Round 831

The ancient stonework groaned around them, water rushing past their legs as the current grew stronger. Merrin clung to the rocking hull of the boat, her eyes straining in the darkness for any sign of Varikka or Elric. "Everyone alright?" Her voice cracked with barely concealed panic. The sound seemed to echo back at them, amplified by the stone chamber walls. A fresh growl answered from somewhere deeper within the collapsing tunnels—closer now than before.

She could feel the boat beginning to list dangerously, water sloshing over the sides as they were carried downstream faster and faster. Her fingers tightened on the rough wood planks, knuckles turning white with effort. The last thing she needed was to be dumped into this freezing channel after nearly drowning earlier. Varikka's pained grunt cut through the rushing water. "My ankle!" The warrior's voice came from nearby, though it was hard to tell distances in the darkness. "It won't hold weight!"

Merrin's stomach dropped. Without Varikka mobile and fighting fit, they were in serious trouble—especially with whatever The Guardian was hunting them through these tunnels. She shifted her grip, trying to redistribute their combined weight more evenly across the boat's hull. The wood creaked ominously beneath them. "Stay still!" she called back, voice strained. "I'm coming to you!"

She began to crawl along the rocking surface, fingers finding purchase in rough grain and gaps between planks. Every movement sent the boat tilting dangerously, water sloshing over her hands and knees. The cold seeped into her bones, chilling her already soaked leathers further. She needed to find Varikka before they were swept around another bend or slammed against some unseen obstacle in this darkness.

The sound of Elric coughing nearby gave her a direction to focus on. At least they were all still together—for now. But with The Guardian's growls echoing ever closer and the water rising fast, their time was running out. She had to think quickly—some way to stabilize Varikka, some way to navigate this treacherous channel, some way to survive whatever lay ahead in these cursed depths.