Round 455

The floor gave way without warning, sending them sliding down into?.?? darkness. Merrin hit hard on her back, air driven out in a single harsh exhale as she tumbled end-over-end before coming to a stop at the bottom of whatever this new hell was. She lay there for a moment, stunned and gasping, before adrenaline kicked in and she scrambled upright.

Varrika had landed nearby, face-down with her good arm pinned awkwardly beneath her. The dwarf woman groaned as Merrin helped her roll over onto her back—only to let out a fresh cry when her sprained ankle took the weight. "Fuck!" Varrika snarled through gritted teeth.

Merrin barely had time to assess their situation before water began pouring in from multiple directions. A fissure near the ceiling opened wide, spraying them with a torrent of black, stinking liquid that reeked of decay and something chemical. She grabbed Varikka's uninjured arm, hauling her upright despite the dwarf woman's howl of pain.

"Move!" Merrin shouted, half-dragging her friend toward the only visible exit—a narrow doorway partially blocked by cascading stone. They made it through just as the water level began rising with terrifying speed behind them. The last thing Merrin saw was the torrent sweeping over where they'd stood moments earlier, carrying debris and what looked like a massive, submerged shape rolling with the current before the gap filled completely.

They found themselves on a precarious ledge overlooking a vertical shaft that descended into??? darkness. The sound of rushing water far below echoed upward, punctuated by ominous groans from the stone around them. Merrin pressed her back against the wall, panting heavily as she helped Varrika sit, the dwarf woman cradling her injured wrist with a pained expression.

"Well," Merrin said, trying for lightness but sounding breathless and terrified instead, "at least we're not drowning?"

Varrika glared up at her, face pale and sweating. "Speak for yourself, short-arse. I'm pretty sure this is where we die."