Bristol turned around and approached the group, informing them of the news.

'You're queer,' said the young man with a big grin as he approached Faye with his studied look. 'I hadn't noticed you before. And now you've walked up to the front as if it were clearly your place. Return to your own group, it will be safer.'

Certainly there was something off about his grin.

'I'm here to help,' Faye said, ignoring him. And I'll only get back if I want to.'

'Don't go around and stick your nose in my business; that would be a nice manner of yours.' He frowned

'It's not your business. It's our business. Our lives depend on it too. And you're not the one who decides whether I should be here or not.'

'Look, I know you are smart and all but what makes you stay? What help could we get from you?'

'You look down on me because you think I'm weak?'

He was annoyed by her demeanor. If they swung to each other and tore each other apart, he'd be so enraged with her. Caster yelled, 'Enough both of you! You young folk are the worst. Bickering and fighting all the time. Now Jacob you replace Bristol in charge of the front row. I'll be here and wait on him' Jacob stared at Faye one more time with a grunt before heading to his place. Faye pinched her lips against each other.

'You shouldn't get into a fight with him,' Caster spoke slowly with a low voice Faye snarled, 'I don't like his attitude!' He looks down on me like I'm a useless wench. He has a disdain towards women. And I despise it.' Caster gave her a stiff look: 'So you're not? What are you talking about? He's just not good with his words towards women but he knows how to protect the people. He simply tells you to return to Cynthia because he is concerned about you.' Caster's sweeping criticism had now flowed towards her consciousness, restoring some sense to her buried mind. He was right. She was the one that had an issue here. She was overly sensitive about everything. And she wondered if it was because of her imminent menstruation or simply because he had reached the point where he didn't trust her. Maybe deep in her anxious heart, she understood her strength wasn't enough. Despite the fact that she was getting better at training them, she never complained about the thoughts she had to deal with. She didn't want to cause any problems for anyone. But now that someone else has said something about it. It triggered her. She had mixed sentiments about her guilt. And I had no idea why.

'Please accept my apologies'

'Don't sorry me. I'm not the one who you should say these words to'. Caster hissed.

'I'm going to go tell him myself. Thanks Caster. You may look sour and contradict. But you do have a great kick of sense to my mind' smiling Faye, hurried to the front row. Caster's thoughts wandered as he stared in her direction. How a queer girl she was. Stubborn in a minute and then thoughtful in another. He compared a woman's mood to a sudden change in the weather.

Faye managed to get by the front crew and walk alongside Jacob. He tried to go faster to leave her behind, but she also tried to catch up to his pace. 'W-wait! Jacob! I have something to tell you'. Others in the crew now had puzzled expressions on their faces as they gazed at him and her, and they even wore this understanding expression for the two. Well, in this journey, they hadn't had anything amusing but racked soil, dried sand, queer stones and missing people. So this scene right here could be something. So they pretended not to look at them.

'I believe we were done talking at that point.' Jacob made a hissing sound. 'Look, I'm sorry for being such a jerk to you, and I'm here to make up.' Faye was convinced. 'Jacob. Thank you for your concern. You had done a lot for the crew and I hadn't done anything but be such a coward and snapped at you' She then lowered her head. 'When I first arrived, I was in such poor physical condition that I was left behind with other middle-aged ladies. Some of them were even more adaptable than I was. Since then, I've been working even harder. I didn't want to be a nuisance or a burden to anyone. And so, when you were merely concerned about me, I was terrified and triggered. But please, Jacob, put your faith in me. Like you, I am qualified for the front row. I'm not going to be a bother or slow you down. I simply wish to assist. And now that my state has improved, I can keep up with you without complaining. Please take this into consideration.'

He was astounded by her long statement, in which she shook her head and strongly declared her determination. So he eventually turned to her, rubbing his high nose 'Eh! Do women have a proclivity for talking a lot? Anyway, I've already forgiven you. So there's no need to be, and I don't like making women weep. It's annoying'

'I know you're not adept at conversing with women, but your remarks still offend me,' Faye said, bewildered. 'Don't worry, I'm not a crying baby. I was a bit guilty just then. You know, how can you be in your right mind when this mess just came and shoved into your face?' they both broke out laughing. The squabbles faded away, and everyone just laughed about it.

