Round 108

Merrin’s mace clatters against the ground as she falls, the sound echoing through the chamber. Water rushes past her, cold and unforgiving, as she tumbles head over heels. She lands hard on her side, gasping for breath as she struggles to sit up. The tower groans ominously around her, the sound vibrating through every bone in her body. Varikka’s voice is muffled beneath the surface of the lake, but Merrin can sense her friend’s fear and desperation. She sees the tentacle thrashing closer, its suckers leaving trails of muck on the stone floor. The water climbs higher with terrifying speed, now waist-deep and still rising. "Fuck!" Merrin sputters, wiping water from her eyes. "Varikka! Can you hear me? Are you okay?" She scans the murky depths frantically, searching for any sign of her friend.