Sol's pulse raced, his mind whirling from Grak's ominous words. He had no time to process what he'd heard.
The mysterious vessel finally docked at the island's makeshift port. Its size and design was unlike anything Zenora has ever seen - majestic and brimming with a presence that seemed to suffocate the very air around it. Silence fell over the scavengers, the oppressive weight of something far greater pressing down on them.
Sol couldn't suppress the chill crawling up his spine. He trembled, pressing his body against the shadows. Why now? , he thought desperately. Why does things keep getting worse? He was trapped : no loot , Grak's wrath looming and now this monstrosity of ship, bringing unknown danger.
Grak however, stode forward with a wicked smile creeping across his face. The ship stirred something inside him, an old thirst for battle. He clenched his fists. "Finally arrived , huh?" Grak muttered, eyes gleaming as he sized up the ship. This was no ordinary visitor , Grak's anticipation only grew.
On the deck of the ship stood two black figures, silhouetted against the setting sun. Grak couldn't make out their faces, but his instincts sharpened.
Up on the ship, the tension between the two figures was palpable. One was a man with fluffy brown hair, Jack, his expression somewhere between panic and disbelief. The other, Jaz, stood tall, her dark hair swaying with the wind, a curved sword hanging from her side. She was calm, but there was an edge to her as if she too sensed the danger below.
"Where's the captain, Jaz? Jack's voice carried a frantic edge as he peered over the side, his brown eyes wide. "This is bad. Really bad. These guys don't look like your average trash divers."
Jaz didn't respond immediately, her eyes narrowing. "The Captain's orders were clear," she said, her voice calm but cold. "We need to secure the artifact. Fast. No unnecessary killing."
Jack ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "Well, if you haven't noticed, we're about five seconds away from 'necessary' killing! These guys don't look like they're here for tea and biscuits."
Without looking at him, Jaz activated the bracelet like device on her wrist. A soft, neon glow surrounded it. She spoke into the comm with urgency. "Captain, where are you? We're running out of time."
To her surprise, the response came almost immediately, the captain's voice as calm as ever. "Look like we'll have to spend a little more time here," he said, his tone unbothered.
Jack's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?! Spend more time?!" His panic now morphed into disbelief. "Are you serious? You want us to hang out? Oh, perfect. Absolutely perfect!"
Jaz's hand clenched tighter around her sword as the captain continued. "And when you hear the name Grak, get serious."
Both of them froze.
Jack blinked rapidly, confusion twisting his features. "Grak?" he repeated, incredulous. "Who the hell is Grak?!" He whirled to Jaz, his hands flailing in exasperation. "Am I missing something here? The captain just dropped this like we're supposed to know who this Grak guy is. Are we fighting a celebrity now?"
Jaz interrupted sharply. "Focus. If the captain says Grak is dangerous, we don't take it lightly."
Jack stared at her, wide-eyed, then slumped his shoulders dramatically, muttering under his breath, "I was really hoping for a peaceful day of Artifact hunting. Nope. Instead, we're taking on someone strong. Just great."
Jaz game him a half-smirk despite herself. "Looks like we might be heading into that 'necessary' killing after all."
"Yay for us," Jack replied with a weak grin, rolling his eyes as they both turned their attention to the dock, where Grak's massive form became clearer with each step.