Round 14

The tower's base reveals its secrets through touch and sight alike. Jeane moves with deliberate care, her fingers tracing the stonework like a blind woman reading Braille. Her expression shifts as she feels the truth of the place: this isn't defense. It's predation disguised as architecture.

Seraphine completes her own spell, the air around her hands shimmering briefly before settling back into night. She studies the ancient parchment intently, her brow furrowed in concentration. The map is a lie, clearly—something meant to mislead rather than guide. The two women exchange a look that speaks volumes. The wards are active, hungry, and likely connected to something far worse inside. The question hangs unasked between them: do we proceed knowing the trap is not just set, but actively hunting?

Halie moves forward cautiously, her hand resting on the hilt of her mace. "Wait," she says, her voice firm despite the apprehension in her eyes. "Let's not be hasty." She turns to Jeane. "Can you fly higher? Get a better view of the tower's upper levels? We need to know what we're dealing with from every angle."

Jeane nods slowly, her crimson eyes gleaming in the moonlight as she unfurls her dark wings. "I'll fly up and map the upper levels properly," she replies, her voice tight with controlled tension. "Halie, if you can cast wide detection down into the core, we might get a sense of what's actually down there." She pauses, then adds, "Merrin, Varrika—keep watch on the perimeter. If something moves out here while we're getting intel, you two will have to deal with it."

Seraphine steps forward, her sharp gaze fixed on the tower's dark entrance. "We need more information before we go in blind," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "The wards aren't just barriers—they're alive. And hungry." She looks at Halie and Jeane in turn. "Whatever's inside is feeding this curse. We have to be careful."

The three women stand at the threshold of danger, their breaths held in unison as they prepare to push forward into the unknown depths of the accursed tower.