Round 920 Transcript

As the dust settles, Merrin and Varikka stumble out from under the rubble, gasping for breath. The Time-Splitting Sword is still clutched in Merrin's hand, its blade humming with an otherworldly energy. The chamber is now a sea of debris, with falling rocks and dust threatening to bury them at any moment. Varikka's eyes are wide with pain as she assesses her injured ankle. "I can barely stand," she says, wincing with every movement. "We need to find shelter, and fast."

Merrin glances around frantically, scanning the chamber for any sign of an exit or a place to hide. The Guardian is nowhere to be seen, but the sound of its roars echoes through the tunnel, growing fainter as they stumble forward. Suddenly, a loud creaking noise announces the collapse of another section of the tunnel wall, sending a shower of rocks and dust towards them. Merrin grabs Varikka's arm, pulling her towards a nearby alcove. "In here!" she shouts above the din of the collapsing tunnel. "We'll wait it out!"

"Varikka, can you make it into this alcove?" I ask urgently, my eyes darting between the crumbling tunnel walls and my injured companion. I reach out to help steady her, feeling the strain in both our bodies after everything we've been through. The Time-Splitting Sword feels heavy in my grip, its power pulsing like a heartbeat against my palm. Part of me wants to charge forward, to find the Guardian and end this once and for all. But another part, the part that's seen too many friends die already, knows we need to prioritize survival right now. "Once we're in cover, I'll check your ankle again," I say, my voice strained as I help Varikka limp towards the alcove. "We can't keep pushing through like this - we'll be dead before we even find that damn sword."

I glance back at the rubble-strewn chamber, my heart sinking at how much ground we've lost. The Guardian could be anywhere in this labyrinth now, waiting to ambush us when we least expect it. But with Varikka's injury and the tower threatening to collapse on top of us at any moment, our options are running out fast. "Just hold on," I mutter under my breath as we finally reach the alcove's relative safety. "We'll find a way through this. We always do."

But even as I say the words, doubt gnaws at my insides. How much longer can we keep going like this? How many more friends can we afford to lose? The questions swirl in my mind as I help Varikka sit down and begin assessing her injuries. The Time-Splitting Sword rests by my side, its blade still pulsing with that strange, otherworldly energy. Part of me wonders if it's even worth the risk anymore - if the cost of wielding such power is too high for any of us to pay. But then I remember the faces of those we've already lost, and I know that we have no choice. We have to keep going. We have to find a way to survive this. Even if it means sacrificing everything else.

I limp towards the alcove, my ankle throbbing with every step. The Guardian's roars still echo through the chamber, but they're growing fainter now, swallowed by the sound of crumbling stone and falling rubble.