Round 934

The chamber groaned around them, ancient stone complaining under impossible strain. Merrin caught Varikka as she stumbled, the dwarf's full weight crashing against her smaller frame. The impact drove the breath from Merrin's lungs, but she locked her knees and took the hit, muscles screaming in protest.

Varikka's ankle gave a sharp crack when it buckled, and the woman cried out, teeth gritted against the pain. "Fuck," she hissed, voice tight with agony. She tried to shift her weight off Merrin but the movement only made her howl and grab for support. Her good leg buckled and they both went down hard, ending up in a tangled heap on the slick floor.

Merrin found herself half underneath Varikka, one arm wrapped around the dwarf's thick waist while the other braced against the ground. The cold water lapped at her chest now, rising with each tremor that shook the chamber. She could feel every jolt of pain shooting up from Varikka's ankle as the woman fought to breathe through it.

"You alright?" Merrin asked, though she knew the answer already. Varikka's face was pale, her breathing ragged from pain and exertion. "I can't," she ground out through clenched teeth. "The floor feels like it's going to give way any second."

Merrin scanned the room desperately, searching for any solid ground they could move to. The oily patterns on the floor seemed to shift and swirl with each tremor, forming momentary shapes before collapsing back into chaos. She tried to push herself up but Varikka's weight was too much, her own arms shaking with the strain.

The rumble grew louder behind them, and Merrin risked a glance over her shoulder. The Guardian was closer now, its massive form filling the doorway as it bore down on them. There was nowhere left to run.