Life in the Margins

by Jupiter77

Summary:

In one of the reviews of Eternals, the film critic commented that Makkari and Druig had a romance in the margins of the movie. This story explores the margins.

Notes:

Dialogue in Italics indicates signing only.

Tried to balance realistic limitations of Makkari's deafness while acknowledging she can understand the others when they don't sign in the movie without issue. I'm not deaf and apologize in advance for any mistakes.

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

5000 BC – Mesopotamia

Druig did not talk to anyone as they entered the Earth’s atmosphere. He kept to himself and focused his gaze on the colorful planet. The crew of the ship had woken with orders and facts crammed into their heads, but very little in the way of practical application. He didn’t trust his voice or his rapidly swirling thoughts, so he stayed apart from the nine other Eternals on board and contemplated his mission. He would have control over the native intelligent life of the planet if he exerted his innate power to do so. He was tasked with peace keeping and easing the way for his teammates to subtly influence human life toward a successful future. No one had specifically given him a briefing, yet he knew his role instinctively.

Ajak, their leader, sent five of Druig’s Eternal teammates down to the fighting on the ground as soon as the ship was close enough. The remaining crew, ‘the Thinkers’ she called them, were to stand by and facilitate the Eternals’ entry into the ecosystem as soon as the immediate threat of Deviants had been removed. Druig didn’t know what a Deviant looked like, despite knowing they were the Eternals’ primary enemy, so he travelled back to his window seat for a quick look. He saw his teammates, ‘the Fighters’ already working in tandem quite naturally as they both rescued humans and destroyed gigantic, ropy beasts with killer teeth and claws. It was his first glance at the Deviants, and he could see why the humans would need protection. He briefly noted the powers his teammates possessed, before being summoned to an impromptu meeting with Ajak.

She gave them all strict instructions not to interfere with human life. She restated that the goal of the mission was to rid the planet of Deviants and gently steer humanity into flourishing. She made several mentions of allowing the humans to move at their own pace and make their own decisions, and he couldn’t help but feel that she was looking at him a lot more than the others.

Before he was ready, the remaining Eternals headed out to join the Fighters, floating down blithely on an invention Phastos had somehow created between waking and arrival. Druig tested his power for the first time more on reflex than conscious decision, guiding the humans to lay down their arms en masse. He was not prepared for the onslaught of voices that filled his mind and nearly made him gasp. From that moment on, the flood gate was open, and Druig could hear echoes of the human thoughts at all times. He wondered briefly if he was defective, and glanced around at the formation of Eternals facing down the village of humans on the beach. Everyone was still and focused on either the crowd or Ajak. No one seemed to be hearing a crashing wave of human thoughts.

The dark haired Eternal in green transformed a boy’s knife into copper, making a grand spectacle of handing him back the knife in front of the breathless humans. Ajak then regally stepped forward and embraced the hands of an older man dressed importantly. The square-jawed Eternal in blue immediately stepped up beside her. The others gazed at the crowd with varying levels of interest or wariness, but Druig was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His mind was overcrowded with the thoughts and emotions of the curious villagers, and he began to feel like he was suffocating under the weight.

That’s when he noticed the small Eternal in red standing far afield to his right. Unlike the others, she had turned backward facing the ocean. He could see her face because she had stepped slightly out of the formation, and she was looking at the water in contemplation. He was struck dumb for a moment, and even the cacophony in his head died down. She was breath-taking. She was small and lithe with a strikingly pretty face that was both sweet and mischievous. Her skin was a warm brown, a lighter shade than her big, brown eyes, and her black hair was worn in a ponytail of braids. She glanced back at Ajak thoughtfully, and noted that the other Eternals were slowly stepping into the crowd of humans, intermixing. With a hint of sly smile that matched the twinkle in her eyes, she suddenly took off across the water in a gold blur. Druig shook his head a moment, completely caught off guard at her actions, but then he gave in to his incredulousness and huffed out a small laugh. He watched the gold dance across the water with a smile pulling up the corner of his mouth. He hadn’t gotten a good look at the speedster during the battle except to see her aftermath. Apparently he’d made the wrong choice by not socializing with the team on the flight. He had missed out on an introduction to this wild woman.

The speedster slid to a stop back up on the beach, only a step or two off from where she’d begun. She glanced at the others around her to make sure no had noticed, but almost every Eternal was engaged in conversation with the humans. She gave a sigh of relief, but then shivered in surprise and started pulling at her boots. Druig watched in patent amusement, the press of humanity dimmed, and his near panic attack forgotten. The speedster pulled a small fish out of her boot and stared at it in utter shock as it flopped around in her hand. Druig was fully grinning at this point, and even laughed when the fish flipped its body off her hand and landed in the dirt, causing the woman to shrink back comically. She obviously couldn’t stand to watch the fish flailing, because she awkwardly made a half-hearted attempt (no super-speed) to recapture it in her hands to save it from the dirt. She didn’t want to see it suffer, but had equally no desire to touch it again.

Druig took pity on the beauty and walked over to her, taking up the fish in his hands like a fish wrangling expert and holding it in front of her for a moment. She was shorter than he was and he ducked his head a little to look into her luminous brown eyes. “It’s a fish, m’lass,” he explained, not sure how he knew that, but having the information all the same. “They live in the water.”

She brightened and nodded, but didn’t say anything. She did however follow him back over to the shore and pushed up right beside him as he released the fish into the ocean. She squatted down closer to watch the fish swim away, and then turned to look up at him with a radiant smile, as if they’d just shared something wonderful. He was powerless to resist returning her smile and it took him a moment to notice she was tapping her lips/chin with her open palm and swinging her hand down.

It clicked in for him that she was using sign language, and to his further surprise, he had knowledge of that language as well. He gave her a soft smile, pointed to himself, and spelled out his name. She beamed and spelled out her own name, “Makkari.”

“Makkari, what made you decide to run on the water?”

The speedster shrugged and that sly smile spread across her face again. “I just wanted to see if I could.”

“Well, we have that experiment out of the way, then,” he snorted and then leaned in conspiratorially. “Do’ye spy any other surfaces to test out?”

“Not yet,” she signed. “Keep an eye out for me.”

He chuckled and dipped his head obligingly, but before he could reply, Ajak was calling for them.

“Druig! Makkari! We have plenty of time to get to know each other better. This day is for meeting the people of Earth.” She motioned them over, and the blue suited Eternal took a few steps forward as if to retrieve them bodily.

Druig turned toward Makkari to keep his voice and sign language invisible to the others. “Right, we’d better go before she sends that one over to bludgeon us to death with his perfect jaw.”

She giggled silently, her eyes shining merrily into his.

“We’re comin’,” Druig turned back to Ajak and called, feeling about 10 feet tall at the success of his joke. They approached the crowd, but the proximity to humanity began to chip away at his reprieve, and a few feet from the humans, he stumbled as the wave of thoughts crashed over him again.

Makkari noticed his distress immediately with a glance up into his face, and inconspicuously took his hand in hers and squeezed. He gasped a breath and focused on the contact of her hand and the quiet warmth of her presence beside him. He concentrated on blocking out the cacophony, and his face set in a look of grim determination. Makkari watched him with concern, but Ajak had walked over and pulled her toward a group of females.

A child thrust a necklace in Makkari’s direction. She looked at Ajak questioningly.

“Go ahead, take her gift,” Ajak encouraged with a nod. Makkari only needed to be told that once, before zipping around to various people smiling sweetly and eagerly taking the treasures they handed over.

“You’ve created a monster,” the man in blue observed to Ajak with a wry look.

Druig immediately didn’t like him, but the man seemed more amused than angry, so he bit back the rude comment he’d been about to make on the lad’s hair. When Makkari’s lovely form left his field of vision, he turned his focus fully to keeping the human thoughts to a dull roar. As a result, he stood ramrod straight with his hands clenched tightly in front of him.

“I’m Icarus, Ajak’s second in command,” the man in blue intoned authoritatively, striding over to Druig and giving him a cold once-over with his eyes. “Ajak, our Prime Eternal, has commanded us to interact with the humans. All of us.”

“I’m a bit busy at the moment,” Druig ground out through clenched teeth. He once again followed an instinct and didn’t disclose his struggle with the humans’ thoughts. Instead he opted for the hair joke he’d refrained from earlier. “I’m sure the humans would be much more impressed by that magnificent array of impeccably groomed hair on yer head. Why don’t you make up for what I lack by flyin’ yerself around and dazzlin’ them with your hair’s flawless symmetry?”

Icarus’ answering glare promised bodily harm.

 

Makkari bounced from human to human until her arms were loaded with trinkets and treasures. The people seemed happy to give and Makkari discovered a deep seated desire to acquire. That was until a boy offered her a round object that was dull but reddish in color. He demonstrated what to do with this treasure, taking a bite out of a similar red ball. She watched him intently and then boldly took a bite out of the treasure he’d handed her. Her eyes closed briefly in near ecstasy as the juice trickled down her throat, and then widened sharply as she looked into the boy’s face. He was smiling proudly. She abruptly swept off all the treasures adorning her arms and shoved them into the boy’s chest as she picked up his basket of delicious treasure from the ground and hoisted it onto her hip possessively. He was staring down, muttering something at the pile of treasure in his arms, but he looked happy so Makkari took that as consent and sped away again to share with her new friend.

She raced back to find Icarus shouting something at Druig, who was standing very still and scowling. Makkari hadn’t seen Icarus’ face so she’d missed lip-reading what he’d said, only sensed the vibration of his raised voice. Ajak had heard the commotion as well, and had stalked over to have sharp words with her subordinate. Makkari didn’t bother to lip read their conversation either, and opted to disregard the chaos entirely and share her treasure with Druig. He still looked miserable, as he had as soon as they’d approached the humans. She’d seen him use his power to turn the humans’ eyes gold and make them obey his command to lay down their arms. She’d deduced that being near them was causing him pain, and she was glad she didn’t have a mental power. What her new friend needed was a distraction.

His eyes softened the moment she stopped in front of him, and his entire expression changed to match. Giving him a bright smile, she set down the basket and held out one red ball to him. When he took it, she signed, “You have to try this! Take a bite.”

Druig looked skeptical, but she blithely ignored his dubious countenance and took his hand to guide it to his mouth. She saw the moment he gave in, a flash of a rueful half-smile, and then he took a small bite. His eyes closed with the flavor, as hers had, and he quickly took a few larger bites. Makkari cheered by shaking her hands and placed two more of the red treasures in his arms. “What are these?” he asked between bites.

“I don’t know, some kid’s treasure. My treasure now, I traded him,” she signed triumphantly. She was pleased to see her plan had worked, and her friend’s whole demeanor was more relaxed.

“Hey what’d you give the quiet guy?” Kingo had left the humans and sidled up beside Makkari.

“I actually do have a name,” Druig spat out at him with a glare.

Kingo merely made a throw-away gesture and focused on Makkari. “I wanna try one! I can’t believe you didn’t bring those to me first. After that battle today I thought we were best friends. We fought Deviants together, woman!”

“No Druig is my best friend because we fought a fish together,” she replied, making up a wavy motion for ‘fish’ and mouthing the word along with her new sign. This caused Druig to grin at her. She liked his grin. His eyes crinkled up until they almost disappeared and deep dimples carved into his cheeks. It made her heart happy in a way that seemed both familiar and exhilarating.

“Sorry lad,” Druig taunted Kingo with a smirk, but he remembered to sign along what he could for Makkari’s benefit. “Anybody can fight a Deviant. Not everyone is willing to touch a fish.”

Makkari’s quiet laughter shook her shoulders. She didn’t know what sounds she could make, so she didn’t allow herself to try. Silence seemed to be an ingrained habit. But Druig watched her reaction with a light in his eyes.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kingo retorted to Druig and then pouted in Makkari’s direction. “Well as your oldest friend, I deserve to try one too!”

She didn’t bother to argue with him on how he’d reached that distinction; but she did take pity on Kingo and handed him a red ball from the basket. He made a production of enjoying it, including some vibrations she could only interpret as moans by the aggrieved expression on Druig’s face.

“Maybe you’re over-doing it mate,” he said with an askance look.

“This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted!” Kingo exclaimed. “Well not that I remember that much of what I’ve tasted before, but I’m sure this would blow anything else I’ve ever eaten away!”

“Guard the rest from him,” Makkari signed to Druig, suddenly wary, and pushed the barrel between his feet. “He’s too enthusiastic. He might make a grab for the basket.” She gave Kingo a narrow-eyed look and indicated with two fingers that she was keeping an eye on him. Then she took two more balls from the basket and gave Kingo another brief but suspicious stare down before zipping off.

His response was lost when she zoomed the short distance over to Ajak and Icarus, still locked in debate. She flashed them both her most charming smile and handed them each a red ball. She mimed biting the ball, which they both eventually did, most likely to humor her. Their expressions quickly changed to pleasure and Ajak used sign language to thank her.

“What’s that, food?” Gilgamesh called, cutting through the crowd to reach them, his interest peaked. Thena was travelling in his wake, giving Makkari a slight smile.

“Hang on!” Makkari zipped back to pluck two more apples. As a courtesy, she stopped well before Druig, so that she could approach him without knocking him down. She winked at him before turning jokingly to Kingo and indicating she was still watching him. Kingo managed to throw both his hands up in surrender before she took off and returned to deposit her treasures in Thena’s and Gilgamesh’s hands.

“Oh Speedy, you’ve discovered a marvel!” Gilgamesh praised her.

“They’re called apples,” Sersi announced, joining the group. “They are quite a luxury at this time of year. But Makkari made the apple vendor very rich,” she smiled sweetly at the group before landing on Makkari. “He wanted me to thank you for making his family’s winter comfortable.”

“What’s winter?” Thena frowned.

“Wait so there’s not many of these apples left?” Gilgamesh cried.

Makkari's eyes darted around the group as a mischievous expression slowly spread across her face.

“Come on, Makkari, you should share with your team,” Icarus chided with a teasing look.

“I could make a dish for the whole group if you give me those apples!” Gilgamesh petitioned.

“I’m the one who encouraged you to talk to the humans,” Ajak joked.

“Run Makkari!” Thena advised with a feline grin.

Throwing her head back with a silent laugh, Makkari sped away, stopping near Druig, who was indeed at this point, fending off Kingo from snatching more apples.

“I knew it!” Makkari signed. “Everyone’s after our treasure, Druig! We have to get out of here!”

“I’ll follow wherever you lead m’lass,” he gave her a sharp nod, his eyes smiling.

“Don’t worry we won’t go far!” She tucked him and the apple barrel against her and raced them up a nearby hilltop. She helped him steady after his first wobbly step, but he recovered quickly. The pair found a shady spot under a tree and plopped down together.

“We have the high ground,” Makkari crowed.

“Well that is good news,” Druig replied drolly. “And what are we to do with it, my beautiful Makkari?”

She grinned widely at him. “Eat until we explode!”

 

Ajak looked at the distant figures on the hilltop under the tree. The bonded pairs seemed to be finding each other faster on each new planet. Icarus had introduced himself to Sersi moments after awakening on the Domo. Thena and Gilgamesh had seemingly formed a connection during the first battle. And now here were Makkari and Druig, on the very first day, stealing away together. She wondered if this indicated any important change, and if she was obligated to report her observations to Arishem.

They had farmed dozens of planets by this point. And despite the things that changed, the important elements always remained the same. The Eternals lived full lives on their host planets, involved with, but not overwhelming the native populations. The inhabitants were allowed to flourish on their own time table, before reaching critical mass and feeding a dormant celestial.

Regardless of the planet or the inhabitants, the bonded pairs always found their way to each other. It had seemed to take longer in the early days, but each successive mission saw the pairs enter each other’s orbits earlier and earlier. Sweet Sersi tempered rigid Icarus. Gilgamesh was infallibly loyal to Thena. And Makkari and Druig always wound up inseparable. Prepared as she had been to see it happen, Ajak was still surprised each pair was firmly aligned by the end of the first day on Earth. It almost seemed as if they were carrying memories over from their previous missions. That, she knew, could be a disaster.

But in the end, her love for her fellow Eternals won out. She would never make mention of her suspicions in her frequent reports.

 

That evening, the Eternals had joined an impromptu feast held in the center of the village for an evening meal. Makkari and Druig had rejoined the team near the cliffs and had managed to save a few apples, dutifully setting aside some for Phastos, Sersi and Sprite who hadn’t yet gotten a taste. They even saved three for Gilgamesh to create some sort of dish as he’d promised. It had, at one time, been five apples for Gilgamesh, but then Druig had gotten hungry again upon their return. Makkari just winked at him when she’d noticed; building up a mental list of blackmail to buy his silence for the numerous infractions she was already loosely planning.

Druig clearly didn’t want to join the festivities but Ajak once again insisted. Icarus shot Druig a warning look from his post at her shoulder. When they moved off, Makkari turned to Druig and signed, “Do it for the food.”

When all he could muster was a weak smile, she took his hand again and flashed him a sympathetic look. He sighed with his whole body, and gave her a resolute nod. “Let’s get this over with.”

The village was lit up with bonfires. Strong smells from roasting meats and vegetables filled the air. She assumed there was probably a lot of noise, judging by the sheer number of children, dogs and adults meandering from blaze to blaze.

She followed her nose and tugged him along to the nearest bonfire to track down a succulent aroma. Suddenly she felt a sharp tug on her hand. Makkari turned around to see Druig pale and starting to sweat with effort, but at what, she didn’t know. He shook his head, stricken, and she let go of his hand so he could sign.

“I can’t do this,” his hands were trembling so he switched to his voice only. “I can’t stay here, Makkari. Can you cover for me?”

“Of course,” she affirmed with a nod. “What are best friends for?”

He knocked his forehead against hers briefly in gratitude and then slipped back into the night and out of the village. Makkari’s heart ached for him, and she pondered what she could do to help. Short of eradicating humans, the antithesis of their mission, she didn’t see many options. She’d have to keep working on that problem.

Eventually, she was pulled into an impromptu dance with Kingo and some villagers around a bonfire. She couldn’t hear the singing, but the vibration of the drums kept her in rhythm. Next, she and Thena and Gilgamesh tried some new dishes together. Gilgamesh was very intent watching the humans prepare the food, and Thena and Makkari cracked each other up by mimicking his absorbed expressions. Finally, Makkari joined Phastos to listen to Sprite’s tale of travelling through the stars. She admired the fireworks that sprang from the storyteller’s hands with the same awe as the humans.

“Makkari, can you come here please?” Ajak signed to her as the audience broke up.

“Uh-oh, Mama’s angry,” Phastos kidded her. He signed and spoke when he talked too.

“Whatever it is, I’m going to blame it on you.” She shot back with a grin, before speeding over to Ajak.

On her arrival, the Prime asked, “Have you seen Druig? I can’t find him anywhere.”

“Yes he got hungry and left me to watch Sprite’s story while he found something to eat. He’s definitely here.” Makkari almost winced, knowing full well that last part had come off suspicious. She elaborated, “You should probably check one of the bonfires where they’re roasting fish.”

“Alriiiight,” Ajak replied doubtfully. But Makkari just smiled at her brightly and the Prime Eternal rolled her eyes and continued her search.

“Lying to the Prime already?” Sprite smirked, joining Makkari when she was in the clear.

Makkari gave the eternal teenager her sly smile. “It’s not lying if she can’t prove it.”

Sprite laughed. “Did you like the show?”

“I wish I could shoot fireworks out of my hands.” She emphasized some of her words with sharper gestures. “You got the greatest power I think.”

“Better than speed? No way,” Sprite shook her head.

“You’re right. I have the greatest power,” Makkari nodded, and then laughed with Sprite shoved her shoulder.

“At least you have an adult body,” Sprite grumbled. “Have you seen how all of these children get treated? Four different old people have tried to get me to carry a pail of water for them today.”

Makkari’s shoulders shook with mirth. “And you do have very pinchable cheeks.”

“You know what it’s like to be different than the others. Didn’t you get even a little mad when you realized you couldn’t hear like everybody else?”

The speedster frowned thoughtfully. “I guess I didn’t think about getting mad. It can definitely be an inconvenience. But on the bright side, I’ll be able to ignore a lot more orders and reprimands this way.”

Sprite snorted.

“Are you two mingling?” Icarus strode over to the pair. He might have been nagging, but his expression was friendly.

Both women nodded vigorously.

“Really,” Icarus cocked an eyebrow. “Because it would appear you are only talking to each other.”

“No, there’s a lot of people here,” Makkari answered playfully. “You just can’t see them because she’s hidden them with an illusion.”

“That’s right,” Sprite snickered. “There’s a guy right next to you.”

“Is that so? Well then I should be able to reach out and touch-“ In the second it took him to reach out his arm, Makkari dashed away and brought back a villager to stand right beside Icarus. By the time his arm fully extended, his hand crashed against the villager’s chest. Makkari was standing once again in her spot, her expression smug. The startled villager blinked at Icarus in confusion.

“Illusion,” Makkari repeated wiggling her hands at Icarus. Sprite was doubled over with laughter beside her.

Icarus took defeat with grace, and shook his head at her with a fond smile. “I see I’ll have to keep an eye on a rascal,” he teased.

Makkari gave him a conspiratorial nod and replied, “I’ll keep an eye on Sprite too.”

 

Druig was seated near the water again, perched on a large log of driftwood. He could still see the celebrations, and the brightly colored uniforms of his fellow Eternals. At this distance, the cacophony of human thought was slightly muted although it still seemed to be drowning his brain. He knew he couldn’t continue on this way. What happened if an Eternal was defective? Would he be sent on another long voyage back to Olympia? Or would they do something worse? Could they put him down for losing his mind?

He sat there, worrying, until a gust of wind nearly knocked him off the log. Despite his mood, he actually turned with a smile to the lovely lady suddenly seated at his side. “Well, my beautiful Makkari, I hope you didn’t leave a good time on my account.” The moonlight was bright enough to see by, but he knew it would be hard on her to read lips, so he signed along as he spoke.

“What are you doing over here? Fighting more fish?”

“Naw, thought I’d give ‘em a rest, let ‘em reclaim a bit o’ their dignity.” He joked back. Her mere arrival had driven down the dissonance of human thoughts to a more manageable level.

She grinned up at him, her big brown eyes fathomless in the dark. She handed him a wooden bowl she’d been resting in her lap and then signed, “Figured you were hungry."

“Eh that’s always a safe bet,” Druig nodded, pulling out some shredded meat eagerly. He offered her a piece before stuffing the rest in his mouth.

Makkari let him concentrate on eating for a few minutes and patiently stared out at the dark water. “I like this place so far,” she signed to him absently, her eyes on the constant motion of the waves. He’d specifically chosen this place for the sound of the ocean, desperate to dull the chatter of human thoughts any way possible.

