Round 961

Varikka hissed through clenched teeth as her good foot dragged across the stone floor. The ankle that wasn't broken still felt like it was on fire, every step a fresh wave of agony that made her want to vomit. Merrin half-carried her around another corner, the wiry halfling woman's shoulder a solid anchor in this nightmare tunnel. "You sure this is the right way?" Varikka ground out, barely more than a whisper. Merrin just shook her head, not slowing down.

The passage opened up suddenly into a larger space, and both women stopped dead. The walls here were covered in symbols that pulsed with an eerie light, like hundreds of fireflies trapped in stone. In the center of the room stood a pedestal holding something that looked like a massive key made of solidified shadow. Merrin's hand tightened on her sword hilt as she took a cautious step forward.

"Well," Varikka muttered, leaning against the wall for support and trying to ignore the pain shooting up her leg, "at least it's not more water." Merrin shot her a quick glance over her shoulder, a flicker of something almost like amusement in her eyes despite the situation. "Small mercies," she agreed, and then her gaze snapped back to the center of the room. "What is that thing?"