Round 921

Merrin helped Varikka sit down in the alcove, her small hands working quickly to assess the ankle injury. "We need to clean and dress that wound," she said, pulling out a strip of cloth from their shared supplies. "I'll try to stabilize it for now." As she worked on Varikka's ankle, the sound of falling rubble grew louder outside, and the air was thick with dust.

A shower of rocks and dust suddenly rained down mere feet away from them. Merrin reacted instantly, grabbing Varikka's arm and pulling her towards herself, shielding the larger woman's body with her own. "Stay down!" she yelled over the din, her heart pounding in her chest as adrenaline surged through her veins.

As the debris settled, Merrin risked a glance out of their makeshift shelter. The chamber was now a scene of utter devastation - piles of rubble where walls and ceilings had once stood, and the deep pit gaped like a dark maw at their feet. The Time-Splitting Sword lay partially buried beneath a mound of stone, its hilt still visible but precariously balanced.

"We need to get that sword before this whole place comes down," Merrin said, her voice tight with urgency. "But how the hell do we cross that pit without falling in?"