Chapter 22: The Kragg 3
Octavius was swept up by massive, hairy arms that wrapped around him like a vice, squeezing the air from his lungs. The Kragg's crushing grip sent searing pain coursing through his body as his bones creaked under the pressure. The beast drew him closer, its hot, rank breath washing over Octavius's face as he stared up into the Kragg's twisted, apelike features.
The Kragg scrutinized Octavius with a perplexed expression, as if trying to solve the mystery of his arranged features. It leaned in closer, its nostrils flaring as it sniffed Octavius, its gaze lingering on his face.
[Oh no,] Void squeaked with a strained voice from within the Kragg's crushing grip. Apparently, he too was affected by the beast's suffocating hold.
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"What is it?" Octavius managed to ask even though his voice was muffled by the beast's suffocating hold.
[He's not eating us,] Void replied, and Octavius's brow furrowed, wondering why that might be a bad thing. But before he could ponder further, Void completed his statement.
[We're the new Ana Darrow.]
"The what?"
[You know, the girl King Kong fell head over heels for in the classic movie, ]
Octavius's confusion was still etched on his face, but before he could even begin to wrap his head around Void's cryptic comment, the Kragg suddenly lurched into motion, carrying Octavius off in a completely new direction.
Octavius caught a glimpse of the mysterious woman from earlier, perched on a tree branch with an arrow trained on him. However, as their eyes met, she slowly lowered her bow, her gaze never wavering. Octavius watched her movements curiously.
At first, he had thought she was one of the participants from their group— even though he was certain she wasn't— running for her life as she bounded effortlessly through the treetops above him. But with her striking white hair, he was now certain she wasn't. It seemed to Octavius that she had been tailing him, and it made him unsettled.
His gaze on her didn't last for long because the trees blurred together as the Kragg strode through the forest, its massive strides eating up the distance with alarming speed.
Octavius noted that the Kragg had brought them back to the familiar fork in the path, where they had stood just minutes before, weighing their options and contemplating which route to take.
The beast halted after a short, yet grueling, mile-long trek that had left Octavius battered and exhausted.
As Octavius struggled to catch his breath, blinding lights suddenly erupted on the middle of both pathways, forcing him to shield his eyes from the intense glare. He squeezed his eyelids shut, waiting for the light to subside.
When he finally opened his eyes again, he found himself being deposited onto the flat surface of a massive rock.
Octavius let out a shaky breath, relieved to be free from the Kragg's crushing grip. He turned to face the creature, only to find its backside presented to him as it rummaged through its makeshift pouches.
Octavius used that opportunity to look around his new surroundings.
As Octavius gazed around, his eyes widened with wonder. They were no longer surrounded by the forest's trees and the sounds of nature. Instead, he found himself in a place of breathtaking beauty. The walls were adorned with intricate designs that were neatly scattered across them, and glittering stones that resembled precious jewels added to the overall splendor.
"The Blackstone Sanctum." Octavius breathed out.
He recalled Marilyn's words, saying the pathways weren't the right path. She had mentioned that there was another pathway, and apparently, the third pathway had been in the middle all along, hidden from their eyes.
'But how did the Kragg...'
Octavius left his wandering thoughts hanging as he sensed the presence of the creature looming behind him, the heat of its breath brushing uncomfortably against his neck.
With a heavy swallow that felt like stone in his throat, Octavius turned with deliberate slowness, with his heart racing.
The Kragg stood before him, its massive hand outstretched, fingers curling slightly as if beckoning—or perhaps threatening.
Whatever the intention, he knew without a doubt that he didn't wish to entertain either possibility.
Seeing that Octavius was unwilling to step into his palm, he turned his back and began picking up rocks from the cave.
He plunged his hand into a slimy, greenish-black moss that clung to the rocks and started to rub it between his hands, the sound of squelching filling the air while he faced away from Octavius.
"Will he kill us?" Octavius asked Void all of a sudden as they watched earnestly.
[Does he look like he won't?] Void retorted with a question.
But then, he muttered under his breath. [Believe it or not, but I've seen a scene like this from a site named pornhub.]
"Does that help us get out of this situation?"
Void hesitated. [Eh... it depends on how long he goes on for.]
Octavius nodded, thinking Void was referring to the Kragg making do of the stones, let out. "Then we'll wait till he's done with whatever he's up to."
But Void's thoughts were elsewhere and he wasn't sure how to convey his thoughts to Octavius. But when he did make an attempt to explain what he meant, he found himself stuttering.
[I— we...] before trailing off, unsure how to word his thoughts.
so he contemplated dropping the mental barrier he had erected to protect his privacy, hoping Octavius would instinctively grasp his unspoken thoughts.
But on a second thought, he decided to forfeit doing that.
[Cast me out of your body, so I can check on what he's doing.]
Octavius thought it was a good idea so decided to do just that, knowing that Void was invisible to the eyes of others. But, before he could act on that intention, The Kragg shifted aside, revealing the artwork of his actions to Octavius.
As the image came into view, Octavius's mouth dropped open in astonishment, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Before them stood a remarkable likeness of Octavius' father—crafted with such intricate detail that it almost felt alive. The Kragg had taken the raw material around them and transformed it into this haunting, yet beautiful representation, capturing the essence of a figure from Void's past that echoed with both familiarity and nostalgia.
"You knew my father?"
The Kragg bobbed his head enthusiastically before sitting down, causing the gem-like rocks to cascade down the wall. The impact was so intense that Octavius stumbled, struggling to maintain his balance.
The Kragg pointed at Octavius and then at himself, beginning to gesticulate wildly. Octavius turned to Void, seeking clarification. "Do you understand what he's saying?"
[The only thing I'm copying is... apparently no thing.]
Taking charge of Octavius's body, Void spoke out loud to the Kragg. [ I don't understand Kragg sign language, or whatever it is you're doing.]
The Kragg let out a deep huff, his face contorted in exasperation.
The Kragg tried again, this time using more subtle gestures. He pointed at himself, and Octavius took a guess. "You?"
The Kragg's face lit up with excitement, and he nodded enthusiastically.
Next, the Kragg pointed to the rock structure he had built, the one that resembled Octavius's father. Then, he clasped his hands together, as if in a gesture of unity or completion.
Void's voice whispered in Octavius's mind. [I think your father and the Kragg had some unfinished business. He wants to finish it with you.]
The Kragg nodded again, and Octavius's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, we didn't say anything out loud, did he just respond to you?"
The Kragg nodded once more, this time in response to Void's unspoken thoughts. Octavius's confusion deepened. "But no one can see you," he countered, glancing at Void's invisible presence.
Void's eyes widened in alarm. [I think we should get out of here.]
But the Kragg was swift to react. He shook his massive head, his long hair swaying with the motion, and stood up on his enormous feet.
[Or not.]