Round 308

The waters pulled Merrin under faster than Varikka could reach her, a massive tentacled horror breaking the surface behind as the current swept the woman away into deeper water. She fought to stay afloat, hypothermia setting in fast as she gasped for air between chattering teeth. Only luck found her a floating piece of debris to cling to as consciousness began slipping.

"Varikka!" she cried out one last time before the cold won, muscle control failing as exhaustion and the icy water sapped her strength. The thing in the water was closing fast—she needed solid ground NOW—but darkness claimed her vision even as desperate clutching kept her head above water for now.