High pitched screams filled up the many caves, like water filling in every cut in every wall. The screams by every creature from everywhere. And, just after a few seconds, they were gone. Not a single prove they ever existed. The creatures that had frozen in fear, simply moved on, completely forgetting about it. It didn't matter to them. They couldn't get food out of it, and it was too far away to be any danger to them. The Wardens made sure of that.

There was one creature, though, that had a slightly different reaction to the screams. A creature is known as The King of The Abyssal caves. It did show fear in any way. Instead, it showed happiness. Anticipation even.

“Oh, this is gonna be more fun than I thought”, the ominously smiling creature said. “The guys really know how to undersell this kind of feast.”

And with that, the creature moved on, steadily getting closer with each step. Nobody wanted to be late for dinner.

Just as we were nearing the end of the stairs down to the second floor, a loud, inhuman scream pierced our ears with massive intensity. I really couldn't tell if it was one or many that screamed. The only thing I was sure of was that my ears were hurting from the sound. Elves have superior hearing, so this was almost the sound equivalent of torture.

Even though the sound itself disappeared after a few seconds, my ears still burned like it was experiencing phantom pain.

A pat on my shoulder makes me look to the side. It's the giantess bodyguard. She was asking if I was ready to move. Simply nodding to it, we slowly began picking up speed again. We wouldn't want to be late. Jack would soon catch up anyway. No need to wait for him.

We continued traveling down the rough, stone stairs. They have obviously been traveled on for many years, making the steps worn down. It figuratively, and literally, forced you to take it one step at a time. It was either that or falling to your death. We couldn't have that. It would make so much noise, and attract the attention of a monster, which would then result in a failing grade. Nothing could be worse than that.

“Hey, Carl”, I hear somebody say. It sounded like it was coming from the end of the stairs, but I couldn't see anyone. Maybe someone from the class?

“What is it, Steve?”, another voice asks. Why were they talking? Didn't they know that the teachers were constantly watching us?

“What are we even doing here? Isn't it dangerous?”, the first voice asks. I hear somebody slap the forehead, most likely in irritation.

“Steve”, the second voice said, irritation very clear in his tone. “When we are done with this, I am gonna take those bloody mushrooms, and burn them to a crisp!”

“No, don't do that! Please!”, the first voice said. I then hear some somebody, most likely the person behind the first voice, grappling someone, most likely the person with the second voice, to the ground, with a couple of loud grunts to accompany it.

Our bodyguard looked at us, signaling that we were gonna sneak around them. Good. Didn't wanna meet those guys anyway. They sounded a little too crazy for my taste.

Sneaking our way by the two, we steadily make it into the second.

Wonder how Jack is doing.

Feeling the weird tingling in my nose, I instantly sneeze for no apparent reason. This had been increasing every day this week. Maybe I should go to a doctor, and get myself checked?

Quarrel for another time. Let's get moving.

Looking down, it almost seemed like the stairway would never end. A weird, sandy fog, that even my Mana-Sight couldn't see through, totally covered the stairs, making it impossible to see more than a few meters in front of you.

Trap alert! Trap alert!

It was pretty obvious this was a massive trap. But, I couldn't really NOT go into it, seeing as the person I needed to bodyguard was down there. She hadn't been injured going down, so maybe I also wouldn't be hurt? Who knows?

Or maybe they just got really lucky, and didn't instantly die from a massive laser over their heads!

Just as a precaution, I look up, and see a bare ceiling ten meters above me. Nothing indicating any trap doors that a laser could fit through.

A long sigh escaped my lips.

It was obvious that I was stalling. I didn't want to go down there, not knowing what I could possibly face. Metis didn't tell me, cause she thought it would be cheating. The old Illusionist teacher didn't wanna say either, wanting to see me ´shit my pants, like a little crybaby´. I knew it wasn't certain death, but there was a chance it was gonna be painful.

Stop being a female dog and instead hurry! If you don't get down there now, you will be in breach of contract! We both know what happens if you don't go now.

Shuttering at the simple thought of it, I take the first step of many down the stairs.

It had been some time since a lone being walked on me. Every single time, for the last few years at least, they would always walk in those damn groups, making it impossible for me to grab anybody without dying in the process. Slowly, but surely, my hunger had grown more uncontrollable, making my mind turn into its more rapid and beastly form. I surely would have lost all control, and attacked a group, if it wasn't for that one human walking towards me, all alone. I couldn't sense a single soul but he's, making him ripe for the picking.

Just a little closer, young one. Just a little closer, and it will all be over.

As I go further down the stairs, the sandy fog gets thicker and thicker, making it almost impossible to even see my outstretched hand. The wind was also picking up, making it hard to stay balanced.

I better be at the end soon. This staircase can't be that long!

“Young one!”, I hear to my right. It sounded like an old man, his voice crispy. “Please help me! It seems I've gotten stuck on rubble!”

And, there's the trap. Now, let's just ignore that.

“No thanks!”, I said, trying to make my voice sound as cheerful as possible. If it was a sentient being, it would be best if it was confused for a while, so I could get as far away as possible.

“... Really?”, I again hear to my right. Any feelings in the old man's voice had been replaced by a simply monotone. “You hear somebody calling for help, and you just say no thanks.”

Sentient, definitely.

“Well, sorry, mister no-name-than-i-am-aware-of, but I'm not that stupid”, I said, increasing my walking pace down the stairs.

A laugh, that put all my nerves on end, spread from all around me.

“That's the fun part of all this”, the old man said, his voice now cheerful. “They never even knew they walked into it.”

The sand from all around me quickly moves forward into the same spot, the sheer density simply astonishing. What now stood before caused me more than just a few chills.

The creature was made with nothing but whirling bodies of sand held together by an unseen force. With the constant swirling, it almost just seemed like a self-contained sandstorm that had the shape of a somewhat monstrous torso and head.

“You know, I used to simply let people that did not aid the old man pass”, the voice coming from the head of the creature said. “But, I haven't had a taste of anything for so long, that I simply can't resist when a delicacy like you come along.

I knew what this creature was, and I also knew what I was. It was a Sand Devil, and I was screwed.