In another opening of the dungeon, the group sat in a circle on the hard rock floor, a small campfire being the only thing giving off light at the moment. Totara sat with a map on his lap, huddled close and squinting as the fire beside him gave off a warm glow. With no other source of light reading was quite a task. As he tried to find exactly where they were and what floor they were on in the dungeon.
Akira sat with his eyes closed and legs crossed while leaning on the wall behind him, his mind racing a mile a minute trying to understand why an S-rank monster was so high up in the dungeon and more importantly why he felt as if they were being watched.
Meanwhile, Ashley sat in the middle, not minding her two male friends as she was happily eating a few sandwiches Akira made for her before they left town. With a deep sigh, Akira cracked open one eye and looked at Totara.
"Hey Tara, have you figured out where we at yet?" He asked his eyes.
"Kind of? I know we are on the fifth level just not exactly where honestly" Totara finished with a sigh of his own, looking up he shot Akira a bright smile before looking back at the map.
Giving a small smile back he turns his head to Ashley only to sigh at the young woman's seemingly never-ending appetite as he watches her tear through her fourth sandwich since then decided to take a short break.
Sighing once again, Akira closes his eyes as the stress of the situation plays unbidden in his head. He can feel that something is watching them, something powerful, and it hides its presence far better than he expected. Honestly, the only reason he can sense it is because it's allowing him to sense it.
It's playing with them… with him, trying to get into his mind, and mess up his game; it knows it's winning. Every time it gets harder and harder to find it.
".... Yet, I can tell it's not trying any harder than it was before," Akira thought.
Sighing for the final time, he decides to get some sleep. Allowing the worries to wash away along with his consciousness, in a matter of seconds he fell asleep. Looking up from the map once more, Totara looked over to see his old friend fast asleep.
Looking to his side he saw that Ashley, who had just finished eating, was walking up to their old friend with one of the blankets they had packed. Resting it on him Ashley gave Akira a soft smile before sitting next to him and wrapping them both up in it and rested her head on his shoulder and gave a soft smile as she too went off to the world of dreams.
Seeing this, the older man smirked before deciding to take watch for the night. After all, the young do need their sleep. Chuckling he walked off to find a good spot nearby.
Sometime later…
The beast did not know when or how it had gained this level of intellect nor did it care. All it wanted to do was kill those who had put it in a critical state earlier. It had been following them for what seemed like hours, watching and waiting for the right time to strike, but it had learned about the boy in black's ability to sense it and was using it to its advantage.
Always letting the boy know it was there just enough to keep the boy always on edge, not enough for him to warn his comrades, but enough to have the boy jolting at the slightest of noises and checking shadows.
Watching the boy break slowly has been one of its greatest pleasures as of late, seeing him stress and worry in silence has been very amusing to watch, while his comrades seem to not notice, making it all the sweeter to the beast.
As the monster continues to watch, it sees the biggest of the group leave. It waits till he is out of sight before entering the group's campsite, walking up to the sleeping pair it kneels and stares at Akira with eyes full of sadistic glee, reaching out a hand made of shadow it slowly caressed his face before leaning in and whispering it the young man's ear.
"Oh, you sweet boy~... When I get my hands on you" It said with a voice as sweet as honey while its face formed a wicked smile as it continued.
"I'll make sure to kill you in the slowest way possible~," It said with venom in its voice as the hand stroking the boy's face suddenly gained sharp claws that left thin cuts every time it caressed his face. Turning its head to the young elf, its smile widened even more before looking back at Akira.
"Maybe I'll kill the elf you hold so dear first hmm, what do you say my sweet Akira~," It said one final time before leaving while chuckling slightly after its facetious statement. Retreating into the darkness of the dungeon, its laughter grew louder the further it went, with every second it grew in volume and insanity. Before finally it became an insane cackling that was heard throughout the dungeon.
Back With Totara…
Stopping in his tracks, Totara looked around for the owner of the strange laughter he had just heard, yet not finding them he sped up his pace. Making it back to the opening where his friend was with slight worry on his face, giving out a sigh of relief seeing that his friend seemed to be unharmed while he was absent.
Deciding that it would be a good idea to get some rest he put out the fire, walking to the opposite wall where he could see the entrance and his friends he got comfortable and alluded his mind to drift away.
Good my child play with them some more, Make them feel true fear" A melodic voice said with amusement in its tone.
"Yes mother," The beast said as its eyes glowed with unshed glee.