Round 2

Jeane steps forward, her crimson eyes scanning the massive gate sealed by arcane runes that pulse with a malevolent light. The magic here is old, yes, but it's also hungry—a ravenous thing that feeds on despair and fear. "This tower isn't just abandoned," she says, her voice steady despite the dread coiling in her gut. "Something inside is very much alive—and it doesn't want visitors." Her gaze lingers on Halie and Merrin, the two most likely to rush headlong into danger without proper recon. "Halie, Merrin—I need you both checking the immediate perimeter for sentries or traps. Varrika and Seraphine, help me decipher these runes before we force entry. The last thing we need is to trigger some ancient guardian because we were too eager."

Merrin nods, her hand already moving to the hilt of her mace as she scans the tower's base. "Got it," she mutters, more to herself than anyone else. "Stay sharp, stay quiet, and don't touch anything that looks like it might bite back." She moves off to the left, her keen eyes searching for any sign of movement or hidden threats.

Halie steps forward, her hand resting on the silver cross at her throat as she closes her eyes in concentration. "I can feel it," she says softly, her brow furrowing. "There's something... wrong here. Dark magic, yes, but more than that. It feels like the tower itself is alive, and hungry." She opens her eyes, fixing Jeane with a serious gaze. "We need to be careful. Whatever's in there, it's not going to let us leave easily."

Seraphine crouches down before the ancient runes carved into the stone tower's massive gate, her fingers tracing their intricate patterns as she murmurs a low invocation under her breath. The magic here is not like anything she's encountered before—it feels old, older than most of the world. And it feels... wrong. This isn't just a tower. It's a vessel for some great and terrible force. She stands slowly, turning to face the others with a grave expression.

Varrika steps forward, her heavy mace clutched in her scarred hands. The runes pulse with an eerie light, their hunger palpable even from here. "Listen up," she growls, her voice low and urgent. "Those wards aren't just keeping us out. They're feeding off something inside that tower." She glances around at the group, her expression hard. "We need to be smart about this. Whatever's in there, it's not going to be easy to deal with."

Jeane nods grimly, already moving to examine the runes more closely. "Agreed," she says. "Let's split up and cover more ground. Merrin and Halie, you two take the left and right flanks respectively. Seraphine and I will work on decoding these runes—if we can figure out what they do, we might be able to disable or bypass them." She pauses, her eyes scanning the tower's facade. "And Varrika, keep an eye on our six. If anything tries to sneak up on us from behind, let us know."

As the group begins to move into position, the air around the tower seems to shimmer slightly, as if disturbed by their presence. A low humming sound, barely audible, begins to emanate from deep within the stone walls—a sound like distant chanting or the beating of a great, dark heart.