What Lies Beneath

                  Hjalmar Geir made rapid progress travelling through the valley. He was well equipped and skilled for the rugged terrain. Growing up in the thick forests of Tyrnor, he knew how to use the forest to his advantage. The valley jungle comprised a medley of trees, vines, and vegetation slightly different from the forests in his homeland, but Hjalmar Geir adapted quickly to the new style of terrain.

                  He soon found himself at the strange building structure where he last saw the two older men that went missing. With his axe on his back, and spear in hand, he walked around the perimeter of the structure, analyzing any opening that Yerik and his friend may have exited unbeknownst to Hjalmar Geir. He couldn’t find any signs of travel. He spotted some tracks with a tail, which looked like a type of large reptile. The tracks were also typical of smaller dragons. Although the idea that a dragon lived in the valley seemed far-fetched. Hjalmar Geir assumed it was one of the many ferocious creatures that roamed this valley.

                  After finding no additional signs, Hjalmar Geir went back to the entrance that Yerik and his friend had traveled. He figured they must be inside the structure somewhere. The bright light of day revealed more signs to help track the path of the two men. He followed their trail into the building, being very careful to observe his surroundings. He knew he had to be cautious if a person like Yerik Goldsword went missing. The ambience, architecture and history fascinated Hjalmar Geir as he tracked the two men. He also noticed the slabs of rock placed upright in the fallen building.

                  The longer he stayed, the more uncomfortable he felt. Hjalmar Geir didn’t know the events that transpired in this location, yet he felt unsettle, and the feelings would not go away.
“Bad things must have happened here.”
He continued following the trail of Yerik and his friend when he found the location where they stopped. Hjalmar Geir looked concerned. There were no signs of combat or struggle. It seemed odd that a great fighter like Yerik Goldsword would not fight till the death if facing any opposition. The tracks led to that point where it looked like they collapsed to the ground.

                  Hjalmar Geir again observed the tracks with tails. There seemed to be three reptiles this time, which seemed odd. If it was a reptilian predator, he found no sign of an attack. If anything, the reptile looked to be slow, or injured. With no signs of a struggle, and no signs of a predatory attack, and no signs of blood, nothing seemed to make sense to Hjamar Geir. No predator, especially reptilian, would casually approach prey, expecting them to stop and offer themselves as a meal. The tracking gave the appearance that Yerik and his friend stopped walking, and then were surrounded by what seemed to be reptiles. Dragons maybe? Although it made no sense for dragons to live in such a remote jungle. Hjalmar Geir looked around the building structure, realizing far more diabolical events were at hand, ruling out a simple encounter with a wild creature.

                  Then he spotted a track. Then another. The track looked like a large reptilian foot, much larger than the tracks left by the smaller reptiles. It seemed to be bipedal as well. The confusing evidence was nothing like he had ever seen before. At least there were tracks. Though somewhat difficult to decipher over the rocks, Hjalmar Geir followed the trail through signs and scent.

                  Any tracking signs did not lead out of the structure. They led down farther and around some large boulders into a crevasse created by a large rock wall leaning up against another massive rock. One would expect a dead end within the ruins and rubble, but all the tracks converged and entered the dark cave. Wherever it led, it looked like that’s where Yerik and his friend were taken.

                  Hjalmar Geir glanced up at the light streaming through the openings in the structure above. He figured he still had time to look around before returning to the youths at the cave. He held for a moment, listening to the slightest movement and sniffing for any signs of life. After hearing nothing other than the usual life of a thick forest, he stepped into the darkness of the crevasse.