Round 688 Transcript

As Merrin throws the rope down to Varikka, it lands with a soft thud near her injured leg. Varikka grits her teeth, trying to muster the strength to grab hold of the rope. "One... two... three!" she calls up, her voice strained from pain and fear. With a Herculean effort, she hauls herself upwards, her good foot scraping against the rock face. She manages to grab onto the rope, wrapping her hands around it as tightly as she can. The rope creaks under her weight, but it holds firm. Varikka's eyes meet Merrin's, and for a moment, they just stare at each other, their faces set in determination. But their respite is short-lived, as the Guardian takes another step closer, its gaze fixed on Merrin with an unnerving intensity.

I feel my heart pounding in my chest as I watch Varikka struggle to climb up the rope, her injured ankle making each movement excruciating. The rope creaks and strains under her weight, and I can see the muscles in her arms bulging with effort. "Come on, Varikka!" I call out, trying to keep my voice steady. "You've got this!"

But as I watch her climb, I feel a sudden rush of fear wash over me. The Guardian is still there, its eyes fixed on me with an unnerving intensity. And with each passing second, the ground beneath our feet grows more and more unstable. Suddenly, a chunk of stone dislodges from the ceiling above us, crashing down onto the ledge mere inches from where Varikka's hands are gripping the rope. "Shit!" I yelp, my eyes widening in horror as I watch the rock tumble over the edge and into the darkness below. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts as I scan the chamber for any other options. But there's nothing - no other way down, no other way out. It's the rope or nothing at all. And with Varikka still struggling to climb up to safety, I know we don't have much time to make a decision. "Varikka!" I call out again, my voice strained with effort. "I'm going to try and pull you up! Just hold on tight, okay?" I wrap the rope around my waist, securing it as tightly as I can before gripping onto the ends with both hands. With a grunt of effort, I start hauling on the rope, trying to pull Varikka's weight up towards me. But as I tug on the rope, I feel it start to slip through my fingers, the rough fibers burning against my palms. I grit my teeth, digging my heels into the ground and pulling with all my might. But it's not enough - the rope continues to slip, and I can feel Varikka's weight growing heavier by the second. "Merrin!" Varikka cries out, her voice filled with panic. "It's not working! The rope... it's too weak!"

I know she's right, but what other choice do we have? If we stay here, we're dead for sure. 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 steady my nerves as I scan the ledge once more. But there's nothing - no other way down, no other way out. It's the rope or nothing at all. And so, with a silent prayer to whatever gods might be listening, I grip onto the ends of the rope and start hauling with all my might, my muscles burning with effort as I try to pull Varikka up to safety.

Varrika: Merrin! I can't get any higher, my ankle is too weak to support my weight. But you're in danger too, the whole ledge is about to collapse. We need to find another way out of this damned tower.