Time was now counted for Tim. His shoulder injury continued to bleed and made him suffer terribly. The young man, carried without difficulty by the mighty Maui, groaned and delirious in his half-consciousness. Following the demigod eagerly through the frightening night jungle, Moana, Rapunzel and Flynn feared the worst for their friend. Every second spent taking the risk of seeing him die of an infection, and this time Moana could not do anything. What did Maui have in mind? She had wondered, but her demigod friend had been very quiet and mysterious about it. While running, Flynn held a flaming torch in his hand, watching with great attention all around to check that no nocturnal predator was following them. Rapunzel remained near her husband, frightened, hearing all around them the cries and other sounds of animals in the jungle.

_ "Maui, we've been running for almost an hour, Tim will not survive if we drag too much!" Moana insisted on her friend while continuing to run. Maui gave her a look that was certainly worried, but also confident.

_ "Don't worry. Where I'll take you, he'll be saved, believe me."

What could he talk about? Moana would have liked to insist even more, but given the urgency of the situation, she preferred not to slow down Maui with more questions and trusting him entirely.

A few minutes later, after passing a large waterfall feeding a small freshwater lake, the group arrived in a remote and secluded part of the jungle, but also, strangely, much quieter. In the light of Flynn's torch, some surprising shapes appeared. Stacks of stones piled one on top of the other, but in an architectural way .... Moana, Rapunzel and Flynn, while walking, contemplated with amazement what had appeared to them as .... ruins! Remnants half covered by the vegetation of the forest, worn and moldy, which seemed to be here for centuries and centuries .... a proof that a human civilization had lived on this island very long before their arrival.

But as they arrive in front of the remains of a large stone arch, Maui stops suddenly, and gestures to the others to do the same. A few seconds later, human silhouettes slowly emerge from the shadows, armed with fiery spears and torches. Moana, Flynn, and Rapunzel remain frozen, somewhat anxious, while these men and women, also natives with bodies covered with strange tattoos and symbols, approach them, staring at them with their faces closed. Raising his hands, Maui walks towards them without fear to talk to them.

_ "No worries, they are with me. Friends." the demigod said to them. Keeping her hands up, Moana was able to carefully observe the appearance of these natives. Their faces and bodies, for the most part, were covered entirely with tattoos and paints, some of which managed to blend in with the environment and become almost invisible. One of the natives, the one who seemed to be the leader of these warriors, wearing a red feathered headdress, advanced to Maui, and both put their hands on the shoulder of the other, as friends greeting each other.

_ "Do you think they'll kill us?" Rapunzel asked anxiously, staying curled up near Flynn, who also did not show much confidence before all those warriors armed with spears and closed faces.

_ "Don't worry ...." Maui answered, having heard the princess of Corona "... they don't look like this at first, but they are friendly when you get to know them."

A heavy groan from Tim brought everyone back to the urgency of the situation when the young moss rolled his eyes and fainted in Moana's arms, who gasped with concern, tried to wake him up. She noticed that his wound was still bleeding severely.

_ "Tim? Tim! No, please, wake up! Hold on!"

The young man was not reacting at all, and his breathing had become almost non-existent. Maui then explained the reasons for the arrival of his friends in the village, and on this the natives seemed to understand. Several of them advanced to Moana, inviting her to step aside without jostling her, and took Tim in charge with great care. The leader of the warriors, by signs, addressed Moana and the others, and Maui made it his duty to translate.

_ "He invites you to follow them to their village. You are their guests, at least as long as you respect their laws."

_"We will do it." Moana answered sincerely.

_ "We are in unknown territory, so it's not really time to play the rebels." Flynn added, joined in agreement by his wife. Maui smiled to see them agree with him and all without further ado, followed the troop of native warriors beyond the ruins of an old stone arch that had collapsed for a long time.

