Round 576

Merrin's eyes widen in alarm as the ground beneath them begins to shake violently, sending a fresh wave of agony through Varrika's sprained ankle. The ancient stone pedestals around them start to sway dangerously, and cracks appear in the ceiling high above. "Varikka!" she cries out, instinctively reaching for her friend even as she tries to maintain her own balance on the shifting ground. The Guardian seizes the moment, its form seeming to grow more substantial as it glides forward with unnatural grace. Merrin raises the Time-Splitting Sword defensively, its magical glow casting eerie shadows across the crumbling chamber. "Stay back!" she shouts, her voice barely audible over the groaning of stressed stone.

Varikka grits her teeth against the pain, using her mace like a staff to keep herself upright as the floor bucks and heaves. She can feel the vibrations through the metal haft, growing stronger by the second. "Merrin, we need to move!" she calls back, her scarred face set in a grim expression. "This whole place is coming down!" She takes a tentative step forward, immediately regretting it as fresh agony shoots up her leg. But there's no time to hesitate—the Guardian is almost upon them, and the ceiling above is showering dust and small stones down like deadly rain.

Merrin knows Varikka is right, but with her friend barely able to walk, their options are limited. The chamber is filling with swirling dust, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. "There!" she points to a narrow passage in the far wall that seems slightly less unstable than the rest of the room. "We can squeeze through there if we're careful!" She starts moving towards it, one hand outstretched to guide Varrika while keeping the sword raised with the other.

Varrika nods grimly and begins to shuffle after her friend, each step a fresh torment. The Guardian follows, its movements fluid and purposeful despite the crumbling floor. "Keep going," she mutters through clenched teeth, more to herself than Merrin. "Just keep moving..." The ground beneath them groans ominously, and a section of ceiling near the entrance collapses with a thunderous roar, sealing their only escape route. Merrin's heart sinks as she realizes they're trapped—trapped with a powerful enemy and a collapsing tomb.