Round 58

The water receded as quickly as it had come, leaving Merrin soaked but unharmed—at least physically. Her crossbow was still functional despite being submerged, which was something to be grateful for. The shrieking from beyond the now-closed stone door sent a chill down her spine that had nothing to do with her wet clothes. Whatever had made that sound was big, and it was angry.

She pressed herself against the wall of the narrow passage, trying to make herself as small as possible. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. This was bad. This was very, very bad. She needed to get back to Halie and Jeane, needed their help to figure out what to do next. But first, she needed to assess the situation.

The passage ahead seemed to slope downward, leading deeper into the tower. The water had come from somewhere below, which meant there had to be a source—a lake or a spring or something similar. And if there was water, there were probably fish. And if there were fish in an underground lake... Merrin shook her head, trying to clear it of such thoughts. She needed to focus.

She took a deep breath and began to move forward cautiously, her eyes scanning the darkness ahead for any sign of movement or danger. The passage was narrow, barely wide enough for her to walk with her arms outstretched. She moved slowly, one hand on the wall for balance, the other holding her crossbow at the ready.

As she descended deeper into the tower, the sound of rushing water grew louder. She could feel the moisture in the air increasing, and soon the passage was slick with water underfoot. She had to be careful not to slip and fall.

Finally, the passage opened up into a larger chamber. And there, in the center of the room, was a massive underground lake. The water glowed with an eerie blue light, and floating just beneath the surface were skeletal remains, their eye sockets glowing with the same ethereal blue flame as the water itself.

Merrin felt her stomach drop. This was worse than she had imagined. She needed to get back to Halie and Jeane, needed their help to figure out what to do next. But first, she needed to find a way through or around this new obstacle—and fast.