Round 987

The stone gave way with a groan that seemed to shake the very foundations of the tower. Merrin lunged forward instinctively, her wiry frame already in motion before conscious thought could intervene. Varikka stumbled back, her injured ankle screaming protests as she tried to avoid the sudden cascade of rubble. "No!" The word tore from Merrin's throat as she witnessed the wall collapsing mere feet from where Varrika struggled with her injury.

There was no time for hesitation, no moment to consider the risks - she moved without thinking, her compact body coiled with tension as she launched herself forward. The weight of the debris was immense, stones sharp and unforgiving against her palms as she strained to hold them back. Varikka's eyes were wide with shock and pain, her breathing ragged as she fought to stay upright despite the agony in her ankle. Merrin gritted her teeth, every muscle in her body screaming as she bore the brunt of the collapsing wall.

For a moment it seemed like they might be crushed entirely, buried alive beneath the ancient debris. But then the stones shifted, the weight redistributed - and the cascade slowed, then stopped. Merrin held her position for several long seconds before slowly straightening, her arms shaking with exhaustion. Varikka stared at her in wide-eyed disbelief. "You... you saved me," she gasped.