He didn’t answer her, focusing on setting the empty bowl down at his feet. “I’m grateful to ya for covering for me,” he finally said and signed when she turned to look at him again.

“You should be,” she widened her eyes at him amusingly. “I had to lie to Ajak three times. I was not convincing.”

Druig chuckled. “Well you kept Ajak off my trail, so thanks for the effort anyway.”

“It’s the humans, right?” Her eyes searched his, and her expression was very kind. She reached over and laid a hand on his briefly before pulling away to sign. “It hurts you to be near them?”

He blinked at her, afraid to tell anyone what was wrong with him. But as he looked down into her gorgeous face, he was overwhelmed with the absolute certainty he could trust her with anything. “I think I’m broken m’lass.” She shook her head vehemently, but he continued. “Ever since I commanded the humans to put down their weapons… I hear them, their thoughts in me head, all the time. I can feel what they’re feelin’, all at once. It’s too much!”

He would have collapsed in on himself, but Makkari scooted closer in the blink of an eye and wrapped him gently in her arms. He rested his head on her shoulder and just allowed her slow breaths and steady heartbeat to calm him. It was as if they’d done this countless times, even if they’d technically just met. Makkari represented peace to him.

When he was calm enough, he pulled back. “It doesn’t help that Ajak’s shovin’ us into the humans every chance she gets. I dunno what to do. Have any ideas?”

“I think you’ll have to talk with Ajak,” Makkari told him with a twist of her lips. She knew it wasn’t the idea he was looking for. “She might have a way to help you. She’s the Prime after all. That has to mean she has a better understanding of our powers than we do, right?”

“Or I’m defective, and they’ll ship me right off Earth and back to Olympia,” he frowned. “Or worse… what if they have to put me down?”

“Put you down?!” She reared back. “No way! As if I would let that happen!”

“Ya wouldn’t get a say,” he replied, secretly flattered by her strong reaction.

“Well if they try anything crazy I’ll help you escape,” she promised.

“Oh yeah?” Druig couldn’t help but smile at her. “I picked the right teammate to save from a fish, then, didn’t I?”

Makkari gave him an exaggerated wink and nod. She added, “And if you want, I’ll go with you to talk to Ajak. Just to make sure she doesn’t shoot you into space.”

Druig grinned. “Aye, definitely somethin’ I wanna avoid.” He lowered his head a little and searched her face. “Ye really don’t mind comin’ with me?”

“We’re best friends, remember?” She signed flippantly. “If I let them shoot my first best friend into space, nobody else will want to be my best friend after that.”

He guffawed at her unexpected joke and tugged on one of her braids in retaliation. “Just for that I’ll force ya to endure me forever.”

 

The pair slid back amongst the Eternals as they were heading back to the ship. Slightly inebriated off the fermented drinks and foods, no one noticed Druig and Makkari fall in at the rear of the herd. They made it all the way onto the ship before Ajak finally spotted the prey she’d been hunting all evening.

“Druig! Where have you been? I was looking all over for you.”

“Eating mostly,” Druig replied, falling back on what Makkari had told him she’d used as an excuse multiple times. “Same as everyone else.”

“I found everyone else,” Ajak retorted. “I didn’t run into you once.”

“What a waste of yer night, if ya spent it lookin’ for me,” Druig sneered.

“Druig, be nice,” Makkari signed from beside him. However, instead of spelling out his name, she had placed her fist at her temple and splayed the fingers open while mouthing his name.

“Wait, what was that?” He caught the new sign immediately and tried to repeat it. “Is that my name?”

“Name sign, so I don’t have to spell it,” Makkari nodded. “You know me, always looking for ways to do things faster.”

“Did you make one up for everybody?” Kingo piped up, drifting back to them.

Makkari pressed two fingers out straight and curled the others underneath, imitating his hands when he used his powers. “Kingo,” she mouthed and signed.

“Sweet!”

“Have you made one for me?” Ajak couldn’t help but ask, forgetting her scold for the moment. On each world the name sign had been different. This was the fastest Makkari had ever bestowed name signs upon them. But a name sign was determined by personality as much as the person’s name, so Makkari must have had a good sense of her teammates already. She definitely had been the most social on the ship and over the course of their day on Earth.

Makkari placed her left fist over her chest and twisted it down to rest on her heart. “Leader, Ajak.” Ajak practiced her name sign along with Druig and Kingo who were still trying out their own.

“Did you give me one?” Sersi asked almost timidly, but too fascinated to remain quiet.

The speedster nodded at her with a smile. She placed and open hand to her jaw and wiggled her fingers, waving out from her face twice. “Because you are sweet and kind, Sersi.”

Sersi gave her a quick hug, overcome with the compliment.

“Okay, what’s mine? Did you go with something about my dashing good looks?” Phastos joked.

“Too obvious,” Makkari winked at him and he chuckled. She made her left hand a circle with her pointer finger and thumb, and rotated it around on her right open palm. “Because you’re an inventor.”

“I probably have the best one,” he nodded with satisfaction, also practicing the new sign.

“What’s mine, what’s mine?” Sprite bumped Icarus aside as he was clearly going to ask next.

“Sorry, nothing for you yet,” Makkari sucked in a breath through her teeth. The group laughed as Makkari signed she was kidding and Sprite screeched and semi-tackled the speedster.

“Okay, okay,” Makkari signed when she’d extracted herself. “For your illusions.” She made a fist by pinching her fingers together and then spread out her hand and swept it across her body.

“You know, it’s just sassy enough for her,” Kingo put in jokingly. Sprite shot a ball of light at his face and he squealed.

“Can I get mine now?” Icarus looked pointedly at Sprite before turning an expectant expression to Makkari.

She took her left hand and made a claw, then raised it up and back down on top of her shoulder. “You’re our field leader.”

“What’s mine Makkari?” Thena asked; warmth in her normally stoic expression.

Pinching her hand, Makkari raised it and splayed the fingers. “Fierce warrior,” she added.

“Okay, mine has to be about good looks, then right?” Gilgamesh joked.

“I couldn’t give anyone handsome, or Kingo would just make me change his,” Makkari shook her head and gave him a playful smile. Gilgamesh responded with his deep, hearty laugh, which drowned out Kingo’s cry of protest. “Yours is for your strength.” She raised her left arm in a fist and brought it down on her open palm.

“On the nose,” Gilgamesh nodded.

Druig tapped her on her shoulder to get her attention. “What’s yers Makkari?”

She beamed at him. He was ever thoughtful of her. Making an L shape with her fingers by her ear, she brought it down sharply, pinching it together. “That means: Makkari, the awesome one.”

The others jeered her good-naturedly.

 

After two weeks of attending evening meals with the humans, Thena declared she wanted a break. Gilgamesh took that as a challenge and announced he would make the Eternals a meal ‘human style’. No one liked the sound of that pronouncement until he explained he’d meant he was going to cook. Phastos was commissioned to build him an indoor stove, and they used the ship’s matter converter program to alter one of the storage areas into a kitchen. Sprite and Makkari then double-teamed Phastos with begging and pestering until he agreed to turn one of the hallways into individual bedrooms for the team.

“I’m mostly doing this to get my own space away from you people!” He blustered. In response, Makkari and Sprite squished him between them in a grateful, boisterous hug. The technopath grinned against his will and allowed the women to guide him into adding large beds and extensive wall shelves to each room. “Fine, but if anyone asks, the large beds were my idea.”

The first meal as a group proved that Gilgamesh had been paying attention to the human chefs. He roasted a meal of fish and vegetables which impressed even Icarus, who had objected numerous times that they should be consuming their apportioned rations.

The talk around the table turned to the battle with three Deviants that had taken place that morning. Druig was seated beside Makkari, a place he’d claimed as soon as he’d entered the room. He didn’t hear the humans’ thoughts in the Domo, but he hadn’t really recovered his equilibrium since they’d landed on Earth. He also hadn’t worked up the nerve yet to talk to Ajak for help. He had, however, grown even closer to Makkari. She’d brought him food and kept him company for a portion of every evening over the last two weeks, cheerfully recounting the best antics of his teammates as they’d feasted and frolicked. This was the first evening he’d actually joined the rest of the group.

Druig listened to the discussion with half an ear as he primarily focused on eating. But it didn’t take him long to notice that beside him, Makkari was also checked out of the conversation. She was fiddling with her food and spinning around a clay cup, but she was only briefly glancing up at the other Eternals’ faces. He watched her curiously for a few moments. Makkari was naturally boisterous and enjoyed budding friendships with each of her teammates. Why wouldn’t she want to be a part of the dinner conversation?

The answer to that question hit him suddenly. No one was signing, and she couldn’t distinguish vibrations when the others were talking over each other in rapid-fire conversation. Without a word, he got up and sat across from her. Makkari raised her eyebrows at him. “Do I stink?”

He smiled at her, but in lieu of a comeback, he signed, “Thena: You didn’t shoot two Deviants at once, I hit that second one. Kingo: That’s not the way I remember it. I think you had just been knocked in the dirt. Meanwhile I had a third Deviant with eight legs charging at me from behind.”

It took only a moment of his signing for Makkari’s face to light up with joy. She gave him such a smile and tapped a thank you with shining, happy eyes. He ducked his chin in response, immensely pleased he could finally do something for her.

“Kingo: If I hadn’t blasted that long-legged Deviant, it would’ve clobbered Gilgamesh.”

Makkari waved her hands, interrupting the discussion. “Kingo, you liar! I’m the one that took out that eight-legged Deviant. And that was because the Deviant with the over-sized fists had punched you aside as you were shooting your fireball and Thena had to hit the dirt to avoid getting blasted!”

The group erupted in laughter and Thena raised her fist triumphantly. “Vindication!”

“Come on sis!” Kingo whined good naturedly to Makkari. “You can’t break my balls in front of everybody!”

“That’s exactly the best place to do it,” Makkari winked at him. Everyone laughed again, and Makkari turned to Druig with a radiantly grateful expression.

“What are best friends for?” He signed to her with a grin.

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Summary:

This is where the violence warning comes into play, as the group fights Deviants.

 

 

- 6 MONTHS LATER -

 

Thena had been on patrol when she spotted the massive herd of Deviants headed toward the village.  All the Eternals wore cuff-shaped transponders on their forearms to communicate with the ship during solo missions.  Thena signaled the rest of the team that trouble was inbound, in the form of at least twenty Deviants.

 

“Twenty,” Ikarus frowned, as Phastos relayed the message. He shook his head and turned to Ajak.  “We’ll need some assistance from the Thinkers on this.”

 

“They are not equipped for fighting,” Ajak shook her head.

 

“Twenty is too many Ajak,” Ikarus reasoned.  “And we don’t have time to debate.  Thena will strike out against them on her own without waiting for us.”

 

“Fine,” Ajak relented, obviously unhappy.  “They can help you evacuate humans.  No fighting!” She shook her finger at each of the Thinkers in the Domo’s main hall.

 

“Druig, you’ll guide the people up into the mountains for safety,” Ikarus ordered.  “Sersi, post there with Sprite to keep the people calm and in place.”

 

“I have some weapons I can bring,” Phastos offered, looking eager to try them out.

 

“I said no fighting,” Ajak argued.  “Not to mention the humans are in no way ready to see your advanced technology.”

 

“It can’t be any worse seeing our lasers and super speed,” Makkari signed logically in his defense.  “Magic is magic to the humans.”

 

“Yes! Thank you,” Phastos gestured to her.

 

“We need him,” Ikarus agreed.

 

“I don’t like this, but desperate times…” Ajak sighed.

 

“I could help too!” Sprite protested.  “I don’t have to stay off the battlefield.  I can help confuse the Deviants with my illusions.”

 

“Not today Sprite,” Ikarus brushed her off.  “Wielding a weapon is one thing, but you don’t have any defense out there.  The only reason I’m using Druig so close is that I can put him out of the way of danger and free up Makkari for fighting.”

 

“So this is what being useful feels like, eh?” Druig said sarcastically.  “Can’t say I care for it.”

 

Makkari, who’d been watching his lips, shot him a quick grin.  She tended to look at him during meetings because he often displayed a wicked sense of humor.  Druig cheekily winked at her.

 

“That’s enough discussion.” Ikarus ignored Druig’s comment but did send him a scowl.  “We need to move!”

 

They split up as they charged out of the Domo.  Druig, Sersi and an unhappy Sprite headed toward the village, splitting up at the pass.  The women jogged into the mountains while Druig walked into the village and connected to the humans’ minds. Ajak went with Phastos and the warriors to provide medical support for their injuries, but she stayed to the rear, near the village as well.

 

Makkari charged ahead of the others, knowing that Thena would already be engaging the Deviants just as Ikarus had speculated.  She was able to arrive just in time to blast a Deviant at Thena’s back with a sonic boom.  Thena leapt onto the shoulders of the Deviant she faced and saluted Makkari in thanks before stabbing her trident through its neck. 

 

Ikarus arrived on the scene next, blasting lasers from the sky indiscriminately at the monsters below.  A slender Deviant unfolded long arms into wings and gave chase in the air.  Makkari cleared up the crowded battlefield with a few more well placed sonic blasts, giving Thena a safe place to dismount.

 

Bright gold sparks caught Makkari’s eye as she landed lighting fast punches on a tall Deviant with two heads.  A moment later, small explosions sent golden shards tearing through a hulking Deviant on her right.  She pulled out of super speed for a single step to give Phastos a thumbs-up, before zipping forward and delivering a crippling blow to her opponent’s leg.  Gilgamesh and Kingo had arrived by this time, and once again, the Fighters slipped into their seamless rhythm.      

 

Gilgamesh joined Thena to take on a pair of Deviants shaped like cave lions.  Gilgamesh grabbed one Deviant by its tail and swung it into its twin.  Thena leapt over the second Deviant as it skidded past her on its side, and she quickly eviscerated the creature before it could collect itself to stand.  She spun and stuck up her shield as the first Deviant slashed its gruesome claws at her face.  A moment later it fell with a great whimper as Gilgamesh broke its hip with a shattering punch.

 

Phastos had fired into the leathery wings of the Deviant chasing Ikarus.  The creature, loaded with shrapnel, fell into the ocean and sank.  Phastos was so pleased with himself; he was almost caught up in the tentacles of another Deviant attacking from his left flank.  Ikarus swooped in with an aerial punch and buried the monster in the dirt. 

 

“You have to pay attention Phastos,” Ikarus scolded, floating above his handiwork.  Because such hubris could not go unanswered, the Deviant’s tentacle shot up and clenched around his neck.  Phastos leapt down onto its still partially entombed torso and blasted it right in the face.  The close range shot exploded the Deviant’s head. 

 

Ikarus landed with a gasp and gave him a sheepish look.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to get cocky,” Phastos assured him with a bemused laugh.  “I saw what just happened to you!”

 

Meanwhile Makkari and Kingo were teamed up as usual, having developed a good system over the last few months.  She would send a Deviant airborne with a sonic boom or a hyper-speed uppercut, and Kingo would blast vulnerable parts of the creature with his fireballs while it was still recoiling in the air. 

 

“We are so good at this!” Kingo crowed, having made a difficult killing shot through a jaguar-shaped Deviant’s neck. 

 

Makkari skidded to a stop right beside him.  “We?  You’re letting me share in that compliment?”

 

“You earned it kid,” he teased her with a wink.  She gave him an evil grin and sprayed him with sand as she took off again.

 

“I take it back!” Kingo hollered, spitting out sand.  “You no longer earned it!”  Makkari slowed down just enough to be visible blowing him a kiss.

 

The group managed to keep any Deviants from slipping past them into the village.  They mowed down the smaller Deviants first and converged as a group on the two remaining giants.  The ropy beasts were in the shape of a mastodon and a short faced bear. 

 

Gilgamesh grabbed the mastodon’s trunk and yanked its face down to deliver a blinding shot to its eye.  The mastodon tried to retaliate by stabbing him with its tusk, but Makkari was there, whisking him away before he could even raise his arm in defense.  Thena ran charging at its side, slashing at the ropy hide with two short swords.  Gilgamesh punched at its back leg and Makkari ran her shoulder into the opposite rear leg.  She followed that up with a sonic blast to the creature’s front, knocking the hobbled Deviant down on its backside.  Thena gracefully avoided its swinging trunk, changing her small sword into a giant war ax as she flipped through the air.  As she came down, she cleaved through the bottom of the Deviant’s exposed neck, taking a good enough cut to leave the monster on the ground, shivering and dying from blood loss.

 

Ikarus, Kingo and Phastos were equally successful with their opponent.  The team spread out quickly, assessing the bodies, making sure all of the Deviants were dead. 

 

“Wow, can I say wow… to us, and mostly to me?” Kingo commented kicking a Deviant appendage lazily with his foot.  “I mean, I was really making some tough shots out there.  Maybe super sight is part of my power.”

 

Thena winged a severed piece of a horn at him. 

 

“Hey that was pointy!” Kingo hollered.

 

“You guys have to hear this all the time?” Phastos asked Gilgamesh beside him.

 

“It’s worse when he has a human audience,” Gilgamesh replied dryly.

 

Makkari had walked away from the group, her head cocked to the side, straining to catch a faint vibration.  She knelt and put her hand on the ground.  It was stronger, but it wasn’t directly underneath her.  She got up, zipping to a few different spots, heading closer to the village.

 

Ikarus flew over to her, the only one paying attention to her actions.  “What is it Makkari?” he asked, hovering in front of her.

 

“Vibrations…something big,” Makkari knelt and placed her hand against the packed earth.  She looked up at Ikarus with a sudden realization.  “It’s underground!”

 

“Come on!” He shouted at the others.  “There’s one more!”

 

Zipping a few more paces forward, Makkari realized the destination.  She turned to Ikarus and signed frantically, “It’s heading for the mountain!”

 

He cursed softly, but pulled himself together.  “Makkari, take Gilgamesh first.  Gil tell everyone to get up as high into the mountain as they can.  Come back for Phastos and Ajak, Makkari.”

 

Nodding, she grabbed Gilgamesh and disappeared before Ikarus had even turned to the others.  “Thena and Kingo, I’ll take you both,” he reached his arms out for them.  Makkari was already back and whisking away Phastos.

 

She dropped both Ajak and Phastos with the crowd of people at the base of the mountain.  Gilgamesh was trying to explain the situation, and Sersi and Sprite were ushering people to scramble up the rocky cliffs.  Druig, looking shaky, stepped out amidst the people too.  He didn’t take total control of them; their eyes flashed gold only briefly.  But the mood turned urgent and the villagers were suddenly moving faster than before.

 

Makkari found Sprite and pulled her aside.  “You still want to use your illusions?”

 

 

 

Druig felt sick to his stomach, nauseous from all the fear pounding in his head from the surrounding villagers.  He’d swept the whole village with a compulsion to abandon their homes immediately and take shelter in the cave system in the mountains.  It hurt to have so many voices pounding back against his mind, but he kept it together, watching until every last person had crossed over the pass to the hills. 

 

In the distance he could see the Fighters battling the Deviants.  Despite the odds, they were obviously acquitting themselves well.  His eyes strayed to the streaks of gold flashing around the battlefield, knocking back Deviants with sonic attacks.  He smiled a little to himself; even as a blur Makkari was magnificent to behold.

 

Druig grudgingly made his way through the pass to the mountains, not at all eager to be in close proximity to all those human minds.  Their collective dread gave him a splitting headache, and he refused to enter the caves where they hid.  When Sersi complained, he snapped at her that he was keeping watch. 

 

Unfortunately, the need for watch became a reality.  Makkari deposited Gilgamesh before speeding off again, and he warned them that they needed to get high up the mountain.  Something was coming straight for them, and it was travelling underground.  Reluctantly Druig returned to the terrified humans, raised his arm, and dropped another command into their minds to move as quickly as possible. 

 

Ajak was making her way to him, her eyes scanning his face anxiously.  “Druig, are you feeling alright?  You’re very pale.”

 

“Right as rain,” he responded, his voice hoarse.  But he didn’t stop to look at her or even acknowledge her when she came to stand beside him.  He kept up the insistent mental urging to flee as fast as possible.  He used a latent connection to try and corral the humans' fears.

 

Soon enough, they were all distracted by a great quaking.  An enormous Deviant, the size of a whale, burst out of the ground a short distance away from the base of the mountain.  It had a long face, a mixture of a rat and an alligator.  It had two broad, claw-tipped front legs that were obviously used for digging.  It was so enormous that it tore up the ground, leaving a giant sinkhole in its wake.  Had the Deviant attacked closer to the mountain, it would have torn down the base, sucking most of the people down into its tunnel. 

 

But the Deviant was distracted instead by the illusion of dozens of people running around, frantically trying to escape its snapping jaws.  That’s when Druig noticed Sprite standing on a cliff, waving her hands in time with imaginary people.  And powering what had probably seemed like dozens of footfalls, was Makkari, running in jagged patterns and stomping her feet as she went.

 

“That was clever,” Ikarus mused at the scene, landing with Thena and Kingo beside Ajak.  “I guess Sprite will never let me hear the end of how wrong I was about her abilities after today.”

 

“Definitely not,” Ajak agreed. 

 

Eventually the Deviant had snapped enough air, and could see other promising targets climbing up the mountain.  It pulled itself fully out of the tunnel and hurled its huge body against the rocky base. A cascade of boulders and people tumbled into the churned up ground below.

 

Druig, still connected to the humans, felt the intense agony of death for the first time.  He swallowed his own scream and sank to his knees.

 

Ajak knelt beside him, motioning to the others to go despite their looks of confusion and concern.  “You must kill the Deviant!”

 

“On me!” Ikarus led the Fighters down into the new battlefield.  Makkari was snatching people from the Deviant’s jaws as best she could, but many of the victims had died in the fall.  She warned the others of the unstable ground as she shuttled survivors high up the mountain, over and over again.

 

The fight was more difficult the second time around.  The Deviant was absolutely colossal.  It would dive back into the ground and emerge somewhere else in a spray of rocks and dirt.  The earth kept giving way under their feet, and the great beast seemed impervious to their hits.

 

Keeping half an eye on the fight, Ajak pulled Druig up to his feet.  “Let them go Druig.”

 

“What?” He shook his head in confusion, trying to hear her over the piercing screams and agonizing pain inside his skull.

 

“You have to let them all go.  You’re feeling their deaths; it’s too much for you.”

 

His attention was pulled to an insistent crying that he was hearing through the mental connection and not with his ears.  He looked around wildly and saw a group of children huddling in a rocky alcove at the edge of the cave system.  It was as if they were calling to him, reaching out in desperation for help.  The children were hurt and bloody, having fallen in the first avalanche.  They were being slowly buried by falling debris, too scared to move and nowhere to go.

