Round 878

The ground beneath them shudders again, a fresh crack echoing through the tunnel. Dust swirls into the air, momentarily blinding them before settling. When their vision clears, Merrin sees the fast-moving river below has changed course—now flowing directly toward them, its edge mere feet away from where they stand huddled on the narrow ledge.

"Elric! Varikka!" she shouts over the roar of the current, her voice tight with urgency. She grabs Varrika's arm, steadying the dwarf woman as she wavers on her injured ankle. The fighter slumps against her for support, face pale and drawn from both pain and exhaustion.

"I see a narrow path along the wall," Elric calls out, pointing to a precarious ledge just above the rushing water. "But it's barely wide enough for one person."

Varrika snatches the torch from him, her grip tight despite her trembling hands. The flickering light reveals the treacherous terrain ahead—loose rocks, crumbling edges, and the constant threat of the surging river below.

"We need to keep moving or we'll be swept away," Merrin says grimly, helping Varrika shift her weight onto Elric's shoulder for support. "Can you manage that ledge?"

The dwarf grits her teeth, testing her injured ankle with a tentative step. Pain flashes across her face, but she nods stubbornly. "I can walk. Just... slowly."