Round 31

Seraphine stumbles forward into the darkness below, her torch held high as she descends the crumbling stone stairs. "Varrika! Serrine!" Her voice echoes ominously off the ancient walls. "Where are you? What happened?" She can hear movement above—hopefully Varrika following Merrin's body down—but the pit is too deep and dark to see clearly. "Answer me! Is anyone hurt? Has Jeane stopped that fire?"

Varrika descends carefully, her powerful arms wrapped tightly around Merrin's limp form. "Still alive up there!" she calls down. "Merrin's out cold but breathing. The gate's wards are breaking—entire tower could collapse any moment! We need to get deeper fast!"

Seraphine reaches the bottom and turns, her sharp eyes scanning the shadows. "Deeper? There's nothing deeper but this pit and whatever lies at its bottom!" She moves closer to Varrika. "Give Merrin here—I'll stabilize her with magic. You take point with that sword."

Varrika shifts Merrin's weight onto Seraphine's waiting arms, then draws her blade with a rasp of steel. "Stay close," she growls, moving forward into the darkness.

The two women press onward through the gloom, their torches casting flickering circles of light on ancient stone walls slick with moisture. The air grows colder as they descend further, and the distant sound of running water echoes through the chamber.