Marvel: Breezing Through History as an Eternal

Chapter 60: Grodd, Second of his name, King of the Apes. 200 CE

[a couple of weeks before Pluto’s and Thena’s arrival]

Grodd was a young king. His father, Grodd I, died in the war that was just starting with the Wakandans. When he was crowned king, people were doubtful of him. He was not a warrior, but he was a curious gorilla.

When his late father was king, he never trained in the art of combat, which is sacred to the ape society, as the art was taught by the goddess herself. Instead, he experiments on things, studying the ways of the world using his brains and hands. He was the one who created the gorilla's high quality weapons, which are made out of metal instead of rocks.

While he may be young, he proved to be a somewhat competent king. He cared about the people, and he hated the Wakandans to the bone when they took his people’s lives away.

Speaking of the Wakandans, the tensions between the two societies were high before the war. The wakandans have a seclusion policy, and anyone who discovered their place would be punished. The Apes discovered the Wakandans when they sent an expedition team to discover more food to be cultivated in their town. When they entered Wakandans’ territory, they were surrounded, and questioned.

The Wakandans didn’t know the apes, and didn’t know how to communicate with them. The Wakandans didn’t trust the gorillas whatsoever, as they thought that they had relations with the Jabari tribe beneath the mountain. The expedition team tried to explain that they wanted to find sources of food, but the wakandans didn’t know sign language, causing misunderstanding.

One of the more paranoid wakandan guards attacked the expedition team, resulting in the massacre of the team.

As the previous king heard the accident, his blood boiled, and declared war on the Wakandans. The apes were enraged, their brethren slaughtered indiscriminately by those humans, they would not stand idly.

Now, the war had been going on for a few years. Death tolls were rising as the two societies continued to slaughter each other, and even the previous king himself was killed by the black panther.

—

[Minutes before Pluto’s and Thena’s arrival]

Grodd was now standing in front of his advisors, the room was tense, and Grodd could feel the thoughts of the advisors.

They want absolute annihilation of the Wakandans.

Grodd knows that they could not do it. Their numbers and technologies dwarfs the Wakandans, who use Vibranium weapons and elephants as a means of battle. He needed to make peace with the Wakandans, but even then it’s practically impossible, the two societies cannot communicate at all, and the hatred between the two societies are at an all time high.

But even then, Grodd tried to speak about it.

“The apes need to make peace.” announced Grodd using sign language, surprising his advisors.

One of the more powerful ones slammed the floor, making himself the centre of attention. “King! Are you a coward?! We are apes, we do not give up!”

“The lives of our ape brothers and sisters are at stake!” refuted Grodd. “We cannot lose more lives! Or our society will fall!”

“But we need to finish our revenge from those Wakandans!” said another Gorilla. “Our brothers' lives must be avenged!”

“Do not be stupid Onana.” said Grodd, calming himself down. “We cannot take revenge right now, or else our other brothers would die in the war.”

“Then what? Make peace?” Onana spit on the ground, a sign of dissatisfaction. “King, we are proud apes, we will not give up.”

As soon as Onana said that, two gorillas slammed the door open, and the other advisors saw the humans behind them, alerting them.

“What is the meaning of this?” Grodd frowned as he slammed the ground below him, a sign that he is angry.

“King! King! Eshu and Ifri came back!” jumped one of the apes excitedly, pointing at the two humans.

“Chewie, what are you talking about?” questioned an advisor, who looked like a priest. “Do not speak our lord’s and lady’s name in vain.”

“Imani! Look at them!” shouted Azizi, the other gorilla. “They look the same!”

Azizi was pointing at the two ‘humans’ and the statues beside Grodd’s throne, who symbolises that the two gods are always guiding the king.

The Gorillas in the room looked at the statues, and the ‘humans’, and the statues again.

Grodd was curious. He approached the two ‘humans’ against the advice of his advisors. He examined the two, and they really looked like the two gods’ statues beside his throne.

“This ape’s name is Grodd, second of his name, king of the apes!” said Grodd with sign language, he looked serious. “Who are you? Why do you look like our gods?”

“We came from far away.” said Pluto, also with sign language, surprising the gorillas in the room. “I didn’t think that the gorilla colony that we taught turned out to be a society like this.”

“You? Eshu and Ifri?” questioned Grodd again, trying to suppress his curiosity on how the ‘human’ could speak our language.

“It seems so.” nodded Pluto. “I left at the time of Harambe, are you his descendant?”

Grodd was now showing his surprised face. “Harambe was my first ancestor… so you are–”

“I told you, it seems so,” smiled Pluto.

Grodd looked at his advisors, looking for advice, but it was of no use. The other gorillas were jumping around excitedly, seemingly already believing the humans’ words.

Grodd just sighed. “Follow this ape.” he said as he walked towards a private room inside the place.

—

They are now in a private room reserved for the king’s meeting with his retainers. Grodd walked to something that looks like a straw bed, and sat on it.

“Are you really Eshu and Ifri? Or are you an imposter?” questioned Grodd suspiciously.

Thena nodded. “You have a suspicious attitude towards us. Good. you’ll be a good king.”

“You haven’t answered this ape’s question.”

“What do you want me to show you then?” asked Pluto.

“Your powers.” answered Grodd as he stood up again, he walked up to the corner, and conveniently grabbed a rat that was hiding in a hole on the wall. He killed the rat in an instant, and threw the corpse on the floor in front of Pluto.

Pluto just smiled, and his eyes glowed golden. The rat’s corpse quickly rotted, and golden energy was coming from it.

Grodd didn’t believe it. Is it really him? Their god, finally coming to them in the darkest of time? Grodd calmed himself, and looked at Thena. “You?”

Thena casually chuckled, and conjured her signature spear instantly, confirming her identity.

“So it’s really you…” sighed Grodd. He walked closer to the two gods, and suddenly knelt in front of them, making the two surprised.

Grodd suddenly did what Pluto and Thena thought were impossible, he spoke using a local language. “P–please. S-Save T-This Ape’s People…”

Pluto and Thena looked at each other, baffled on what they just heard.

Pluto then smiled, making Thena confused.

He kneeled in front of the ape, patting his shoulder. Grodd looked at Pluto as he said in sign language and also spoke. “Ape. Together. Strong.”

Pluto then opened his palm, revealing a floating ring that was glowing blue, shining brightly in front of Grodd.