Round 42

Merrin steps back from the doorway, her hand still on the hilt of her dagger as she lets Halie take the lead. The cleric's expression is grim, her jaw set in determination despite the obvious fear in her eyes. Jeane moves forward next, her staff held ready, the magical energy crackling faintly around it as she scans the room for any signs of immediate threat.

The chamber beyond the door is larger than expected, the walls lined with dusty shelves that hold strange artifacts and ancient tomes. The source of the humming sound becomes apparent—the glowing crystals embedded in the floor pulse with an eerie green light, their energy seeming to resonate through the very stone itself. As Halie moves cautiously into the room, her foot brushes against one of the crystals, causing it to flare brighter for a moment before returning to its steady rhythm.

"Stay close," Jeane warns, her wings half-spread as if ready to take flight or shield her companions at a moment's notice. "This magic...it feels wrong. Like something is feeding on it."

Merrin nods silently, her crossbow held at the ready as she scans the shadows for any movement. The air grows heavier with each step deeper into the room, thick and oppressive like a physical weight pressing down on them all. Something shifts in the darkness—just a flicker of motion that vanishes when Merrin's gaze focuses on it.

"This place is alive," Halie hums, her voice barely audible over the constant low thrumming of the crystals. "But not with life as we know it. This...this is corruption made manifest.".