 

“I have to get to them,” Druig muttered to himself like a crazy person, starting to scramble off the ridge they stood on.

 

“No Druig!” Ajak grabbed his arm and held him in place.  “Drop your connection with these people.”

 

“They need me to keep them calm!” Druig yelled at her, knowing just how close to the edge of madness the humans were feeling.  “I can hold on, same as everybody else.”  He shook her loose and started to scramble down again.  He was brought to his knees by another death before he could move.

 

“Let them all go,” Ajak said.  “We’ve done the best we can, what happens now, happens.  Let them go or they’ll take you down with them!”

 

“I can’t!” Druig growled, staggering to his feet.  Letting the people go to their fate without his help would be abandoning them.  He might not be as physically strong as the Fighters, but he felt just as duty bound to protect the humans. 

 

The cries of the children became more frantic in his mind, and he jerked his head in their direction to find they were disappearing under the rubble.  He threw himself headlong down the ridgeline this time, desperate to get to the children before they were buried alive. 

 

The ground shook violently and boulders and bodies continued to tumble in constant avalanches.  Druig took each wave of pain as well as he could, half walking, half crawling to the trapped children.  He had to muscle some big rocks aside, creating a passage for the children to crawl through.  It took another mental nudge, but he coaxed two of the five children to crawl forward into his waiting arms.   “I’ll be back for the rest of you,” he told them in their language.

 

Druig, holding two boys, turned to run back up the ridgeline, but instead, ran right into Ikarus.

 

 

 

Makkari was starting to get worried.  This enormous Deviant was likely to bring the whole mountain down on them, killing all of the humans they’d spent the last six months protecting.  For all of their firepower and gifts, they were barely making a dent in the monster’s hide.

 

She’d just pulled Phastos out of the way of a sinkhole when she saw Druig shakily clambering down the ridgeline, heading toward the unstable battleground.  Makkari frowned, ready to discourage him if he wanted to join them, when she saw he was skirting the monster and the fighting and headed toward a partially collapsed cave.  Her gaze was distracted by Ajak’s forcefully motioning arms, but she wasn’t being summoned, Ikarus was.

 

Makkari had to abandon the scene for a moment, taking an opportunity to deliver a sonic blast to the Deviant’s snout.  As she raced over another ground collapse, she saw Druig retrieving two small children from the alcove he’d dug out.  She was about to zip over and relieve his load, but Ikarus beat her to it.

 

“Ajak told you to let everyone go,” Ikarus said gravely. 

 

“I don’ need to, I’m fine.” Druig scowled.  “Let me help how I can.”

 

“I’m not gonna tell you again.”

 

“I don’ have time for this.  Take them; I have to go back for the others.” Druig pushed the two small boys into Ikarus.  The field leader looked aggrieved and hooked his left arm around their little chests, so that children dangled outward against him.

 

Without another word, Ikarus then punched Druig in the face with his right arm, hard enough to knock the telepath out cold.

 

Makkari’s eyes flew wide and her hands trembled with a feeling so foreign to her, it took her a moment to identify it as rage.  She hadn’t followed their conversation; they’d been too far away for her to clearly read their lips.  She thought she’d lip-read Druig saying he had to go back, but she had no clue why that would lead to Ikarus hitting him.  She glanced up at Ajak, to catch the woman nod with approval.  Seeing Ajak’s sanction confused Makkari’s feelings further.  Did their leader know what was best in a desperate situation, or had they been unnecessarily rough with Druig?  Whatever her head was reasoning, her heart was beating with fury. 

 

Ikarus picked up Druig and slung his limp body over his shoulder, flying all three passengers up to safety.  At least he hadn’t abandoned the children Druig had been trying to save.  She jerked around; remembering that she thought Druig had said he had to go back.  Makkari raced over to the little alcove, and sure enough, there were three more children inside.  She yanked aside a few more rocks and then zipped in and pulled the children to her chest before they understood what was happening.  The next thing they knew, they were at the top of the mountain, too shocked to make so much as a peep.   

 

She found Druig next, needing to see that he was alright.  Ikarus had deposited Druig on the ground next to Ajak.  He was still unconscious, but the Prime brushed Makkari’s questions off and assured her she would take care of Druig.  Makkari left him reluctantly and only after Ajak pointedly reminded her of her duty.   

 

As she headed down, Makkari saw Sersi change a crumbling rock overhang into smooth metal to protect a cluster of humans from falling boulders.  Another plan struck her, and Makkari pulled Sersi aside to quickly discuss her idea.  Sersi improved her original thought of transforming the ground below into solid metal, by suggesting that she should encase the Deviant’s body in metal the next time it was partially submerged.  Thus trapped, the Eternals could kill it at their leisure.

 

It was a good plan that eventually worked, two and a half hours of fighting later.

 

 

 

Druig blinked his eyes open slowly, totally disoriented and staring up at the sky.  His cheek pulsed with pain, and his right eye was partially shut.  He touched blood on his cheekbone from a gash.  The next thing he felt was a tidal wave of human thoughts crashing against his mind.  He groaned and sat up, seeing humans all around, picking their way out of the rubble and winding down the mountain.  Far below, the Deviant was a smoking pile of meat, locked into the ground that glinted metal in the sunlight.  Next to him, Ajak was standing and talking to Ikarus quietly.  Anger flared inside him as he remembered the last thing that had happened to him.

 

“Oi!” Druig shouted at the field leader.  “Ya hit me!”

 

“It felt pretty good, too,” Ikarus couldn’t help but retort, giving him a self-satisfied sneer.

 

Unsteadily, Druig pushed to his feet, his hands balling into fists.  “If ya ever hit me again-”

 

“You’ll what?” Ikarus taunted. “Tell a human to hit me back?”

 

“Ya don’ know what I can do,” Druig threatened him, clenching his jaw.  “Yer not invincible, Ikarus, remember that.”

 

“Enough!” Ajak ordered.  “Druig, go find the others.  They’re up a little higher getting some water from the stream.”

 

“Did ya save those children?” Druig asked Ikarus, ignoring the order.

 

“Yes, I brought all of you up to safety,” Ikarus sighed.

 

“The other three too, then?” Druig prodded.

 

“What other three?”

 

“The other three children trapped in that shallow cave.  The ones I was trying to go back for.  Did ya rescue them?”  His voice grew louder as his anger built.

 

Ikarus had the decency to recoil at that information.  “I didn’t know about them Druig.”

 

“Sure ya didn’t ‘cause ya punched me in the face!” Druig countered hotly.

 

“Ajak wanted you to disconnect from the humans, and you refused!”

 

“I can face down difficulty, same as any ‘a ya,” Druig shouted back.  He rounded on Ajak.  “Ya didn’t have to make that decision for me!”

 

“Boys, please,” Sersi broke in gently, trotting down the incline, drawn by the noise.  She moved to Ikarus first and put a hand on his arm.  He nodded to her and let out a frustrated breath.

 

“Sersi, take Druig up to the stream,” Ajak commanded softly.  “He needs to cool down.”

 

Druig scowled at Ajak, but then turned on his heel and marched off, leaving Sersi to follow in his wake.

 

“Wait up a minute,” she called to him.  She had to jog to catch up to him, as he did not slow down.  In her typical kindness, she put a comforting hand around Druig’s upper arm once she finally fell into step beside him.

 

He jerked his arm away from her roughly, turning his glare on her.  “I don’t want to hear it Eternal Sunshine.  Why don’t you go back down and fawn all over yer valiant Ikarus?  The child killer.”

 

“I’m sorry he hit you,” she apologized for the field leader.  “It looks quite painful.  He and Ajak only wanted to help you though.  Things were done rashly, but we were in desperate straits.”

 

“Stuff it,” Druig replied darkly, his chest boiling with pent up anger.

 

“And I don’t know what you mean about child killer, but he certainly would never-”

 

“If ya don’t know what yer talking about, then ya should probably shut yer mouth,” Druig barked at her.  He remembered the hope in the faces of the children.  He felt the relief swamp their little bodies when he’d broken through the rocks to reach them.  And he could only imagine their tears as the rocks entombed them.

 

Sersi and Druig crested the rise, and the other Eternals became visible, sitting or lying along the length of the stream.  His eyes were drawn to the red of Makkari’s uniform as if by a magnet.  She was sitting up but hunched over with her arms draped across her knees.  Curls had escaped from her braids and were wildly rioting around her head.  Her normally lively face was drawn with exhaustion, and she was staring blankly at the stream from her perch on the bank.

 

“…and he would never purposefully harm children, Druig,” Sersi was still making her case beside him, but Druig simply walked away from her and joined Makkari by the stream. 

 

He sat down next to her, touching her knee before speaking and signing, “Still in one piece m’darlin’?”

 

Makkari shifted her gaze to look over at him.  Her face, neck, and hands were covered in lacerations, but she winced as she took in his cheek.  She touched his face gingerly and he leaned slightly into her hand.  As usual, the human thoughts and his own frustrations seemed to fade into muffled background noise as he stared at her lovely face.

 

She withdrew her hand to sign, “I’m so sorry Druig.  I saw him hit you.  I wasn’t expecting it, or I would have stopped him.”

 

“I wasn’t expecting it either, though by all rights, I should’a been,” Druig joked.

 

“It won’t happen again if I’m around.”  Her expression was unusually serious.

 

“I’m alright m’lass,” Druig assured her, craning his head down to look into her eyes.  “Don’t get worked up on my account.  ‘Sides, only I can be the dark one, or it ruins our dynamic.”

 

That did the trick.  She grinned at him, her face transforming with her bright smile.  She pushed his knee that was resting against hers.  “You missed an epic fight while you were napping.”

 

“Aye well, clearly Ikarus had to take me out before I could really get in there and steal any o’ his glory.”

 

“Why did he hit you?” She asked, shaking her head as she signed.  “Because you were rescuing children?”

 

“I’m guessin’ it was a plan between him and Ajak, to make me break me connection to the humans.  It was hard feelin’ ‘em die, I’ll admit.  But I could’ve handled it.  I was handlin’ it.  And by stoppin’ me he condemned three other small ones to die.” Druig grimaced.  “I let them down.”

 

“No you didn’t.”

 

“Don’t bother tryin’ to make me feel better,” Druig shook his head.  “I saw their little faces.  I’ll remember that I couldn’t’ save ‘em.”

 

“You couldn’t, but I did.”  Makkari gave him a self-satisfied look as she watched his face, allowing her words to sink in.

 

“Makkari,” he gasped, “ya brilliant lass!  Ya saved them?”

 

“I told you, I saw you,” she smiled warmly at his praise.  “I thought I saw you say you had to ‘go back for them’.  So I went to the place you pulled the boys from and found the others.  I got them up safely.”

 

“Brilliant!” He exclaimed again, surprising them both by throwing his arms around her.  She returned his hug and pulled back with a huffed laugh.  Out of some ingrained instinct, he didn’t want to let her out of his embrace, but he forced himself to sit back again.  “Makkari, ya magnificent, beautiful, genius,” he kept going when she motioned with her hands for him to continue, “witty, wonderful, strong, fierce, speedy woman… Am I forgetting anythin’?”

 

“My modesty,” she dead-panned.

 

Druig chuckled.  “Too right.  And supremely modest.”  He gazed at her fondly.  “I canna thank ya enough.”

 

“So you might say that you owe me then?”

 

“Hmm, suppose I walked straight into that one.  What do I owe the beautiful Makkari?”

 

“You have to talk to Ajak, tonight.”

 

“Ajak is about the last person I wanna talk to.”

 

“You have to let her help you with your powers so she and Ikarus can never do that to you again.”  She took his hand and gave him another serious look.  It was out of character for her to look so sober, but Druig found that he was touched.  She was worried about him.

 

“Aye, alright, m’lass,” he relented, scanning her big brown eyes with his own. “I’ll do it.”

 

She heaved a sigh with her shoulders and smiled at him, making any future indignities with Ajak totally worth it.

 

“Hungry?” Sprite plopped down on Makkari’s other side and waved some fried bread in her face.

 

Makkari nodded eagerly.  She proceeded to break the proffered loaf and passed half to Druig. 

 

“Did you see how well our plan worked?” Sprite leaned around Makkari and asked Druig.  Like Druig, she was signing and speaking for Makkari’s benefit.  “I told you guys my illusions would be useful on the battlefield!  Only Makkari believed me.  I made Ikarus eat his words!”

 

“I made Ikarus punch me in the face,” Druig returned dryly.  Makkari snorted and nearly choked on her bread.  He grinned at her as he patted her back helpfully.

 

“I saw that you have one eye,” Sprite said to Druig.   “What’d you do this time?”

 

“Nothing I’m planning to stop doing in the future,” Druig replied.  “I don’t want him getting the mistaken idea I learned m’lesson.”

 

“I figured you just insulted his hair again,” Sprite shrugged.

 

“Nah, I don’t wanna run the risk of repeating m’self so much,” Druig shot back.  “Who knows how long we’ll be stuck on Earth.”

 

“Too late,” Sprite made a face.  “You’ve already made a million jokes about his perfect hair.”

 

“I don’t see how I’m the only one to notice not a strand out of place, not even now when everyone else is half dead.  His hair stands as straight and stiff as the stick up his arse.”

 

As he and Sprite softly bantered, Makkari’s head began to droop.  Her eyes closed for longer and longer periods between blinks, and she would nod off and immediately jerk back awake.  Eventually she just tilted to the side and let her head rest against Druig’s shoulder.

 

“She’s gotta be beat,” Sprite said sympathetically as she and Druig watched Makkari finally give up and fall asleep.  “She’s been up and down this mountain a million times shuttling all those humans out of danger, not to mention all the Deviants they just fought.  I didn’t think that last one would ever go down.  You want me to help you move her?  We can just let her catch a nap with Gilgamesh and Phastos over there.”

 

Druig waved a dismissive hand at her question, carefully adjusting Makkari’s body down so that she was lying on her side across his lap with her head on his thigh.  The tiny speedster was sleeping heavily, not waking once as he settled her more comfortably. 

 

Sprite accepted the new position with a nod, having no idea how deeply affected Druig was by Makkari’s closeness.  She continued to ramble on about how the day had proved she should be given a more substantial role fighting Deviants.  Druig let her words flow around him like water, feeling only the soft, warm weight of Makkari sleeping in his lap.  He’d been smitten with the enchanting woman from their first meeting, but each new day seemed to draw him further under her spell.   Often, Druig felt as if he’d known her longer than their short time on Earth.  He glanced affectionately down at her beautiful face in repose; and longed to run his fingers over her wild curls.  But he didn’t dare broadcast his tender feelings in Sprite’s ever-observant presence.

 

It wasn’t too much later when a shadow fell over them, and Druig and Sprite looked behind them to see Ajak standing there with a stern expression.

 

“Who are you mad at, me or him?” Sprite jerked her head at Druig.

 

“I’m not mad at anyone,” Ajak replied quietly, looking down at Makkari’s sleeping form between them.  “But I would like to speak to Druig alone Sprite.”

 

“I’m not movin’ Makkari,” Druig said stubbornly.

 

“I’ll go,” Sprite volunteered.  She shot Druig a warning look about his attitude before she sprang to her feet and joined Kingo farther downstream. 

 

“I understand why you’re upset with me,” Ajak began, taking the seat Sprite had just vacated.

 

“Upset is a bit of an understatement,” Druig groused.  “Ya ordered yer goon to knock me out while I was in the middle of saving humans.  I kinda thought that was the whole mission after all.”

 

“Your mental connection to the humans could have caused you irreparable damage Druig.  You were putting yourself in danger, and I needed to stop you before it overwhelmed you.”

 

“And just how do ya know it would have?” Druig’s voice was raised with his anger, but he consciously kept his body still to keep from disturbing Makkari.  Belatedly, he remembered she sensed vibrations, so he calmed himself before he added, “Was I not given these powers specifically for this purpose?”

 

“You were Druig, but you don’t have full mastery over them yet.” Absently she placed her hand against Makkari’s arm and a healing glow slowly erased the cuts from her skin.  “You haven’t even come to me to help you block out the humans’ thoughts.  Don’t you want to know how to do that?”

 

Contrarily, Druig wanted to answer that he didn’t need her help for anything.  But he thought about the pledge he’d made to Makkari.  He looked down at her for strength, happy to see only her adorable freckles covering her face now.  He gave a grudging nod to Ajak.

 

“Excellent,” Ajak breathed a sigh of relief.  “I can show you how to erect mental walls that will ease the suffering you’ve been experiencing in crowds.  I can help you shield yourself from the excess of human emotion; and block out the thoughts that are probably bombarding you non-stop.”

 

“So ya knew the whole time?” Druig realized.  “All the while you’ve been pestering after me; it was to get me to admit I needed help?”

 

“You are very strong willed.  I didn’t expect you to last this long.”

 

“Yeah well it would have been longer if I hadn’t promised Makkari,” he grumbled.

 

“She is special isn’t she?” Ajak commented lightly, watching Druig for his reaction.

 

“Aye,” he answered softly, glancing back down at the sleeping beauty in his lap.  He wouldn’t unburden the extent of his feelings to the senior Eternal.  Little did he know, his expression alone gave him away. 

 

Ajak didn’t press.  She placed her hand on Druig’s shoulder, removing it after he sent her a displeased look.  “We’ll start your training tonight, alright?”

 

“Yeah fine,” Druig looked out at the stream now, still not past his anger even if he was willing to accept her help.  From that day forward, his trust in Ajak would only ever erode.

 

“I can heal the injury on your face you know…relieve the swelling… heal the cut.”

 

Druig met her eyes defiantly.  “Leave it.  Let it serve as a prime example of a mother’s love.”

Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Summary:

Shorter chapter, just some fun.

 

3000 BC - Crete

 

Everyone probably loved Crete too much.  The people were bright and industrious, building towns far more grand than any in Mesopotamia.  They loved to dance and had garish festivals.  They were interested in trade and travel, and worked constantly on creating better ships to push out farther and farther. 

Phastos loved them because they were always inventing.  They had rudimentary ideas, and they constantly improved those innovations through trial and error.  He definitely broke some of the Eternals’ codes and helped them make some technological breakthroughs that were ahead of their time.  He was currently working with an architect interested in indoor plumbing.

Kingo loved them because they hero-worshipped the Eternal Fighters.  They also happened to have seen him destroy a Deviant shaped very much like a long horned bull.  As a result, they re-enacted the moment he leapt across the beast and had turned it into an athletic competition.  Sprite loved them for similar reasons.  She became very popular for her tales of the Eternals’ exploits.

Sersi loved the people’s spirit of cooperation.  She helped them incorporate new ideas they’d picked up on their trade routes.  Everyone seemed interested in the advancement of their society.  Ikarus and Ajak might not have loved the island’s residents, (they never seemed to get emotionally invested in that way,) but they did admire how the people embraced progress.  Thena and Gilgamesh probably didn’t love the people either, but they loved living on Crete because it was constantly under attack from the sea.  Battling together was their favorite past time.  Gilgamesh did also happen to enjoy the extensive trade route because it afforded him numerous new ingredients for his cooking.

Makkari had fallen in love with art over the last millennia, and the people of Crete both created and traded for amazing craft work.  Makkari was always enraptured with some new piece, and she would drag Druig around to various markets to acquire the wares and translate for her.  And if Makkari loved something, then Druig loved it too.  She had become the center of his universe over the past 2000 years, and he enjoyed nothing better than seeing the wonder on her face as she admired intricate detailing or magnificent craftsmanship.  It didn’t hurt that the nascent society on Crete was also relatively peaceful.  They had some issues with greed, but the focus on wealth instead of conquest led to far less bloodshed.      

 

 

One day, Druig and Sersi were returning to the Domo from helping negotiate locations for new ports between two neighboring tribes.  They encouraged the villages to work together and build one larger port in order to attract more vessels and make more profit to share.   Ajak employed the two Thinkers often to nudge the humans toward progress.  Sersi was the personable negotiator, and Druig could silently adjust attitudes when the need arose.  But it hadn’t been hard to convince the two fishing villages to cooperate; Druig hadn’t even needed to drop a single suggestion into their minds.

The Fighters were also returning from a skirmish on the beach.  Sersi and Druig both stopped to watch their rowdy return.  Sersi was longingly watching Ikarus, as the two were playing at some sort of coy romance for some reason.  They were obviously interested in each other, but Ikarus inexplicably held himself back from fully committing to wooing her.  Sersi, who was naturally reserved, didn’t seem capable of making the first move.

Beside her, Druig did a much better job of disguising his desire behind his ever aloof demeanor.  His eyes, however, were glued to the small woman in red.  Despite gaining much more control over his telepathic powers, he was still a remote figure on the team.  He worked the most with Sersi, and by tagging along with Makkari during down time, he’d developed somewhat friendly connections to a few of the other Eternals.  But there was only one person that mattered to him in the entire world, and that was Makkari.  Only she got to see his genuine smile, hear his laughter, or learn his thoughts.  They were extremely close, but secretly he wished he could express his love for her as the humans did for each other.

Kingo was brandishing a dripping and enormous Deviant leg as the Fighters drew near, and it became obvious they were arguing over it.

“You can’t bring that thing into the Domo!” Ikarus was telling Kingo forcefully.  “It stinks to high heaven!”

“I made the most amazing shot of my entire life and you want to deprive me of my trophy?” Kingo exclaimed in despair.

“No one cares about your shot,” Thena growled.  “We will care when we are overcome with foul odors because you brought that rotting thing on the ship.”

“I saved Ikarus from being hit in the back by blowing this thing’s leg off, sending it tumbling down the cliff, in a shot that can only be described as divine, and you want me to just leave this amazing trophy for the sea birds?  I mean I went from shooting down a Deviant Makkari sent up for me, spinning, charging up, falling, and STILL made the most amazing shot of my life!  There is no way I’m not taking the symbol of that triumph home to mount on my wall!”

“Kingo, we were there and we’ve still heard this story three times now,” Gilgamesh complained.  “Give it a rest!”

“Never!  Kingo never rests!” He hoisted the leg over his head, only to have it disappear from his hands in a golden blur.

The Fighters laughed as Makkari stopped a few feet behind Kingo, the leg now aloft over her head.

“Oh hilarious!  Give it back!”  Kingo advanced on her, but Makkari zipped a little farther out of his way.  “This is not funny sis!  You’re supposed to be on my side.”

In response, Makkari began to wiggle her hips back and forth.  Kingo stopped and looked at her with his head canted.  Makkari started twirling around, still holding the leg aloft, and added some fancy leg kicks and shimmies.  It was then they all realized she was imitating Kingo’s festival dance that he performed before every bull jumping contest.  It was a whole number he’d long ago choreographed and it involved a brightly colored scarf he held over his head, much as Makkari was doing with the grotesque appendage now.

