Round 129

The ground rumbled beneath them like a beast waking from slumber, sending fresh tremors through the already unstable stone. Merrin clutched the book tighter, its pages seeming to pulse with an otherworldly light that cut through the swirling dust. Varrika's face was set in a grim mask of concentration as she half-dragged Merrin across the narrowing ledge.

"You're not throwing that thing down there," Varrika growled, her eyes fixed on the rapidly expanding gap between them and the chasm below. "We need to move. Now." Another tremor ran through the stone underfoot, and more debris cascaded down into the darkness. Merrin hesitated for just a moment before nodding.

She knew Varrika was right - they couldn't afford to stand still in this death trap. With careful steps, the two women picked their way across the treacherous surface. The book's energy seemed to pulse in time with the tower's rumblings, its power growing more intense by the second. As they pressed on, Merrin couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them from the shadows.

Varrika's scarred knuckles whitened as she tightened her grip on Merrin's arm, practically dragging the halfling across the crumbling ledge. "The ground's not going to hold forever," she snarled through gritted teeth, her dwarf's accent thick with urgency. "Move your feet, Merrin!"