Round 522 Transcript

As Varikka reaches out to grab the ledge, her fingers slip on the slick stone, and she stumbles, her ankle twisting beneath her. The sound of rushing water grows louder, and for a moment, it seems as though the tunnel will swallow her whole. Merrin rushes to catch her, but she's too late – Varikka's weight sends them both tumbling onto the ground. The impact is jarring, and Merrin's breath is knocked from her lungs as she struggles to free herself from the tangled mess of Varikka's limbs and her own. The air is thick with the smell of noxious gas, and the ground beneath them shakes ominously, as if the very foundations of the tunnel are beginning to give way.

"No, no, no!" I cry out as Varikka tumbles to the ground, her weight knocking the wind from my lungs. My head spins, dizzy from the noxious gas and the sickening crunch of Varikka's ankle twisting beneath her. For a moment, all I can do is struggle to free myself from the tangle of limbs, my hands scrabbling for purchase on the slick stone.

But even as I push myself up onto unsteady feet, I can feel the ground shaking beneath us, the sound of rushing water growing louder with each passing second. The tunnel walls are crumbling around us, great chunks of stone and debris raining down from the ceiling, and for a moment, I'm sure that we're going to be buried alive in this nightmarish dungeon.

"Varikka," I gasp, my voice barely audible over the din. "We need to move. Now."

I reach down, grabbing her by the arm and heaving with all my strength. She cries out in pain as I lift her, but there's no time to be gentle - we have to get out of here, and fast. The water is rising rapidly now, the sound of it crashing against the rocks almost deafening, and I can feel the cold, slimy water lapping at my boots as I drag Varikka towards the ledge.

"Hold on," I pant, my words coming out in short, labored breaths. "Just a little further."

But even as I speak, I can see the look of pain and fear in Varikka's eyes, the way her face is contorted with agony as she clings to me, her fingers digging into my skin. And I know that we're not going to make it out of here alive if we don't do something fast.

Gods' teeth, my ankle! Merrin, grab under my arms, I can push off the ground!