Round 607

The sound of rushing water grew louder with each passing moment, echoing through the ancient stone tunnels that now served as their prison. Merrin and Varrika exchanged a nervous glance, both women acutely aware of how precarious their situation had become. The ground beneath them trembled ominously, sending small stones cascading down from overhead. "Fuck," Varikka hissed through clenched teeth, her good hand gripping Merrin's shoulder for support as she struggled to keep weight off her badly sprained ankle.

Merrin wrapped an arm around the dwarf woman's waist, steadying her as they moved forward with agonizing slowness. The air grew thick and acrid, filled with dust and something else—noxious gas leaking from somewhere nearby? Me...

Suddenly, a section of the tunnel wall collapsed behind them, sending rubble tumbling down the narrow passage. "Move!" Merrin shouted, half-dragging Varrika forward as they scrambled to escape the falling debris. They managed to reach a small alcove just as the full force of the collapse hit, the sound of grinding stone and shifting earth filling their ears.

As the dust settled, Merrin helped Varikka ease onto the floor of the alcove, her friend's face contorted in pain. "How bad is it?" she asked, already knowing the answer from the way Varrika was favoring her injured ankle. "I mean, besides the obvious 'fucking awful' part."