Round 872

The chamber opened like a maw, ceiling lost in shadow above the churning water below. Varrika’s ankle screamed with each step on the slick stone floor, her weight shifting precariously. Then the ground gave way, and they were falling, tumbling into the embrace of a fast-moving underground river that seized them like a predator.

“Ic—” Merrin’s cry was cut short by the impact as the freezing water swallowed them whole. The current was a living thing, powerful and merciless, dragging them downstream with terrifying speed. Varrika fought to keep her head above water, her injured ankle a dead weight pulling her under.

“Merrin!” she managed to shout, water cascading over her face. “Shore! We need—” Her words were lost in the roar of rushing water as they were swept around another bend.

Elric’s torch flickered desperately in the darkness behind them, his face a mask of concentration as he fought to keep up. The Guardian’s roar echoed through the cavern, closer now somehow, ominous and hungry.

Merrin struggled to stay afloat, her rogue instincts screaming at her to find purchase on something, anything. But the walls were smooth stone, the current too strong, Varikka’s weight pulling her down. She managed to grab a handful of the dwarf woman’s cloak, hauling her closer.

“Stay with me!” Merrin shouted, though she wasn’t sure if Varrika could even hear over the roar of water. “We’ll find—” Another bend in the tunnel sent them spinning, and Merrin’s words dissolved into a gurgle as they were pulled under for a moment before breaking surface again.

The river was growing faster, more treacherous. And somewhere behind them, The Guardian was gaining ground, its roar a constant reminder of the danger that pursued.