After a few more minutes of walking through the thick and moist forest, the group finally arrived in a more open space. Moana, Flynn and Rapunzel opened wide admiring eyes. A large grassy plain on which stood many houses made with rocks and other natural elements, offering rudimentary shelters but with a very solid appearance for the inhabitants. The village was at the edge of a large river, at the edge of which was amused a group of children, under the supervision of their mothers who were busy going up the fishes caught by the lines they launched into the water. One thing caught the eye of Moana, Flynn and Rapunzel on their left as they walked. Farther and built between two steep rocky cliffs, stood a great wall made of tree trunks and bristling with sharpened wooden posts, standing there like a protective wall.

On arrival in the village, all the inhabitants stopped their activities to put their attention on the foreigners who had arrived, without showing any sign of aggressivity towards them. Holding hands, Flynn and Rapunzel kept on walking, not daring to look at all the people watching them curiously. Before them, Moana advanced to Maui to talk to him.

_ "Who ... who are they?"

_ "I don't know it ..." answered the demigod frankly, he who nevertheless thought to know all the peoples of the archipelago. "... They are not very talkative as you can see, but they are sincere .... but they know who I am, I think that's why they welcomed me among them ... it's been hundreds of years that these people live here, recluse from the world, among the monsters .... they don't speak, and even the oldest of them still seem as robust as young adults, as if they never aged totally .... "

Moana listened to her friend speak attentively. From what he said, it's as if this island was frozen in time, isolated from the rest of the world. It was both fascinating and terrifying. Tim was immediately taken in charge by what appeared to be the healer of the village, a man as tattooed as the others, and yet who proved to be blind, while knowing where he was walking. Lying in the healer's hut on a wicker mat, Tim groaned more and more in his unconsciousness, while the healer took several medicinal herbs in terracotta pots. Moana wanted to enter the hut too, but Maui gently held her by the shoulder and gave her a look to reassure her.

_ "The healer doesn't really like being bothered while he's working. Don't worry, your friend is in good hands. It's the healer who saved my life when they have brought here. Without him I would surely be dead by now. "

Moana was a little hesitant, really worried about Tim, but she also trusted Maui and nodded, following him and leaving Tim to the native. But as they were moving away from the healer's hut, the leader of the natives stepped forward again and with another wave of his hand invited the group of strangers to come with him to a place very particular in the village. Moana, Flynn, and Rapunzel were able to see what looked like a very old and large wreck of a ship, half buried in the mud and gradually covered by the vegetation that had recovered its rights.

The native chief entered through a large crack in the wood of the hull of the ship, followed by Maui who signaled the others to follow him. Upon entering, Moana, Flynn, and Rapunzel felt a shiver run down their spine, glimpsing torches in several places and illuminating the place, and a few natives standing upright and silent, carrying on their bodies tattoos in the form of various and varied symbols.

_"What is this place?" asked the Princess de Corona, somewhat intimidated by the thinking atmosphere of the place.

_ "This is a sacred place for this people, like a kind of temple .... so if you don't want to lose a hand, don't touch anything.They don't like to touch what belongs to their god."

_ "Their god?" Moana said, raising an eyebrow. Maui looked at her and nodded.

_"Something far more powerful than me." he said, with very sincerity. Moana felt a shiver.

The group entered a more open space inside the ship, lit this time by cracks in the wood and letting the sun's rays through. Walking on a carpet of moss and dead leaves, Moana, Flynn, and Rapunzel were able to contemplate several large black stones set up and surrounded by natives who seemed to guard and protect them. These giant black stones seemed to be covered with patterns made with white paint and from a certain angle of view, revealed rock drawings that seemed to tell something. Some natives were kneeling in front of some of the black stones, usually the largest ones, and praying in silence.

Maui approached the first black stones, which showed on their surface drawings representing giant and monstrous creatures, some resembling reptiles, and others to giant apes, and in the middle of them, frightened and dying humans .

