It’s not a human, it’s most certainly not a creature… what is it? I thought creeping along behind the pillar. Suddenly I felt thankful for my soft woolen shoes as they whispered over the crystal floors. All my life I knew I would need survival skills. Everyone told me nothing bad could ever happen to our quaint little village. I tried to believe them, but I couldn’t. Something told me I would need to learn how to be quiet. So now I silently thanked the Lord for his protection. The only sound I heard was the strange scraping and the beating of my heart. I pulled my dark elvish cloak tightly around me and peered out through the dark halls. Whatever it is is coming closer. I rather feel it than see it. But as some light came from above it reflected off its huge black orbs. The light danced like a fire in its eyes. My heart stopped as it seemed to look right at my hiding place. The only thing I dared move was my eyes. I desperately tried to find something, a foothold, or a hidden passage I hadn’t seen before. It was to no avail, so I did the only thing I could. I prayed. And just when It came close enough for its hideous smell to assult my poor nose, it backed away. It’s long curled claws scraped, screeching across the floor. The dim light reflected off its black scales. It seemed to be half reptilian and half bird. Its breathing came out in rasps through its blood red beak. Little clicking sounds came from it as it half slithered half crawled away and into the dark. When I felt sure it had left, I breathed out. “Where in the world did that thing come from, and what is it?” I whispered quietly jogging through a nearby door. The emerald floors slipped by under my feet. I shivered in the cold moist air as I came closer to my exit. Suddenly I stopped. I knew that there was only one known passage into Goghlein. That was the passage I had always used. And I would have known if someone, or rather something, had gone through it. But looking through the little hole in the wall I could see my hidden traps were still set. Traps that only I knew how to disarm. So it couldn't possibly have come from here. There must be a passage in the dark places. I tried to block off every path leading deeper. I never wanted to go down there again, but now, I might have to.