Round 347 Transcript

As Merrin presses the pressure plate, the stone beneath it shudders and a hidden mechanism whirs to life. The air is filled with the scent of ozone as the wall begins to slide open, revealing a narrow passageway beyond. The creatures, which had been closing in, now pause at the edge of the ledge, their glowing eyes fixed on the newly exposed passage. Varikka grabs Merrin's arm, her grip firm. "We need to move, now!" she shouts above the din of the collapsing stonework. The ground shudders ominously, and a section of the ledge gives way beneath Merrin, sending her tumbling into the water below.

"Varrika! Merrin!" The panic in her voice cuts through the din of crumbling stone. Water swirls and eddies around me, threatening to pull me under. I gasp, choking on foul water as I struggle to keep my head above the surface. I can hear Varrika's shouts, frantic and desperate. My heart hammers in my chest as I thrash against the current, fighting to stay afloat. The weight of my gear drags at my limbs, threatening to pull me under at any moment. "Merrin! Grab onto something!" Varikka's voice cuts through the chaos. I reach out, my fingers scrabbling for purchase on the slick stone walls. My hand finds a jagged edge and I cling to it with white-knuckled intensity, heaving myself upwards with a desperate grunt. Water sluices off my body as I haul myself onto the ledge, gasping and sputtering. Varikka is there in an instant, her strong arms wrapping around me and holding me steady. "Are you alright?" she asks, her voice tight with concern. I nod, still coughing up water. My lungs burn and my limbs tremble with exhaustion, but I'm alive. For now.