Round 786

Merrin yanked Varikka deeper into the tunnel, away from the terrifying battle behind them. The clash of steel and the creature's enraged howls echoed off the walls, growing more distant as they stumbled forward into the consuming darkness. Her friend's full weight pressed against her shoulder, the injured ankle dragging uselessly across the uneven floor. Merrin gritted her teeth, muscles burning with effort, but there was no stopping now.

"Keep moving!" she hissed through clenched jaws, half-dragging Varikka along the crumbling passage. The air grew thick with dust and the scent of ancient stone, every breath a reminder of their precarious situation. Her own ankle still ached from the fall, but fear drove her forward more powerfully than pain.

The darkness swallowed them whole, pressing in from all sides. Merrin's free hand found the wall, fingers tracing the rough stone as they moved deeper into the unknown depths. The sounds of battle faded to a distant rumble, replaced by their own labored breathing and the scrape of Varikka's boot against stone.

"Where are we going?" Varikka gasped, her voice tight with pain and exertion.

Merrin didn't have an answer beyond 'away from there.' But as they rounded another bend, a faint glow emanated from deeper in the tunnel. A new chamber? Or something worse? Either way, it was their best option right now. She steered them toward the light, heart pounding with both fear and grim determination.

The ground beneath them shifted again, a low rumble that sent fresh terror through Merrin's veins. They needed solid footing before the whole damn place came down on top of them. And they needed to find a way out—fast. Because The Guardian wouldn't stay distracted for long, and when it caught up...