I had to take a little break, all of this studying was starting to make my head explode, so I decided to try out my new skills outside the city.

And so I did.

I was trying to burn a spiral-eared rabbit but the little critter was fast and my accuracy poor. My magic range was at best 2 meters, the teachers taught us it was directly proportional to how much mana we had. I chased my prey for a while before giving up. Too damn fast... I need to take a breather.

Then while I was panting, supporting myself with one hand on a tree, I heard a big commotion. A rumbling sound drawing closer.

What's going on?

I took a peek in the direction of the sound. All I could see in the distance was a big dust cloud moving closer and closer. I remained hidden behind the tree. I had no idea what was going on.

How is that possible for so much dust to be rising here in the damn forest? I thought.

Just after the question crossed my mind, a dwarf shot past my hiding spot and tripped on an exposed root falling hard on the ground.

「Dwarf: Blasted son of an elf! *pant* *pant*」

He quickly got back on feet, visibly panting.

Wait, isn't that dwarf...

I frowned. Yep, it's him.

「Allen: Yusdrolir?」

He started and turned to look at me with wide open yes.

「Yusdrolir: Huh... you... the cook?!」

He was all dirty and stank as if he hadn't taken a bath in weeks.

「Allen: What's go-」

He ignored me, staring at something behind us.

「Yusdrolir: RUN!」

He grabbed my arm and pushed me onward, I started running along. WHAT's GOING ON? WHY AM I EVEN RUNNING?

「Allen: Wha- what the heck is going on?!」

I took a quick glance back. All I could see was dust.

「Yusdrolir: I... ehh... *pant* sand elemental」

Sand elementals, I've read about them. They live in the desert and are dangerous because they don't have a body to hit, they're like... animated sand that envelopes its victim and chokes them to death. They live in the desert...

「Allen: A sand elemental? *pant* Don't those live, like... in THE DESERT?」

I demanded while struggling to keep the dwarf's pace.

「Yusdrolir: HUHH!」

He replied in a sarcastic tone. Stupid drunken dwarf.

I jumped over a fallen trunk right in time to avoid tripping.

「Allen: Why is it... here *pant*... why is it chasing you?」

Did he enter a dungeon or something?

「Yusdrolir: I... ahh... uhhff..」

The dwarf only spewed incoherent grunts while staring dead ahead.

We ran past an area with a downward slope.

「Allen: How long have you been running?」

「Yusdrolir: two... *pant* TWO BLASTED-」

Two hours?

「Yusdrolir: -DAYS!」

I don't even know what kind of face I made then.

WHAT THE FUCK?

「Allen: WHAT THE FUCK?」

I almost tumbled on a rock lodged in the earthy ground. I could hear a faint noise ahead.

「Yusdrolir: Drank too much *pant*... got a good piss in the sand... *pant* honest mistake... *pant* feckin' stubborn.」

I was still trying to wrap my mind around what he said when I spotted a waterfall. I pointed at it, catching the dwarf attention.

「Allen: THE WATERFALL!」

「Yusdrolir: DON'T NEED A BATH!」

For fuck's sake. I grabbed his arm and screamed.

「Allen: WATER, SAND!」

Understanding dawned on the dwarf sweaty face. We ran and launched ourselves behind the waterfall.

The creature quickly arrived and stopped at a safe distance five meters away.

Sand elementals are vulnerable to water, so it just stood there watching us with its eyeless stare. Waiting. We're safe, I thought.

The dwarf was panting hard. Just like me.

What have I gotten myself into?

We waited for a dozen minutes or so, catching our breath, but the elemental didn't give any sign of budging from the spot. It remained out of range from water splashes, but close enough to be able to intercept us the moment we'd try to leave. It just waited.

Perhaps if the waterfall faced onto a bigger stream we could've tried to swim underwater and shield ourselves with water along the way. But no, the water barely reached over our calves.

And the waterfall wasn't exactly majestic. It was just large enough to splash on both of us with a jet of cold water, there was barely any foam and zero atmospheric fog. It was a pathetic waterfall. Maybe we should have kept running.

「Allen: Huh... any chance it gives up and goes back home?」

The dwarf looked at me, then at the sand elemental and back at me.

「Yusdrolir: What da ye think... maybe, uh, I ask sorry real nice... worth a try alright?」

The dwarf looked back at the sand elemental.

「Yusdrolir: Ah, sorry about that! We can be friends now, rite?」

「...」

It looked more solid now that it was still. That faceless elemental of swirling sand was somehow glaring daggers at us.

I wanted to point out that sand elementals don't have ears to listen but I had realized the dwarf was being sarcastic.

「Yusdrolir: No? Ay, be that way you blasted piss sandcastle.」

He glanced at me and shrugged.

「Allen: By the way, my name is Allen, in case you've forgotten.」

「Yusdrolir: Ye, good food back then. I see you upgraded your pan!」

He said glancing at my mace.

「Allen: Yeah, but something tells me it's not going to help much in this case-」

Maybe, I should have just kept my mouth shut, then I wouldn't have been dragged into this situation. I mused while dripping damp and wet behind the waterfall, trying to think how to get rid of the sand elemental.

「Yusdrolir: Any plan chief? We could maybe spit at it?」

「Allen: Maybe it just wants you, so I can step out and get help.」

Or just walk away and forget about it. A pissed sand elemental. Literally. Unbelievable.

Without waiting, I tried crossing the waterfall. The moment I was two meters away the sand elemental rushed at me almost in the blink of an eye. I stumbled back, panicking. My heart was beating fast.

「Allen: Nope.」

Even if I tried running away all soggy I would be screwed, water is only effective if you can disperse the sand or else it only makes it worse. Sand elementals just need to enter any orifice to kill their prey. That's how they hunt, they enter their victim, usually from the mouth or nose, and then choke them out (or worse) and feed on their mana. I just didn't have enough hands to cover all my holes.

Even if I rolled myself in the river the sand elemental would just take it easy and wait until I show an opening. Too dangerous.

I stared silently for a few seconds. Wait... I'm a goddamn magician. A smile crept to my lips.

「Allen: Hmmm, let me try with magic. I've been taking lessons.」

I said confidently. The dwarf made a questioning grunt and looked at me with hope. Time to show off.

I tried casting freeze. That didn't seem to do anything.

Burn, nothing. The sand was too dispersed.

Illusions... it didn't even care.

Magical defense didn't help me since the best I could do was deflecting projectiles.

The dwarf watched my pitiful efforts with a sad face. He slumped against the solid rock behind our backs.

Okay, we're pretty fucked, I guess. My confidence had been shattered. Did I work so hard for nothing? I remained silent, staring into space.

「Yusdrolir: A'ight, we're gonna die. In here or out there. If only I had my booze...」

「Allen: Ever considered you may have a drinking problem!?」

I said with a trace of irritation.

「Yusdrolir: Pffft... drinking ain't no problem... ehrr, just what comes after, maybe.」

He trying to be dismissive only made me even more irritated.

「Allen: Just... let me fucking think...」

I massaged my temples while spurring my neurons to work. I tried to ignore the powerful jets of water hammering my whole being.

If only the sand was denser I could either freeze it or melt it. What if I boil the water underneath to... no, the water flows too fast. Why didn't I take lessons in wind and water instead?! I sighed.

So much water and we could do nothing with it.

Wait.

I shook Yusdrolir's shoulder to gain his attention.

「Allen: Huh... on second thought, I think your idea of spitting at it might have some merits.」

Yusdrolir made a face.