Round 569

The chamber groans around them, dust and stone raining down as the ancient shelves begin their slow collapse. Merrin's wiry frame trembles with the effort of supporting Varikka's weight, her dark eyes wide with panic. The dwarf warrior's face contorts in agony, every shift sending fresh pain shooting up her sprained ankle.

"You have 5 minutes before the chamber collapses," the Guardian's voice echoes coldly through the dust-filled air. Merrin frantically scans their surroundings, spots a heavy metal beam—it might work, but reaching it means letting go of her friend.

"Varikka, can you bear any weight?" she asks urgently, already knowing the answer. She adjusts her grip, trying to take more of Varrika's weight without losing her own balance on the slick stone floor. The air thickens with dust and decay, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead.

"We need to get out now," Merrin says desperately. "Var...

Varikka winces as she tries to put weight on her ankle, but the pain is too much to bear. She looks around frantically for anything that could serve as a crutch or splint.

"We need to get out now!" Varrika urges, her voice laced with desperation. "Merrin, help me!" As the chamber begins its final collapse around them, the dwarf warrior knows they're out of time—time she might have wasted by not preventing her own capture.

The ancient shelves above them begin their slow, inexorable collapse, dust and stone raining down. Merrin's wiry halfling frame trembles with the effort of supporting Varrika's weight, her dark eyes wide with barely contained panic. The dwarf warrior's face contorts in agony, every shift sending fresh pain shooting up her sprained ankle.

"You have 5 minutes before the chamber collapses," the Guardian's voice echoes through the dust-filled air, cold and unyielding. Merrin frantically scans their surroundings, spots a heavy metal beam—it might work, but reaching it means letting go of her friend.

"Varikka, can you bear any weight?" she asks urgently, already knowing the answer. She adjusts her grip, trying to take more of Varrika's weight without losing her own precarious balance on the slick stone floor. The air thickens with dust and decay, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead.