Round 901

A desperate situation. The water is rising fast and the sound of the guardian is getting closer with every passing moment. Merrin manages to squeeze through a narrow opening in the tunnel wall, her injured ankle screaming in protest as she swims towards the sound of Varikka's voice. She finds herself in a small chamber filled with rushing water, the roar of the guardian echoing off the walls and making it difficult for her to pinpoint its exact location. As she calls back to Varikka, she can hear the desperation in her friend's voice as she tries to climb over unstable rubble.

The sound of the guardian is getting closer now, its roar filling the chamber with a menacing growl that sends shivers down Merrin's spine. She knows they need to move quickly if they want to have any chance of escaping this place alive. The water is already up to her waist and rising fast, and she can feel the current tugging at her legs as it rushes past.

With a determined set to her jaw, Merrin begins to make her way towards the sound of Varikka's voice, using every ounce of her rogue skills to navigate through the treacherous terrain. The water is cold and unforgiving, but she pushes on, driven by the need to find her friend and get them both out of this hellhole.

As she reaches the ledge where Varikka is trapped, Merrin can see that her friend is struggling to move a large slab of stone that has fallen across the tunnel. The water is already flowing over it in places, and it's clear that if they don't find a way to move it soon, they'll both be swept away by the current.

"What do you need me to do?" Merrin asks, her voice barely audible over the roar of the rushing water.

Varikka looks up at her friend with relief and desperation in her eyes. "I need you to help me push this slab aside," she says, gesturing towards the heavy stone block. "But we have to be careful - it's already unstable, and if we move it wrong, we could cause a cave-in."

Merrin nods, understanding the gravity of their situation. She positions herself next to Varikka, ready to lend her strength to the effort. Together, they begin to push against the heavy stone slab, using every ounce of their combined strength to try and shift it aside.

The water is already up to their chests now, and Merrin can feel the current tugging at them with increasing force as they struggle against the weight of the stone. But she pushes on, driven by the knowledge that if they don't succeed, they'll both be swept away by the rushing torrent.

With a final heave, they manage to shift the slab just enough for Varikka to squeeze through the gap. She scrambles over it with surprising agility given her injured ankle, and Merrin follows close behind, using every ounce of her rogue skills to navigate through the narrow opening without losing her footing.

As they emerge on the other side of the rubble, Merrin can see that they're in a larger chamber now, with multiple tunnels branching off in different directions. The sound of rushing water is even louder here, and she can feel the vibration of it reverberating through the stone beneath their feet.

But for now, at least, they've managed to escape the immediate danger of being swept away by the current. They're still trapped deep within this treacherous dungeon, with no idea where The Guardian is or how they'll find their way out... but they're alive, and that's more than Merrin could have hoped for just moments ago.

As she catches her breath, leaning against a nearby wall for support, Merrin can't help but feel a surge of gratitude towards Varikka. Her friend may be injured and struggling with every step, but without her strength and determination, Merrin knows they wouldn't have made it this far.

"We need to find higher ground," Varikka says, her voice barely audible over the roar of the rushing water. "The water's still rising, and if we don't get out of here soon, we'll be trapped."