Round 935

The water was relentless, lapping higher with every groan of the ancient stone around them. Merrin's teeth were chattering from more than just the cold - the noxious gas earlier had left her head spinning, each wave making her dizzy and nauseous. She'd nearly drowned once already in this cursed tower, and now here she was, chest-deep in freezing water with Varikka's full weight pressing down on her shoulders.

"You alright?" Merrin asked, though she knew the answer already. Varrika's face was pale, her breathing ragged. The dwarf blinked sweat out of her eyes and tried to focus on Merrin's face. "Bitch hurt like a motherfucker," she admitted through gritted teeth. "Can't put weight on it." She attempted to demonstrate this fact by trying to shift again, only for another howl of pain to escape her lips as the ankle screamed protest. Her good leg gave out completely and Merrin ended up taking even more of her weight, pinned beneath the dwarf's solid frame.

"Shit," Merrin hissed, muscles straining as she tried to hold them both up without letting Varrika fall onto her injured ankle again. The water was rising faster now, each tremor sending fresh waves lapping over their legs. She could feel every jolt of pain radiating through Varrika's body, the dwarf's grip on her shoulder tightening reflexively with each wave of agony. They needed to move - fast - but with Varikka unable to put weight on one leg and Merrin exhausted from nearly drowning earlier, their options were limited.

"Okay," she said, voice tight with effort. "We need to get you up off this ankle." She shifted her grip, trying to find a position that would take pressure off the injured joint while still supporting Varrika's weight. The dwarf hissed in pain as Merrin's arm slid beneath her thigh, but it was better than letting her foot touch down on the ruined ankle again. "Can you... grab something? Anything to pull yourself up with?" Merrin asked, scanning the slippery floor for potential handholds.

Varrika shook her head, face contorted in pain. "Can't let go," she gasped. "If I fall, I'm done." The water was already lapping at their waists now, cold and insistent. Merrin gritted her teeth, muscles burning with exertion as she tried to hold them both up against the rising tide. They were running out of time - fast.

"Fuck it," Varrika suddenly growled, determination flashing in her eyes despite the pain. "Help me up." She reached for a nearby wall section with her free hand, fingers scrabbling for purchase on the slick stone. Merrin adjusted her grip again, bracing herself as best she could against the rising water and Varrika's weight. The dwarf pushed hard, muscles straining, and managed to get one arm over Merrin's shoulders in a sort of half-embrace that at least distributed some of her weight more evenly.

"Better," Varikka gasped, though her face was still pale with pain. "Now what?" The water was up to their chests now, cold and relentless. Merrin could feel every jolt of the collapsing chamber through the soles of her boots, the structure groaning around them like a dying beast. They needed to move - fast - but with Varikka barely able to walk and Merrin exhausted from nearly drowning earlier, their options were limited.

"We need to get higher," Merrin said, voice tight with urgency as she scanned the chamber for any kind of exit or handhold. "There's gotta be something we can climb." Her eyes landed on a section of wall that looked slightly less smooth than the rest, with a few promising-looking cracks running through it. It was a good six feet above the waterline - if they could reach it.

"Can you... grab onto me?" Merrin asked, already starting to shift her weight towards the wall. "I'll try to boost you up." Varrika nodded, face set in a grimace of pain and determination. She wrapped her good arm tightly around Merrin's shoulders, using her free hand to grip the halfling's belt for extra support. Merrin braced herself against the wall, feet finding what little purchase they could on the slick stone surface.

"On three," she said, counting off as she started to lift. Varrika grunted with effort, using every muscle in her good leg to launch herself upward. Merrin strained, muscles screaming as she tried to boost the dwarf's heavy frame high enough for her to grab onto the ledge above. For a heart-stopping moment they hung there in balance, water lapping at their chests and gravity trying to pull them back down. Then Varrika's fingers closed around the stone edge and she was scrambling up and over, collapsing onto solid ground with a gasp of relief.

Merrin barely had time to catch her breath before the dwarf was leaning back over the edge, reaching down for her. "Come on!" Varikka shouted over the roar of rushing water and groaning stone. Merrin nodded, planting her feet against the wall as she prepared to jump. The water was already up to her neck now, cold and insistent, threatening to pull her under at any moment. She took a deep breath, then pushed off with everything she had left.

Her hands found purchase on the ledge above just as the water closed over her head completely. She scrambled upward with desperate speed, fingers scrabbling for purchase as the current tried to drag her back down into the freezing depths. For one terrifying moment she thought she might not make it - then Varrika's strong grip closed around her wrist and yanked her up onto solid ground with a final burst of strength.

They collapsed together in a heap, gasping for air and shaking with adrenaline. The water below lapped hungrily at the edge of their makeshift platform, but they were safe from its grasp for now. Merrin rolled onto her back, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Varrika lay beside her, equally winded, one hand still clamped over her injured ankle.

"Fuck," the dwarf panted after a moment, wiping water out of her eyes with her free hand. "That was close." Merrin could only nod in agreement, too exhausted to form words. They lay there for a few seconds longer, catching their breath and letting the adrenaline fade. Then Varrika grimaced as she tried to move her ankle again, fresh pain flashing across her face.

"Yeah," Merrin finally managed, propping herself up on one elbow to examine the injury. "That's not good." The ankle was already starting to swell, skin stretching taut over the damaged joint. She could see the bone pressing against the skin in a way that made her stomach turn. Varrika hissed through her teeth as Merrin probed gently with two fingers.

"I heard it crack," the dwarf admitted, face pale despite the heat of their exertion. "Fucking bastard thing." Merrin nodded sympathetically, knowing there was little she could do beyond making sure Varikka kept off it and stayed elevated. The dwarf's injury would slow them down significantly - but at least they'd avoided drowning in that hellish chamber below.

"Alright," she said after a moment, forcing herself to her feet despite the lingering exhaustion. "Let's find a way out of here before something else tries to kill us." She offered Varrika a hand up, helping the dwarf to a standing position with her good arm slung around Merrin's shoulders for support. Together they limped away from the edge of the water, leaving behind the groaning stone and rising tide in search of solid ground and hopefully a way back to the surface.

The journey ahead would be difficult with Varikka injured, but at least they were alive. For now.