Round 370

The sound of rushing water fills the air, growing louder by the second. Merrin presses herself against the wall, trying to find purchase on the slick stone as the tunnel floor shifts beneath her feet. "Varrika!" she shouts, her voice barely carrying over the roar. "We need to get higher!"

Varrika looks up from where she's crouched near the base of a crumbling staircase, her eyes scanning the area for any viable escape route. She spots a narrow passage angling upward and points it out to Merrin. "There! It might lead to solid ground above this mess." She starts climbing, her powerful arms hauling her body upward with practiced ease despite the precarious footing.

Merrin follows, her smaller frame allowing her to navigate the tight spaces between crumbling rocks but her injured ankle making each movement a fresh burst of agony. "Wait!" she calls out as Varrika reaches a ledge halfway up. The stone there looks even more unstable than the floor below. "It might not hold both of us!"

Varrika freezes, her hand reaching out to grip the crumbling edge. "Shit," she mutters, glancing down at Merrin. "You go first. I'll follow and distribute my weight more carefully." She shifts her stance, trying to find a more secure position.

Merrin shakes her head vehemently. "No way. You're heavier and stronger—if anyone's going to set off a collapse, it should be me." She begins climbing toward the ledge with determined focus, ignoring the pain shooting up her leg with each movement.