Devourer, Part 3

The first of the riders reached the sandy arena, hurling his spear toward the hulking mass of the Devourer. The beast paid him no heed. Instead, it turned at its apex, yawing maw now directed back at the earth, and dove back into the unknown abyss from which it had emerged. The ground shuddered again, and my teeth and bones rattled as an opaque cloud descended over the flatlands. Calmness returned, and oppressive silence blanketed the clifftops, as all eyes stared intently into the settling dust. At long last, the sands calmed, leaving behind nothing but the dunes. All eyes turned to the chief, who seemed to shrug slightly. That was when I understood. Their deaths were expected— the warriors were to travel the underworld and find a path off the island. I turned to record my observations, and when I looked back— they were gone. All of them. We must have an alliance with these Blood of the Sand, if we are to succeed in our efforts.