Round 861

The water closed over their heads, a torrent of icy liquid that stole their breath and chilled them to the bone. Merrin gasped as she surfaced, her arms instinctively tightening around Varikka's waist in an attempt to keep them both afloat. The dwarf woman struggled beside her, her injured ankle making every movement a test of endurance.

"Varikka!" Merrin shouted, her voice barely carrying over the rushing water. "Don't let go!"

The current pulled insistently at them, threatening to tear the two women apart. Merrin kicked desperately with her legs, trying to maintain some control over their descent. The stone walls vibrated ominously around them, the Guardian's relentless pursuit evident in every echoing roar.

"We have to keep swimming!" Varrika gasped between breaths, her free hand paddling frantically against the powerful current. "I've got you!"

Merrin nodded, her teeth gritted against the cold and the exertion. She could feel Varikka's weight pulling her down, but she refused to let go. The two women struggled against the rushing water, their bodies being tossed about like leaves in a storm.

The river's surface glowed with an ominous blue light, and they could feel the stone walls vibrating from the Guardian's relentless pursuit behind them. Elric stood on the bank above, torch held high, his expression grim.

"Swim for that opening!" he shouted, pointing to a dark gap in the tunnel wall ahead. "It leads to higher ground!"

Merrin redoubled her efforts, her muscles burning with fatigue. She knew they had to reach solid footing before their strength gave out entirely. The current pulled them toward the opening, and with a final desperate lunge, Merrin managed to drag them both onto the rocky shore beyond.

They collapsed in a heap, gasping for air and shivering from the cold. But as they lay there, panting and exhausted, the sound of the Guardian's roar grew even louder. The stone door at the end of the previous passage had begun to crack under its relentless assault.

"We need to move," Merrin said through chattering teeth, forcing herself back to her feet. "Now."