Round 996

The water's roar fills 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...