Round 969 Transcript

As Varikka speaks, I quickly scan the chamber, my eyes searching for anything we can use as support to brace the altar. I spot a large stone pillar in the corner, partially hidden by the shadows. I gesture to it, "Varikka, if we can just get something under this altar, we might be able to stabilize it." I rush over to the pillar and examine it more closely. It looks sturdy enough, but it would take some effort to move it into position. Varikka joins me, her eyes fixed on the altar as she considers our options. Suddenly, a loud creaking noise echoes through the chamber, followed by the sound of rocks and debris falling from the ceiling. The Guardian's single eye glows with malevolent hunger as it looms closer, its presence making the air feel thick with tension.

I dash over to the pillar and grab one end, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggle to lift it off the ground. The stone is heavy, but with Varikka's help, we manage to heave it upright. Together, we stagger toward the altar, the sound of falling rocks and the Guardian's relentless pursuit spurring us on. As we reach the massive stone structure, I can feel the energy pulsing from the runes on its surface, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. The air crackles with power, making my skin tingle with an otherworldly charge. "Varikka, grab that end," I shout above the din of the collapsing chamber. "We need to get this under the altar now!"

Together, we lift the pillar and shove it beneath the altar's surface, using it as a brace to stabilize the structure against the falling debris. The runes on the altar's surface glow brighter for a moment, their energy crackling through the air like a lightning storm. But the chamber seems to settle, the rocks and rubble no longer threatening to crush us from above. As I look up at Varikka, I see a glimmer of relief in her eyes, mixed with a deepening sense of unease. "We did it," she says, her voice strained with exhaustion and fear. "But Merrin... something's not right here. This place... it feels wrong."

I nod, my heart still racing as I scan the chamber for any sign of further danger. The Guardian's single eye glows in the darkness beyond the altar, its presence making the air feel thick with tension. "I know," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "But we can't go back now. We have to keep moving forward."

Varikka nods, her grip tightening on her Heavy Mace as she takes a step toward the tunnel ahead. "Lead the way, Merrin," she says, her voice filled with determination and dread. "And stay alert. I have a feeling things are about to get much worse before they get better."