A Royal on Skull Island Ch. 11
Once arriving at the temple, Kong let the Ever Afterans down before approaching the closed off entrance.
Examining the large stone doors, Dexter asks, "How are we supposed to get in?" Then, the Ape simply pushes them open. "Oh…"
They followed the ape into the building with some of the natives running in with lit torches and latters and started lighting up inside of the temple.
Cerise stops for a moment as her ears twitch. "What the…" turns to the opposite corridor and takes a step. The Ridding Hood then lets out a shout as a foot is slammed right in front of her. Looking up, she finds Kong glaring down at her. "Uh…" the Hooded girl is then helped up by Apple.
"That part of the temple is Kong's home. No one's allowed there," the Snow White explains. "I can't even go there," and leads them away.
Daring then comments. "That's surprising given that you're his bride."
"That's a bit of a misconception," the Royal continues. "To these people, the word bride has the same meaning as priestess. One who speaks for the King. Which to these people…" she looks up at the Ape who is following behind the group. "That's who Kong is. I am the one who connects Kong to everyone in the village," Apple turns to her friends and curtsies. "I am the High Priestess to the Great King."
Darling then says. "That sounds like a lot of responsibility."
"You have no idea. I am the one who has to calm the big guy down whenever he throws a fit like a five-year-old."
Kong lets out a huff as if he felt insulted.
Apple looks up at him with a smirk. "Are you really going to deny it?"
The Ape looks away as if avoiding to answer before walking off down the other end of the temple.
The Snow White turns to her friends. "Kong doesn't really like to be called out like that," she continues down the hall. "He'll be fine after a few minutes. Just in time for the Feast. Here we are!" the Royal suddenly announced as they entered a corridor.
Covering each side of the wall are images and writing. Much of the images depicts the familiar shape of Kong. Only there were many of them grouped together.
Apple took out her glasses with one of the lenses cracked and started searching through the images.
The Ever Afterans marvel at what they are seeing around them.
Raven turns to her roommate. "What is this place?"
The Royal turns to her Fairy Tale Villain. "This?" she then gestures to the wall behind her. "This is the history of the Island. Welcome to the Hall of Ancestors!"
Apple walks up to one end that depicts boats sailing across the sea and starts reading.
"A few thousand years ago, there were these settlers who left their kingdom in search of a new home," a couple boats were then seen around a vortex. "But before they could reach the intended destination a gate pulled in many of their ships. Only a few were seen on the other side," the image then shows the ships arriving on an island with a disturbing appearance of a skull. "Desperate for somewhere safe, many of the Settlers went to shore of the nearest land. But there they found many dangers," now there's drawing of people surrounded by Packhunters. "They retreated back to the where they arrived only to find the ships gone," there are then brought to the image of a humanoid octopus rising above the island. "The Dweller of the Deep had taken the ships along with those who remained on them. That's when they came," large apes were then seen fighting the Dweller of the Deep. "They were saved by the Giants who guard the Island, and they took interest in the Settlers. Especially their leader that goes by the name meaning the Great King," one of the apes raises a woman in the palm of its hand. "His eyes were drawn to a crying widow whose husband was taken by the Dweller of the Deep. They bonded through friendship, and she became the first Bride."
The Snow White places a hand over the woman being held by the ape, her attention is then brought to Best Friend Forever After.
"Are you saying that there are others like Kong?" Briar looks at the many depictions of the Giants.
"There were…" Apple looks down. "But not anymore." She moves to another part of the wall that shows the apes and humans getting along. "Once the Settler realized that the Giants had more interest in protecting them rather than bringing harm, they decided to trust their saviors. The Giants led them to the safest part of the island and there the Settlers started their little community," the humans were building small houses out of wood and the apes were doing the same with stones. "Where the Settlers learned how to survive from the Giants, the Giants also learned from the Settlers. Sometime down the line, the trust between the Giants and the people started calling this place home and form a symbiotic relationship with one another."
Darling then asks. "What happened?"
While reaching over her shoulder, Apple turns to a mural of a terrifying wingless dragon crawling out of a volcano. "The Devil of Fire emerged. Ragnor," At that, the natives around them flinched at the name. "He descended from the burning mountain and brought destruction to the Island. Many lives were lost. Both human and Giant," next over shows humans running from the dragon while the apes tried fighting it. One ape then led the dragon towards the water and the dragon fled back up to the volcano. "As mighty as Ragnor was, he was not fond of water. He rarely comes down but whenever he does its pure devastation," there was another image of the dragon attacking an ape who was along with a woman. "The last time was shortly before my arrival. Kong was on another part of the island handling a different matter when Ragnor came down. Kong's mate did her best to fend him off along with my predecessor. Both gave their lives for the people here," now one of the apes mourns the two forms of the other ape and the woman. The Ape then fights the dragon. "Kong was thrown in a rage and used every ounce of his strength and Ragnor retreated back to the Burning Mountain, which had stopped burning since. And that's the source of your problem."
The Ever Afterans tilt their heads and Raven asks. "So this Ragnor is stopping our magic?"
"No," Apple shakes her head. "He's just guarding it," the Royal walks to the other side of the hall where it shows locals greeting new arrivals. "long ago, visitors came to the island. The Natives welcomed them as they saw this as a chance to expand from the island as their ancestors had done. Where many of the visitors were friendly, more where not and they had magic," the Visitors attacked the Natives but were saved by the Apes. "The Visitors thought to bring their own kind of order to a land they believed to be savage and unfitting. Luckily, the the few remaining Giants saved them. One of the Visitors was wrought with guilt as they saw the beauty on the island. He was a powerful magic user himself. To protect the island from any future invasions, he created an artifact that not only generates a storm to isolate this place from outsiders but also cancels out all forms of magic," a figure is shown with an orb and walking up to a familiar mountain. "He then took the artifact to the one place that all is afraid to go to. The one place where it would be safe. The most dangerous place on the entire island. That was the last time he was ever seen."
The Ever Afterans stared at the murals before turning to Apple.
Daring approaches her. "My fellow Royal. Are you saying that the only key to get off this grimmforsaken island where nearly everything wants to kill us is up in an active volcano being guarded by the most dangerous beast that has ever existed?"
The Snow White nods. "I'm afraid so, Daring," she reaches over her shoulder again as if to grip something.
"Well, then," the eldest Charming straightens up. "We've faced harsh obstacles before. I'm sure this would be different. I know that together we all can—"
"No!" Apple says, surprising everyone.
"Apple…" Raven walks up to her. "If this is our only way home, then we have to take the chance."
"Trust me, it's not worth it," she walks past then back towards the entrance. "You better get the thought of going there out of your head."
"But, Apple—"
The Royal turned to her friends and snapped. "Just drop it!" there was anger in her eyes, but tears could be seen as well. There was a large thump behind Apple, and she takes a deep breath. "Sorry, Kong," and turns to the massive ape as she reaches behind her once again. "You know how this subject gets to me.
Rosebelle squints her eyes as she takes notice how right below her shoulder, the markings had some sort of pattern that resembles the writings on the walls around them.
Kong leans towards Apple and lets out a soft whine.
"I'll be fine. I promise," the blond places a hand on his snout. "Hey! It's almost sundown," then turns to her friends. "It's almost time for the Moonlight Feast. I'm sure you guys are going to enjoy this."