Round 104

Merrin waded into the rising water of the new secret passage, her wiry halfling frame tense as she scanned the dark depths for any sign of movement. The water lapped at her thighs now, cold and unsettlingly alive with unseen currents. Every shadow seemed to conceal a waiting maw, every ripple a hint of something vast moving beneath the surface.

"Fuck," she hissed under her breath, more prayer than curse. Her injured arm throbbed in time with her pulse, but the pain was distant compared to the terror clawing at her gut. She could hear Varikka's muffled screams from deeper in the chamber, the sound of someone fighting for their life against impossible odds.

Varikka. The thought of her friend drowning, pulled into those depths by some monstrous thing, was unbearable. But rushing in blindly would only get herself killed too - and then no one could help. She needed a plan. Needed to think like the thief she was.

The water rose another inch, sloshing against the walls of the passage. Merrin's eyes darted around, searching for any advantage. The ceiling here was lower than in the main chamber, the space more confined. Less room for whatever lived down here to maneuver its bulk. Maybe that was something?

Her fingers tightened around the haft of her heavy mace, the metal cold and reassuring in her grip. She could fight if she had to. But fighting a lake monster? Her odds weren't good even with both arms working.

"Come on, come on," she muttered, forcing herself to take another step deeper into the water. Each splash felt like a dinner bell announcing her presence to anything hungry nearby. But she had to know what they were dealing with before anyone else waded in blind.

The water was up to her hips now, dragging at her movements. Merrin's free hand swept through the darkness ahead, feeling for any hidden obstacles or sudden drops. Her rogue's instincts screamed at her to turn back, to find higher ground and let someone else play hero. But Varikka needed help. And right now, Merrin was the only one crazy enough to try this.

She took another step forward, the water now lapping at her waist. The cold seeped into her bones, but she ignored it, focusing on the task ahead. Find out what's in here. Don't get pulled under. Rescue Varikka if possible. Don't die stupidly in a flooded hallway.

Simple enough. Until something brushed against her leg from below.