Round 988 Transcript

The ground shudders beneath their feet as the corridor begins to shift and tremble, sending Varikka stumbling forward. Merrin catches her by the arm, steadying her as they face the approaching pit trap. "Get your weight off that ankle!" she urges, her voice low and urgent. Varikka nods grimly, taking a tentative step back from the edge of the pit. The Guardian's pursuit grows louder still, its presence feeling like a living thing in the tight space. The air is thick with dust, and the carvings on the walls seem to be watching them with cold, ancient eyes. As they stand there, frozen in indecision, a chunk of the corridor wall gives way, sending a shower of debris crashing down the pit. The Guardian bursts through the wreckage, its eyes fixed intently on Varikka.

Merrin's eyes go wide as The Guardian bursts through the crumbling wall, its gaze fixed intently on Varikka. She yanks her friend back from the pit trap just in time, her heart pounding in her chest. "We need to move!" she hisses, her voice low and urgent. "Now!"

Without waiting for a response, Merrin ducks under The Guardian's arm, using its momentum to throw it off balance as she darts past. Varikka limps after her, her face pale with pain and terror. The corridor begins to shake violently, sending chunks of debris raining down around them as they run. Merrin's mind races, trying to plot a path through the maze of twisting passages ahead. Suddenly, a section of the floor gives way beneath Varikka's feet, sending her tumbling down into the darkness below. Merrin skids to a halt, her heart in her throat as she peers over the edge of the pit. "Varikka!" she calls out, her voice echoing off the crumbling walls. "Are you alright?"

There's no response, only the ominous creaking of the ancient stone around them. Merrin takes a deep breath, steeling herself for what comes next. She knows they can't afford to stop, not with The Guardian closing in and the tower collapsing around them. But she also knows she can't leave Varikka behind. She glances back over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of pursuit. The Guardian seems to have been momentarily stalled by its own momentum, but she knows it won't be long before it's on their heels again. "I'm going after her," Merrin says, her voice grim and determined. "You keep running. Find a way out of this place."

And with that, she turns and vanishes into the shadows, her heart pounding in her ears as she races to save her friend from the depths below.