Wagner and his men who had survived during the crossing of the island, about eight sailors, the most hardened, had finally reached a remote part of the island, untouched by any presence of giant predatory creatures. Exhausted and always terrified by the abnormal fauna of this island that could arise at any moment, the sailors wanted to stop for a break, but Captain Wagner, smiling with all his teeth and his shining eye, pointed to the wreck of a very old ship, covered with moss and other creeping vegetation.

_ "Gentlemen, this is our base camp for the night. William, first watch this night. Johns and Liam, get some wood to make a fire."

The sailor named William sighed heavily, he who would have hoped to sleep a little once the camp installed. The wreck was very old, but nevertheless it would provide a safe shelter for the group of men, they do not especially want to sleep in nature with all the predators that run.

Wagner inspected the ship's rooms, one by one, discovering a lot of badly damaged things, dirty and torn portraits of people he did not know and who were probably dead on this island. In his hand the captain picked up the shreds of what was once a little girl's dress, torn by marks of claws and still bearing, in spite of the humidity, dry traces of blood. Wagner swallowed. This island was decidedly unforgiving ... a place that does not belong to the human ... at least, for the moment, Wagner thought sharp-eyed, determined to carry out its main objective: to kill Kong.

As he dropped the torn robe at his feet, Wagner was stopped by one of his sailors who arrived hastily and smiled.

_ "Captain, you should come and see."

Intrigued by the cheerful air of his sailor, Wagner immediately followed him to the bottom of small, damp, dirty wooden stairs, leading straight to the hold of the ship. The place was plunged into a constant darkness or swarming worms and other insects from swamps, the sailor illuminated with a torch made in a hurry. The orange glow of the flames revealed an immense and dismal hold, filled to the brim with barrels that had withstood the weather and the humidity. Wagner stepped to one of the casks and peeking in, he too smiled with great interest. Most of these barrels were filled with dynamite sticks, even more than Wagner and his men had brought on their own ship. It was enough to blow up half of the capital of Corona. Other barrels contained oil, giving off a strong, fermented odor. But Wagner did not care about the smell, too overwhelmed by this discovery and put his hand on the shoulder of his sailor, congratulating him with his eyes.

_ "Now, we can kill that bastard." the captain said with determination.

************

Kong was back in his den, while twilight had given way to the night. Tonight, in the dark, star-dappled sky, huge threads of blue-green light danced, running through the heavens at great speed. Sitting at the edge of his cliff overlooking the island, Kong nibbled at a large root that he had torn off, and while munching softly, gazed at the dancing lights of the sky with a curious, but also fascinated eye.

However, his thoughts were elsewhere. He had not stopped having them since that moment, when he met this young human woman with matted skin and long, wavy hair .... she, not moving, her eyes fixed on him and showing both this expression of fear, but also of understanding .... a human looking at him in this way was not common, even more than rare .... both frightened, and not .... the only time it happened. .....

Kong managed to gather his memories and growling slightly, turned his head to a small mound of land a few meters from him, on which stood an oval stone worn by time. At the foot of this stone was a small necklace of pearls, old and dirty, but nevertheless whole. With the tip of his big finger and with a thousand precautions, Kong touched the necklace, without moving it. A dampness formed in the eyes of the king, and his face became more serious, darker ... he had never been able to forget who this necklace belonged to .... Tehela, an unknown young woman, had once been brought by the ocean to the shores of the island .... half dead, she had been picked by the natives, who took care of her .... over time, Tehela became one of their , learning their customs and traditions, and especially learning to know the dangers of this island, but also to venerate the true master. When she first met Kong, Tehela was frightened at first, but little by little she learned to observe him, to know him, to respect him as king of the island. He had affection for her, and sometimes she could come to see him in his lair .... The way she looked at him ... she did not look at him with fear, nor like an animal .... but as a protector, a friend ....

On nights when the lights danced in the sky, Tehela came, coming to settle in the giant palm of the monkey, and both together, could spend the whole night contemplating the beauty of the skies .... Tehela always ended up to fall asleep, but Kong sat there, watching over her as she slept.

Tehela was also talking to him, as if she were talking to any human, and Kong sat listening to her, and understood her most of the time. According to her, Tehela belonged to a tribe, the Motunuis, and was an explorer ... she had left to discover new islands, but had been caught in a storm. The ocean saved her as she drowned and brought her to this island .... But one day, a group of skull crawlers attacked the lair during the night. Kong fought with all his strength, managing to kill them one after the other, while protecting Tehela. But unfortunately, one of the predators was more cunning and while Kong was struggling with another, he took the opportunity to seize the young woman. Kong saw Tehela be devoured before his eyes, without being able to do anything, the skull crawler guilty of her death having fled just after. All that remained of her was her pearl necklace which she lost before being swallowed by the monster. Tehela's death deeply affected Kong ... he never forgot, never forgave ... all this happened fifty years ago now ....

His thoughts returned to the other young woman, Moana .... on seeing her, he had almost seen in her a Tehela lookalike .... that same look, that same understanding, the same way of talking to him... Kong thought about all this, while looking up at the dancing lights of the sky and deep inside him, hoping that the young woman was fine...

*********

In honor of the arrival of the chosen one from the ocean, the native tribe of the island held a celebration this night. The whole tribe had gathered around a big fire, also celebrating their god Kong and the sacred lights that danced in the darkness of the sky. Striking on drums, men beat a powerful and regular rhythm, accompanied by flutes in bone, while women wearing very bright colors and headdresses of bones and feathers, danced in a circle with a perfect syncronization, all around flames dancing with them.

