The Redemption - World of Ranicke 3

Chapter 1

Dan was getting ready to shoot at one man when something happened.  He would never be able to describe it afterwords other than the world shook and moved.  It might have moved an inch or it might have moved miles but that was the only way he could describe it.  Moments after everything shook Dan started to aim at the man when the man simply dissolved.

There was no other way to describe it.  The man simply melted into sparkly grains of sand that then vanished.  All that was left of him was what he had been wearing.  That pile actually looked like whatever had been inside had vanished and the clothing collapsed because there was nothing to support it.

Dan froze and very carefully listened for a minute but couldn’t detect any sounds of gun fire anywhere.  He knew for a fact that there had been at least eight men firing rifles and now the jungle was completely silent.  He scanned the area with his eyes before slowly moving forward to the pile of clothing.  He could feel the sweat and smell the body odor but there was absolutely no traces of a body left.

In the distance he did hear screams for help and cries for those lost from the pack.  There were also calls from the Soran tribe as they tried to find the wounded and lost.  Dan could also sense the closest warriors moving forward to try and find the enemy.  He started moving as well and as he passed Inu’s he would quietly point them in the direction of the camp.  Most of them were looking shocked and rather out of it.  He didn’t blame them since this was not something they would have ever encountered.

After moving forward for several minutes he found another pile of clothing but again no body.  He took a chance and lifted his hand to his mouth to help project it.  “All I am finding is piles of clothes.  If you find a pile have someone take it to Jim’s caravan.”  As soon as he bellowed that he moved away from the location and waited.

After several more minutes he started moving forward in the direction he had last heard Jim’s rifle.  It took some time but he did find the spot and there were three piles of clothes.  One he instantly knew was Jim’s since it was native and had his various necklaces and trinkets.  The other two were much the same as the others except one helmet appeared to have more electronics.  Dan had to assume that this was the leader of the team they had been fighting.

As he contemplated Jim’s clothing the world shifted again and Dan was knocked off his feet.  After that he started getting a bit woozy and had to shake his head several times before it started to recede.  While he was trying to stand one of the Soran warriors found him and helped him sit up. 

“Are you okay Danilo?  You look rather out of it.”  As he was talking he gave Dan a quick once over for signs of injuries but didn’t find any.

“Yah, just the world shaking knocked me for a loop.”  Now that he was sitting up he took a long drink off his canteen.

The warrior was looking confused.  “What do you mean the world shaking?  I felt nothing of the sort.”  He was wondering if Danilo had been hit in the head by something.

Dan grunted and looked at him.  “I will talk to the Chief later.  Gather up those clothes and I will get Jim’s things.”  He carefully laid everything in the center of the shirt and rolled it up before securing it with a lace from one boot.  “Do not tell anyone what we found here.  I will tell the Chief first and we will handle it.”  Dan’s voice might be calm but there was a burning rage inside at what had happened.

“I understand Warrior Danilo.”  He had gathered up everything else that was there.  Once both were done they started back towards the camp.  It wasn’t hard to find since all they had to do was follow the screaming and crying. 

The closer they got the more people they encountered.  Their tribe was heading out to find the Inu’s and bring them back.  Others were from the Inu’s pack slowly moving towards the Soran tribe.  Dan looked around and snarled under his breath.  “Take those back to Jim’s caravan and then come back.  We have to get as many of the injured as possible back to try and save.”  The warrior took off and Dan started calling out orders.