“Okay, it’s one thing to grab the leg, but another to poorly imitate a sacred dance!” Kingo carped in amusement as she shimmied around him in a circle, always just out of reach.  The best part was the ultra-serious expression she wore: her lips pursed and her eyes slightly squinting.  She was mimicking Kingo’s much parodied ‘dancing face’ perfectly. 

Thena had been driven to her knees with belly laughs, clutching her side.  It was a rare breakdown that added to the comedy.  “Do the spinning kick!  Do the spinning kick!” She cried out breathlessly.

Makkari dutifully performed two 360’s in the air, holding one leg aloft before landing and doing Kingo's signature "feeling it" head shake.  Thena howled.  Gilgamesh was laughing with his usual boisterous gusto.  He also kept giving Thena fond looks, happy to see her so undone.  Makkari continued to dance circles around Kingo’s reaching arms, and eventually, even Ikarus was bent over from laughing too hard.

“What is happening?” Sersi muttered, catching a smile from the group’s antics.

“She’s doin’ Kingo’s festival dance,” Druig replied with amusement lurking on his normally apathetic features.  “Pretty damn accurately.”

Ajak and Sprite came outside at that moment, obviously dressed to go into the market.  Sprite began to giggle at the scene in front of them.  “She does that bull dance better than he does.”

“Enough Makkari,” Kingo whined.  “Give it back right now!”

Makkari stopped mid step and raised her eyebrows.  She gestured as if she was asking him if he wanted it back.

“You know I do!”

Inconspicuously, she exchanged a look with Ikarus.  He gave her the slightest nod.  Makkari allowed Kingo close enough to take the leg back, but at the last second, she threw it off to the side of the group, high into the air.  Ikarus blasted it out of the sky into smithereens.

“Nooooo!” Kingo sunk to his knees, clutching his head in dramatic fashion.  But there was no support to be found; every Eternal outside was roaring with laughter.

Graciously, Makkari knelt next to Kingo and draped an arm over his shoulders.  Pulling back a moment later she signed, “Don’t be sad, Kingo.  How about I give you my big ruby necklace you like, to wear to the feast tonight?  And Ikarus will raise the first toast to you and your amazing shot.”

“I will?” Ikarus repeated, wrinkling his nose.

“Yes!” Makkari signed emphatically, widening her eyes at him before patting Kingo’s back again.

“I mean of course I will,” Ikarus agreed when Gilgamesh nudged him.

“Aw, thanks guys.  What about you Gil?  What will you do to honor me?”

“Hmm, I guess… drink a lot… in your honor?” Gilgamesh shrugged.  He’d planned to drink a lot regardless, but there was no harm pretending it was for Kingo’s benefit.

“That’s sweet,” Kingo nodded, appeased.  “What about you Thena?”

“I will do nothing,” she stated.  Her expression was already slipping back into its normal statuesque stoicism.

“Sounds about right,” Kingo shrugged.  He let Makkari pull him to his feet.  “Okay, all’s forgiven.”

Druig tried to tamp down his jealousy over Makkari’s physical affection with Kingo.  He consoled himself with the knowledge that she was a tactile person, and doled out her touch to all of them.  But he couldn’t help the greedy part of his mind that wanted to hoard all of her attention for himself.

As if his thoughts had summoned her, she was suddenly beside him, hitting his hip with hers as she greeted the assembled Thinkers. He took an embarrassing amount of pleasure in the physical contact, but then she did always seem to know just how to soothe him. 

“That was quite a dance,” Sersi smiled at Makkari, doggedly avoiding watching Ikarus walk up slowly with the rest of the Fighters.

“You really have it down!” Sprite called.

“Thanks, it lives in my nightmares,” Makkari signed with a bright smile, drawing chuckles.

“How did the meeting go?” She then asked Druig and Sersi politely.  But Druig knew exactly what she was really after.

He let Sersi reply as Ajak joined them, and then turned to Makkari with a secret smile, signing, “Fruitful.”

Her face lit up and she effectively ignored the rest of the conversation from that point on, focused solely on him.  “What did you bring me?”

Druig untied the pouch from his belt to show her a haul of sweet cherries.  “You have to share.  I could only get one bag with Sersi watching me.”

The two regularly played fast and loose with the restrictions on their powers.  Avoiding the watchful eyes of their more dutiful teammates, they would often employ mind control or speed to snatch trinkets, (and especially food treats,) from unsuspecting humans.

Makkari pretended to consider, but finally gave him a laughing nod.  She was too eager to break into his stash to play for long.  “Let’s ditch these guys so we don’t have to share with anyone else.”

“I like the way you think,” Druig smiled at her as he signed.  “But you have to wash off the smell of that leg first.”

 

 *

 

“I want those little chilies you brought me last month,” Gilgamesh insisted to Makkari who was seated on one of the kitchen counters, facing him and swinging her legs.  They’d just finished the after-meal clean-up, which included a spirited game of ‘catch the dishes and dry them before they hit the floor’.  The game was as straight forward as the name: Gilgamesh would wash a dish and then throw it behind him randomly across the kitchen.  Makkari caught it, dried it, and put it away all before the next dish was thrown.  There really wasn’t any prize for winning or losing, but Makkari had invented the game to make a boring chore more fun.  Now they rarely let anyone else have a turn washing dishes.  

 “The little green ones that made Kingo shit fire for two days,” Gilgamesh continued, drying his hands and leaning his hip against the counter across from her.

“Kingo’s been annoying you a lot lately huh?” Makkari grinned at him, always ready to play a part in a practical joke. 

“The way he’s been acting like our leader out there in front of the humans?  The way he keeps yelling pointers at us?  That’s gotta be annoying you too.”

“He’s Kingo,” Makkari shrugged, as if those two words explained everything.

“Yeah, you are always the best at handling all the various personalities around here,” Gilgamesh stroked his chin thoughtfully.  She was able to disarm even the grouchiest Eternal with that grin of hers.

“You are too,” Makkari reached over and patted his arm.  “Mostly because you let everything roll off your back.”

“So you’re saying I need to let it go then?”

“What?  Of course not!  Let’s make Kingo shit fire,” she replied, a mischievous expression on her face.

Gilgamesh laughed his belly laugh in response.

“But I’ll need to call in my heavy hitter to pull this off,” Makkari warned him.  “The trader with the chilies is low on stock so he’s raised his prices and he’s keeping some things back for his next stop.”

“Well doesn’t the fact that we save the city every day earn us a few chilies?”

“Traders are ruthless Gilgamesh.  They wouldn’t cut their own mothers a deal.”

“I guess I could just pay him.”

“Never,” Makkari insisted, shaking her head vehemently as she signed.

“Ah yes, I remember how opposed you are to paying full price for things.”

“I’ve only gotten worse over the centuries.”

“And your heavy hitter is Druig I’m guessing?”

“We are a formidable shopping team.”

“I suppose you’re warning me in advance because you two will be breaking a few of Ajak’s rules?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that assumption,” Makkari answered in mock solemnity. “But I’m giving you the choice to stay behind and never know for sure.”

“No I better come, just in case that trader has anything worse I can choose from,” Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes craftily. 

Makkari smiled slowly in response.  “This will be a great prank.”

 

“Ya do know that nothin’ ya see here can be spoken of, ever, to anybody?” Druig gave Gilgamesh a skeptical look as the trio prepared to head into the market, dressed in human attire.  “Not even Thena.”

“Thena wouldn’t care,” Gilgamesh protested, adjusting the satchel over his shoulder. 

“Everyone has told on us at least once,” Makkari rolled her eyes and gave a put upon sigh.

“Okay, that was totally an accident,” Gilgamesh thought back to the time he’d inadvertently busted Makkari going out past the boundaries Ajak had set in Mesopotamia.  He’d thanked her for her contribution to a meal he’d made.  She’d brought him an unusual tropical fruit to use in a dessert, which happened to be grown only in a climate out of her approved range.  He'd gotten Phastos in trouble too, for not reporting the infraction, as he monitored their tracking beacons.  “I didn’t know you had running restrictions!”

  “And everyone always has an excuse,” Druig grumbled, but it was said with levity.  Gilgamesh knew he was on Druig’s good side, mostly because he ran the kitchen and Druig ate like he had a hollow leg. 

“You two have sworn me to secrecy at least a dozen times!  I swear I will never speak of this shopping trip again.”

“Well, I’m only trustin’ ya cuz I wanna see Kingo suffer,” Druig commented nonchalantly.

Makkari was about to nudge him in reprove, but raised a shoulder instead.  “Actually, me too.”

“That’s m’lass,” Druig grabbed her around her upper arms, jostling her with enthusiasm.  She giggled and shoved at him.  They wrestled around for about a minute before Gilgamesh had to bring them back on track by clearing his throat and waving his hands.  The pair straightened and shot each other playful looks before leading him into the village. 

Gilgamesh often suspected Druig was infatuated with Makkari.  While Makkari had unique games with each of the Eternals, most of her games with Druig seemed to involve touching.  Druig never let anyone else into his personal space.  Gilgamesh had also noticed the way Druig’s eyes glowed with uncharacteristic warmth and affection whenever he looked at Makkari.  Gil figured he was a good judge of a love-sick expression as he knew his own smile grew measurably dopier whenever Thena was around.  But Gilgamesh kept his musings to himself for the time being.  He didn’t want to speak out of turn and get on Druig’s bad side, a relatively easy thing to do.  And he didn’t have a good read on Makkari.  She was artlessly demonstrative with everyone, and she was equally friendly with all the Eternals… although she was around Druig a lot… if that was anything. 

Rather than putting his foot in his mouth, Gilgamesh just kept his own council and followed the two rogues into the bustling market.  Makkari would zip off and back repeatedly, often returning with a handful of fruits which she shared with Druig and Gilgamesh.  Druig took the fruits as his due, so Gilgamesh was sure they probably did that a lot.  He thought he should offer some sort of token moral objection, but the truth was that he liked eating.  He didn’t turn down a single treat Makkari pilfered for him.  He almost didn’t notice that the humans were steering out of their path until he caught the gold fade out of a man’s eyes as he passed.  Gilgamesh chuckled in between bites of a stolen pear.  He had fallen in with a bad crowd.  And he was definitely going to ask them to take him shopping again.

They made one quick stop at a trinket stand that, despite Druig’s protest, Makkari couldn’t be distracted from.  She started signing with obvious excitement to the vendor nestled in the booth of figurines and etched pictures and tablets.

“Did the lady miss me?” The middle aged man smiled widely, displaying a few missing teeth.  He didn’t understand much of her sign language, but unlike many others, he kept his eyes on her and not Druig who began speaking for Makkari.

“Did you make it to Egypt?”

“Yes of course my lady, just as I told you I would.”

“Did you bring anything they carved?”

“I have just the thing you are looking for,” he tapped his winking eye and pulled out a figure of a woman’s body with wings and a bird’s head.  “She is fast as the wind, just like you, no?”

Druig stopped translating to place his hands on hers before she could reach for it.  He then signed to her, “He’s brought you fakes before.”

She looked up at him with a sparkle in her eyes.  “I have to feel it to know.”

Reluctantly, Druig relented and allowed her to peruse the statue.  Gilgamesh watched them both with interest as they had temporarily forgotten about his existence.  The normally disinterested mind reader was watching over Makkari protectively, even knowing, as they all did, that she was shrewdly crafty and hard to swindle.  He had a way of standing at her shoulder that suggested he would defend her from any threats, but still managed to distance himself enough from the conversation that it was easy to see that Makkari was leading it.   

Druig continued to translate for Makkari unobtrusively, but he was scowling at the man so hard that the vendor was growing visibly uncomfortable.

“How much?” Druig questioned for Makkari, casting a doubtful glance at her as his mind perceived what he was translating by rote.

The price he named made them both scoff.

The old vendor chuckled.  “It is an Egyptian treasure, just like you requested.  Don’t get cheap on me, my lady.”

Again Druig turned to Makkari and signed privately, “It doesn’t look like the right kind of bird.”

“It’s a fake,” Makkari agreed.  “I still like it.”

“I’ll make him hand it over to you then.”

She smiled at him and patted his cheek.  Gilgamesh did not miss the way Druig leaned into her hand for a moment.  “Let me commit my own crimes.  We’ll come back later.” 

Makkari waved to the vendor, and Druig relayed her promise to think it over.  They walked away even as the old man called after them.

“He’s one of my favorite traders,” Makkari explained to Gilgamesh as they travelled on.

“He’s a terrible cheat,” Druig grumbled and signed.

“Which is why I like him,” Makkari smiled brightly. Druig rolled his eyes and bumped her hip with his own.  She returned the gesture.

They reached the vendor with the peppers and spices.  He did indeed want to drive a hard bargain, especially as Gilgamesh explained he wanted the hottest spices or peppers available.  The vendor showed Gil a jar of dried out peppers that he insisted would burn the ability to taste from a tongue.  Gilgamesh tried valiantly to haggle, but the stubborn trader remained doggedly insistent on his high price.  Druig and Makkari went to work then.  Druig put a brief suggestion into the man’s head to agree to the next price Gilgamesh named.  As he was handing over the payment, he saw a glimpse of Makkari at the back of the table, plucking up a handful of the green peppers he’d originally wanted, her other hand holding a finger to her lips to keep him quiet.  He blinked, and she was there beside him again, her hands empty.  He truly was in the presence of masters. 

That night, while everyone else enjoyed a tangy stew, Kingo howled over his spicy dish, repeatedly going back for more every time the other Eternals assured him their own stew was mild.  The three conspirators exchanged numerous secret glances and knowing smiles.   Kingo spent the next two days in intestinal discomfort, and an additional week nursing a scalded tongue, much to Gilgamesh’s delight.

 

 

2800 BC - Indus River Valley

 

The Eternals found another amazing culture between the mountains and the sea far to the East of Mesopotamia.  Based on the strength of a prosperous trading network, the people had begun converging small establishments into nascent cities, and the gathering of so many people had drawn the attention of the Deviants.  At first the fighting was so rough and so frequent, the Eternals found themselves constantly at war.  The Thinkers were only allowed to meet with the people if they were accompanied by at least two Fighters.  Some weeks were so fraught with fighting, that all of the Eternals were locked down to the ship in between battles. 

The waiting period was the hardest on Makkari.  Her body required her to burn energy.  If they went more than a day without an attack, she would wake Druig up at night and force him into a sparring match or one of the many full contact sports they’d adopted from the humans.  He didn’t have excess energy to burn, but he went along with her anyway, complaining vociferously the entire time.    

At the end of a particularly onerous lock down period, Druig noticed he’d stopped getting late night visits.  He worried he’d been complaining too much, although that had never seemed to bother her one way or the other.  Makkari could happily tune out any form of disapproval if she was getting her way.  He did worry a little though that maybe his grievances had driven her to find another late night sparring partner.

One afternoon he was leaving Gilgamesh in the kitchen when a familiar wind rushed by him in the hall, nearly knocking him over.  He stopped in his tracks, and a few paces ahead of him Makkari came to an abrupt stop.  She grinned and waved.

“Makkari?” He looked at her muddy boots and back up at her obviously wind-blown face.  “Where are ya comin’ fr-”

From behind Druig, Ajak called, “Makkari?  Is that you?”

Druig spun around quickly, blocking Makkari from Ajak’s view.  He stood with his hands behind his back, using the position to secretly wave for Makkari’s attention and point down to her boots.

“Ajak, I was just wantin’ a word with ya,” Druig intercepted the Prime.  He was gratified to feel a rush of wind at his back.  His lass had gotten his message.

“Did you see Makkari?  I needed to meet with her.”

“Oh aye, she’ll be right back, just forgot somethin’ in her room,” Druig lied.  Centuries of covering for his fellow troublemaker made it second nature.        

“I was wonderin’ when Sersi and I were going to have that meeting with the farmers and the city planners, since Phastos has been meetin’ with the architects again,” he asked.  He already knew that their assignment had been delayed until Ikarus felt it was safe enough for Sersi to be on the ground.  Ikarus might pretend to be looking out for Druig also, but everyone was aware that he only actually worried about Sersi’s safety.

“Soon I’m sure,” Ajak mumbled, not wanting to be the flashpoint for another argument.

“So then you’ve convinced yer golden boy to stand down?” Druig taunted her.

Makkari popped up next to him, saving Ajak a response.  He looked down quickly and noticed her clean boots.  “What did I miss?”

“Oh good,” Ajak sighed.  “Before you two head off, Makkari can I speak to you in the briefing room please?”  

“Sure,” Makkari signed.  She let Ajak walk ahead and then turned around to Druig.  “Thanks for the save, best friend!  I’ll be right back.”

He nodded and winked at her.  Druig eventually got tired of waiting and went to his room, knowing she’d find him when she was done.  He was meditating when Makkari finally burst in.  No one locked their doors, but the other Eternals usually respected a closed door.  Makkari and Druig ignored this convention entirely, and regularly invaded each other’s privacy at the drop of a hat. 

“Well how’d it go with mother?” He looked up into her gorgeous face from where he was seated on his padded mat.  “She know you were sneakin’ out?”

“Of course not,” Makkari waved him off.  She reached down and helped him to stand up off the floor.

“What did she want?”

“Some scouting.  They’re going to loosen up the restrictions if the Deviants have moved off a bit.”

“And just how did ya get out earlier my beautiful Makkari?”

“Turned off my tracker,” she beamed.

“Oh doesn’t that sound safe?  How would anybody even know if ya got hurt out there?”

“They wouldn’t,” Makkari shrugged.  “Don’t worry so much.  I’m always careful.”

“Mmmmm,” Druig scrunched up his face and tilted his head to the side.  She couldn’t hear the noise he was making, but she got the tone of his retort from his expression.  “Yer kinda not, though.”

“Ok, sure,” Makkari conceded easily.  “But it always works out for me.”

Druig chuckled.  “Well tell me m’lucky lass, how is it that Phastos never notices yer equipment’s off?”

“Cuz he’s in on it, of course,” Makkari’s eyes twinkled at him.  “I get to run laps around the world; he gets some documents and schematics he wants. It’s a pretty good system.  Come on, ya wanna see?”  She held up a rolled parchment and waved it around.

“Phastos is in on a scheme before me?  I’m offended!”

“Don’t be mad at me best friend, it was his idea!”

They headed to Phastos’ lab, where the scientist eagerly took possession of the scroll, before eyeing Druig wearily. 

“Hey you weren’t supposed to tell anyone about our deal.”

“It’s Druig, he’s good,” Makkari brushed off Phastos’ concern.

“How do we know we can trust him?” Phastos responded dubiously.

“Trust me?” Druig exclaimed.  “I’m the one that’s usually elbow deep in these things, thanks very much.  We usually have to hide all our activities from all of ya brown-nosers!”

Makkari patted his chest lightly and gave him a playful smile.  “Easy killer.  That’s not how we recruit accomplices.”  Turning to Phastos she added, “He just covered for me to Ajak.”

“That doesn’t exactly sell me, but as long as my perimeter readings are right, we won’t have to sneak around much longer,” Phastos reasoned.

“Jeez, thanks for the vote o’confidence,” Druig snarked. “What’s so important yer finally willing to break a few rules for once in yer upstanding life?”

“These are sewer schematics from Crete,” Phastos replied happily.  He spread them out on the table in front of him.  "We had been working on various designs before I left and they’ve managed to practically incorporate plumbing into multi-level structures.  I wanted to give the builders here an example to work from.”

Makkari zipped over to Phastos’ side, looking down at the drawings and studying them with focus.  She asked a few questions and he showed her how the pipes were built into the wall until they reached an opening at the bottom level of the building that fed into a manmade canal.

“How do they keep it flowing away from the city?”  She mused, but then her finger followed the schematics and she realized, “Oh they built the city at an angle, huh?  So the canals all flow down.”  She grinned up at Phastos.  “Pretty smart!”

Phastos shot her an answering grin in return.  He had always enjoyed Makkari’s company because she was nimble-minded, a quick learner, and loved to figure out how things worked.  She was often an eager lab partner when Phastos wanted an extra set of hands for an experiment or a field test. 

Druig had wound up as a lab assistant too, as he was usually with Makkari during down time.  But forming a tighter bond with Phastos had benefitted him when the Thinkers were left behind on the ship with long periods of time to kill.  Assisting with Phastos’ work was a good way to pass the day.

“Ya had to have sewer schematics?  That’s why ya turned off Makkari’s tracker?”  Druig’s tone was displeased.  He could never just tell Makkari he was worried about her; that would have provoked her to be more reckless somehow.  She was contrary that way.  Instead he infused his disapproval into his conversation with Phastos.

“Of course not!” Phastos said with bass in his voice.  Much softer he added, “I taught her how to do it.”  He looked over at Makkari meaningfully, “Which you are totally gonna forget once our little partnership here ends, right?”

Makkari nodded solemnly, but once Phastos looked away, she shook her head at Druig with a devilish look.  He chuckled softly despite his misgivings.  She was just too charming for her own good. 

Phastos called out, “I saw that!”

Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Summary:

Another chapter with fighting and a serious injury.

 

 

2500 BC – Mohenjo-daro

 

The harvest was a time of celebration in the Indus Valley.  The people in the area were blessed with a fertile year from two rainy seasons.  They were currently celebrating a bountiful rice crop; and vendors, traders and artisans had set up booths along all the main thoroughfares of the city.  Hundreds more gathered in lean-tos outside the city to participate in the festival, sell goods, or meet socially. There were groups of musicians and singers scattered among the busiest booths, and bonfires roared alongside vendors selling cooked meats.  The atmosphere was jovial, and most people were enjoying spirits liberally.

It had been over a month since the last Deviant attack.  Ajak allowed them to take part in the harvest festival as long as no one over indulged.  She had a bad feeling about an attack.  The Fighters had scouted a five-mile perimeter around the bustling town, and earlier in the week, Makkari had come upon a herd of Deviants much farther south near the ocean.  The Eternals would be migrating there as well.  This festival was a last hurrah of sorts.

Sprite had wanted to go to the festival with Ikarus.  She’d been eager to show him the trader she’d befriended.  He possessed a large blue jewel that Sprite thought matched Ikarus’ uniform color perfectly.  Makkari had given her a rare gold statue to trade for it so that she could surprise Ikarus with the gift if he seemed suitably impressed.  To her deep disappointment, Ikarus had turned down Sprite’s company, stating he had already promised to let Sersi show him the city.  Sprite had felt a poisonous envy in her stomach, but she’d played it off to Ikarus as if it was no big deal.  She went outside and created an illusion of Sersi, which she proceeded to slice apart with her stylized knife.

