Round 115

Merrin's voice cut through the chamber, sharp with desperation. The water was already knee-deep, rising fast—cold and insistent against her legs. She could feel the structure groaning around them, shifting ominously. The bioluminescent creatures on the walls pulsed with an eerie light, their movements unsettlingly organic. Seraphine's face was pale in the strange illumination, eyes wide with fear.

"We need to find a way out of here before we drown!" Merrin shouted over the roar of rushing water. Her gaze fixed on the small opening high in the corner—their only visible exit. Too far up to reach without aid. She needed Seraphine's magic. Needed Halie to conjure something, levitate them, anything.

Seraphine, can you get us up there? Merrin thought frantically. Can you lift us or create a bridge? We don't have much time. The water was already past her knees now, swirling with unseen currents. Something large stirred beneath the surface—she felt it, a heavy displacement of water that sent a fresh wave of terror through her.

Focus, she told herself harshly. Find a solution before we're pulled under. Her injured arm throbbed, but the pain was distant compared to the immediate crisis. The heavy mace weighed her down as she waded deeper into the rising water. Every second counted. She needed answers from Seraphine—needed magic to save them both.

The creaking grew louder, more insistent. Another section of wall shifted visibly, stone grinding against stone. Dust fell like rain around them, mixing with the spray from the rushing water. The entire chamber felt unstable now, ready to collapse at any moment. Merrin's heart hammered in her chest. She had to act. Had to think faster than the rising water and the collapsing walls.

What options do we have? she thought desperately. The opening? Seraphine's magic? Or...

She glanced back towards the main chamber entrance, now fully submerged.