Round 995

The water roars in Merrin's ears as she watches Varikka disappear into the torrent. The current sweeps her friend away with terrifying speed, and Merrin knows she has seconds to decide which disaster to face first—the rushing water or the relentless Guardian closing in behind her. She stumbles forward instinctively, her hand outstretched despite knowing it's too late.

The halfling Rogue's quick reflexes had saved her from drowning once already that night, but now she faced a different kind of peril. Her balance wavers, still compromised by the noxious gas exposure that left her head swimming and coordination shot. The ground shifts beneath her feet again—a low rumble warning of more structural decay.

Merrin curses under her breath, knowing every second counted. She couldn't fight something that size alone, not in these unstable corridors, especially not while already dizzy and off-balance. The Guardian emerged from the shadows, its massive form blocking her path back toward where she last saw Varikka. The creature's eyes fixed on her with terrifying intensity, and it began to advance.

She needed a plan—fast. The water was too dangerous to follow Varikka downstream, but staying here meant facing the Guardian alone. Her gaze darts around the corridor, searching for any alternative. A narrow passage branches off to her left, barely wide enough for her to squeeze through. It might offer a route around the creature, or at least a hiding spot while she figured out what to do next.

Merrin takes a deep breath, steeling herself. She can't save Varikka if she's dead. With a final glance downstream, hoping her friend would understand and survive somehow, Merrin turns toward the narrow passage and begins to edge her way inside.