Round 512

Merrin’s heart pounds in her chest as she helps Varrika up onto the precarious ledge, the dwarf woman’s weight heavy against her shoulder. The stone groans ominously beneath their combined mass, water lapping at their boots. "Stay still," Merrin hisses through clenched teeth, easing Varrika into a seated position against the wall. The ledge is barely wide enough for both of them, and every movement sends tiny pebbles cascading into the churning waters below.

Varrika’s face is pale, her breathing ragged as she clutches her injured ankle. "It’s not broken," she manages, voice tight with pain. "Just… sprained. Badly." Her dark eyes meet Merrin’s, filled with determination despite the obvious agony. "We need to move. The water’s rising faster now."

Merrin nods grimly, scanning the chamber for any sign of an exit. The thick fog swirls and shifts, revealing glimpses of what might be a passage leading upward – or just more solid stone wall.