That was how Makkari found her when she invited Sprite to the harvest festival.  Druig stood behind Makkari with a sardonic brow raised as he surveyed Sersi’s bloodied image.  Embarrassed to be caught, Sprite waved Sersi’s image away and looked over at the two Eternals sheepishly.

“Workin’ through some things?” Druig asked innocently, hands clasped in front of him.

“Sorry,” Sprite muttered.  “Just having a bad day.”

“Aye, an’ nothin’ makes me feel better than kickin’ a puppy when I’m down,” Druig pursed his lips and nodded. 

Makkari, who’d been watching him, grinned and slapped him in the stomach.  She turned to Sprite and invited, “Want to come to town with us?”          

“You picking up strays?” Sprite snarked.  “That must be how you wound up with Druig in tow.”

Druig usually responded in kind to any snide comment sent his way.  This time he didn’t rise to the bait.  “She promised food, so I’m following her.” He joked mildly.

“Yeah well, I’m not really hungry,” Sprite mumbled.  She pulled the statue out of her pocket and walked it over to Makkari.  “Looks like I don’t need this after all.”

Makkari looked deeply into her eyes for a moment, and then curled Sprite’s hand back over the statue.  “Keep it for now.  I’ll bet you that we find something fun to buy down there. You name the stakes.”

“Ohh, Makkari,” Druig groaned.  “Ever since Kingo introduced ya to betting, ye’ve become a monster.”

“Betting makes things more interesting!” Makkari protested.  “You just get mad because I always win.”

“I get mad cuz ya always cheat!” Druig corrected her with a mock scolding expression.

“It’s not cheating if you can’t prove it,” Makkari answered with a smug smile.

“Where have I heard that before?” Sprite couldn’t help but chuckle at her roguish friend.

“It’s her motto,” Druig grumbled although he was looking at Makkari warmly.  “It’s probably emblazoned in Olympian on her uniform.”

The speedster stuck out her tongue at him.

“Fine, I’ll go,” Sprite conceded.  “We don’t even have to make a bet.  But at least if I go with you two, I’ll be sure to get into some trouble.”

 

The group had to wade through a forest of lean-tos and inebriated people as they made their way to the city.  Most people were jovial, but Druig did discreetly break up two fist-fights on their journey.  All of the Eternals were scattered about, talking to traders, dancing or eating, but the trio waved off joining anyone else until they made it to Sprite’s original destination.

“There it is,” Sprite pointed to the bright blue jewel.  It was in a silver setting hanging from a silver chain.

Thanks to Sprite’s rotten luck, Ikarus and Sersi were admiring items at a nearby trader’s table.  “Oh perfect,” she muttered.

Eager to fix things, Makkari offered, “I know what will cheer you up.  I’ll go steal it.”

“That’s your answer to everything,” Druig sighed at her with a teasing twinkle in his eye.

“What?  It cheers me up.”

“I don’t want to steal from Kashish,” Sprite shook her head.

“Good on ya, don’t listen to Makkari. She’s a terrible role model,” Druig cracked.

“I don’t need a role model, I’m YOUR age,” Sprite bit out, instantly triggered into losing her temper.

“Easy there,” Druig held up his hands.  Sprite wondered how he was holding his own temper so well.  Usually when she was a brat to him, he unloaded his full arsenal of scorn on her.

“Yeah Druig!  Besides everyone knows I’m your role model.”  Makkari beamed like a reprobate and shoved at his shoulder.

“Oh does everyone know that now?” Druig knocked his body into hers.  “Well no wonder I find m’self walkin’ a path o’crime… ah, except wait.  I’m waaay better at thievin’ than you are.”  He was wearing a shit-eating grin before he’d even finished taunting her.

Makkari mimed fainting against Sprite.  “I’ve never heard such a horrible lie in my life!”

Sprite was chuckling at their antics, her earlier outburst discreetly ignored. 

“I can’t let this blasphemy go unpunished!”  Makkari attacked Druig with a whirlwind of tickles, causing the normally reserved Eternal to laugh and bat helplessly at her.  Sprite watched with amusement.  Druig never laughed like that, but Makkari always seemed able to draw sunshine out of him.

In the span of a breath, the speedster once again leaned against Sprite’s shoulder.  “I still feel my honor is impugned.”

“Oh I’m sure I can prove I’m the best m’darlin’,” Druig narrowed his eyes playfully.  “Why don’t we have a bet to see who the greatest thief-”   

“Yes!” Makkari’s nodding fist cut him off and she jumped up in excitement and proceeded to barrel into him.  “Sprite will be the judge,” she stated before yanking on his arm enthusiastically.

“Aw, Sprite’s biased,” Druig complained, pulling his arm free of her rough treatment.  “She likes you best.”

“You’re not going to find a judge anywhere that doesn’t,” Makkari shot back with a smirk.

Druig snickered.  “Aye ya got me there.”

“I can be completely fair,” Sprite piped up.  She glanced around at the stalls surrounding them and got a crafty idea.  “I’ll give you both really hard assignments, and whoever brings me the stolen item first is crowned the best thief.”

“Still think this is gonna favor Makkari,” Druig griped.

“No way, Sprite is totally fair… and smart and beautiful,” Makkari gave Sprite a broad wink.  Druig tugged on one of her braids.

“What’s the bet?” Sprite asked.

“Winner gets the obsidian dagger,” Makkari announced.  It was an artifact they’d “acquired” together, leading to a long-running debate over which of them it actually belonged to. 

“Deal,” he agreed.  He had only been pretending to want ownership of the blade to mess with her, so this was a low stakes bet for him.  

“Okay so on that side of the square is Daro, who is super conscientious about how his fruit is arranged in those baskets.  He does a running count of the top layer every time he circles around his stand.  Makkari, you have to bring back three plums without him noticing.”

Makkari rubbed her hands together, sizing up the stand and it’s operator with her quicksilver mind. 

“Well at least when you lose, we’ll have plums to eat,” Druig put a mock-comforting hand on her shoulder.

She wrinkled her nose at him.  “You’re not getting one.”

“As for you Druig,” Sprite said, trying to keep the evil glint out of her eye, “there’s a stand on the opposite side where Oma sells nice jewelry.”

“Ah too easy,” Druig interrupted, turning toward the stand.

“I want that pretty crystal necklace…that Ajak is holding,” Sprite grinned wickedly.

Makkari threw her head back in silent laughter.  He couldn’t use his powers in front of Ajak.

“Achhhh,” Druig groaned, pushing Makkari’s shoulder for good measure as she danced gleefully around him.  Suddenly an idea struck him and he started nodding.  “Ok, I got this.”

“You can’t pay for it!” Sprite warned.

“I got it,” Druig waved a hand.  “Start us off already.”

Sprite made the sign for go, and the pair sped off to their perspective targets.  Makkari started a mini wind storm around the fruit stand, disturbing the top layer on all the fruit baskets, knocking multiple pieces of fruit on the ground.  Druig walked right over to Ajak.

“Druig, are you enjoying the festival?”

“Well I would be except… ya see Sprite over there?”

Ajak looked behind him to Sprite who was at that moment squinting at them suspiciously.

“I do… is she ok?”

“Sadly no, she’s been havin’ a hard day, what with Ikarus paradin’ Sersi around right in front of her like that.”

“Felt that, did you?  I thought I was the only one who’d caught on to her crush!” Ajak gasped a little. 

“Well the thing is,” he turned discreetly to see Makkari generously helping the fruit vendor to clean up.  He was running out of time.  “She really loves that necklace yer holdin’ there, and I think ya should get it for her.”

“That would cheer her up?” Ajak looked at the necklace uncertainly, but Druig nodded rapidly and shepherded her over to the vender.

“The lady would like to buy this,” Druig declared to Oma, glancing again at Makkari.  He cheated a little and mentally ordered Daro to ask her to help him count his stock.  That bought him a little time. “How much?  Ya know what, it doesn’t matter, she’ll take it.”

 “Druig!  I have to haggle!” Ajak protested.

“Not with this lad,” Druig assured her.  Oma then named a price that made them both flinch.

“He expects me to haggle,” Ajak hissed.

“No… he uh…” Another glance across the square showed Makkari was nearing the last bin.  He lowered his voice and explained, “He has five sick kids at home.  He needs this money.”

“Five sick kids!  How do you know this?” Ajak whispered, glancing at Oma as she debated commenting to him.

“No don’t bring it up,” Druig shook his head.  “Ye’ll shame him.  Just…trust me,” he pointed to his temple meaningfully.

“Ah yes,” Ajak nodded sadly and paid full price for the necklace.  “Thank you, sir.  My daughter will enjoy this gift.”

“Gift?” Oma asked.  “Let me wrap it in fine linen for you.”

“No, no wrapping!” Druig cried.  He’d been so close!  “She hates unwrappin’ things!”

“No one hates unwrapping things,” Oma said in a deep booming voice, ignoring Druig’s protest and moving to the back of his stand to find the linen. 

Druig grudgingly accompanied Ajak as she walked over to Sprite and proudly presented her the necklace minutes later.  Makkari was leaning on Sprite’s shoulder again and they were both eating plums.

Makkari left Sprite talking with Ajak and slung an arm around Druig’s waist for a moment before generously putting the last plum in his hand.  “I’m so amazing I can beat you even when you cheat,” she teased, her eyes sparkling up at him. 

“I bow before the queen,” Druig signed back.  They exchanged a secretive smile and Druig didn’t really feel as if he’d lost at all.     

 

Now a foursome, the group went and got food from a vendor selling questionable dishes of different animal parts.  Makkari’s dares drove all of them, even Ajak, to try some of the more gruesome items on the menu. 

They were just finishing their meal when the first screams reached them.  Makkari didn’t hear the screams, but she immediately felt the vibration of running feet and grabbed Druig’s arm.

“Maybe Deviants,” he told her glancing around.  “People are screaming.”

“I don’t feel Deviant feet on the ground,” Makkari signed to him with a frown.

“Look!” Sprite shrieked, pointing at the sky over the sea of lean-to’s camped outside the city.  A flock of giant, winged Deviants blocked the sun and cast ominous shadows over the fleeing people.  With deadly precision, they began to dive bomb the people below, picking them off and hauling them into the sky to eat.

“Quickly Sprite, get inside!”  Ajak ordered, dragging her to a nearby mud brick house.

Sprite shook loose.  “Let me help!  I can confuse the Deviants.  I’ve done it before!”

“It’s too dangerous out here!” Ajak shook her head

“Let her help,” Makkari touched Ajak’s arm gently.  “She can stay back here and send illusions into the sky.” 

Ajak heaved a big sigh.  “Druig, will you watch over her?  Makkari and I have to get closer to the Deviants.  Will you be able to watch Sprite and guide people inside safely?”

“Aye, don’ worry about it,” Druig replied impatiently.  Looking at Makkari, he signed, “Be careful!”

She winked back and signed, “Always.”  A split second later she and Ajak had disappeared.

Sprite sent monsters into the sky to startle the Deviants and force some to abandon their human meals for combat.  Druig’s eyes flooded gold, and immediately, the people in the town stopped stampeding and started calmly entering buildings.

Ikarus was shooting through the air when Ajak and Makkari arrived in the middle of the field of campers.  People were running in all directions trying to avoid the swooping Deviants.  Kingo was blasting shots overhead, dodging the beasts as they dive-bombed him.  Thena and Gilgamesh arrived on the scene next.  Ikarus started disabling their wings so that the Deviants dropped from the sky.  This made it easier for the terrestrial Eternals to take the battle to the monsters.

Makkari started shuttling people into town, but the humans were scattering all over, making her chase them down before she could save them.  After dropping off a mother and child at the large government building, she went looking for Druig for help.

Suddenly, a Deviant dive bombed one of the houses, smashing it under the monster’s weight.  Makkari pulled the inhabitants out, zipping around the snapping jaws, and rushing the couple into the nearby government building as well.  She saw Sersi carrying two children and running toward her with a similar intention.

“Can you strengthen that building like you did in Sumer?”

“Yes!” Sersi answered enthusiastically and went to work quickly, laying her hands on the walls.  She turned the mud brick into quartzite.

Turning back to the Deviant crawling around the wrecked house, Makkari hit it with wave after wave of sonic blasts, driving it into the ground until it was trapped. She took one more run through its neck, beheading it. 

Another Deviant dive bombed a house nearby, but the structure proved empty.  The Deviant crawled right through the wall of the house next door.  This one was full of people.  Makkari charged in after it and created a storm of dust from the dirt floor inside.  Using the cover, she zipped out each of the five family members outside one by one.

Sersi was there, herding them into the fortified building nearby.  Kingo had run over by this time as well.

“I got this one!” He called cheerfully, blasting the Deviant’s back end.

With a jaunty salute, Makkari raced over and found Druig where she’d left him. 

“All the tent people, can you send them into the tree-line?” Makkari signed rapidly, trusting him to keep up.  “I can keep running stragglers here, but they’re scattering all over.”

“Take me there so I can see it and know where to send ‘em,” Druig agreed.

Sprite looked over to see Sersi, now alongside Phastos, ushering in the people fleeing from the field into the quartzite building.  She blanched at the sight of Sersi.

“Take me too Makkari!”  She pulled her arm to get her attention.  “I’ll stick with Ajak and create my illusions from there.”  Makkari loaded them both against her waist and dropped off Sprite with Ajak and Druig at the edge of the trees.

A Deviant with a broken wing fell nearby, and Makkari had to leave Druig to pulverize the beast with hyper-speed punches and a sonic blast.  Druig meanwhile, turned his attention to the dispersed campers, pulling those in range of the trees to seek cover in the dense woods behind him.  He stepped back into the wood line and the humans began to flood into the forest all around him.

Gilgamesh and Thena were making quick work of all the falling Deviants that Ikarus grounded. Ikarus took a few scary hits in the sky, but he was able to outmaneuver the heavier beasts and remain airborne.  One of the Deviants he blasted almost crushed two of the campers who’d nearly made it to the safety of the city.  In a blur of gold, Makkari shuttled them out of harm’s way.

She raced the two stragglers up to the front door of the government building, where the townspeople were waiting to usher them in.  She turned to quickly survey the area, only to see Kingo take a slash from the clawed tip of a folded leathery wing across his chest, and fall hard to the ground.  The lightning quick Deviant had raced after him on its bowed legs, jaws opening in anticipation of a bite.  Makkari zoomed forward, snatching Kingo away, and rushing him to the tree Ajak and Sprite were stationed under.  She had no time to stay and explain, because the Deviant had given chase.  Although it was not as fast as she was, she couldn’t let it get anywhere near Ajak.  Makkari charged headlong into its path, stopping a few paces from a collision, causing a sonic boom that sent it soaring backward through the air.  Before she could follow up, Ikarus soared overhead, shooting a hole through the Deviant’s skull.

Just as suddenly, the Deviant chasing Ikarus swooped from the sky onto a new target, Makkari.  She cursed herself for watching Ikarus at work when the reptilian jaw of the Deviant snapped closed and took a chunk of her skin as she belatedly zipped off to avoid contact.  Unfortunately the injury caused her to stumble a moment later, the wound more painful than she’d anticipated.  The winged beast leapt on top of her, taking her leg into its jaw and thrashing her around. Makkari fought through the pain, speed-punching at the monster’s eyes and bony skull, trying desperately to twist loose.  The Deviant flew up into the air, clawing and biting at her in an attempt to subdue her. 

“Makkari!”

Several cries went up from the various Eternals on the ground.  Gilgamesh tried to give Thena a boost to spear the Deviant from the sky, but she couldn’t get high enough.

“Ikarus you worthless clod!” Druig screamed at him to gain his attention, bursting from the trees and following from the ground as Ikarus battled another airborne monster above.  “Help her!”

He glared first at Druig, before shooting the left wing off the Deviant he fought.  That’s when his eyes finally took in Makkari and the Deviant, tussling in the sky.  She was fighting hard, but the Deviant was landing numerous bloody blows as it struggled to maintain possession of her.   Ikarus immediately gave chase, and the Deviant flew back toward the town, clamping down so hard on Makkari’s leg she felt it snap.  A laser blast of gold skimmed across the Deviant’s wing. When it squawked in pain, Makkari used the last bit of strength to kick free with her good leg.  She fell from the sky, crashing into the side of one of the ruined mud brick houses in the center of the town.

Everything hurt.  Makkari took no notice of Ikarus continuing to battle the Deviant that had mauled her, the last monster left on the field.  She took a few gasping breaths through broken ribs and concentrated on crawling out of the rubble.  The people in the town rushed out of hiding to check on her.  They cleared off some of the debris, and she slowly tried to pull herself up right.  Her left leg was mangled and she was bleeding from numerous wounds, but she assured the townspeople with hand gestures that she was alright.

That’s when they did something strange.  The first man that had helped her had her blood on his clothes.  He looked down at them and then raised his fists in the sky, declaring he’d been blessed by the blood of the great warriors.  Makkari had seen his lips when he shouted, but she was confused.  The people of the valley weren’t particularly religious or superstitious.  However, the small circle of people around her reached out quickly to touch her and smear her blood on their own clothes as well.  It started a free for all, as townspeople came pouring out of the quartzite building, mobbing her in an attempt to touch her blood.  Makkari winced as she got herself up on her good leg, trying desperately to hobble away from their snatching hands.  She didn’t dare use her strength or speed on the humans, (she didn’t have enough control with her injuries to do it safely,) but she felt herself growing more desperate by the second.  Sersi and Phastos were at the edge of the crowd, pushing people aside to get to her, but the humans had gone into a frenzy.

 

Druig cursed at how far away he was from the city proper as he raced through the open fields and smashed lean-to structures.  He’d lost sight of Makkari after she’d careened out of the sky, but the amount of damage she’d taken from the Deviant left him ill with worry.  It felt like his heart was beating three times faster than normal in his chest, making it hard to run or even breathe.  He pushed himself to run faster out of sheer will power.  Around him, Thena and Gilgamesh were sprinting toward the city as well, and Kingo, Sprite, and Ajak were moving a step slower, but still running toward the same destination. 

He spotted a large gathering of people as he got closer to the town and his heart dropped.  Were they gathered around Makkari?  How badly was she hurt?  He’d given the humans the command not to leave safety unless the danger had passed, but now he wished he’d just kept a thread of control over them.  What were they doing?  He thought he caught sight of Sersi and Phastos trying to push through them.  That made his anxiety spike.

Without breaking his stride, Druig connected with the first human consciousness he could latch onto in the crowd.  He used the man’s eyes to search desperately for Makkari.  He didn’t have to look far.  Around his borrowed man, the humans were pawing at Makkari, spearing their hands into her wounds, painting themselves grotesquely with her blood.  Druig instantly knew the thoughts of the man he borrowed.  The humans seemed to believe it would bring them remarkable fortune for the upcoming year if they were covered in the blood of one of the great warriors.  Makkari, despite having a mangled leg, was somehow on her feet, trying to drag herself forward to reach Sersi.  But the humans maniacally threw themselves into her, finally forcing Makkari to retreat a step and put pressure on her bad leg.  Her face crumpled in excruciating pain and she fell back to the ground.  Druig shook himself free of his human as the crowd followed her down with reaching hands.

Howling in fury, he stumbled to his knees.  Gold slid over his eyes and every human being for miles around went suddenly still.  His body trembled with rage.  His beloved Makkari had almost died for those fucking ungrateful humans and they had greedily tried to rip her to pieces.  Her blood, her blood, was coating their clothes as a decoration.  They’d been giddy with the idea of harvesting a source of luck, completely disregarding the fact that they were harming a living being in the process.  Druig wanted to hurt them in retaliation so badly… but he knew they were primitive creatures.  His purpose on this planet was to push them toward advancement… and they would not reach that pinnacle without the guidance of a heavy hand.  He rose to his feet, simultaneously sending the humans he controlled into a supplicant pose, with their faces in the dirt.  He took off at a sprint, arriving into the city proper behind Sprite, Kingo and Ajak.

The Eternals who’d arrived in town ahead of him were gazing around at the enthralled humans with dread.  Sersi had shaken loose of her dismay long enough to step over the prone humans and support Makkari into a semi-upright sitting position.  Druig pushed through the crowd of Eternals and dropped to his knees again, this time, in front of Makkari.  Her face lit up with relief and she clutched him feebly when he leaned in to softly knock his forehead into hers.

“Are you alright?” He mouthed to her, his heart in his throat.

She dropped her arms to wryly sign in between them, “Making them bow seems excessive.” 

He gave her a somewhat watery chuckle.  “Well my beautiful Makkari that is exactly what I think humans should do anytime they lay eyes on ya.”      

Makkari tried to smile, but grimaced instead.  She leaned forward, curling into him, and dropped her head onto Druig’s shoulder.

Druig was absorbed in the waves of pain he could feel pouring off Makkari.  Makkari did not typically project her emotions, (nowhere near as often as the others,) and for her to be doing so now meant she was in agony.  He was desperate to relieve her misery.  “Ajak!” He hollered behind him, only slightly turning his head.

To clear room for her, he gestured with a wave of his hand, and the humans kowtowing around them rose as one and moved back a good distance before falling to the ground again on their faces.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing Druig?” Phastos finally exploded.

“You aren’t some sort of god, you know?!” Kingo jumped in.

“Just let them go Druig,” Sersi implored.

Druig ignored all of them, waiting impatiently for Ajak to come to Makkari’s aid.  When she did finally kneel beside Druig, she set gentle hands on Makkari and gave him a harsh frown. 

“Let them go this instant.  I know they behaved horribly, but this is not how we use our powers.”

“Stop lecturing me, she needs yer help,” Druig snarled.

Sersi and Ajak eased Makkari out of his arms to lie on the ground.  She was pale under her brown skin from blood loss, and her mangled leg rested at an odd angle.  He vibrated with competing emotions as he tried to send her an encouraging look.

Suddenly, Ikarus swooped down and snatched Druig up into the sky by the back of his collar.  He choked briefly before being hurled at the ground a few paces away.

“Let them go, now!” Ikarus demanded; landing and stalking over to Druig with menace.  Druig doggedly picked himself up, not willing to let on that the fall had dislocated his shoulder.  He stood his ground and balled his fist.

“Fook you Ikarus,” Druig scowled at him, clenching his jaw.  He knew he was no match for Ikarus, but he would never let these unworthy humans loose near Makkari.  They needed to be kept in check.  “Ya can knock me out all ya like, but that won’t be enough to set them free.  I’m a lot better at this now.”

Ikarus’ eyes widened.  “Do you even understand the responsibility we bear as Eternals?  The humans aren’t your playthings!”

