Round 17

The ancient stones of the crumbling tower seem to groan under their weight of years, each runed panel an eye watching the intruders gathered below. The air thickens with something foul—magic gone wrong and festering—and the ground itself pulses with malevolent intent.

Jeane approaches the gate with the cautious steps of a predator stalking prey it knows is dangerous. Her crimson eyes narrow as she studies the ominous symbols etched deep into the stone, each one seeming to writhe subtly under her gaze. The barrier field between them and the entrance crackles with dark energy, visible distortions in the air that promise pain or worse to any who cross without understanding.

"Stay back," she calls over her shoulder, voice tight with barely contained anxiety. "Don't come closer until we know what this thing is." She circles the gate slowly, wings tucked close against her back, every sense extended to catch even the faintest shift in the magic surrounding them. The runes pulse with a rhythm that feels wrong—unnatural, purposeful, hungry.

Halie grabs Merrin by the shoulders and hauls her back from the edge of the field, her blue-grey eyes blazing with anger and fear. "Elric!" she snarls, voice sharp enough to cut through the oppressive silence. "What. The. FUCK. Is this? You said abandoned! You said easy!" Her hands tighten on Merrin's shoulders, supporting the injured woman even as her gaze locks onto Elric with barely restrained fury.

Merrin tries to back away from the gate but the searing pain in her leg makes each step an agony. She clutches her crossbow like a lifeline, knuckles white against the cold metal, as she watches the barrier field pulse and shift around them. The dark energy seems to reach out toward her specifically, tendrils of shadow that want to pull her inside and never let go.

"By the gods," she gasps, voice shaking with fear and effort. "What is this thing? Elric—tell me you know something about this!" Her dark eyes bore into him, demanding truth even as her body screams for help against the pain and the insistent pull of the field. Every instinct screams at her to run—but where could they go that's safer than standing here?

The barrier field flares again, sending a visible ripple through the air between them and the tower entrance. The runes on the gate seem to glow brighter for a moment before subsiding back into their ominous pulse. Whatever lies beyond that field, it's waiting—and it knows they're here.

Jeane completes her circuit of the gate, wings settling as she straightens up with a grim expression. "This isn't good," she says softly, more to herself than anyone else. "Whatever this tower once was, it's certainly not holy ground now." She meets Halie's furious gaze across the field and nods once—yes, this is bad, but they have to deal with it.

The air grows heavier still, thick with the scent of decay and old magic gone wrong. Something shifts deep within the tower's stone heart—a sound like bones scraping together or a great beast stirring from long sleep. The ground beneath their feet trembles almost imperceptibly, a warning rumble that speaks of ancient power awakened by their presence.

They have seconds to decide—press forward despite the obvious dangers, try to find a way through or around this barrier, or fall back and reassess with whatever information they can glean from a distance. The field pulses again, drawing strength from Merrin's wound and her growing weakness. Time is running out for more than just their patience.

"Elric," Jeane says, voice sharp now. "Talk. Now. Before we have to make decisions based on zero information and whatever the hell this thing wants." Her hand rests casually near the hilt of her heavy mace—a threat or a promise, depending on what comes next out of their supposed guide's mouth.

Halie's grip on Merrin tightens as another wave of pain washes over her friend. "Seraphine," she snarls, barely containing her panic. "Barrier mechanism meant to keep us out or...eat us? Tell me what you know about breaking through before she's pulled inside." Her blue-grey eyes flick between the field and Elric, demanding answers even as she fights to keep Merrin upright.

Merrin grits her teeth against the pain, focusing every ounce of willpower into resisting the field's pull. "By the gods," she gasps, voice shaking with effort. "What is this thing? Elric—tell me you know something about this!" Her dark eyes bore into him, demanding truth even as her body screams for help against the agony and the insistent tug of the barrier.

The field flares again, sending a visible ripple through the air between them and the tower entrance. The runes on the gate seem to glow brighter for a moment before subsiding back into their ominous pulse. Whatever lies beyond that field, it's waiting—and it knows they're here.