst-case scenarios. The thought of Varrika and Halie down there, potentially injured or worse, fills me with a sense of urgency that borders on panic. But I know better than to let fear control my actions. I take a deep breath, steadying myself as I wait for Jeane's signal to move. My eyes dart around the ledge, searching for any sign of further instability or hidden dangers. The heavy mace at my hip feels like it weighs a ton, but I know I may need its weight and strength in the battles to come. As the seconds tick by, the tension on the ledge grows thicker, the air heavy with anticipation and dread. I can feel the chasm's voice echoing up from the depths, a ominous reminder of the forgotten horrors that lie waiting for us below. "Who dares disturb the rest of the forgotten?" it seems to whisper, its tone taunting and threatening all at once. I shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts from my mind. We have a job to do, and I can't afford to let fear or doubt cloud my judgment. Halie may have made a terrible mistake, but that doesn't mean we abandon her—or Varrika—to whatever fate awaits them down there in the darkness. With a final glance at Seraphine, I step forward, ready to follow Jeane into the unknown depths of the chasm. "Let's find them," I say softly, my voice steady despite the fear that threatens to overwhelm me. "And bring them home."

I watch Jeane hover at the edge of the chasm, her wings beating steadily as she scans the walls for safer descent points. The groaning of the ledge beneath our feet has my heart hammering against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat of fear and urgency. Merrin's warning about the instability of our footing only heightens my concern, but I know we can't turn back now, not when Halie and Varrika are potentially trapped below.
My fingers tighten around the heavy metal bar I found, its cold weight a grounding presence in my hand. It feels like a pathetic defense against the unknown horrors that could be lurking in the depths, but it’s better than nothing. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic racing of my mind as I consider our options. We’re trapped here, on this unstable ledge, with no clear path forward except down.
I think back to Halie's summoning attempt, how her desperate plea had seemed so misguided in the moment. And yet, here we are, about to follow her into whatever she unleashed. The thought sends a chill down my spine, but I push it aside. We have to find them, to bring them home if we can. "Jeane, what do you see?" I call out, my voice strained with tension as I peer into the gloom of the chasm. The air is thick with magic, a heavy, oppressive presence that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.