Round 615

The air grew thick with dust and the scent of stone on the verge of collapse. Varrika's injured ankle screamed with each movement as she crawled forward through the narrow opening Merrin had pointed out. The corridor ahead was a suffocating darkness, barely illuminated by the flickering light of their remaining torches.

Merrin moved in front, her small frame more suited to navigating the tight space than Varikka's broader dwarf build. Her eyes darted around constantly, searching for any sign of movement or danger in the shadows that pressed close on either side. "Stay close," she whispered over her shoulder, her voice barely audible above the constant rumble of shifting debris.

Varrika nodded, though Merrin couldn't see it in the gloom. She kept her mace clutched tightly in one hand, the other gripping the rough stone floor to maintain balance as she moved forward on her knees and injured ankle. The pain was a sharp, insistent throb that threatened to overwhelm her focus, but she gritted her teeth and pushed onward.

The passage seemed to descend gradually, each stone under their hands and knees slick with moisture. Water dripped somewhere nearby, adding to the symphony of creaks and groans that filled the air. Varikka's mind raced with questions - where was this leading them? What new horrors awaited in the depths of this cursed tower?

But there was no time for contemplation. The Guardian's voice had made it clear that their lives depended on swift movement, and every second spent hesitating brought the crushing weight of the collapsing structure closer. So Varikka forced her body to move, inch by agonizing inch, deeper into the unknown darkness.

Merrin glanced back again, her expression a mix of concern and determination visible even in the flickering torchlight. "We're almost through this section," she whispered. "Then we can find somewhere to rest and figure out our next move."

Varrika managed a small nod, her breath coming in short pants from the effort of moving with her injured ankle. She wasn't sure if she could go much further like this, but the alternative - being trapped beneath tons of collapsing stone - was unthinkable.

So she pushed on, driven by fear and desperation, into whatever awaited them in the depths of Elric's tower.