'Say, Jacob. You mention putting the symbolized stones in some kind of order, and then the elevator appeared out of nowhere.'

'Yes, we were astonished at the time,' Jacob said with a nod. Is that some sort of enchantment or magic?'

'I don't think it's magic,' Faye said, looking out over the vast expanse. 'Did you place the stones in any particular locations? And they're hidden in plain sight, exactly where they're supposed to be. Maybe it's a machine key of some sort. It could have been created by someone. Like the entire land may be their property, and everything here has been constructed by them for some nefarious purposes.'

'You had a huge head,' Jacob said, nodding 'I suppose Bristol is also thinking the same thing.' He continued: 'There is some queer spot along the road. Every five miles there will be some form of this location on the terrain. It has a bump on it that matches the stones that have been discovered. And anytime we arrange these stones in a specific pattern, they simply vanish. Everything appears to be the same, as if there was nothing there except cracked clay and everything that had just happened was a dream.'

'So that means you guys have been attempting to solve this riddle for a long time,' Faye exclaims. And it all went wrong, so we continued on our way, not knowing what lay ahead of us. Will we ever figure out what's going on and solve the mystery before everyone vanishes? Fortunately, urgh, I can't believe I'm saying something fortunate in this place. But, this time, we're fortunate enough to fix it before it's too late, right?'

'It'll take a long time,' Jacob said, nodding. But we finally made it. And we will get the hell out of this drain damn place'.

'But who the hell would do such things? I mean, I didn't expect to find something alive beneath us. Perhaps a metropolis or Bristol's fantasy island' Faye said. They walked for another hour in silence before arriving at their destination. A few meters ahead of them lies an old-rusted covered elevator with large dust patches. It seemed lonely and forlorn amid the dry and desolate desert, an eerie out of place in the midst of all these weird events. It was a two-meter-wide elevator that could accommodate roughly five passengers per ride. So, they had to divide up into groups and went one by one. The front team approached it very closely to check the steel box.

'This boy here looks like it would work well. There is a panel inside, and the buttons are in good condition. But there are some dark red stains on it. It has a sour and salty aroma.' One of the young men returned from the check, he told Jacob about the description. Marcus, Faye could tell, was the polar opposite of Jacob. He was taller, and his body was well-groomed beneath his clothes. His face was intricately sculpted, and he had these bright, dark eyes that appeared like a deep lake with no end. You could be easily trapped in those eyes. Unlike Jacob, he didn't have a large mouth and a jeeringly grin. He appeared to be more mature and well-behaved than Jacob. And that his skin was a bit lighter in color. Maybe he just didn't catch much sunlight.

'Did you see anything beneath or around the elevator?' Jacob inquires. He wanted to make certain that whatever it was was safe enough to take the risk. Somebody would have to go down and see if the ground under them was safe or not.

'No, there's nothing around it. And because it was so deep and dark, we couldn't see what was going on down there. We need to come down and double-check what's there.' The man stated.

'Marcus, do you trust me?' Jacob stared into the man's eyes and asked sincerely. ' Yes, I do. We've been partners for about a month and a half. Our people simply vanish, but we still have each other. You know, despite all of this craziness, we still manage to go through it and beat the crap out of these psychos who make us miserable and suffer, right?' Marcus drew Jacob's head closer to his with his hand wrapped around his neck.

'I'm sure you do. And I'm sure we will. I need you to stay on the ground and keep an eye on us. While we're going down, keep an eye out for any changes. I'll use the elevator to take a few of our men down first. We need to make sure it's safe for everyone to go down.' Jacob said.

'No, you stay, and I'll go,' Marcus insisted. 'If Bristol and the others arrive here, there must be someone with the authority and trust like you to manage the team.' he stated firmly: 'Besides, I have a greater feel of tracking and strength. So there's no need to be worried about me.'

'B-But Marcus...'

' Then it was decided. I'd better get moving and round up my men.' Marcus intended to turn around and was about to do so.

'What is this dark red wine stain inside the elevator that you mentioned?' Faye finally asked.

