Round 296

The sound of rushing water grew louder, filling the narrow stone passage with its ominous roar. Merrin clung to the pipe above the rapidly rising flood, her fingers growing numb from the cold. Each passing second brought the frigid liquid higher, now lapping at her chin and threatening to pull her from her precarious perch.

Varikka's voice echoed up from below, barely audible over the rushing water. "Merrin! Are you there? Answer me!" The panic in her friend's tone sent a jolt through Merrin's exhausted body. She craned her neck, trying to spot Varikka through the gloom and spray, but the churning water made it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.

"Here!" Merrin called back, her voice cracking with effort. "I'm above you, clinging to the pipe! Are you hurt? What happened after... after I fell?" The water surged again, forcing her to tighten her grip and press closer to the cold metal surface.

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the gurgle of rising water, before Varikka responded. "I'm okay—mostly. The tentacles grabbed you, but I managed to cut them with my dagger and shove you into this pipe. Then I scrambled up after you..." Her voice trailed off, replaced by a muffled thud and a sharp intake of breath.

"Varikka?" Merrin shouted, fear spiking in her chest. "What is it? What did you hit?"

Another pause, longer this time, before Varikka's voice came back, strained with barely contained terror. "I think... I think something's down here with me. Something big." The water around her friend seemed to churn more violently, as if unseen creatures stirred beneath the surface.

Merrin's heart hammered against her ribs. She was trapped, freezing, and now Varikka was in danger again—all while they were both being slowly drowned by this cursed tower. She had to find a way down, had to help her friend before whatever lurked below could...

The stone beneath her feet vibrated suddenly, a low groan echoing through the passage. Merrin looked up just as a crack appeared in the ceiling above her head, spreading with horrifying speed. The entire structure was coming down—right on top of them both.