Round 41

The chamber's air grew heavier with each passing moment, thick and oppressive as if the very stone was suffocating them. The central rune pulsed again—brighter this time—and Jeane felt it in her teeth. Whatever curse protected this chamber, it wasn't sleeping anymore. "Stop," she commanded sharply, moving between Merrin and the pit edge. "We don't know what testing that rope does here. The runes responded when we entered—they're active defense or trigger. And now they're brightening." The air tasted wrong—like copper and decay—and her wings were itching. Halie's holy symbol glowed faintly, casting weak light across the ancient stonework.

Merrin squinted through the hazy air at Jeane, her brows furrowed in concern. "Gas is getting thicker," she muttered, reaching for a waterskin. She took a quick swig, hoping to clear her throat of the acrid taste. "Aye, something's stirring down there alright." Her hands twitched, eager to test that rope and find out what lurks in the pit's depths. But Jeane was right—she couldn't rush this. One wrong move could spell disaster for them all. She turned to Varrika, keeping her voice low. "Keep those sharp eyes of yours peeled—I don't like how quiet it's gotten."

Varrika nodded grimly, her scarred hands tightening around the haft of her mace. The ancient stone floor trembled beneath her boots as she scanned the chamber's shadows for any sign of movement. The air itself seemed alive, thick with malevolent intent. Her hands tightened around the haft of her mace, the weight of it reassuring against the unknown dangers that lurked in this accursed place. "Keep your eyes shielded and your wits about you," she growled to the others, her gravelly voice barely audible over the ominous groaning of the crumbling tower. "This sword's curse has tainted everyth...

The silence deepened, broken only by the faint hiss of escaping gas and the distant drip of water somewhere unseen. The central rune pulsed again—faster now—and Jeane felt a cold dread settle in her gut. Whatever lay ahead, they needed to proceed with extreme caution.