Round 804

The stone around them vibrated with a low rumble that seemed to come from everywhere at once. Merrin felt it through her palms pressed against the cold floor, a vibration that made her teeth ache and set her nerves on edge. She could feel Varikka's weight shift above her, the other woman's breathing coming in ragged gasps that spoke of exhaustion and fear.

"How much further?" Varikka's voice was barely audible over the growing roar of water somewhere nearby. "Because I don't think I can keep this up much longer." Merrin adjusted her grip on Varikka's legs, trying to find a position that didn't make her arms scream in protest. The fireman's carry had seemed like such a good idea when they'd first stumbled into this mess—now? it felt like she was hauling a boulder.

"Just... just around the next corner," Merrin lied through gritted teeth. She had no idea if they were even close to an exit—her map was useless in this section—but she needed Varikka to keep moving. The water was already ankle-deep and rising fast. They stumbled forward, Merrin's legs burning with effort as she half-dragged, half-carried her friend through the waist-high water that now filled the corridor.

The sound of rushing water grew louder as they moved deeper into the chamber. Merrin could feel the vibration intensifying, the stone groaning around them as if the very structure was about to give way. She tried to ignore the panic rising in her chest, focusing instead on the weight distribution of Varikka's body across her shoulders.

"Stay still for a moment," she gasped, lowering Varikka carefully to the ground. The other woman winced as her injured ankle touched down, but didn't protest. Merrin scanned the room quickly, her rogue's eyes searching for any sign of escape or danger. The chamber was circular, with several corridors branching off into darkness. Water poured in from each direction, filling the room at an alarming rate.

"Shit," Merrin muttered, her gaze fixed on a particularly large stream of water gushing from a crack in the wall. "We need to move again." She helped Varikka up, supporting her weight as they waded through the rising water towards what looked like the driest corner of the room.

The Guardian's pursuit was a constant threat in the back of Merrin's mind—she knew they couldn't afford to rest for long. But with Varikka barely able to walk and the entire chamber flooding, their options were limited. She gritted her teeth against the pain in her own body, determined to keep them both alive.

"We'll find a way out," she said, more to herself than to Varikka. "We always do."