Heart part 1

Chapter 33 - What They Were Made To Do

Amidst the sound of crunching rock and disturbed creatures of the dark scurrying and flapping away, the sound of several bodies hitting the floor echoed throughout the tunnel. Continuing past without a single look of concern or sympathy in their eyes, Dandy, Bagon, and three of his guards came to a stop in front of a tall and wide wall. Unlike all of the others they'd seen in this cave, this one was perfectly smooth from top to bottom, and in the center was the outline of two large doors. Beginning to approach, as the surrounding area began to shake, the two doors started to open as if aware of their presence and happy to let them inside. Stopping in their tracks, Bagon and the other guards whisked out their spears and went on guard. Unperturbed, Dandy ignored their concern and brazenly continued forward inside. While still keeping their guards up and spears at the ready, Bagon and the other three picked up their feet and swiftly moved inside along after him. Once the five were finally in, the area started to creak and groan once more. With their lantern's light getting smaller and smaller as they paced further into the complex, the doors once again slid across the floor and steadily closed behind them. As they made their way inside, the largest grin he had ever worn hung high on Dandy's face. Under his breath, deranged cackles continually leaked out from between the crevices of his teeth.

***

Upon reaching the surface, the three didn't waste another second dawdling and hopped atop one of the ganges. After a bit of fumbling as to how to ride them, they eventually got the hang of it and immediately took off back to Jaquese Rock. About an hour-long ride later, the three made it back to the camp. As soon as they were inside, they swiftly tied Basit and Vedha to a nearby post and went out in search of Dandy. Combing from one end to the other, they searched inside each tent they passed and checked down every street, but even after several minutes of looking around, not a single sight of him ever turned up. In fact, they couldn't find anybody. No matter where they looked, there wasn't a single soul in sight.

Regrouping back at the center of camp, the three stood there staring at the floor in silence. Lost in a sea of their own thoughts, they each silently wallowed in frustration.

" What should we do now...?" Jaqueline asked the other two in a mutter, snapping them both back to reality.

"...He must've already started fleeing back to Burning Toe," Sandy spoke as she titled her eyes up off the ground.

" But all the ganges are still here, even Dandy's dolled-up one." Esther pointed out, gesturing over to where they all had been stacked up into a pile atop one another, lazily wasting the day away beneath the shade of Jaquese Rock. " I don't think they'd just try walking back."

" Maybe something happened to them?" Jaqueline suggested.

Sandy put a hand on her hip. " Like what? If they had gotten attacked or something, then this place should be pretty messed up, but it's not. The only thing I can think of happening is they must have gone somewhere nearby."

" Somewhere nearby...?" Esther stopped to think for a moment. At the same time, Jaqueline could feel a strange sensation run down her back. Instinctively turning, a nearby tent ended up catching her attention. Although she couldn't point a finger to what, something about the tent was calling to her, trying to draw her over.

"...Are you talking about the cave near the base of Jaquese Rock? The other two are too far out to travel to on foot and that's really the only place nearby I can imagine them going to." Esther replied with one hand resting on her chin.

Unbeknownst to the other two, Jaqueline had split off and begun steadily making her way toward the tent. Her frame moved with a slight hint of unsureness and her legs walked with slow and heavy steps. Reaching the tent's front, Jaqueline nervously gripped the flap. Another chill ran down her spine. Taking one final gulp, like a band-aid, she tore the flap open and cast her eyes upon the sight lying inside.