Round 830

Merrin’s eyes darted between Varikka’s injured ankle and the flickering torchlight of Elric’s face. The sound of rushing water filled her ears as she treaded carefully, the current tugging insistently at her legs. She knew they were running out of time—The Guardian’s growls echoed through the chamber with increasing frequency, growing louder and closer with each passing moment.

Varrika balanced precariously on one foot, her face contorted in pain as she tried to maintain her balance. The warrior's ankle was swollen to twice its normal size, clearly beyond sprained and heading into broken territory. Merrin felt a jolt of fear—without Varikka’s strength, they were in serious trouble.

"Everyone alright?" Merrin called out, her voice echoing off the stone walls. She immediately regretted the question as it seemed to make The Guardian’s growls intensify in response. The water was rising fast now, lapping at their waists and threatening to submerge them completely if they didn’t find a way out soon.

Varikka grimaced, her teeth gritted against the pain shooting up her leg with each movement. "I'll manage," she replied through clenched jaws, using her good foot to push off from the wall and start making her way towards the boat. Each step was agony, but she knew they couldn’t afford to waste time.

Elric watched nervously from his position near the boat, torch held high to provide what meager light he could manage in the gloomy chamber. He wasn’t much use in a fight—his skills lay more in research and less in combat—but he understood that every second counted right now.

Merrin felt the current growing stronger as she fought to stay afloat, her arms beginning to tire from the constant effort of treading water. She knew they needed to get out of this rising pool fast or risk being trapped underwater with no escape route. The thought sent a fresh wave of panic through her.

As Varikka approached the boat, Merrin called out, "Elric, give her a hand if she needs it!" Her voice was strained with concern as she watched her friend struggle against the pain and rising water levels.

The dwarf warrior ignored the offer of help initially, determined to make it on her own. But as she reached for the side of the boat and felt her ankle scream in protest, she had no choice but to accept Elric’s outstretched hand. Together, they managed to haul her into the small craft just as another wave of water washed over Merrin’s head.

She surfaced again, gasping for air and fighting against the current that threatened to pull her further away from Varikka and Elric. The boat was their only hope now—if they could somehow navigate it across this chasm and find higher ground before The Guardian caught up with them.

But first, Merrin needed to reach the shore herself. She began swimming with renewed determination, her arms and legs burning with exhaustion but fueled by adrenaline and sheer will to survive. The water was cold, biting into her skin as she moved through it, but she pushed those thoughts aside, focusing solely on reaching solid ground.

Behind her, The Guardian’s roars echoed even louder now, closer than before. It seemed the creature had found a way through the collapsed tunnels and was gaining on them fast. Merrin redoubled her efforts, knowing that every stroke counted in this desperate race against time and rising water levels.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of fighting against the current, Merrin’s hands touched solid stone. She hauled herself up onto the narrow ledge beside Varikka and Elric, collapsing onto the ground in a fit of coughs and gasps for air.

The three of them lay there for a moment, catching their breath and processing their near escape from drowning. But they knew this reprieve wouldn’t last long—the sound of The Guardian’s pursuit grew ever closer with each passing second.

Merrin pushed herself up onto her elbows, water streaming from her clothes as she surveyed their surroundings. The chamber stretched out before them, vast and shadowed, the blue glow of luminescent algae casting everything in an eerie light. She could see now that the room was circular, with multiple exits leading off into darkness.

"We need to move," Merrin said urgently, her voice hoarse from exertion and cold. "Which way do we go?"