Round 794

The waters rose with terrifying speed, their icy fingers clawing at Merrin's legs as she fought to keep them both above the surface. Varrika was heavy in her arms, the dwarf woman's armor and muscle weighing her down like iron chains. Every movement sent jolts of pain through Merrin's shoulders, but she gritted her teeth and held fast.

"Varrika!" Her voice cut through the roar of rushing water, a desperate cry that seemed to echo off the crumbling walls. She surged forward, grabbing her friend by the arm and hauling her up into a fireman's carry with a grunt of effort.

The dwarf woman was heavier than she looked, her armor and muscle weighing her down, but Merrin gritted her teeth and held fast. "Hold on!" she shouted, her words barely audible over the water's fury. She fought against the current, every step a battle as they made their way toward the partial collapse point.

The creature was still coming, its glowing orbs fixed on them like malevolent stars in the darkness. Varrika's injured ankle throbbed with each movement, but she clamped down on the pain, refusing to be a liability. She could feel the Time-Splitting Sword digging into Merrin's back as they moved through the rising waters.

They were running out of time. The water was already waist-deep in places, and the current grew stronger with every passing moment. If they didn't find solid ground soon, both of them would be swept away down the tunnel, straight into whatever lay beyond the collapse point.

Merrin's arms burned with exertion as she struggled against the rushing flood. She could feel Varrika's weight pulling her down, threatening to drag them both under. The current was relentless, a living thing that seemed determined to claim them as its own.

But Merrin wasn't about to give up. Not while there was still breath in her lungs and strength in her arms. She gritted her teeth and pressed on, fighting against the water's fury with every ounce of her being.

They had come too far to let themselves drown in some forgotten tunnel beneath an ancient tower. The Time-Splitting Sword was theirs now, its power a tangible thing against her back. And Varrika needed her—injured, struggling, but still fighting alongside her.

So Merrin kept moving, one agonizing step at a time, as the water rose higher and the creature's glowing eyes drew ever closer.