Task 2

As the teams received their assigned arms and a portal to transport them to the entrance of the Blackstone Sanctum, they couldn't help but feel a fleeting sense of relief.

The dense, foreboding forest that shrouded the sanctum seemed less daunting now that they had the means to defend themselves aside from their skills.

As the groups ventured into the Blackstone Sanctum, they moved in unison, determined to stay together. Marilyn, now the appointed group leader, took the forefront, with the others closely following. 

Octavius had hoped to walk alongside her, intending to gather more information and potentially form a mutually beneficial alliance. 

But, his plan was foiled as he found himself instead walking beside one of the other participants - a young man who he remembered boasting of his exceptional speed earlier on.

They had walked a good instant inside the forest and still, nothing bad they had assumed to occur had happened, yet. Until they got to the heart of the forest, and Marilyn decided they should catch a break for a few minutes, to do whatever they needed to do to retain energy.

As they drank water and settled in to stretch, Marilyn asked about their talents. 

"The only way we'll get through this quickly," she explained, "is by knowing each other's strengths and using them to help each other tackle the challenges ahead." 

She hadn't even finished speaking when a menacing, unearthly growl echoed through the air.

The team stood frozen, their eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of fear and anticipation. The air was thick with tension, heavy with the promise of impending doom. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves, made them jump. They knew they were being watched, and could feel the weight of unseen eyes upon them.

The team stood frozen, their eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of fear and anticipation. The air was thick with tension, heavy with the promise of impending doom. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves, made them jump. They knew they were being watched, and could feel the weight of unseen eyes upon them.

And then, without warning, a towering creature emerged from the shadows. It was a "Kragg" - a massive, gorilla-like beast with thick, dark fur and yellow eyes that seemed to burn with a fierce inner intensity. The Kragg stood upright on two legs, its enormous fists clenched at its sides as it let out a thunderous roar.

[King Kong] Octavius heard Void breathed out, even though he didn't know what 'King Kong' meant, he asked.

"Is it dangerous?"

Birds flew in from all directions, as the kragg appeared, their frantic squawks filling the air as they swooped and dived around the team. The sudden chaos added to the team's panic, making it harder for them to think clearly.

[It makes an exception for blondes. Other than that… yes, so RUN!]

Panic set in instantly. The team splintered, members scattering in different directions as they abandoned their arms and fled for their lives. Marilyn sprinted to the left, dodging trees as she desperately sought cover. Octavius ran to the right, his feet pounding against the earth as he tried to put as much distance between himself and the Kragg as possible. 

The contestant that had mentioned he was good at running, ran past Octavius and further inside the forests with speed he had never seen before. 

"Damn." Octavius breathed out as he tried to keep up.

The others ran too, their terrified cries echoing through the forest as they fled from the monstrous creature.

As Octavius ran for his life, he caught glimpses of someone leaping effortlessly from tree to tree above him. Without breaking stride, he glanced up to see a figure clad in a dark cloak, its movements fluid and almost ethereal.

 It seemed as though It was tracking him since its eyes were fixed intently on his fleeing form. But Octavius pushed the thought aside, his focus consumed by the terrifying sounds closing in around him.

The Kragg's thunderous growl echoed through the forest, sending shivers down Octavius's spine. Trees came crashing down, their trunks slashing through the air mere feet from his head. But just as Octavius thought that was it, he was going to die— again, Void intervened, making them disappear before instantly re-materializing them in a harmless location nearby.

"Can't you just make us vanish, grab the stone, and head back to the Academy?" 

[It doesn't work like that, NPC, ] Void replied, but his words were cut short by the Kragg's deafening growl. 

Octavius resumed his frantic sprint, darting glances upward as he ran. The mysterious figure was no longer leaping between the trees, and Octavius wondered if he'd imagined the whole thing.

But his curiosity was short-lived, as he noticed a figure running alongside him. He turned to gaze at the person, and his eyes widened in surprise. It was a woman - and not just any woman. "Is that... blue hair?" Octavius breathed, his words trailing off in shock.

Before he could even process the revelation, he felt himself being scooped up by massive, hairy arms that wrapped around him like a vice.