Round 9

As Halie's voice rose, the silver light surrounding them intensified, casting an ethereal glow on the moss-covered stones. The air vibrated with the cleric's prayer, a palpable shield against the undead horrors that lurked beyond the gate. Varrika's eyes narrowed as she examined the pressure plate, her fingers tracing the subtle seam where the stone had fractured from age.

Merrin's breath caught in her throat as she reached the center of the gate, her fingers dancing along the edges in search of hidden mechanisms. The faint depression she spotted was barely visible against the dark runes, a potential trigger for another trap. Halie's words of Protection from Evil continued to weave a protective barrier around them, but Merrin's gaze remained fixed on the ancient gate, her mind racing with the implications of this elegant design – a trap that would spring both mechanisms simultaneously.