Round 926

The Time-Splitting Sword hummed in Varikka's hands, its arcane energies visible as waves of light that rippled along the blade. She had managed to keep her footing on the slick stones, but every movement felt precarious. The sword's weight was familiar now, but the exhaustion pulling at her muscles made it feel heavier than usual.

Across the chamber, Merrin was trapped against the wall, water already rising past her knees. Her injured ankle kept her from moving safely, and Varikka could see the frustration in her friend's expression even from this distance. "Merrin," she called out, trying to keep her voice steady despite the pounding headache that hadn't left her since the noxious gas exposure. "Hold on. I'm thinking."

The Time-Splitting Sword hummed with power, its fractured moments shifting and merging in Varikka's grasp. She knew she had to act quickly - every second counted when dealing with this unstable artifact. But what could she do? The water was rising fast, and Merrin's ankle injury made it nearly impossible for her to navigate the treacherous terrain.

Varrika glanced around the chamber, looking for anything that might help. Her eyes landed on a large stone block near the edge of the pit. It looked precariously balanced, but if she could move it just right...

"Merrin," Varikka said, her voice carrying across the water-filled space. "I'm going to try something. Don't move." She took a deep breath and approached the stone block, careful to keep her distance from the pit's edge. The sword's energies pulsed in her hands as she focused on creating a moment of stability.

With a grunt of effort, Varrika used the Time-Splitting Sword to carefully adjust the stone block's position. She felt the world shift around her as time fractured and reformed, but managed to maintain control just long enough for the stone to slide into place. It bridged the gap between Merrin's position and the far wall, creating a narrow path for her friend to escape the rising water.

"Okay," Varrika called out, stepping back from the precariously balanced stone. "There's a way out now. You need to move quickly though - I'm not sure how long this will hold." She watched anxiously as Merrin began to inch her way across the makeshift bridge, her injured ankle making each step painful but necessary.

As Merrin made her way across the stone block, Varrika felt the sword's energies beginning to destabilize. The fractured moments were becoming harder to control, and she knew she needed to release the artifact before it caused more damage. With a final surge of concentration, she managed to carefully set the Time-Splitting Sword down on a nearby ledge, away from the pit's edge.

The moment the sword left her hands, Varrika felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had managed to save Merrin, but now they both needed to find a way out of this collapsing chamber before it was too late. The water continued to rise, lapping at the edges of the stone block that served as their escape route.

Varrika scrambled up to join Merrin on higher ground, her own exhaustion making each movement a struggle. Once they were both safely away from the pit, she collapsed against the wall, panting heavily. "We need to find another way out," she gasped between breaths. "And fast."

Merrin nodded, her face pale with pain and exertion. "I saw something earlier - another passage that might lead us back to solid ground." She gestured towards a dark opening in the far wall. "But we'll have to move quickly. The whole place feels like it's about to come down around our ears."

Together, they made their way towards the new passage, the sound of rushing water and groaning stone filling the air behind them.