Round 984 Transcript

Varikka's ankle screams in protest as she takes another step forward, the pain threatening to buckle her knees. Merrin catches her arm, steadying her against the crumbling wall. "We're almost there," Merrin says, her voice low and urgent. The air is thick with dust, and the sound of falling stone echoes through the corridor like a death knell. Suddenly, a section of the wall nearby collapses, sending a cascade of rocks and debris crashing down onto the floor. Varikka's eyes widen in terror as she stumbles, her foot catching on a loose stone.

I catch Varikka as she stumbles, her ankle threatening to give out from under her. "Steady on," I mutter, wrapping an arm around her waist to support her weight. The dust is thick in the air, choking and acrid, but I force myself to take a deep breath, steadying my nerves. We're so close to the end of this nightmare, I can practically taste it. But with Varikka's injury and the tower crumbling around us, I know we can't afford to make any mistakes. "Let me take point," I say, easing Varikka against the wall. "Stay here and keep your weight off that ankle as much as you can." She nods, her face pale and drawn with pain, but I can see the relief in her eyes at being able to rest for a moment. I turn back to the corridor ahead, my hand on the hilt of my dagger as I scan the shadows for any sign of movement. The air is thick with dust, and the sound of falling stone echoes through the passage like the death knell of some ancient god. But I push forward anyway, my heart pounding in my chest as I search for a way out of this accursed place.