“These humans are actin’ like animals,” Druig spat.   “My job as an Eternal is to advance them past that behavior.”

“No it isn’t!” Ikarus seethed.  He angrily seized the front of Druig’s collar, jerking him forward with his superior strength.  “Maybe I’ll call your bluff and drop you from the sky.  Let’s see if you can maintain control after that.”

“Ikarus, please!” Sersi called from where she held Makkari’s head in her lap.

Kingo and Thena were seated on either side of Makkari.  Makkari was shaking slightly as her body was being knitted back together under Ajak’s glowing hands.  Phastos was hugging a sniffling Sprite.  Gilgamesh walked over and physically separated the two men.

“That’s enough.”  He gave them both baleful looks.  “Our little Speedy is hurt badly.  We don’t need this right now.”

Ikarus dropped his head and Druig glanced over at Makkari, aching to return to her side.

“I’ll let them go as soon as she’s healed,” Druig said softly, reluctantly bringing his gaze back to Ikarus.  “Just let me sit with her.”

“No Druig! You’ll-”

“Ikarus,” Sersi tried again.  “Please, she’s asking for him.”

Druig didn’t wait for Ikarus’ answer.  He gave the field leader a wide berth and planted himself at Makkari’s side next to Thena.

“Fine,” Ikarus ground out, walking closer.  “But as soon as Ajak is done, you’ll set the humans free.  Or I’ll make you… and you won’t like how I do it.”

“Yeah, sure.”  Druig locked eyes with Makkari.  “It’s okay,” he mouthed.

She immediately cast a pointed look at his injured shoulder, surprising him with her astuteness in the face of her own physical misery.

“No worries, I’m fine,” he signed.

No one held her hands, as it was her only way of communicating, but each of the Eternals gathered around Makkari kept at least one hand on her shoulder or arm or stomach.  It was their way of lending her their silent support.  Druig, who now sat close to Makkari’s head, held himself to only clutching her shoulder.  He wished desperately that he could take her entirely up into his arms and hold her until the end of her ordeal. 

After a few more tense moments that felt like an eternity, Ajak patched up the worst of Makkari’s injuries before moving to her mangled leg.  She looked around at the group surrounding Makkari.  “You’ll have to hold her down.”

Gilgamesh joined Thena to help pin Makkari’s powerful good leg.  Druig eased his body over Makkari’s chest, while Sersi pressed the speedster’s head more firmly against her legs.  Kingo laid over her stomach and hips gingerly.  Druig tucked his face against Makkari’s jaw and neck, rumbling nonsense and soothing words she’d be able to feel if not interpret.  His shoulder screamed with each breath, but his concern for his lass overrode any physical pain he was feeling.  When Ajak started to heal her leg, Makkari’s whole body jerked and shook.  She gasped and breathed harshly and her back arched up involuntarily as Ajak reset bones and reconnected muscle and tissue beneath her glowing hands.  Makkari’s arms came up around Druig’s waist and clutched him tightly in an effort to combat the wracking pain.  Druig felt a tear drop down his cheek in sympathy.  It gutted him that she was experiencing such torture. 

Both Ajak and Makkari were wiped out when the healing was completed.  The Eternals slowly lifted up off Makkari’s panting body and Phastos actually had to come around and catch Ajak as she stumbled while trying to rise. 

Druig gazed at Makkari’s exhausted face.  “Brave,” he mouthed. She sent him a tired smile.

“Now Druig,” Ikarus ordered.  “Release the humans.”

Lifting his glare to Ikarus, Druig opened his mouth to say something that would definitely get him punched in the face.  But a small hand grabbed his and squeezed.  Druig looked down at Makkari, who merely pleaded with her eyes.  He felt the fight leave him.  Druig raised his free hand and released the humans from his control. 

The humans rose and immediately began murmuring and looking around at each other in alarm.  Seeing the warriors still huddled in their midst, a newfound fear took over, and the humans raced to get inside their homes or suitable shelters. 

“Oh good job Druig,” Kingo groaned.  “Now the humans are as afraid of us as they are the Deviants.”

“Maybe they should fear us,” Druig snapped back. 

“They should not fear us,” Ajak frowned. 

“Can Druig take over our minds?” Thena questioned, standing up and moving away from him.  “If he’s capable of more control does that put us at risk?”

“Can he control us?!” Kingo asked shrilly, clutching his throat dramatically.

“If I could, don’t ya think ye’d be the first one at the bottom ‘a the ocean?” Druig asked sardonically.

Makkari signed privately to him, “I thought it would be Ikarus.”

“He’d be sitting right beside him,” Druig signed back to her with a little smirk.  It soothed him somewhat to be joking with her again, even if she was obviously spent.

“No, he cannot enter an Eternal’s mind without their consent,” Ajak assured Thena.  “He can only feel our strong emotions if we are projecting them.  He’s always been able to do that.”

“He can feel our emotions?!” Sprite yelped, giving Druig a hard look.  She was realizing he’d very easily read her jealousy earlier in the day.  It annoyed her that he’d taken her anger placidly because he had pitied her.

“Only strong emotions,” Ajak repeated, trying to help the situation but only making the other Eternals more suspicious.  “Listen, we are a team.  Druig will always respect your boundaries.  The same way we all respect each other.”

“Actually, it depends on how I feel that day,” Druig contradicted her provokingly.

“This isn’t funny Druig,” Phastos frowned.

“Druig is never funny, he’s just an asshole,” Ikarus growled. 

“Please let’s not do this now,” Sersi told the group sweetly.  “Let’s get Makkari and Ajak back to the ship so they can rest.”

“What we need to do is restrict Druig’s powers out in the field,” Ikarus spoke over her.  “He can’t be trusted with that kind of influence over the humans.”

“Go fook yerself,” Druig countered.

“This is something Druig and I will discuss,” Ajak replied firmly.  She gave Druig a pointed look.

 

That night Druig crept into Makkari’s room after everyone had long since retired for the evening.  He was in pain in more ways than one.  Gilgamesh had reset his shoulder after a clandestine signing exchange with Makkari.  Druig had not let Ajak take away the lingering ache when she’d offered.  He was still smarting from his private meeting with her that had resulted in severe limits being put on his mind controlling abilities.  She had threatened to keep him locked down to the ship for months at a time if he broke any of her new restrictions.  The worst pain though, was definitely the left-over fear, helpless rage, and empathetic trauma from Makkari’s ordeal that day.  He could not close his eyes without seeing the human hands gouging into Makkari’s bloody wounds.

He’d wanted to give Makkari space to rest, but he found it impossible not to go to her.  Quietly he’d hit the panel to open the door, only to see her awake and seemingly waiting for him.  Makkari didn’t sign anything to him, merely lifted the fuzzy wool cover she’d long ago acquired as an invitation to join her.  Druig climbed into her bed gratefully.  They wrapped their arms around each other for a few minutes, with foreheads touching and eyes closed.  Druig felt his whole body unwind, his heart finally at ease.

Eventually, Makkari released him and rolled back a little to sign.  She had a very dim strip of lights running down the center of her ceiling which meant she was never totally in the dark, a gift from Phastos.  Druig, who’d sought refuge in her room many times, had never found the ambient light difficult to sleep in.

“It went badly?”

Druig responded with signing and whispering.  “Aye, ‘bout as bad as ya can expect.”  He’d retreated to his room right after being torn into by Ajak, avoiding any further confrontations or knowing looks that evening.  “She’s put all sorts ‘o new constraints on what I can an’ can’t do out there.  And I’m not allowed to control more than 20 humans at a time, no matter what.”

“This is my fault,” Makkari frowned.

“Absolutely it isn’t,” Druig insisted sharply.  “How can ya blame yerself for what those humans did to ya?”

“A step quicker and that damn Deviant wouldn’t have caught me,” Makkari wrinkled her nose.

“Hmm, well ya can’t be flawless all the time,” Druig smiled softly at her.  “It’d make ya insufferable.”

Makkari grinned.  She cupped his cheek and he turned his face into her hand.

“Have the others banded together to cast me out yet?” Druig asked, only half joking.

“As if I would let anybody cast out my best friend,” Makkari rolled her eyes.  Unlike the others, she had known Druig could pick up feelings off the Eternals.  He always told her everything.  She’d once asked him how often he’d felt her emotions, and had been disappointed to learn she didn’t usually project anything.  She’d made the comment that it was annoying that she was always silent.  He’d cheered her up by explaining she’d never needed to project to him, because all of her thoughts were always visible on her expressive face.  The smile she’d given him had melted him.

“Well it’s not far off comin’,” Druig sighed.  “They’re convinced I’ll be able to turn ‘em into me minions if given enough time to figure out how.”

“No one thinks that,” Makkari patted his arm in comfort, but then bit her lip.  “Okay maybe they think that.”

Druig snorted.

“They’ll get over it.  Kingo will annoy somebody, or Sprite will accidentally dismember the real Sersi, and they’ll forget all about you.”

He grinned at her inappropriate playfulness.  “Ah, well one can hope.”

 

 

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Summary:

Shorter chapter today, some jealousy from Druig.

 

1800 BC - China

 

Makkari all but collapsed as she dropped down into a seat next to Sersi.  The Fighters had just won a battle with four enormous Deviants that had been terrorizing the farming communities along the Yellow River.  The Deviants they’d faced in this area all had long, almost snake-like bodies and elaborately spiky faces.  Some flew, some were able to spew fire, and some swam up and down the fast-moving rivers.  The humans had named them dragons.

The humans in the area were developing quickly, establishing large urban areas and enormous palaces.  Farmers supplied crops to the burgeoning cities of the Xia Tribes.  The Xia worked with copper and Makkari had become enamored of the bells they’d created.  Although she couldn’t hear the sound a bell produced, if she touched very lightly, she could feel the metal vibrating as it rang.  Also, it turned out they were great for pranks.  She’d tied a small one to Kingo’s shirt so that he tinkled everywhere he went.  He’d loved it and refused to remove the bell when he discovered the source of the noise.  This, in turn, drove everyone else crazy because of the persistent little jangling.  Makkari considered that a great bonus to her practical joke.

Phastos had been working on technology that was able to pinpoint Deviants.  He’d given a tracker to Ikarus to field test, while he had stayed behind with Sprite to monitor the readings.  Sprite had been an unwilling lab assistant at first, but upon learning the circuitous route the remaining Eternals would have to take along the river to hunt down the Deviants, she’d changed her tune.

The team had passed through several burned-out homesteads on their journey due to ongoing hostilities with the Sanmiao tribe.   The Sanmiao wanted to reclaim old territorial land that currently belonged to the Xia. Makkari was tasked to scout ahead, but each time she came back to the group she stayed close to Druig.  He would send her a grateful little smile when she popped up next to him, but for the most part he was withdrawn and sullen.  She knew he hated to see human warfare, especially with his immersive mental abilities.  He actually had the power to eradicate the fighting and preserve human life, yet each time he had to stand impotently by as they killed each other.  The permanent order was not to interfere with human affairs, even if it hollowed Druig out little by little.

Finally the tracker led the group to four Deviants leaving the river to attack a small village on the bank.  Sersi, Druig and Ajak helped to herd the villagers back up to the top of the hill where residences looked over acres of farmland.  Ikarus had expressively forbidden Druig from using his powers to mentally snag stragglers, giving that duty exclusively to Makkari.  She hadn’t seen Druig’s response as she’d raced out onto the battlefield, but judging by his mood, it would have involved a lot of cursing.

And finally, the battle was won, and the Eternals took a breather on a small grassy spot on the edge of the hill, in between the simple houses and the steep slope.  Makkari was beat, and the other Fighters were all in similar stages of exhaustion.  The Deviants in this area were so big it took a lot to bring them down.  Humans flowed out of their houses and anxiously back to their fields.  They gave the Eternals some space after the battle, but the village leader had stopped by to offer Ajak and her team a banquet to honor them that night.

“Another village saved!” Kingo crowed, bumping forearms with Ikarus and then Gilgamesh.  “You’re welcome humans!”

“They’re quite happy,” Sersi smiled.  “You did minimal damage to their fields.  They’re very relieved by that!”

“Maybe we could help with some replanting if needed,” Ajak commented, gazing out at the grooves carved into the wheat from the battle.

“Oh really, that we can do?”  Druig had been perched on the very edge of the hill.  He stepped back in toward the group, his expression stormy.  “We can replant their crops?”

“Watch your tone,” Ikarus growled at him.

“Of course, Druig, it was damage caused by Deviants,” Ajak answered tightly.

“Even though these people will likely be dead in a week, we’re gonna pretend it matters that we saved ‘em today, and that they’ll even make it long enough to harvest what we plant.”

“What are you bitching about now?” Kingo asked impatiently.  “Do you just always have to shit on a good time?”

“He’s just bitter because he didn’t contribute,” Ikarus said meanly.

“And why was that?” Druig pretended to ponder, pacing around.  “Didn’t you order me not help stragglers?”

“Well maybe I trust Makkari more than you to get people to safety.”

“Hmm,” Druig wandered over to Makkari, leaned slightly down over her and, despite his tirade, broke into a little smile.  “Well, Makkari definitely is a lot lovelier in action.”  He sent her a wink which she knew was for show, in order to annoy the others.  She returned a wide smile, anyway, playing along.  She’d find a way to stop him if he got too worked up, but she also knew he needed to vent his frustrations.

“However,” Druig continued, “this seems like just another bullshit decision without a lick of fookin’ logic behind it.  Kinda like, ‘we can plant crops, but we can’t lift a finger to stop ‘em from being slaughtered over land rights'.”

“It’s not our business Druig,” Ajak said firmly.  “Those are human affairs.”

“Then why the fook do we bother to save them at all?  Do ya really think they’re so much better off gettin’ an extra week o’ life?  Maybe being eaten by a Deviant is a better way to go out than being raped to death.”

“Shut up Druig,” Thena scowled, speaking up with disgust.  “All you ever do is try to provoke.  Our job is to kill Deviants.  That’s what we did.”

“And then we walk away and let the humans get killed tomorrow instead, just as long as it wasn’t by Deviants.”

“Calm down,” Gilgamesh advised softly.

“I’m perfectly calm,” Druig said, continuing on his pacing circuit.  “I just want somebody to explain how any o’this makes sense.  How come with all our powers, we just sit on our hands as the humans beg for mercy?  But we’ll go feast with ‘em tonight, pretendin’ we did them some giant fookin’ favor.  All we really give ‘em is false hope in our benevolence.”

“You take yourself waaay too seriously,” Kingo rolled his eyes.

“I know what I could do to help.”  With this statement, Druig turned to stare hard at Ajak.  “Wit’ just a thought, I could end the warfare here.  Leave all these people to carry on peacefully, grow their crops, and build their cities.  I thought we were supposed to help them advance Ajak.”

“That doesn’t mean we can interfere in their conflicts,” Ajak shook her head.  “Arishem’s rules-”

“Are fookin’ arbitrary at best!” Druig thundered.  The group gasped collectively. 

Makkari didn’t think that all of the Eternals were as devoted to the ideals of Arishem as Ajak and Ikarus.  She was sure Sersi and Kingo were probably scandalized, but she knew that Thena and Gilgamesh were as ambivalent about a higher calling as she was.  She fought out of loyalty to her friends.  Thena fought because she loved fighting.  And Gilgamesh fought out of a combination of those two sentiments.  They kept their opinions to themselves, but they would often exchange eye rolls when Ikarus tried to fire them up before battles with pep talks on the importance of their service to Arishem.  Of course, no one but Druig was bold enough to openly defy or question Arishem’s decrees.

“Do not speak in such a way,” Ajak hissed angrily.

Ikarus marched over to physically confront Druig, but found himself face to face with Makkari instead.  She had long ago made a vow to herself to protect Druig from any further assaults by the stronger Eternal.  She stood in between the two men in the blink of an eye, holding out a staying hand to Ikarus.

“Let’s not fight in front of the humans,” she signed patiently.  “If we freak them out, they may not feed us.”    

Ikarus snorted out a sigh, but his expression softened somewhat.  He liked Makkari and was as susceptible to her inherent charm as everyone else.

“Fine, but get him out of my sight,” Ikarus told her.  He was further soothed when Sersi stood up and made her way to his side.  She took his hand and rubbed his arm supportively.

“Why don’t ya-”

Druig’s planned retort was cut off when Makkari turned and covered his mouth with her hand.  She sent him a look that was somewhere between pleading and begrudgingly amused, and as usual, he acquiesced to her wishes.  Druig looked deeply into her eyes and nodded.  She removed her hand but immediately took possession of one of his hands instead.  She led him down one of the well-worn paths to the river.

At the river’s edge she turned to her dearest friend and studied his expression.  He was obviously still moody and exasperated.  “Sorry,” she declared, after catching his eye.  “I would’ve let you keep going, but we reached the physical violence portion of the argument pretty quickly.”

“They know I’m right,” Druig replied with a big exhale of tension.  “That’s why they always just stuff the ol’ Arishem’s laws bit down me throat.  It doesn’t make any fookin’ sense so I’m just supposed to buy into ‘Arishem knows best’.  Well maybe he fookin’ doesn’t, Makkari.  Are they ever willin’ to even consider that?”

“No, probably not,” Makkari responded gently.  “Who would Ikarus be if he didn’t always obey all the rules?” 

“Aye, he’d actually have to put work into developing a personality,” Druig grumbled.

Makkari smiled brightly at him.  “Exactly!  And what if Ajak turned her back on Arishem?  He might take away her fancy hat!” 

Druig snickered at her joke despite his mood.  “Aw m'beautiful Makkari,” he threw his arm around her shoulders.  “Ya ever get tired of bein’ me personal keeper?”

“No, we have a good system,” she stated reasonably.  “I keep the others from killing you.  You help me with my prolific thieving.”

He chuckled and rested his head against hers in solidarity.  With one hand he signed, “I guess we’re even then.”

“Hardly.  You’re a lot more work.  Lucky for you, I like you better than anybody else in the world.”

She couldn’t see it in the position they were standing in, but Druig closed his eyes and grinned.

 

 

1272 BC - Egypt

 

The latest battle between Eternals and Deviants had taken place in the sands outside of the newest Egyptian capital.  This was their third time in Egypt, although they had skipped over the period of upheaval following Akhenaton’s reign.  Charioteers from the military base in Pi-Ramses had come out on their own accord to assist the Eternals.  The Egyptians were never thrown by supernatural beings; it was just another day for them.

The Thinkers had not participated in the battle but had been invited to watch the clash under a canopy set up for the great king himself, Ramses II and his favored queen Nefertari.  They were all seated importantly on miniature gold thrones that were still dwarfed in size by the royal couple's.  After the last Deviant fell, Ramses was carried out on a covered litter to inspect the battlefield.  Sersi, Druig and Sprite followed on foot, while Ajak and Phastos remained behind to entertain the queen.

There were a few wrecked chariots near fallen Deviants.  One notable captain had used his chariot to shield Makkari when she took a tail to the mid-section and was knocked to the ground.  Unfortunately for the chivalrous captain, Makkari had not been down for more than a heartbeat, as she was built to take punishment.  He had wrecked his beautiful chariot for nothing, and she’d ended up pulling him to safety.

When the trio of Thinkers arrived, it was just in time to see Kingo standing next to the dashing captain, beckoning for Makkari to join them.  Sersi and Druig walked up on either side of her.  Sprite joined Ikarus and Ramses.

“Come here, sis, come meet the noble gentleman who tried, albeit pointlessly, to save you!”

“I’m not paying for that chariot,” Makkari frowned. 

She had the impression that Egyptian nobility were secretly very cheap, and nothing anyone said could change her mind on that fact.  Druig knew it was because she had knocked over two men carrying an expensive vase being delivered (centuries ago) in the marketplace.  The nobleman who had been the intended recipient of that vase had dogged her for weeks to replace it once he learned the identity of the very distinguished culprit.  Makkari had grudgingly parted with a gold statuette she had cherished as repayment just to end the harassment.  Druig also knew that before the Eternals left Egypt that year, she repatriated the statuette to her collection.  That bad experience had soured her on Egyptians in general for a long time, and she’d been the least eager of the Eternals to return.

“What?  No one is asking you to do any such thing,” Kingo shook his head and spread his arms.  “He just wants to meet you.”

“I’m not falling for that,” Makkari signed, shaking her head.  Druig chortled next to her.

“Go on Makkari, he’s cute,” Sersi urged, nudging her arm. 

“And he’s rich!” Kingo signed so as not to include the captain.

“What does that have to do with anythin’?” Druig questioned.  He suddenly didn’t like the direction things were headed in.

“It’s just more fun to do it in a bed,” Kingo signed again.  “The wealthy people all have these very nice beds here.”

Nope, Druig did not like this direction at all.

“Kingo!” Makkari’s eyes widened.  She turned dramatically to the woman beside her.  “And Sersi!  Quit trying to prostitute me out for this chariot!”

Druig and Sersi both laughed but Kingo slapped his hand over his eyes.  “He doesn’t care about his chariot!  He thinks you’re gorgeous and look at him.  Look at this face.  This is a handsome face… a face that wants to talk to you!  Quit being stubborn and come meet him already!”

“No thanks,” Makkari remained obstinate.

Druig had almost felt his heartbeat return to normal when Kingo nudged the captain and the man signed slowly, “You are beautiful.”

A corner of Makkari’s mouth quirked up, as she was more pleased to see the attempt at sign language than to receive the compliment.  She cocked her head in invitation for more.

Next to her, Druig would have sworn he saw red.  It was acute torture to stand beside her and merely watch as some pretty boy flirted with the woman he loved more than his own life. 

Awkwardly the man signed, “My name is…” He looked at Kingo helplessly, having forgotten the sign Kingo had shown him.

“That’s okay,” Kingo waved him off.  To Makkari he said, “It’s Kosey, it means lion.  Isn’t that interesting?  Haven’t you always wanted to meet a young lion?”

“No,” she answered bluntly.

Kosey leaned over and whispered to Kingo, who promptly turned around and demonstrated more sign language for his new pupil.

“Let’s go already,” Druig said impatiently to Makkari.  “If Kingo’s so interested in him, let Kingo test out his bed.”

Makkari grinned, but she looked dutifully at Kosey when he signed again to her.  “You were incredible today.”

She thanked him and Kingo translated for her.  Kosey stepped closer and said to her, “It would please me greatly if you and your friends would feast with me tonight.”

Druig desperately wished the others weren’t around so that he could wipe Kosey’s mind and send him on a very long walk through the desert. 

“Tell him that’s a nice offer, but I’m still not buying him a new chariot,” Makkari signed to Kingo.

