She barely makes it

Yes/No (Likely): Can Lux reach Atara and Olan, and end this? | [5,1] Yes but...

Pacing Move: [4] Advance a Threat

The security systems are starting to come online...

Lux begins to move around the edge of the room as quickly as she dares to, which isn’t very fast – most of her body still aches from standing so still, from the tension as Rina tormented her. She keeps as far away from the patrolling outcasts as she can, waiting until she has an opening before heading for the exit. By some miracle, nobody seems to hear her movements.

Her heart is pounding as she stumbles down the corridor. She realises she’s lost Atara’s list of directions – not that she’d be able to read it anyway, under her invisibility spell. She just has to hope that her memory is good enough to guide her – just this last little bit of the way.

A warning thrum runs through the corridor walls. Unseen gears grind together as ancient machinery begins to stutter into life. It’s started – the outcasts have almost won. Soon, all those traps and gadgets designed to stop intruders will be active and looking for a lone, frightened tiefling…

Yes/No (Even): Can Lux get past the security system? | [1,1] No but...

Olan and Atara save her just in time.

Lux’s bare feet ache from treading the hard stone floor as she hurries now towards her destination. Left – it was left here, wasn’t it? And – yes, now an upward slope! Just a little further. Just a little further…

A pulse of light runs through the corridor. Then a ray shining right at her – more than just light, she can feel a tingling sensation as it peels away her invisibility, the only thing she had covering her. How do I always end up naked?

She reaches the junction at the end – left again? No! Right this time. Go right!

With a screech of metal, something extends down from a housing in the ceiling overhead. Too tired, too beaten down, Lux has no way of defending herself. Something like a long arm made of steel and copper grabs at her, closing its vice-like grip around her, trying to pin her arms.

She sees her allies – friends – ahead of her. Horror in Olan’s eyes, tense anticipation in Atara’s. No time for argument, for delay. Lux grits her teeth and flings the key towards Atara with all the power she can muster. Then she screams in pain as the grabbing arm takes hold and starts to squeeze. She has no strength left. She can’t breathe…

The pressure eases, just a little, and Lux opens tear-filled eyes to try and see. Olan is there. He’s got hold of the metal arm and he’s straining every muscle to **** its grip open. Inch by inch, he loses ground, but his face is set with fierce determination. Atara has already vanished around the next corner.

Another arm hinges down from its hidden housing. A screech of metal is the only warning – Lux can’t fill her lungs enough to say anything. It descends towards Olan, grasping. His grip slips as it begins to pull him back. Moments drag out like hours. If Lux could only breathe – try to draw on whatever’s left of her magic –

Atara reappears at the end of the corridor, out of breath. She shouts to someone back around the corner she just came from. Lux can’t make out the words. It’s too late…

Through the rush of blood in her head, Lux hears more movement in the walls around them. Whatever terrible machinery these lunatics built to protect their underground kingdom, its full power is now waking up. She stares helplessly into Olan’s eyes as they are slowly dragged apart. The arm’s grip squeezes painfully, crushing the breath from her body –

– and stops dead. There’s a shudder, and the jaws of the arm holding Lux start to retract. With no strength to stand, she topples down, falling to the stone floor, fading into blackness.