Round 375

Merrin grits her teeth against the pain shooting up from her twisted ankle as she clutches the rusty metal door handle, trying to ignore how the violent tremor just now sent fresh agony through her gash. The massive boulder smashing into the wall behind them was too close for comfort—rock and debris peppered everything, more dust thickening the already choking air. Varikka's cry cuts through the ringing in Merrin's ears, sharp with worry she can't ignore.

"Merrin!" Her friend's voice is a lifeline in this collapsing tomb. "Where are you? The whole place is about to come down!" Merrin strains to see through the swirling dust and flickering torchlight, her heart pounding. "I'm here! By the door—trying not to fall off this crumbling ledge!" She shifts her weight carefully, wincing as her ankle protests even that slight movement. "Don't move too fast—everything's shifting underfoot!"

The water continues its relentless rise, now lapping at Merrin's boots. "We need to get higher or find some way to stop this flood!" She scans the chamber desperately for any solution. "There has to be another passage or a way up—the whole floor is turning into a damn swimming pool!"