CHAPTER 98

"Forget it, that guy has no brains and is easily bewitched by parasites. We overlooked this, so we need to act quickly to catch Drax and the parasite."

After a prolonged chase, Drax the Destroyer's escape pod was running out of fuel.

Rocket Raccoon breathed a sigh of relief. "The fuel in the escape pod is almost gone. We can finally catch this guy."

But at that moment, space vortices appeared not far away. These transparent whirlpools emitted a massive gravitational pull, akin to encountering a whirlpool while sailing on the ocean. The powerful suction of these vortices could attract anything within their range in the universe.

Drax's escape pod, small and low on fuel, was quickly drawn toward the center of the vortex.

Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon were stunned. "Damn it, it's a space vortex! We can't get pulled into that, or who knows where we'll end up. It could lead us to the surface of a star, into a gravity well, or even a black hole. We'd be turned to dust," Rocket exclaimed.

Though the vast universe is mostly empty, it is filled with dangers in many mysterious locations. No one knows what might happen next in the cosmos.

Star-Lord immediately halted the spaceship, distancing it from the space vortex. It was too dangerous to follow Drax into the vortex. They didn't want to take that risk.

They watched helplessly as Drax's escape pod was sucked into the massive space vortex and disappeared entirely.

---

Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon sat in their spaceship, watching as Drax's escape pod, now carrying both him and the parasite, was swallowed by the space vortex. The two exchanged shocked and complex glances.

Groot, the tree-like member of the Guardians, muttered sadly, "I am Groot."

Star-Lord buried his face in his hands. "Drax is done for."

Rocket, however, suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute. I installed a tracking device in that escape pod. If the pod wasn't torn apart by the space vortex, we might still be able to locate him. Let's check the tracker."

Star-Lord nodded. "Good thinking."

Meanwhile, Drax the Destroyer was spinning uncontrollably inside the escape pod as it was pulled through the space vortex. The sensation was like being flushed down a cosmic toilet, spinning endlessly until the pod finally emerged from the vortex and began to slow down.

Drax, clutching his head, fought the urge to vomit. Surviving such a spin was a miracle in itself.

"Where are we?" Drax groaned.

The parasite, now fused with Drax, responded, "It looks like we're near the space junkyard."

"The space junkyard?" Drax asked, confused.

"Yes," the parasite explained. "I've heard of this place from my former companions. It's where high-tech civilizations dump their garbage. They discard everything here—waste, old technology, even prisoners. It's a lawless place, especially on the planet Sakaar. The people there are violent, and the Grandmaster, who rules Sakaar, loves to pit captured warriors against each other in his arena. If we're caught, we'll be forced to fight for our lives."

Drax's expression darkened. "We need to get out of here."

But the escape pod was out of fuel, leaving them stranded. The parasite and Drax panicked, trying to think of a way to escape, but with Drax's limited technical skills, their options were slim.

Just then, a small spacecraft spotted them and approached rapidly. Drax drew his twin daggers, ready to fight, but the spacecraft effortlessly captured the escape pod with a tractor beam.

Inside the spacecraft, a woman clad in Valkyrie armor stood before Drax. Before he could react, she threw a pair of electrified shackles at him, immobilizing him with a surge of blue electricity. Drax collapsed to the ground, twitching uncontrollably.

The parasite, still fused with Drax, decided to lay low. It didn't want to risk exposing itself, especially since the Valkyrie seemed well-prepared to handle its kind.

The Valkyrie smirked. "Welcome to Sakaar. You'll make a fine addition to the Grandmaster's arena."

Drax struggled against the shackles. "Let me go! Who are you?"

"I am Valkyrie," she replied. "And you're now property of the Grandmaster. Get used to it."

Drax was locked in a metal cage aboard Valkyrie's ship. He slammed his body against the cage, but it didn't budge. The cage was made of cosmic alloy, designed to contain even the strongest warriors.

Valkyrie watched with amusement. "I wouldn't waste your energy if I were you. Save it for the arena. If you win, you might earn your freedom. If you lose... well, you won't be around to care."

Before leaving, Valkyrie added, "Oh, and parasite, if you try to escape, you'll be hit with high-frequency sound waves. I wouldn't recommend it."

The parasite, now fully aware of its predicament, decided against attempting an escape. It had heard stories of Valkyrie and her reputation for capturing dangerous beings. It wasn't worth the risk.

Soon, Valkyrie delivered Drax to Sakaar. The planet, despite being a dumping ground for galactic waste, had a surprisingly vibrant ecosystem. Volcanoes, grasslands, deserts, and plains coexisted, creating a harsh but livable environment. The people of Sakaar, however, were notoriously violent, and the Grandmaster's arena was the center of their culture.

Drax was taken to an underground facility, where he was fitted with an electric shock collar. The collar served a dual purpose: it could deliver a painful shock to keep him in line, and it also contained a high-frequency sound wave emitter to control the parasite.

The Grandmaster, a flamboyant and eccentric ruler, loved to pit captured warriors against each other in brutal gladiatorial combat. Drax, with his enhanced strength from the parasite, was a prime candidate for the arena.

As Drax was led to his cell, the parasite whispered, "This is bad. We need to find a way out of here."

Drax growled, "You got us into this mess. Now help me get us out."

But for now, they were trapped, at the mercy of the Grandmaster and the violent world of Sakaar.