Usually closed and neutral, this time, the natives showed their emotions, smiling, expressing themselves by shouts of joy. Maui had been invited to dance by two women at the same time, and a little embarrassed, the demigod agreed, under the stifled laughter of Moana, to see her friend blush like a ripe fruit. Sitting around the fire, as a guest of honor among the members of the tribe, Moana contemplated with interest the dances of the natives, while savoring the dinner, consisting of a very tasty fish that the natives often fished and covered with d a delicious spice powder that they grow here. The natives gave without demanding anything in return, sharing their resources with pleasure. According to Maui, they do not know the crime, nor the private property .... they are above all that ... Sitting also as guests, side by side, Flynn and Rapunzel looked and laughed heartily with the natives next to them. During the day in the village, Rapunzel had taken the time to draw some of the natives, making portraits of them very detailed .... She had also managed to sympathize with some children of the tribe and had played with them, under the distant but certain watching of the mothers...

Although being the princess of a great and powerful kingdom, Rapunzel did not see these people as savages, on the contrary .... she too, in a way, had lived a recluse of the rest of the world, in her tower .... in a way, she was like those people ....

_ "Tim, you're up!" Flynn suddenly said, getting up, drawing the princess's attention. Indeed, the young moss arrived, looking a little tired but still alive. Flynn hugged him, and Rapunzel did the same, smiling and happy to see him standing up.

_"How do you feel?" she asked.

_ "A little blurry, but it's okay. This healer worked miracles, I feel nothing at all." Tim replied, showing the rudimentary but effective dressing that had been placed on him and almost completely scarred the wound. After greeting the prince and the princess of Corona and thanking them for worrying about him, Tim went to Moana, who in turn smiled at him, getting up to meet him and hug him. Tim blushed, and hugged her too. He blushed even more when Motunui's young woman put a little kiss on his cheek.

_ "I'm happy to see you standing and alive. Te Fiti has heard my prayer."

_ "Given the circumstances, I'm ready to believe the unimaginable, so thank you." Tim replied gratefully. Moana smiled again and the young moss, now healed, was invited to sit among them, a woman from the tribe bringing him food, which he did not refuse, on the contrary, being hungry as ever. One more proof that he was feeling better, Moana thought, laughing a little without making fun of him.

Later.....

The ceremony had lasted until very late in the night. Rapunzel and Flynn returned to the hut which was granted to them by the natives. A small hut made of stones and branches, small in size but big enough for two people. This changed enormously from the large and sumptuous rooms of the castle of the capital of Corona, but the couple was not at all indisposed by the smallness of their shelter, nor the smell of plants. Rapunzel sits on the rudimentary but very comfortable bed, consisting of a large mattress stuffed with straw. The natives had found these beds in one of the many wrecks of ships that had run aground on this island over the years, and kept them there.

Flynn, sitting on his mattress and blowing with fatigue, began to take off his boots, then noticed Rapunzel looking at her drawings, one by one. She had made drawings of the natives, but also of certain landscapes of the island, and also one of the face of Kong, roaring and majestic. A face she could never forget. How could one forget the existence of such creatures after seeing them with his own eyes?

_ "Do you think to show these drawings to the king and the queen when we return to Corona?" Flynn asked, putting down his boots next to him. Rapunzel shrugged slightly, uncertain, her face lit by the little lantern hanging near her and surrounded by small insects fluttering around the light.

_ "I don't know .... who will believe what we have seen? And then, after leaving without permission, I think my father will punish me for a whole year."

Flynn smiled slightly, seeing that his wife was confused, and decided to comfort her. Sitting next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist, he laid a kiss on her forehead, which made her smile. The couple stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds, without saying a word, listening to the crickets singing around the hut.

_ "We'll come back home ..... I promise you ..." Flynn told her, gently pulling a strand of hair down on his wife's forehead. Rapunzel trusted him and nodded slowly. Flynn put his hand on her cheek, approaching his face and the couple kissed tenderly. The kiss became more and more passionate, and without breaking it, Rapunzel let herself lie on the mattress, Flynn leaning over her, continuing to kiss with love and starting a night together, wanting to enjoy this moment of respite.

During this time, and despite the late hour of the night, Moana could not sleep and came to sit on the edge of the river that bordered the village. Sitting on the soft, fresh sand, she gazed silently and pensively on the magnificent dancing lights in the sky, floating in the middle of the largest mountains on the island. She felt a presence approaching behind her and smiled as she saw Maui come and sit next to her, admiring the glimmers of heaven too.

_ "It's strange .... it's always the most beautiful places that are the most dangerous." he said. Moana in a sense, agreed with him. Although being a real hell on earth, this island also had landscapes of supernatural beauty. Moana did not want to talk about it during the party because fearing to darken the atmosphere and wanting to let her friends enjoy this respite, but now alone with her friend, she could speak frankly.

_ "Maui .... I am touched that you and the people of this island put so much hope in me, but let's be realistic .... I am only human, and Kong is a god .... he doesn't need me."

_ "Sometimes power is not enough, Moana, and I know that very well. Remember when we had to face Te Ka. Without you, I could never have defeated him. Everyone needs someone you can count on, even a creature as powerful as Kong ..... you did not come to this island just to save me, Moana, but that, your grandmother have already said is not it?"

Moana looked at him, rather surprised. How could he know what his grandmother had told him about Skull Island and that unexpected ally she would meet? Did Tala also warn him about Moana's coming on the island? Possible. Was this true? Was she destined to come to this island to help its king? Moana remembered Tala's words: you were chosen because you have a duty to do to this world.

A loud and familiar roar echoed across the island, reaching the village and attracting the attention of Moana and Maui who turned to look at the island's largest mountain, surrounded by mist. The King of Skull Island was speaking, sending as a sort of message .... Moana wondered: was it for her?