Round 687 Transcript

As Merrin frantically searches for a sturdy anchor point, the Guardian takes another step closer, its eyes fixed on her with an unnerving intensity. The ground shudders beneath her feet, and the jagged edge of rock begins to sway ominously. With each passing moment, the air grows thick with the noxious gas, making it harder for her to breathe. Suddenly, a chunk of debris crashes down from above, narrowly missing Merrin's head. She leaps back, her heart racing, as the Guardian's gaze flicks towards the falling rock. For an instant, its attention is diverted from Merrin, and she seizes the opportunity. "Varikka, now!" she calls out, her voice barely audible over the din of the collapsing bridge. The rope, still coiled in her hands, begins to unravel as she throws it down to Varikka, hoping against hope that it will reach her injured companion in time.

I feel my stomach drop as I hear Varikka's desperate cry from below. My hands are shaking as I try to tie off the rope to the precarious crack in the wall, my fingers fumbling with the knots in the dim light. "Hold on, Varikka!" I call out, my voice barely audible over the din of falling debris. "I'm going to get you out of there, just hold on!"

But as I work frantically to secure the rope, I feel a sudden rush of fear wash over me. The ground beneath my feet is shaking violently now, and the jagged edge of rock I'm clinging to is swaying dangerously. I glance up, my eyes widening in horror as I see a massive chunk of stone teetering on the brink above me, ready to come crashing down at any moment. "Shit, shit, shit," I mutter under my breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to decide what to do. The rope is secure now, but I have no idea if it will hold Varikka's weight, let alone mine. And with the Guardian closing in and the whole chamber threatening to come down around us, we don't have much time to make a decision. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts as I scan the ledge for any other options. But there's nothing - no other way down, no other way out. It's the rope or nothing at all. "Varikka!" I call out again, my voice strained with effort. "I'm going to throw the rope down to you! When I say 'now', grab it and start climbing as fast as you can!"

I take a step back from the ledge, the rope coiled tightly in my hands as I prepare to hurl it over the edge. My muscles tense, ready to release, as I wait for Varikka's signal.

Varrika: Merrin, I hear you! I can't see anything in this darkness but I feel the rope at my feet. My ankle is agony, I don't know if I can climb with it like this. But if we stay here, we're dead for sure. I'm going to try and grab hold of the rope and start climbing on the count of three. When you say 'now', I'll make a run for it. Just don't let go no matter what happens. And Merrin... thank you. For not leaving me behind. Let's get out of this hellhole together, yeah?