Round 158

Varrika’s grip on her mace tightens as the ground beneath them cracks like shattering glass. The crystal platform tilts at an impossible angle, sending both women stumbling backward. Her powerful hands find purchase on a jagged edge, fingers digging into the smooth surface even as it shifts and warps under her grip. The dwarf’s voice is tight with effort as she calls out, “Merrin! Grab onto me!” Her muscles strain against the shifting terrain, trying to maintain stability for them both. The air around them seems to thicken, pressing in with an otherworldly energy that makes Merrin’s skin crawl. She knows they need to act fast—if this dimension wants to separate them, they’d have to fight harder than she’d ever fought before.

Merrin scrambles forward, hands reaching for Varrika’s outstretched arm just as another violent tremor shakes the platform. Their combined weight shifts dangerously, and Merrin feels her stomach lurch as they both slide several inches down the sloping crystal. “Hold on!” Varrika grunts, her grip tightening around Merrin’s wrist. “We’re not falling...”