Round 20 Transcript

Merrin’s fingers trace the runes, and a faint, almost invisible inscription appears beneath the third stone slab, revealing the location of the missing silence rune. She spends one fatigue point to pry the slab aside, uncovering a small, rune‑etched keyhole that will hold the silence component. No new threat is introduced.

I step forward, my heavy boots echoing on the stone floor. 'Hold a moment,' I call out gruffly. 'Merrin, hands off those runes. We don't know what'll happen if you fiddle with the incomplete ward. Best to wait until we've got the full sequence before triggering anythin'.

I step forward, my wings folding close against my back as I study the runes with predatory focus. The light rune is the anchor—it's always first. The shadow responds to darkness, and silence demands absolute quiet. My voice is controlled but sharp as I address Merrin directly, cutting through the tension. Stop. Do not touch that last rune until we have the full sequence. The instability is palpable—one wrong move could complete it prematurely or worse, destabilize everything around us.