Round 868

The current seized Varikka, pulling her away from the shore with terrifying speed. Merrin watched in horror as her friend was swept towards the rushing water, her heart pounding in her chest. She could see the fear and desperation in Varikka's eyes as she struggled against the powerful flow, knowing that she had to act fast.

"Varikka, grab onto something!" Merrin yelled, her voice barely audible over the roar of the water. "Don't let go!" She turned to Elric, her eyes wide with urgency. "Elric, throw her a rope! Quick!"

As she watched him fumble for his pack, Merrin knew that they didn't have much time. The Guardian's roars continued to shake the very foundations of the ancient labyrinth, and she could feel the vibrations in the wall against her back. She knew that they had bought themselves only a few precious moments of respite, and that they needed to find a way out of this chamber quickly.

With a grunt of effort, Merrin pushed herself away from the wall and stumbled towards the shore, her legs shaking from exhaustion. She could feel the cold water lapping at her feet as she reached out to grab onto Varikka's outstretched hand, pulling with all her might to try and drag her friend back to safety.

The current was strong, but Merrin refused to let go. She gritted her teeth against the strain, her muscles burning with effort as she fought against the powerful flow. Finally, with a great heave, she managed to pull Varikka back onto solid ground, both of them collapsing in a heap on the shore.

Merrin lay there for a moment, gasping for breath and trying to ignore the persistent headache from her noxious gas exposure. She knew that they needed to keep moving, but she also knew that Varikka was injured and exhausted. They would need to rest for a few moments at least, and hope that The Guardian didn't manage to break through the stone door before they could find their next move.

As Elric finally managed to throw a rope towards them, Merrin felt a small sense of relief wash over her. At least now they had a way to secure themselves if the current tried to sweep them away again. But she knew that this was far from over, and that they still had a long and dangerous journey ahead of them if they wanted to escape this cursed labyrinth with their lives intact.