As Vikram's coughing fit subsided, he was overwhelmed by a profound sense of weakness, his body wracked by pain and exhaustion. Every breath felt like a struggle, as though each inhalation drew him closer to the brink of collapse.
His once robust frame now seemed gaunt and skeletal, his features drawn and haggard from the ordeal he had endured. The toll of battle had stripped away his vitality, leaving him a mere shadow of his former self.
Leaning heavily against the cave wall, Vikram watched as the Hulk continued to writhe in agony, his screams echoing off the rocky walls. It was clear that whatever had burrowed into the guy's flesh was causing him unimaginable torment.
Despite his own suffering, Vikram couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for his fallen foe. The creature that had burrowed inside him was the offspring of the Lord of Desert.
As to how Vikram had kept the creature inside his body, it was all due to the old man's help. He knew this desert's nature like the back of his hand, and the help the Head Slave had provided was essential to Vikram's plan.
Vikram stood amidst the darkness of the cave, his gaze unwavering as he faced the enraged Hulk. With a grim determination, he reached for the pack at his side, his fingers trembling slightly as he retrieved the green powder vibrating with vitality. Without hesitation, he swallowed it down, feeling the surge of energy revitalizing his weary body.
It was the second dose, as successive doses without break could cause harm to the body.
He couldn't afford to waste a single particle of the green powder.
After he had eaten the final substance, he got the respite he was desperate for. His lungs eased, and his muscles, if there were some attached to his bones, groaned less.
Vikram's raspy voice echoed through the cave as he muttered, "It's useless."
The Hulk turned his face towards Vikram, his eyes filled with a primal rage that seemed to pierce through the darkness. The intensity of his glare sent shivers down Vikram's spine, a silent threat of violence lurking beneath the surface.
Vikram lifted his hands in a sign of mock surrender. He observed as the Hulk, consumed by fury, burst forth and lunged at him like a wild beast. But before he could reach Vikram, he found himself immobilized, his limbs slowly constricting towards his body.
"HOW?!" The Hulk's anguished scream reverberated off the cave walls, the sheer force of his rage shaking the very ground he stood on. Vikram, maintaining a cautious distance, watched as the Hulk struggled against his unseen restraints, his desperation palpable in the air.
Vikram sighed and gestured towards the Hulk, a sense of resignation evident in his demeanor. "What do you not get?" He moved towards the outside of the cave, trying to find something.
The Hulk's eyes narrowed in confusion as he grunted out, "How did you get the allegiance from the Slave Head?"
Vikram's smile widened slightly as he replied, "Don't ask me stupid questions. You know as well as I do that all of that aggressive intent towards the Head and his daughter was all an act."
The Hulk's agitation only seemed to grow as he protested, "N-No! I saw the anger of the gir-"
"Who said we let the plan leak to the Head's daughter?" Vikram interrupted, his tone laced with a hint of amusement. "The one who was in on the plan was only me and the Slave Head. We needed at least one good actor, right?"
"Man... The Head Slave was a sly fox, though. I didn't expect he would so readily accept my suggestion of hurting his daughter," Vikram murmured to himself.
The Hulk's eyes widened in realization, his expression shifting from anger to disbelief. "I-I still don't understand. You don't have anything that would deter the Head Slave into your pl-"
"I do though," Vikram interjected, his smile taking on a darker edge. "It took a little probing, but I found out where we are going."
The Hulk's gaze bore into Vikram's with a mixture of fear and apprehension, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he struggled against his bindings. Vikram's smile grew more sinister as he continued, "Come on, man, selling me to my father's enemy? You should have at least covered your tracks. It took little convincing, but when I offered freedom to the Head Slave and you offered slavery, any fool could figure out whose side had more profit."
It became increasingly clear that Vikram and his companions were on a direct course towards the city of his father's enemy. Among them, Ramees remained oblivious to their true destination, his indifference bordering on arrogance as he neglected to inquire about their journey.
To him, such matters were beneath his concern, his focus reserved solely for endeavors he deemed worthy of his attention. But while Ramees remained blissfully ignorant, the fate of the Head Slave and her daughter hung precariously in the balance.
With their master destined to be sold into slavery, their prospects for freedom grew increasingly bleak. The cruel reality of their situation threatened to ensnare them in a cycle of servitude, their hopes for liberation fading with each passing moment.
Especially with that beautiful daughter of his.
And yet, amidst the despair, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of Vikram's offer. Promising to secure their freedom in exchange for their assistance, he presented the Head Slave with a choice that was as clear as it was compelling.
As Vikram observed the Hulk's transformation into what seemed like a cocoon, a shiver coursed down his spine. The sight of the parasitic creature wreaking havoc on the Hulk's body served as a chilling reminder of the dangerous game he had been playing.
How had he found the courage to harbor such a creature within his own body, knowing full well the risks it posed? It was a question that lingered in Vikram's mind, the answer a murky blend of desperation and determination.
The Head Slave's alchemic knowledge had played a crucial role in this risky endeavor, providing Vikram with the means to restrain and preserve the parasitic creature within him. But it was the specter of his own fate, should he fail to act on his plan, that had ultimately spurred him into action.
The black leaves, harvested from the very sands that surrounded them, held a mysterious power, capable of restraining and preserving the creatures that dwelled within the desert's depths. It was this knowledge that had guided Vikram's actions, his every move calculated to keep the parasitic creature in check.
Yet, despite his efforts, the creature continued to drain him of his vitality, its insidious presence gnawing away at his very essence with each passing moment. The ordeal had left Vikram's body ravaged and depleted, his once robust frame reduced to little more than a skeletal husk.
Seeing that The Hulk was now completely immobilized by the soft cocoon, Vikram moved with the stone in his only hand. As he neared the soft cocoon and barely saw the eyes of The Hulk that was filled with despair, Vikram murmured.
"I am not that cruel,"
The stone swung with the force that his only hand could muster, and a splash sound resounded, and an inhuman screech reverberated through the cave.