Grak's body sagged against the pillar he was tied to, exhausted and battered.
Despite his condition, a smirk played on Grak's lips. He might be chained, weakened, but his pride was untouched. Across from him stood Dominus Vindex, his expression cold, calculating. The two men, now faced each other once again.
"The Artifact. It's incomplete, isn't it?"
Dominus broke the silence, his voice calm, but there was a sharp edge to it.
Grak's smirk faltered for a moment, but only briefly. His eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected Dominus to figure it out.
"Seems like you've done your homework" Grak replied, his voice a little hoarse but still carrying the same arrogance. "But knowing...something is incomplete and understanding why, are two different things."
Dominus took a step forward, his gaze never leaving Grak. "You weren't after Immortality, were you?... You sought something else when you unsealed this Artifact."
Grak leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling for a moment, a faint chuckle escaping his lips.
"Immortality?" Grak grin widened.
Dominus remained silent, but his eyes tightened.
Grak seized the moment, his voice shifting slightly, playing up the lie.
"A blessing - or so I thought. But living beyond death, beyond time itself.... Its a curse. One you'll never understand." He let the words hang, knowing he had shifted Dominus' focus just enough. The lie was planted.
"That's won't distract me , Grak" Dominus's cold demeanor didn't waver. His tone sharper now. "I know the Artifact is incomplete. What are you hiding?"
Grak had no intention of revealing the truth about the Artifact's real nature or purpose. The knowledge of the Key - the one thing needed to unlock its full potential - was something Grak had kept hidden for years.
He let out a slow breath, appearing as though he was contemplating his next words carefully. Then, with reluctance, Grak finally spoke.
"It is incomplete... The gods. The gods didn't just leave these Artifacts lying around for anyone to pick up and use. They locked away their true power."
Dominus's expression shifted, curiosity barely hidden beneath his icy gaze.
"There's a key!" Grak said, his voice low. "A safeguard the gods made themselves. Without it, the Artifact's true power remains dormant. That's why I haven't been able to..... use it."
Dominus stared at him, his mind working through the revelation. He hadn't known anything about the key. He had only suspected that Artifact wasn't whole, that something was missing - but this... this was new.
Grak, seeing that he had planted just enough doubt and curiosity in Dominus's mind, pressed on. "You've been chasing me, thinking you'll find all the answers. But even with me in chains, you're no closer to unlocking the truth."
Dominus's eyes narrowed, and the air between them grow tense again.
"What aren't you telling me, Grak?"
Grak's smirk faded into a grim expression. He needed to end this conversation before Dominus dug any deeper.
The truth is, even Grak didn't know where the key is or how to obtain it. He had foolishly believed he could wield its power without understanding it.
But there was no way he was going to let Dominus get any closer to the truth. Not yet.
"I've told you what you need to know," Grak said, his voice now laced with finality. "The Artifact is incomplete, and without it's key , no one... can use it the way it was meant to be used."
"And you expect me to believe that you - someone who sought immortality - know nothing about how to find its key?"
Dominus stepped forward, his presence suffocating.
Grak straightened slightly, forcing himself through his exhaustion. "Believe what you want. But you'll be wasting your time hunting something that may not even exist."
Dominus's piercing gaze remained locked on Grak, searching for any crack in his facade. Grak could feel the weight of that gaze, but he remained defiant, refusing to bend.
Finally, Dominus stepped back, the tension loosening just enough. "We'll see about that," Dominus said coldly.
With that, Dominus turned and began to walk away, leaving Grak alone in the cave, still bound to the pillar. As the Dominus' footsteps echoed away, the grin on Grak's lips faded, his eyes darkening with unspoken thoughts.
Immortality... he scoffed inwardly.
I never wanted that. All I wanted was power, but instead, I was sealed here.... His mind flickered back to the figure who had bound him to this cursed island. The one who did this... it must knew far more than I did.
Grak clenched his teeth. His gaze hardened as he watched Dominus disappear from sight.