“I’m not even translating that,” Kingo furrowed his brow at her.  Signing, he added, “Stop being crazy.  Let’s go feast with this man!”

“Maybe some other time,” Makkari waved him off and turned on her heel.

“But he seems so earnest,” Sersi signed, falling into step beside her.

Breathing easier, Druig walked on her other side, hands grasped brutally tight behind his back.  The captain was by no means the first man to vie for Makkari’s attention.  He’d just made the best impression out of all those suitors between his attempted heroics on the battlefield and his efforts at speaking her language.  Druig hated him.

And the captain did not give up without a fight.

The Eternals enjoyed a meal at the Royal Palace the next day.  The captain was a guest for the feast and managed to wrangle a seat next to Makkari.  Druig was so aggrieved by the captain’s attempts at flirting, he hardly picked at his meal.  He sat across from Makkari, as he always did at large gatherings, in order to sign conversations to her over the tumult of vibrations.  Instead of acting as an interpreter, he had a front row seat as the captain communicated with Makkari through gestures and far too much touching.  Jealousy roiled in his stomach, causing him to gain a newfound sympathy for Sprite.

The day after that, Captain Kosey rolled up to the Domo in a new chariot.  Sersi and Kingo goaded Makkari until she went outside to meet him.  Kingo came along to translate.  “See I told you he didn’t need you to buy him another chariot!” 

Following some secret advice Kingo had given him earlier at the banquet Kosey challenged Makkari to race his vehicle.

Makkari turned to Kingo.  “That’s stupid.  I’m way faster than horses.”

“The point is to play, not to win knothead,” Kingo rolled his eyes.  “Go and have fun.  Get to know him.  Find a little release.  Trust me, you’ll thank me.”

At the mention of playing a game, Makkari warmed to the idea.  She approached Kosey with a sweet expression, then at the last moment, slapped his horse’s rear end and took off.  After reining his horses back in with a laugh, Kosey shot out after her.

It wasn’t much of a competition, but Kosey came back to race over and over again for the next month.  Makkari always seemed happy to see him, and worse, their running game meant she spent less time with Druig.  The mind reader was absolutely miserable.  He spent much of that time isolated in his room, and any interactions with the other Eternals were markedly surly.  If anyone picked up on the cause of his black mood, no one mentioned it to him.  Mostly, they were used to his moroseness and didn’t notice a significant enough change to comment on.

When Kosey arrived the day after another Deviant attack, Druig had decided he’d had enough.  He watched Makkari greet the man jovially, using Sersi to translate a quick conversation before their game.  Druig was outside by chance, having returned from a bleak solo trip to the market for some new reading material.  His jealousy clouded all rational thought and his eyes flooded gold as he planned to deal with the captain once and for all.

“Don’t!”  Ajak’s voice was right behind him in his ear.

He turned a little to scowl at her over his shoulder.  “How do ya always manage to be around?”

“I’m the Prime for a reason,” she smiled slightly, stepping up beside him.  “You can’t use your powers on him Druig.”

“Who says I was gonna?”

“Oh so you weren’t planning on wiping Makkari from his memory and sending him on a long journey far, far away?”

The fact that Druig had been planning that exact thing caused him to raise an impressed eyebrow at her.

“You’re not so mysterious,” she winked.  “Ever consider telling Makkari how you feel?” 

“No,” Druig scowled again, staring at the ground so he didn’t have to watch her take off with the handsome captain.

“And why not?  You two have always been thick as thieves… thieves being the operative word.”

Druig didn’t even smile at the light joke.  “She doesn’t see me that way Ajak.  Do ya think if she did, she’d not’ve told me straight out?”

“Maybe she just needs a little nudge, Druig.  Makkari adores you.”

“Aye she does and I’ll not mess that up.  She’s me best friend, and I can be satisfied with that.”

“Oh Druig,” Ajak sighed.  “You are lying to yourself.”

Druig turned and faced her fully, his face and voice heated.  “Makkari’s more dear to me than anythin’ in the whole ‘a the universe.  I will not lose that by pressing feelings on her she doesn’t return.  Now drop it.”

Ajak sighed but nodded.  “If it’s any consolation, I don’t think she’ll see the human in that light either.”

“It’s not,” Druig muttered.

“Well, how about this then?  Gilgamesh is making his famous fruit tarts.  I bet I can score us an early taste.”

“Are ya trying to placate me with food?”

“That depends, is it working?”

“Aye, maybe so.” 

 

Makkari zipped into the Domo in a blur, stopping herself just in time from barreling into Sersi in the common room.

“My goodness,” Sersi laughed as her hair blew around her face.  “You’re back early.  Is anything wrong?”

“No,” Makkari signed then changed her pinched fingers to a nodding fist.  “Yes.”  Finally, she frowned at the floor and signed, “Maybe?”

“Did something happen with Kosey?”

Makkari looked around quickly and then leaned in close.  “You are being sworn to secrecy right now Sersi.”

“Oh dear!” But she chuckled at the humor twinkling in her friend’s eyes.  “Okay, I accept this charge.  Now tell me what happened!”

“He kissed me.”

“Oh…. and how did that make you feel?”

“So guilty!” Makkari’s expressive face reflected the emotion dramatically.

“Oh,” Sersi said again, at a loss.  “Maybe you like women?”

Makkari made a face and shook her head.  “I don’t like the look of breasts.  Maybe it’s because I have small ones, but breasts have always seemed very inconvenient to me.”

The male form, on the other hand, pleased her.  Makkari was a sucker for a pair of broad shoulders.  She found the captain good-looking; she still did.  But when he kissed her, she’d hauled back immediately.  She had suddenly felt as if she was doing something terribly wrong.

“Okay, not women,” Sersi laughed.  “Maybe it was because he was human?  Maybe we aren’t supposed to interact with them in that way.”

“Tell that to Kingo, Phastos and Ajak,” Makkari rejoined dryly.

“Ajak!” Sersi exclaimed in surprise.  “Really?  I never would have thought she’d-”

“Focus,” Makkari interrupted, nudging her.

“Sorry,” Sersi grinned.  “Back to the matter at hand.”

“Did you feel guilty when Ikarus kissed you?”

Sersi blushed.  “How did you know about that?  We were in Ur and everyone else was in Sumer!”

“That’s not the time Kingo saw,” Makkari retorted. 

Flushing bright red, Sersi admitted with a giggle, “Ok, there may have been a few kisses.  Now you’re sworn to secrecy too!”

Makkari smiled and nodded but then asked, “But never any guilt?”

“No, I’m sorry,” Sersi’s brow furrowed sympathetically.  “Each of those kisses was… magical.”

Sighing, Makkari wrinkled her nose unhappily.

“Maybe you just have to kiss the right man,” Sersi offered.  “Maybe you have to feel deeply about him in order to enjoy kissing.”

“You sound mushy,” Makkari rolled her eyes. 

Sersi laughed.  “You’re probably right.”

“Will you do me a favor and get rid of the captain the next time he comes?  I don’t want to see him again.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Makkari’s attention was distracted as she noticed Druig entering the common area.  Her eyes followed his movements almost instinctively and she felt her inner turmoil start to recede at the sight of his familiar, dear face.

“Watch out for him,” Sersi warned, noticing the object of Makkari’s gaze.  “He’s been in a mood.”

Makkari hugged Sersi gratefully then sped over to Druig in a whoosh, purposefully knocking him a step sideways.  He tried to give her a glare, but his eyes had softened the moment they locked on to her.

“Where have you been?” Makkari asked innocently, goading him on purpose.

“Me?  Yer the one gallivantin’ around with yer human every day.”

“You sound jealous,” Makkari teased him, leaning in and poking him sharply in the stomach.

“You wish,” he narrowed his eyes and thrust up his chin defiantly.  “I’d never be jealous of a human.”

“You seem pretty jealous,” Makkari continued to poke at him, climbing on his back when he tried to twist away from her and finally tackling him against the wall.  She didn’t ease up until he was laughing and struggling in vain to pin her arms to her sides.  Makkari stepped back triumphantly, enjoying the victory of seeing his dimples and crinkled up eyes. 

 “Anyway, I’m done with him forever now,” Makkari announced with a flip wave of her hand. 

Druig was about to scoff, but then an idea struck him.  His brow knit and he craned his neck down so that he could look into her face.  “Did he do something to ya?”

“No,” Makkari smiled softly at his concern.  “Sersi’s going to get rid of him for me the next time he shows up.”

“That doesn’t really answer me question,” Druig frowned.  His hands went to her upper arms, and he pulled her in to inspect her more closely.

“I’m fine Druig,” Makkari rolled her eyes.  “Maybe he just wasn’t that fun.”    

“Well,” Druig slowly let his hands drop away, but he didn’t step back.  He tilted his chin up again, this time arrogantly.  “That’s probably true.  A human couldn’t be anywhere near as fun as me.  Why, I bet ya haven’t so much as stolen a single treasure together.”

“It’s been ages since I stole something!” Makkari gasped at the realization.  “Hurry, let’s go pilfer something from the market before I forget how!”

“I actually have a better idea,” Druig waggled his eyebrows.  “Kingo started wearin’ eye makeup.  Let’s go steal that.”

 

Kosey did indeed return the following day.  Druig allowed Sersi to break the news to the stricken captain that Makkari no longer wished to see him.  He waited until Sersi left and then joined the captain outside.  He had to know if the man had hurt his lass.

“Captain Kosey,” Druig called softly, causing the other man to pause as he mounted his chariot.  The miserable look he gave Druig mirrored the look Druig had been wearing for the last month.

But Druig showed him no pity.  He went into his mind and found rather quickly what had happened to sour Makkari on him.  He had kissed her.  Druig had to work very hard not to do damage to the human’s mind, but it was extremely difficult knowing that the captain had done something Druig had longed to do for millennia.  She wasn’t caught off guard by the kiss, and it didn’t appear to be forced on her in any way.  It was, at least, of some comfort to witness Makkari pull away in horror and take off like a shot of lightning in response.  He felt the captain’s confusion and had to admit to himself that in this rare instance, he didn’t understand Makkari’s reaction either. 

Druig pulled out of Kosey’s mind and gave him a hard look.  “Don’t come back here.”

“I just wanted to talk to her,” Kosey replied stiffly.  “I wanted to apologize-”

“She doesn’t accept,” Druig cut him off.  “I’m leavin’ ya in one piece this time.  If ya ever come back here again, I’ll erase yer whole life from yer mind and leave ya to wander the desert.”

The Eternals had been in the city long enough that the citizens knew exactly what they were capable of.  Kosey didn’t argue further.  He mounted his chariot and rode away for the last time.

 

Chapter 6: Chapter 6

Summary:

Sersi is the star of this chapter, but it helps explain why the rest of the team didn't pick up on the relationship between Druig and Makkari.

 

750 BC -Arretium

              

Sersi was generally considered by the other Eternals as the nice one.  She was always in a pleasant mood, she had inexhaustible optimism, and she poured all of her energy into helping the humans.  It was perhaps because of that mix of sweetness and naivety that she could fall prey to some of the more irascible team members.

Sprite had seemingly been holding a grudge against her for a few thousand years.  Most of the time, Sprite’s dislike manifested itself in somewhat tame mocking.  No one really noticed that she singled out Sersi so often, since Sprite tended to have a wicked tongue with everyone.

However, there were times, usually when they were alone, that Sprite would be aggressively rude and unkind.  A prime example of this occurred when Sersi returned from sharing a lunch with Ikarus in the bustling Etruscan city.  He had to go back out on patrol, but before he left her back at the Domo, he’d bussed her cheek and thanked her shyly for her time.  Sersi was so enamored that she didn’t realize they’d had an audience.  After seeing him off, she’d turned around to find Sprite eyeing her from the doorway of the common room. 

“You should be more considerate of the rest of us,” Sprite spat out.  “No one needs to be made sick with that lovey act of yours.”

“I’m sorry?” Sersi shook her head, stepping closer.  “What do you-”

“He’s our field leader, maybe quit throwing yourself at him,” Sprite stood up straight and sauntered further into the room. 

“I’m certainly not doing that!” Sersi gasped.  She never understood Sprite’s hostility over that subject.  Everyone else teased them, but no one, not even Ajak, seemed to have a problem with the budding relationship.

“Tell yourself whatever you like,” Sprite shrugged, her face set in a mocking scowl.  “I mean you seem pretty desperate to me, but hey, if you don’t have any pride, that’s not my business.”

“Sprite, why on earth would you say such a thing!” Tears sprung, unbidden, to Sersi’s eyes.

That seemed to annoy Sprite further.  “Oh please, and they think I’m the child.”

Sersi was saved from answering by the gold streaks and whizzing whoosh of Makkari entering the room. 

“Sprite!  I got them!”  The speedster signed to the illusionist with obvious excitement.  She turned and signed a cheery hello to Sersi before pulling a stack of scrolls out of her satchel and pushing them into Sprite’s eager hands.

“No way!  I thought the King kept these guarded with his palace treasures!” Sprite’s expression instantly changed from malicious to ecstatic.    

“Let’s just say, there’s a lot of transition in Assyria right now, so it was easier to…” She darted a glance at Sersi, and covered it with a beaming smile when the other woman raised a suspicious brow.

“Don’t say anything else, Sersi will tell on you,” Sprite warned.

“No, I won’t!” Sersi protested, although she was infamous for accidentally busting her comrades with innocuous comments to Ikarus or Ajak.

“It’s okay,” Makkari waved her over.  Once Sersi had joined them, (despite the dark look Sprite shot her,) Makkari continued.  “These are Sprite’s stories she made up to entertain Prince Shalmaneser when he was a boy.  So technically they belong to her.”

“And someone wrote them down?” Sersi remarked with interest.  “That’s marvelous!”

“I can remember my own stories,” Sprite snapped at her.

“But now we have all of them from that year,” Makkari said, purposefully ignoring the tension.  She turned to Sersi and explained, “We were trying to remember her story about the Ekimmu that scared that little boy’s face white.” She chuckled at the recollection. 

“I can’t wait to read these,” Sprite smiled enthusiastically at Makkari.

“I’m happy you have them back,” Sersi attempted diplomatically.

“Yeah, well I’m sure you’ll ruin it somehow,” Sprite immediately scowled again.  “Why don’t you go run along and tattle on Makkari now?”

“I won’t tell anyone,” Sersi frowned helplessly in the face of her bitterness.

Makkari nudged Sprite and gave her a gently chiding look.

“Fine.  Sorry,” Sprite apologized stiffly to Sersi without meaning a word.

“Can you tell the stories to me Sprite?” Makkari didn’t allow Sersi to respond and instead steered the subject back to the scrolls to break up the bickering.  “With the pictures in the sky?  I love being able to watch the stories.”

“Of course,” Sprite responded, taking Makkari’s arm to lead her out of the common room.  “You and Kingo are the only ones that truly appreciate my art.”

“I’d love to see it too,” Sersi ventured, apparently a glutton for punishment.  She just hated not being liked.

“No,” Sprite said flatly as Makkari stopped in acknowledgement of the vibrations of Sersi’s words.

Makkari looked at Sersi’s wounded expression, then back at Sprite.  “You know, I’ll bet if we let her come with us, she can turn that jar of gross jerky in the kitchen into baklava.”

“Yes!” Sersi jumped on the opportunity.  “I can do that!”

“Weeeell,” Sprite twisted up her mouth, but the dessert was too much of a temptation.  “Okay, come on.”

Sersi flashed Makkari a grateful look and followed them down the hall.

 

*

 

Thena was another force to be reckoned with.  Although she usually got along well with Sersi, she did not take kindly to having her activities reported to Ikarus.  Sometimes, Sersi merely called attention to the warrior with a friendly wave when she was trying to sneak out.  Other times she mentioned Thena coming in late, not realizing there were no patrols scheduled.

It was just such an innocent observation that got Thena grounded by Ikarus that evening.  He spoke very respectfully but told her in no uncertain terms that she was not to leave the walled city to patrol.  Deviant attacks were frequent, but not regular, and he didn’t want her out alone if she happened to find what she was looking for.

Wasting no time, Thena had left that confrontation and immediately found Sersi.  “Can’t you ever keep that insipid mouth of yours closed?”

Sersi had been helping a group of women working on a bridal dress in the courtyard of a wealthy merchant’s home.  All the women stopped mid-conversation at the incursion of the fierce warrior.

Turning to the ladies, Sersi excused herself politely and left the courtyard with Thena.

Once they were alone, Thena hissed, “Must you constantly report my actions to Ikarus?”

“I’m sorry Thena, I don’t know what you mean.”

“Come off it.”  Thena narrowed her eyes.  “You might play innocent, but I swear you are just as eager to monitor us as Ikarus is.”

“I honestly don’t know what you’re referring to!” Sersi gestured helplessly.

Thena harrumphed and began to march toward the Domo, hovering above a lavish courtyard the citizens had fashioned for the Eternals’ use.  Druig and Phastos were playing backgammon at one of the tables, while Sprite and Makkari sat nearby giving Kingo an audience as he practiced the flute.  Makkari, who obviously couldn’t hear the performance, was the only member of the group smiling.  The others were taking turns hurling insults at Kingo’s terrible attempt at playing.  Kingo would stop every few minutes and shout obscenities at them in return.

“Can we please discuss this for a minute?” Sersi grabbed Thena’s arm, only to immediately shrink back at the look Thena shot her.

“What would be the point?” Thena said coldly.  “Do you merely wish for more fodder to report to Ikarus?”

“Thena, please, can you tell me what incident you’re talking about?”

“Did you see me come in late last night?”

“I did, but I didn’t tell Ikarus about it.  I saw the big gash on your forehead.  I told Ajak she needed to check on you.”

 “You told… Ajak,” Thena reared back.  “That’s worse!”

“I didn’t tell her you got in late!”

“She’s the Prime!  She figured it out!”

In a flash, Makkari was there.  Thena blinked at her and then glanced at the others who’d been outside enjoying the sunshine.  They were all staring at Thena and Sersi.  Sprite was even grinning.

“Hey!  Do you want to hear some bad music?” Makkari signed.  “From the jokes the others are making he’s either beating a cat or strangling a bird.  Really the jokes are the best part of the performance.”

“I have no patience for Kingo or jokes right now,” Thena replied, but her expression was gentler when she was talking to Makkari.

“I was only looking out for you,” Sersi tried again, pinning Thena with hopeful eyes.

“I have never needed anyone to look out for me,” Thena spoke through gritted teeth, “least of all you!”

“Okay,” Makkari moved in between Thena and Sersi, breaking up the death stare.  She turned to Thena.  “Why don’t we round up Gilgamesh and go spar?”

“Good idea,” Thena muttered.  She left Sersi sputtering and headed toward the entrance pad for the Domo.

“She’ll get over it,” Makkari assured Sersi, then rubbed her arm and joked, “I’ll ‘let’ her win a few times; she’ll be good as new.”

Sersi smiled softly and nodded her thanks.

Joining Thena inside, Makkari stopped her before they reached the kitchen to retrieve Gilgamesh.  “Next time you wanna sneak out, come get me.  I’m the best at it.  Plus, I still know how to shut off the tracker in our suits.”

“Do I want to know how you’ve acquired this information?” Thena smiled slowly.

“A master criminal never gives up her sources… unless we get caught, then I’ll immediately roll over on Phastos,” Makkari cracked.

Thena laughed out loud.

 

*

 

It was Sersi’s conflicts with Druig that led to her most difficult internal struggles.  She had worked directly with him for thousands of years and felt somewhat close to him (by Druig standards).  However as the years ticked by, Druig had grown increasingly disillusioned with the mission.  He would constantly break the rules out on their diplomatic assignments.  Not in small harmless ways, either.  He would do things that Sersi felt honor-bound to report to Ajak.

That afternoon, they had met with the Arretium and Felathri village leaders to broker a deal on the maintenance of a trade route both cities used to reach Fufluna on the sea.  Yet the talk had quickly shifted to trouble with the Celts in the north, and the possibility of going to war.  Sersi had been ready to leave the discussions when Druig, as if compelled himself, planted in the humans’ minds that it was an unlucky time of year to go to war.  And while Sersi detested war as much as he did, they were under strict instructions not to meddle in human conflicts.

She’d dutifully reported the infraction to Ajak when the pair had debriefed the Prime.  Ajak had blasted Druig, and warned him that he was very close to being put on lock down aboard the ship (a punishment he'd endured numerous times over the centuries).  Needless to say, when they left the meeting, Druig was furious at her.

“Yer a bleedin’ hypocrite, that’s what ya are,” Druig snarled when Sersi attempted an apology for getting him in serious trouble.  “Ya claim to love the humans so much, but ya don’t mind standin’ around watchin’ ‘em destroy each other.”

“That isn’t true!” Sersi protested.  “I hate the senseless violence as much as you do!”

“Sayin’ it isn’t enough,” Druig scowled at her.  “If ya aren’t willin’ to act now and again, it means nothin’!”

“We are forbidden from interfering Druig!”

“Or what?  A big hand descends from the sky and smacks us down?”

“You shouldn’t make fun!  You don’t know what will happen.”

“Well maybe I’m willin’ to find out if it stops these fools from tearin’ each other to pieces.  I have to live with that sufferin’ Sersi,” he pointed to his temple angrily.  “Maybe if Arishem heard their screams in his head day in an’ day out he’d not be so eager for their ceaseless warrin’.”

“He isn’t eager for war, he-”

“Just don’t,” Druig cut her off sharply.  He nearly slammed into Phastos as he sped through the common area to escape Sersi.

“Whoa,” Phastos pulled up short.  “Hey, I could use your help actually.  Figured out a quicker way to dehydrate fruit.  Do you want to run a little taste test for me?  You do eat the most fruit on this ship.”

Druig merely glared and walked around him.

“What’s his deal?” Phastos asked rhetorically to Sersi as she trailed after him.  To himself he muttered, “Oh yeah, the sun came up this morning.  That should be enough to set him off.”

Gilgamesh also called to Druig as he passed by the kitchen.  “I’ve improved the tart!  You’ll be blown away.”

“Not interested,” Druig muttered, trying to get to the sanctuary of his bedroom.

“Aw come on, you love my tarts,” Gilgamesh tried again.

“Can you please just talk to me Druig?” Sersi called up to him.

Druig spun around and shouted at both of them.  “Leave me the hell alone!”

Thena stepped out of the kitchen to shoot Druig a menacing stare.  She put a comforting hand on Gilgamesh’s arm.  “I’ll be your tester.”  He smiled gratefully and followed her to the oven.

Sersi stood frozen in her tracks for a few minutes, letting Druig take off and staring at the empty hall in despair.  But no, she couldn’t leave things like this.  They had to work together.  She went after him again, prepared to stand outside his door all night if she had to.  However, Druig hadn’t made it that far.