Both of the males stunt.

They heard a loud squeaky thump from the earth at that point. As if something were breaking out from the dried soil. Something had to be there. Certainly. The earth began to shake violently. Wind and sand swirled in the air, causing the air to widen. The wind was so fierce that their vision was distorted. Resulting in visual loss and coughing. Sand got trapped in their throats, eyes, and nostrils. Then, out of nowhere, a massive shadow emerged from the dust in front of them. Faye had never seen anything so massive before in her life. What was that just now? No building would be that still in the middle of the desert, right? What was the noise, by the way? It was loud and terrifying, giving her shivers down her spine. They covered their ears with their hands and closed their eyes till the sand and wind eased a little. It was the largest, deadliest, ugliest, and most repulsive thing she had ever seen. It turned out to be a Giant Sandworm.

The Giant Sandworm could reach a length of 450 meters. It had a thick cuticle or shell covering its enormous disgusting body. It had thick, rough, orange-colored skin. It might have resembled its armor and consists of several scales, each measuring a few feet in length. The armor formed by these scales overlapped and interlocked to defend it from internal sand invasion. The steel frame rang on its body's surface and reached all the way to its repulsive head. The head of the sandworm was gigantic. The head was covered with thorns, and the teeth protruded from the three petal-like mouth pieces. They could see a section of its mouth that looked like a tongue sticking out with saliva or the horrible, slimy slime oozed out of it, slicking down its teeth, while it roared.

They gasped in terror as they heard a loud scream from the opposite side of the land. Bristol and the others came and the people were shivering with horror. The scream took the giant sandworm notice. It wasn't a promising sign.

Then it let forth a deafening roar and dashed at them like lightning. It dove and swam through the sand at breakneck speed. People started running, and Bristol attempted to gather them on the other side. People were frightened and dispersed to avoid being attacked by the monster. Bristol was more terrified than ever before, as he stood staring at the monster and immediately realized his role, the screams of dread from the crew members brought him back to reality. Right. He was presently their leader. He had a large group of people to look after and protect.

'Cynthia, hurry, you need to gather people and move to the other side with Jacob's crew!' Bristol yelled into the wind.

'What about you, Bristol?' Cynthia panicked.

'I and Caster will mobilize our men to lure it away,' Bristol said, pulling a sharp knife from his rucksack. 'We'll buy you more time to get away!'

As the enormous beast approached the women's crew, Bristol let out a long, shrill scream to draw the monster's attention, hurling pebbles and stones at its body. It turned around and dashed in the opposite direction. Cynthia was terrified, but she made up her mind and rushed with other women to the elevator, which was about a mile away. They had to move quickly as they had no idea how much time the Bristol crew could buy.

On the other side of the land. Faye and Jacob had been rooted to the spot since the monster appeared. Jacob quickly ordered Faye and the others to gather at the elevator. And he and Marcus will stand a few meters away to welcome the rest to the elevator.

Bristol and his men dashed over heaps of dried desert, hoping to draw the beast's attention, and they were successful. But now they were in far more danger. How to get rid of it? How long should it take for Cynthia's group? Maybe about another few minutes since their speed couldn't match that of the sand creature. The gigantic sandworm vanished from their sight all of sudden, creeping back into the sand. The crew pulled a stunt and came to a halt. They stood there, trying to figure out which direction the monster went. Underneath them, a loud, thumping sound grows louder. Hundreds of dried sand patterns suddenly disintegrated. The monster arose straight from the depths and soared far into the sky. They were all being lifted into the air. A thunderous roar blew away with a strong flood of wind and sand as the creature opened its mouth, blurring their vision for a brief period. Bristol screams: 'Get out of there! Get out of there now!' But it was too late. Most of them soared into the sky before collapsing into the beast's maw. Others attempted to flee to Bristol direction, screaming and weeping in despair as it crept out of the sand and devoured them with its sharp terror teeth, devouring them in a minute.

The old Caster ran to his spot, gasping for air. The old man had served in the army during the war. He was as swift and strong as any other young man in good health. Bristol didn't have a choice now; he needed to get to the elevator as soon as possible. This callous and cold-blooded beast cleaned his team out in a matter of minutes. While the big sandworm chewed and ate, digested, and sipped its meal, the two of them hurried to the group area as quickly as possible.

