Round 519 Transcript

As I stand at the edge of the pit, peering down at Varikka, I can see that she's struggling to sit up, her injured ankle twisted at an awkward angle. The Time-Splitting Sword lies beside her, its glow dimmed in the darkness. Suddenly, a faint rumbling noise echoes through the chamber, and the ground beneath us begins to shift and tremble. The air is filled with the acrid scent of noxious gas, and I can taste the metallic tang of it on my tongue. "Varikka, hold on!" I shout, reaching out to grab her arm. "Merrin's coming down! Just a little longer!" The ground shudders again, and I stumble, my foot slipping on the slick stone. I manage to catch myself just in time, but I know we're running out of time. The tunnel is collapsing, and if we don't get out of here soon, we'll be trapped forever. Varikka's eyes lock onto mine, and I can see the desperation in them. "Merrin... help me," she whispers, her voice barely audible over the growing din of the collapse. I grit my teeth, determination coursing through my veins. I'll get Varikka out of here, no matter what it takes.

"Varikka!" I cry out, my heart pounding in my chest as I scramble to the edge of the pit. The sight of her lying there, injured and alone, fills me with a sense of dread that I can't shake.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what comes next. Then, without hesitation, I start to climb down into the pit, my hands finding purchase on the rough stone as I lower myself over the edge.

It's slow going, and more than once I find myself slipping, my fingers scrabbling for a hold as I fight to keep from falling. But finally, after what feels like an eternity, I reach the bottom of the pit and land in a crouch, my boots hitting the stone with a dull thud.

I rush over to Varikka's side, dropping to my knees beside her. "Are you alright?" I ask, my voice shaking with concern as I reach out to check her injuries. "Can you move? We need to get out of here now."

But even as I speak, I can hear the sound of crumbling stone and shifting earth above us, the tunnel beginning to collapse in on itself. We're running out of time, and if we don't find a way out soon, we may be buried alive in this nightmarish dungeon forever.

"Merrin!" I cry out, my voice hoarse with pain and relief as you drop down beside me. "Thank the gods you made it."

I try to sit up, wincing as my injured ankle throbs beneath me. The Time-Splitting Sword lies discarded at my side, its once-bright glow now little more than a dull flicker.

"We need to get out of here," I rasp, my words coming out in short, labored breaths. "The tunnel's collapsing. We don't have much time."

I reach for the sword, my fingers closing around its hilt as I struggle to stand. But as I do, a wave of dizziness washes over me, and I stumble, nearly falling back to the ground.

"Damn it," I mutter under my breath, gritting my teeth against the pain. "I can't... I can't feel my legs."

Merrin's eyes go wide with concern as she rushes to my side, her hands reaching out to steady me. "Varikka, what's wrong?" she asks, her voice tinged with worry.

"It's the sword," I manage to say, my words coming out in a strained whisper. "There's something... wrong with it. I can feel it, like a poison running through my veins."

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what comes next. "We need to get out of here," I repeat, my voice firm with determination. "And we need to leave the sword behind. It's not worth the risk."

I look up at Merrin, meeting her gaze with a fierce intensity. "You're going to have to carry me," I say, my words laced with both command and apology. "I know it's a lot to ask, but we don't have a choice. We need to move now, before the tunnel collapses completely."

And with that, I sling my arm over Merrin's shoulders, leaning heavily against her as we begin to make our way towards the edge of the pit, the sound of crumbling stone and shifting earth echoing ominously around us.