_ "From what is said ..." the demigod began to tell his friends who listened with the greatest attention "... hundreds of years ago, this island was the battlefield of giant monsters who waged a permanent war for domination. The natives living among these colossi were constantly subject to fear."

Other black stones showed another drawing, that of natives, who this time stood on their knees, prostrate before a giant head resembling a monkey. Moana had a new thrill at the sight of this drawing that looked exactly like the giant monkey she had seen in the island.

_ "But one day, the miracle happened ... one of the monsters that once scared them, started to protect them from the things that devoured them all the time ...."

Moana, Flynn and Rapunzel did not say a word, they were too captivated by what he heard in this surreal place. Other black stones still showed this giant monkey, but this time also on his knees and seeming in mourning before the giant skeletons of two other monkeys at his height. And finally, in the deep of the temple and shined by torches, was the great final fresco, showing the native people, gathering and praying, and above them again finding the giant and all-powerful monkey, dominating them and protecting them from all his stature and his fierce eye.

_ "And it's here that they honor their savior and protector ..." continued Maui contemplating the fresco with a more than palpable respect. Once again Moana looked at the fresco of the giant monkey, feeling almost as if he was looking at her. Maui took another step towards the fresco without being able to look away. "... and here he is ...... Kong."

The name he uttered tore a powerful shudder from Moana and the others, as if that name were not to be heard by mortals. The natives themselves seemed affected, and lowered their heads with respect. The almost supernatural atmosphere of the temple seemed to be accentuated by the mention of this name.

_ "And .... who is he?" Moana asked, without looking away from the fresco. Maui understood her curiosity well and explained.

_ "He is the king on this island, and he is a god for this people. Kong is a good king, as long you don't bother him. It's his home here, and we are only guests. He's the one who decides who stays and who leaves ... and in general, when we come to someone's house and start to blow things up, we're looking for trouble."

Moana, Flynn and Rapunzel glared at each other, guessing he was talking about the moment when Wagner and his men, unscrupulously, had blown up the dynamite. A little shameful, Rapunzel nevertheless wanted to defend herself and her friends.

_ "Know that I never give such an order, I assure you, I would never have done that .... it's Wagner .... he completely lost his mind."

_ "I know it's not your fault, princess, and they know that too, that's why they didn't kill you ..." Maui said pointing to the natives. "But Kong is much harder to convince. He's a good king, but he can also be ruthless."

Flynn came to morally support Rapunzel and reassure her. She blamed herself for trusting Wagner. Moana felt sorry for her too, but again focused on Maui, watching the big scars on his body.

_ "And .... it's Kong who did that to you?" she asked apprehensively. Maui grew darker and shook her head nonchalantly before pointing to a new fresco.

_ "No ... it's one of those."

Moana shuddered with horror, as did the Corona couple. The rock painting depicted a two-legged reptilian creature whose head appeared almost devoid of skin and resembled a howling skull of a lizard. "... Kong is god on this island, but where there's a god, there's the devil too."

Moana recognized there the reptilian creature that Kong had killed in the lake when she observed while remaining hidden.

_ "And ... how do they name these things?" Moana asked.

_ "Well ..." Maui replied, a little embarrassed "... people here do not want to give them names, by fear .... personally, I call them Skull Crawlers .... I found that it sounded pretty good ...."

Skull crawlers. A name to be cold in the back and which, indeed, seemed suitable for these horrible creatures. Maui seemed to scowl a little, touching with fingertips the scars that one of these giant lizards inflicted on him, and spoke again.

_ "No matter what they are called .... these lizards are vicious, mean and ruthless .... they usually live underground, but the explosion that your stupid captain has caused, awakened them from their torpor .. .. they have started to rise to the surface and eat everything in their way, which makes Kong completely mad with rage .... We are lucky that he is here to protect us .... as long they are still small, he manages to exterminate them without any problem, but above all, do not wake up the biggest of them ...."

_"How big is he?" Rapunzel asked with fear.

