Round 405

Merrin’s eyes go wide as the ground beneath them shakes violently, a sound like thunder rolling through the stone. She sees Varikka stumble from the collapsing passage, her friend’s face pale and drawn but alive. “Varikka!” she cries out, reaching for her with shaking hands. But there is no time for relief. The roar of rushing water grows louder by the second, and Merrin can feel the ground shaking worse as the tunnel begins to collapse around them.*

She grabs Varikka’s good arm, pulling her friend away from the crumbling edge. “We need to move now!” she exclaims, her voice laced with urgency. “The tunnel is collapsing behind us, and the water pressure is getting worse by the second!” As they speak, the ground gives a loud creak, and more stone comes crashing down from above. Merrin’s heart races as she realizes how precarious their situation truly is.*

She scans the area quickly, her rogue’s eyes searching for any possible escape route. “There!” she points to a narrow opening in the wall, barely visible behind a cascade of falling rock. “We can squeeze through there and get away from this collapsing mess!” She starts pulling Varikka toward it immediately, desperate to find solid ground before the entire tunnel comes down on them both.*