There on the other side, Jacob and Marcus ran to Cynthia's group to help them. Faye had full charge of leading the front crew men bringing the members to the elevator. The elevator could only hold five passengers, yet they managed to cram more into it. It came up every 3 minutes.

As Bristol and Caster rushed back to the lift, there was a loud terror scream behind there back. The beast had finished its meal. Flesh pattern stuck on many of its teeth from outside in. Crimson blood drops down from two of its longest fangs, mixed with its saliva, a big drop down to the earth surface. It was done with its meal and had caught sight of its dessert right after.

With all of their might, the two guys flew over the sand. Their faces were crossed, smacked, and squashed by the sandwind. The sand beneath seemed to be against them. To serve its king, they are holding their legs back. The enormous sandworm pursues them at breakneck speed. When the old man spun around and shouted out, 'Bristol!' Bristol was just behind Caster. We're nearly there! 'I noticed the boys ahead of me!' When he turned back, the horrible sight was unfolding right in front of his eyes. The beast had caught up with them, emerging from the ground with a resounding growl, its flesh mouth gaping open at the sound, heading towards Bristol.

'Watch out! Behind you, Bristol!' shouted the old man. 'Move!' He tightened his teeth and abruptly turned back, pushing Bristol away. While he stabs into its soft gauze with a sharp knife. Inducing it to scream in agony. The scene was so terrifying that no one could take it. Caster growled in pain as the creature's teeth sunk into his left arm, flesh torn apart, blood splattered all over the place.

Bristol was terrified as he watched the event unfold. Everything happened so fast. He had no idea what had happened to his teammate. 'Caster! No!' he screamed. Bristol dashed forward, intending to rescue the wretched man off the sand, then thrust his knife into the monster's deep throat, eliciting another horrific scream. He hauled him out and dragged him running through the sandstorm.

Faye helped the final group reach the elevator and managed to help them go down. Only Faye remained in front of the elevator at this point. Cynthia, Jacob and Marcus were waiting for Bristol. Then, to her horror, she heard a dreadful squeaking sound approaching their location. In the midst of the sandstorm, two shadows were running towards them.

Cynthia dashed back, her eyes wide with terror and her face pallid, panting, 'Faye, hurry! It's coming! We have to get inside the elevator now!'

Faye held her reaching hands and talked to calm her down: 'Wait for another minute, Cynthia. The elevator is coming up now, where are the others?' Cynthia painted: 'Jacob and Marcus are waiting for Caster and Bristol. They're all here. And so is the monster!' Faye tried to soothe her by scrubbing her stiff back. She shifted her sight to a hazy, dusty scene ahead of her. She hoped they'd all be able to make it through.

Jacob caught sight of the men: 'Bristol!' Jacob shouted as he dashed out. 'Bristol! Here! You make it! Hurry this way!'

'Jacob, come here! Help me bring Caster to the lift!' Bristol shouted back.

'What happened to Caster?' Jacob gasped.

'The beast ripped his arm off.' Bristol wrenched his teeth.

Jacob and Marcus were the first to emerge from the mist. They each took a bleeding Caster by the shoulder. One of his sleeves flung in the wind. He was bleeding. His face was twisted in agony, yet he maintained his tough demeanor. Bristol was running not far behind them.

'What happened to Caster?' Faye gasped

'He saved my life' Bristol answered

Jacob and Marcus helped Bristol in dragging the old guy to the lift. Faye and Cynthia were standing in the midst of a horrifying spectacle. Caster's blood was dripping on the floor, shedding a new layer of fresh blood over the dark red stain on the panel and the floor, which Faye had already maintained open for them to take the old man and everyone inside the elevator.

When they had all boarded the lift. The loud thunk of the door slammed shut, startling everyone. They could sense death from the beast teeth and disgusting, vomiting breath must in their faces. In the blink of an eye, everything stopped still for a moment. Right when they stood still in silence, the old cracked screen popped up with the blank plain cold words:

'Welcome to the Dome. First floor: Passed.'