_ "A lot, a lot bigger ... He killed Kong's whole family. Kong is the last of his kind, but he's still growing, and believe me, it has to keep going like this ... Because the day Kong will disappear, the big lizard will feel it, and it will rise to the surface .... I let you imagine the continuation .... "

Indeed, it did not mean anything good. Although intimidated by the explanations of her friend, Moana, however, had also come to understand more things, especially with respect to this god, Kong, and his role .... he was not a simple giant animal. Although she had already seen monsters in her life, Moana knew deep inside her that Kong was so much more ... something much bigger and more complex than anything humanity could imagine ..... a force of nature... like....a guardian....

But as she pondered, Moana's attention was suddenly drawn to a new fresco, more discreet and better protected. As she approached, the native guards agreeing to step aside to better let her see, she opened wide stupefied eyes. Kong was still drawn, roaring, but this time in a position of weakness, dominated by the shape of the giant skull crawler, the one described earlier by Maui as the big one ... and near them, was drawn a young human woman stretching out her hands towards Kong and surrounded by a wave of water that seemed to obey her. Moana did not dare say it, but this young woman on the painting reminded her of someone very familiar...

_"What is it?" she asked, placing her palm gently on the cold black rock, without the natives seeming indignant at seeing her touching the sacred altar of their god. Maui walked over to her, taking her gently by the shoulders.

_ "A legend tells that one day, Kong will be killed by the great skull crawler ... but it is said that a young human woman with valiant heart and coming from the ocean, will arrive one day on this island, will face the evil creatures of this island ... "

Maui then invited Moana to turn her head to her right, towards the continuation of the fresco, showing the young woman from the ocean, standing in the giant hand of Kong, both of them looking into each other's eyes. "... and help Kong restore the balance of this world."

Moana felt her heart leap in her chest and showed a shocked face in front of Maui and all the natives who stared at her insistently.

_ "I .... no .... it can not be me." declared the young woman of Motunui.

_ "Moana ...." Maui told her, supporting her "... they know who you are .... you've been chosen by the ocean .... you've worn the heart of Te Fiti and restored the balance ..... you are the most designated among us to save Kong."

_ "I .... no .... NO!" Moana abruptly pulled Maui out of her way and started running out of the temple, without any native trying to hold her back. Rapunzel wanted to run after her to catch her, but Flynn made her understand by the look that it was better to leave alone for the moment. Maui also remained motionless, feeling both guilty but reassured to have revealed this to his friend.

Moana had run, again and again without stopping, to reach the limit of the village, near the great wall of wood. With her hand resting on the wood of the wall, Moana was breathing heavily, her head bowed and heavy anxiety on her face. She, having to face these giant and monstrous creatures? Just that idea terrified her. She did not feel able. How could a young woman like her have the slightest chance of helping a god against an army of demons? She was nothing compared to these ancestral things that challenged the dominant place of the human in the world .... She had been able to cross the ocean, face many dangers, but this time .... Moana did not feel capable ... she thought back to her island, her parents, and her thoughts knotted her throat and made a tear come out at the corner of her eye .... would she ever see them again?

But as she was lost in thought, a loud, distant moan made her come back to reality. Wiping the tear on her cheek, she listened attentively, hearing again the sound that sounded like a complaint. The curiosity prevailing, she crossed the small cut between two beams of the wall, to find herself outside the village limits and walking in the middle of large wild grass dancing with the light wind. She noticed the large woodpeckers standing on the surface of the wall, all with dried bloodstains, indicating that more than once, creatures had tried to enter here.

Moving a little further from the wall, Moana stopped suddenly, perceiving the origin of the noise, and hastened at once. Another of these giant buffaloes was there, on the ground, moaning heavily. A big tree had fallen on him, blocking him to the ground. The big animal was barely moving and seemed desperate. Moana approached very gently, without abrupt gestures, and with her hand gently stroked the cold but soft muzzle of the buffalo, the latter allowing her to do so without showing any fear.