He stood with Makkari, gazing down at her affectionately, reading her hands as a small smile tugged at his lips.  She suddenly gave him a big grin and he chuckled.  Makkari took his hand, gave it a squeeze, and then pulled him into her room.  She left the door open, but Sersi didn’t intrude.  If anybody knew how to disarm a bad mood it was Makkari.  She’d let the speedster work her magic and then try to resolve things with Druig when he’d calmed down.

              

Later, when Sersi saw Druig in the common room that evening, he’d seemed relaxed.  He and Makkari were sitting at a viewing window on the low bench, trying chunks of dried fruit Phastos was handing them from one of his rolling tables.  They gave their approval or disapproval at each bite and Phastos made notes.  Finally he distributed the last pieces to them and took a seat, wedging himself in between them.  He munched on a dried apple and proceeded to explain the machine that dried out the fruit in great detail.

Some of the others were lounging around as well.  Kingo was telling Sprite a story and she was creating vivid illustrations for his words.  They seemed to be working on a performance piece.  Ajak and Ikarus were talking in another corner, and Ikarus was shooting pointed looks at Druig.  Sersi had purposefully avoided telling Ikarus about her fight with Druig due to her certainty he would over-react.  Ajak left the room and Ikarus settled down with Kingo and Sprite.  She hoped they would soothe the bad mood she recognized on his face.

Taking a deep breath she headed over to Druig.  As she approached she heard Phastos tell Makkari as he signed, “No I haven’t had grape bread, but I really don’t see how that fits in with dried fruit.”

“They did it in a different way, but it’s the same, the grapes are dried when they cook it in the bread,” Makkari answered.  “I think it’s faster than the sun method too.”

“Uh-oh,” Druig razzed Phastos.  “The humans beat ya to it.  Yer losin’ yer touch.”

Phastos gave Druig a LOOK, and then turned to Makkari.  “I mean I made a whole machine here, but I just know the simplest method is the one that Ajak will end up approving.  Can you get me this bread?”

“It’s late, the market’s closed,” Druig protested on her behalf.

“Yeah and it’s Makkari,” Phastos retorted.

She winked and disappeared before their eyes.

“Druig, can we please talk now?” Sersi asked, feeling the gust of wind Makkari created in passing tugging at her clothes as she approached.  She stopped in front of him and Phastos.

“Oh fook,” Druig bit out under his breath.

“Let’s just clear the air please?  So we can put it behind us?  Maybe we could go somewhere more private and hash this out.”

“That seems like a hint,” Phastos sighed, making a move to rise.

“Stay an’ collect yer bread,” Druig told him nonchalantly.  “I have far more interest in that than in talkin’ with Sersi.”

“You don’t need to be cruel,” Sersi frowned.  She was trying to keep her voice down so as not to attract Ikarus’ attention.  “I’ve apologized repeatedly.”

“An’ I don’t accept, made that plain as well,” Druig sneered.  “Run along an’ feel free to add this to the offenses ye’ll be reportin’ to Ajak tomorrow.”

“Guys,” Phastos warned, keeping a leery eye on Ikarus as he stood.  “Maybe pick this up on a different day.  This isn’t gonna end well.”

“Oh good, ye’ve double-teamed them against me, eh?” Druig’s gaze drifted over Sersi’s shoulder to meet Ikarus’ imposing stare.  “Hey Phastos, can you quick invent me an Ikarus-proof shield?”

“Try not running your mouth at him for once,” Phastos cautioned.

“Sorry, that’s against me very nature,” Druig replied wryly.

Sighing loudly, Sersi turned around.  “It’s alright Ikarus.  Really.  Druig and I were just having a discussion.”

“Aye, and I know what about,” Ikarus stared a hole through Druig.  “Ajak told me what you did today.”

“Of course she did,” Druig rolled his eyes.  “The only thing faster than you two hens gossipin’ is Makkari.”

“Hens!” Ikarus drew back in offense.  “How dare you, you disrespectful, little-”

“Stop it!” Sersi put her hand on Ikarus’ chest.  Phastos rose to his feet but Druig didn’t.  He sat slouched on the bench, his posture and expression belligerent. 

Sersi gazed up at Ikarus.  “Can we please just go?”

“I heard the way he was talking to you,” Ikarus replied to her gently, his brow furrowed.  “He has no cause for this behavior.  He was in the wrong.”

“Oh come off it Ikarus.   Are ya the politeness leader too, huh?” Druig jeered. 

“Shut up Druig,” Phastos mouthed.  He saw with relief that Makkari had come back at that moment with a wrapped bundle.  She took one look at the situation and disappeared into the kitchen before zipping back out of the Domo again.  He didn’t have time to wonder over her departure however because Ikarus pressed closer and loomed down over Druig, crowding back Phastos.

“Try showing some respect to your fellow Eternals, instead of constantly putting them in terrible positions in your lust for power and control over the humans.”

“Stop blindly defendin’ yer lover when ya don’t know what the fook yer talkin’ about!” Druig shot to his feet angrily.  “I stopped them from makin’ plans for war today.  That’s all I did.  Maybe they’ll pick it back up tomorrow, or maybe havin’ some time to cool off will prevent another bloody campaign.  I’m not trying to have any power over them, ya arse!  All that lust for power an’ control…well yer describin’ yerself!”

Ikarus shoved Druig back down on to the seat roughly, but before he could follow up with any further action, Sersi grabbed his arm and pulled him around to face her.  “Don’t do this, please.  Don’t hurt him.”

“Fook the both of ya!” Druig scrambled back up and strode over to get in Ikarus’ face again, willfully disregarding the likelihood of bodily harm in Phastos’ opinion.  “Ya can’t intimidate me with all yer aggression Ikarus.  I don’t care.  Knock me into tomorrow, I’m still gonna wake up and act exactly the same.”

“Maybe if I hit you hard enough you won’t wake up,” Ikarus said, narrowing his eyes.

By this time, Kingo and Sprite had drawn closer and Gilgamesh and Thena had left the kitchen to investigate the ruckus.  The fighting between Druig and Ikarus was so common place that no one immediately tried to intervene.  

“How clever,” Druig mocked him.  “But everyone knows yer just a fookin’ blowhard that won’t actually do anythin’ but threaten me.  Like a dog that’s bark is worse than its bite.”

There were a few face palms in the group.  Druig purposefully said things that would get him clobbered.

Ikarus did indeed bow up, only to be hit square in the face with a snowball.

He sputtered and spit snow out of his mouth as everyone turned to see Makkari with a cauldron of snow hidden poorly behind her legs.  Her hands were behind her back, and she was rocking back and forth innocently.  When the group eyed her with amusement, she flashed a big grin.

Druig turned back to Ikarus with a leer.  “Aw, guess we’ll never get to the part where ya threaten to kill me in some horrific manner.”

WAP!

Another snowball smashed into Druig’s back.  He shook his head and muttered, “No, yeah, should’a seen that comin’.”

Surprisingly, a snowball to the face roused Ikarus’ admiration more than his anger.

“Where’d you get the snow?” He asked, leaning around Druig.

“The Alps,” Makkari informed him helpfully.

Ikarus looked at Sersi and then looked pointedly at Phastos’ rolling table.

“Noooo!” Phastos intoned, but it was too late.  Sersi touched the table with a smile and turned it to snow. 

Druig quickly retreated to Makkari’s side and answered the barrage of snowballs Ikarus and Sersi started sending their way with projectiles using the snow from Gilgamesh’s cauldron.  Thena ran into the kitchen and grabbed two more, handing them to Makkari to fill as she and Gilgamesh joined Druig’s team and Kingo and Sprite aided Ikarus.  Makkari made several runs while Sersi turned the room’s platform table into a pile of snow as well.  The contest was evenly matched until Phastos, in vengeance of his lab table, returned with a machine that shot dozens of snowballs per minute.  Between his and Makkari’s rapid fire, they turned the tide and claimed the hard-fought victory.

Later, when they were all cleaning up, the mood relaxed and happy, Sersi found Makkari.

“Thank you Makkari,” she said and signed, kneeling down next to the smaller woman to clean beside her.  “You certainly turned the attitude around in here.”

“It’s a gift,” Makkari joked.

“Well, I have always admired your irreverence,” Sersi shook her head.  “You have such a light inside you.”

Makkari sent her a warm look.  “And I have always admired your big heart.  You are the kindest person I’ve ever known.”

Sersi blinked back a few tears.  “How sweet,” she smiled and wiped her eyes. 

Makkari gave her a quick hug and teased, “Don’t cry, you big softie.”

Getting up a few minutes later Sersi found Ikarus pushing an enormous pile of dirty, wet snow down through the hole of the bay door.  It landed with a splat on the courtyard below.

“Hey,” he greeted her as soon as she joined him, his eyes regretful.  “I do hope I didn’t upset you tonight.  Druig just knows how to push every one of my buttons, and I couldn’t stand to hear him talk so snidely to you.”

“Oh, it’s completely forgotten,” Sersi waved her hand.  “I think we’re all friends again now.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Ikarus rolled his eyes.  “Nobody could truly be friends with Druig.”

Sersi glanced around the room until her eyes landed on the mentalist.  He’d joined Makkari to clean, in theory, but hadn’t been able to resist the temptation of putting a small chunk of snow down the back of her tunic.  That led to their present situation, wrestling each other on the ground, as Makkari tried to return the favor. 

“He has Makkari,” she pointed out, nodding to the giggling pair with her chin.

“That doesn’t count,” Ikarus scoffed after watching them for a moment. “Makkari’s friends with everybody.”

“And thank goodness for that,” Sersi smiled.

Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Summary:

This chapter incorporates a scene from the movie. The whole story is cannon compliant (I just added a bunch more Drukarri).

 

 

475 BC - Babylon

 

On a normal day, Makkari and Druig hit the market together whenever one or both needed to do some shopping (or stealing).  Makkari was simultaneously tracking down leads on an old treasure known as the Emerald Tablet.  She’d first learned about its existence a few months ago, and the difficulty in pinpointing its origin or current location was the surest way to intrigue the speedster.  She loved a challenge.

This particular morning, however, Druig had still been in bed when she’d gone to retrieve him.  She’d known he’d had a terrible headache the night before, a stress headache that was becoming a more common occurrence these days.  So, she’d left him a note, and on this rare occasion, took pity on him and let him sleep.

It was not as much fun in the market without her best friend, and she couldn’t talk to any sources about the Emerald Tablet without Druig acting as translator.  Of course, any of the others would have been happy to fill the translator role, but Makkari assumed that at some point she would have to resort to underhanded means to acquire the tablet.  It was therefore better if only her trusted partner in crime was aware of its existence.

As the morning progressed, she noticed two small children working in tandem to steal small food items from the fruit stands.  They weren’t keeping the fruit for themselves, but passing it out to a network of malnourished, dirty children, surviving on scraps.  Makkari admired them.  One would distract the attendant, or in the case of busy stalls, bump the table hard enough to knock off a piece of fruit.  The second child either stole directly from the stand or rushed in and collected the fallen fruit before the seller took notice of her.  The speedster nicknamed the children Little Druig and Little Makkari. 

They were doing admirably well until they attempted to steal from Ibn.  Ibn had a table of various goods, ranging from exotic fruits, to reams of cloth, to exquisite trinkets.  He was a hard man and a zealous guard of his goods.  He had accused multiple ragamuffins of thieving over the few months that the Eternals had been in the city.  Due to lack of proof, (the evidence was always eaten too quickly,) the accused thieves had lost a hand for their crimes.  This was a somewhat better fate than being caught with the stolen goods, which would have resulted in death. 

Makkari intervened when the children stealthily attacked Ibn’s stand.  Little Druig had banged into a corner of the wooden stand, dislodging an orange and a few other items.  Little Makkari had raced in to collect the orange.  Ibn, no stranger to the city’s thieves, bent over and caught her immediately.

He cursed her and snatched her up by the back of her collar.  “Not today dog!”

Using a burst of speed, Makkari snatched the girl from his grip and pressed a shekel of silver into his hand in her place.  It was an overpayment for an orange, and little did Ibn know, had come from his own till. 

“What is this?” Ibn asked with shock, unable to comprehend the rapid sequence of events.  “Are you paying for this child?  I don’t want money; I want her to pay with her life!”

Makkari shook her head, trying to hand over the orange and convey that nothing was stolen.  She put Little Makkari down behind her, hoping the girl had the sense to run for it.  She saw the Persian King’s soldiers approaching, no doubt lured to the scene by the commotion.  It was one of the few times Makkari was frustrated by her inability to express herself verbally.  She was just about to grab both children and run, when the soldiers’ eyes flashed gold and they turned and walked in the other direction.  Sending him a grateful smile, Makkari waited patiently as Druig strolled up and stood beside her.

“My friend just paid ya AND is returning the item the little one accidentally picked up,” Druig drawled.  “What exactly is yer problem?” Leaning in to Makkari, Druig signed, “You’re supposed to wait for me before diving into trouble.”

“Trouble finds me,” she signed back with a grin.

Ibn looked between them, angry at their secret communication, and shouted, “She is covering for a thief that I want to see punished!”  He set down the silver on his table with a thud.  Makkari placed the orange on top of the basket and the children in question did finally make a break for it.

“Nothin’ was stolen, and in fact yer a shekel of silver richer,” Druig answered in a bored tone.

“They tried to steal!  They will come back tomorrow when she is not here, and they will steal!  Those vagrant children are a menace.  They steal fruit from all of us every day!”  Ibn’s voice was loud and bellowing.

“Ya never sell all yer fruit anyway,” Druig snapped.  “Think of it as a few more pieces ya would’ve thrown out, but instead yer savin’ a child’s life.”

“Why so that child can come back and rob me again?  It would be better for my business if they were dead!” Ibn’s face was red and his veins were popping out of his neck.

“What kind’ve heartless jackal wants to kill kids?” Druig barked back.  He glanced over at Makkari for support.  Instead, he found her playing with a little stone figure of a man in a boat from the vendor’s table, rocking him back and forth as if he were on the waves.  “Makkari!” He hissed, kicking her foot.

Makkari was startled out of her game.  Keeping her eyes on Druig she slowly returned the boatman to the table.  Then she mimicked Druig’s expression and put her hand on her hip, glaring at the Trader as Druig did.  He had to bite the inside of his cheek not to laugh at her.

“I have a business to protect,” Ibn retorted.

“Meanin’ ya can’t show a bit o’ compassion?” Druig responded in disbelief.  “Ya can’t possibly feel proud of the fact that in the last few weeks alone, yer responsible for three children losin’ their hands.”

“Yes I am; it prevents them from robbing me!”

“It prevents them from being able to have a livelihood, leaving robbery as the only way to feed themselves!”  

“That’s their problem,” Ibn huffed.  “It’s all covered under the codes.”

Druig lost his temper in that moment.  His eyes glowed gold and Ibn’s eyes matched as he fell silent and still.  In Druig’s anger, he thought of dozens of different instructions he could give the trader to pay him back in kind for his cruelty.  But he remembered at the last moment he had an audience.  He ventured a look at her, almost expecting to see the disapproval that the rest of his teammates were sending him more and more frequently.  He should have known better.  Druig watched as Makkari kept a careful eye on the vendor and inched her hand out for the little man in the boat.  When the trader showed no reaction, her hand became a blur and the figure disappeared into the satchel tied to the belt of her dress.

That small moment of levity was enough to change the trajectory of Druig’s thoughts.  He sent Makkari an incredulous but indulgent look.  She had the grace to smile guiltily and raise her shoulders slightly.  His beautiful little thief never judged him, largely because she was busy making her own mischief.  His eyes got caught on her lips, and he wished he was brave enough to lean over and kiss her in that moment. 

“Just be more considerate,” Druig sighed, looking back at Ibn, altering the man’s world view slightly.  “Be more kind.”  

Ibn nodded, and slowly his eyes cleared.  He blinked at them both.

“I guess a piece of fruit isn’t so important,” he muttered.

“There’s a lad,” Druig nodded.  He took Makkari’s arm and led her away before the man noticed the missing trinket.

When they were in the clear, Druig elbowed Makkari.  “What were ya doin’ out there?  Mentorin’ a gang of street urchins?”

“Obviously not, or they wouldn’t have gotten caught,” she quipped.  “There was a boy and a girl working together to steal from the stands.  They reminded me of us.  Although we’re a lot better at it, of course.”

“Too right,” Druig winked.  “Nobody’s quick enough to pinch us.”

As if on cue, they immediately came across Ajak.  By the expression on her face, she’d definitely seen the whole event go down.

“Shit,” Druig cursed under his breath, pulling back on Makkari’s arm to call her attention to the Prime.  Makkari blanched.

“You two, come with me, NOW.”

Ajak waited until they were aboard the Domo to let them have it.  She went on and on about abusing their powers and setting a bad example in front of the humans.  She tersely reminded them that this was not the first time they’d had this discussion.

“How many times do I have to tell you two before you’ll listen!?” 

Heeding her inner-troublemaker, Makkari answered, “To be fair, I am deaf.”

Druig, caught totally of guard, snorted.  He immediately tried to control this sound and ended up snort-laughing anyway.  Makkari gave him a grin, pleased with herself that she'd made him crack up.

“This is not the time to make jokes,” Ajak scowled, marching over to Makkari.  She reached in and pulled out the man in the boat from her satchel.  “And it is not the time to steal!”

Makkari made a dismayed face and reached for the little figure, but Druig pulled her hands down.  She relented with an unhappy frown. 

“I am not amused by any of this,” Ajak warned them.  “Druig, when humans have conflict, we are not to interfere.  And Makkari,” she shook the little figure for emphasis, “stealing is very, very bad!”

“And if I can’t trust you to behave, I will separate you two more permanently.  I can send you off on different assignments, or station you in different places.  I have generously allowed your friendship to flourish, but if this kind of abuse of your powers continues, I can keep you apart for years!”

Both Druig and Makkari sobered instantly.  They meekly agreed to her terms and scurried out of her room as quickly as they were released.

Safely back in Makkari’s room, Druig let out a noisy breath and flopped back on her bed.

“I should’a stayed asleep today.”

Makkari sat down next to him and nudged him until he was looking at her.  “I can’t be separated from you.”

“No worries there, I’d never let that happen,” Druig patted her knee to ease the concern on her face.  He sat back up.  “She’s just mad right now.  Ya don’t usually catch it like I do, but she’ll cool off.”

“And what if she doesn’t?”

“Would it make ya feel better if I promised to be on me best behavior?”

“I guess that means I have to be too,” Makkari’s anxious expression cleared a little.

“Damn near impossible for ya,” Druig teased her, poking her in the side.

“You’re one to talk,” Makkari shoved his shoulder in retaliation.  “You get in trouble way more than I do.”

“I’ll last longer on this good behavior kick than you will.”

“Wanna bet?” Makkari smiled fiendishly.

“Yer on.”

 

That afternoon, Druig had taken Makkari to an antiquities dealer he’d learned about in order to cheer her up.  Although Makkari was a well-known mischief maker on the team, she generally avoided major scolding.  She was taking Ajak’s lecture pretty hard.  For Druig, on the other hand, it had been a pretty average day.  He had been at odds with Ajak so frequently, her repetitive words had lost all meaning.

The meeting with the antiquities dealer had started off promising, but Makkari had had to leave when Deviants attacked outside the city.  Druig hastily set up an introduction with two of the dealer’s smuggler contacts that evening before going out into the city to help as needed.

Druig had mistakenly given Makkari the correct time to arrive at the rendezvous that evening, and of course, she was late.  He often told her things started earlier than they actually did in an attempt to get her somewhere closer to on time.  But she’d hugged him so enthusiastically when he’d told her about the meeting, that he’d gotten flustered with pleasure and had told her the actual time.  

So, that left Druig in his current predicament, sitting across from two men with questionable credentials and suspicious gazes.  They’d been sitting and eying each other for so long, that Druig had ended up ordering food.  He’d allowed the smugglers to drink with their friends and he listened half-heartedly as they discussed women and what were definitely embellished or completely fabricated encounters. 

Finally, he heard the whooshing sound he knew better than his own heartbeat.  Makkari stopped near him, but not close enough to disturb him with a rush of wind.  “My beautiful Makkari,” he smiled slightly, trying to school his features to admonish her.  “Yer late!”

She thumped down a heavy chest onto a nearby bench.

“I needed to get enough artifacts to make a good trade,” she signed back, looking harried. 

She selected a few pieces at random and threw them on the table.  Druig glanced at the goods in her box with little interest until he saw the little man-in-the-boat figurine that Ajak had confiscated from her.  Druig almost laughed out loud and snatched it out of the trunk before she realized her mistake and hid the figure from him.  Well, he was definitely winning their latest bet.

The smugglers made the mistake of trying to steal from his lass, and Druig unobtrusively translated her set-down from where he leaned back against the wall.  All the while he clutched the figurine in his hands, chomping at the bit to confront her with it.  He smirked to himself, eager to see the look on her face when she was busted.  The smugglers, meanwhile, informed her that the Emerald Tablet was a myth.

A commotion broke out behind them.  Druig turned and seized control of a room full of combatants in the throes of a sprawling bar fight.  For good measure, he froze the smugglers as well, figuring Makkari would be as distracted as he was.  Druig made the brawlers slap their own faces twice and then hug it out and forget all about the fight.  He felt Makkari’s nudge to his shoulder and chuckled.  He had admittedly been showing off and she was calling him on it.

“When humans have conflict Ajak tells us not to interfere.” Makkari was basically throwing Ajak’s earlier lecture in his face to be annoying, which he knew well.  She believed she’d be cashing in on another bet.

“Well, she also says that stealing is very, very bad,” Druig parroted Ajak’s words from that morning too, brandishing the little figure in front of her.  He looked down at it as if consternated as to how it had wound up in his hands.

Makkari’s eyes lit up impishly and she gave him a huffy little look as she snatched it out of his grip.  He thought he might get an excuse or an insult, (Makkari was unpredictable that way).  Instead, she signed, “If you don’t tell, I won’t tell.”

He took a glorious moment to study her face.  His eyes caught on her lips once more and he was dangerously close to giving in to his growing desire to kiss her.  Pulling himself under control, (just barely,) he said softly, “Deal.”

She raised her chin up defiantly and he mimicked her.  They stared at each other, but Druig broke first and grinned, “Pretty ballsy to steal that little figure right back from Ajak.”

“What about you?  Ikarus and Sersi are in the other room.  Ikarus!  You have these men moving around together like they’re in a harem dance!”

Druig snickered.  “He’s in there with Sersi right?  He’s not payin’ attention to much else.”

“Ikarus would rise from the dead to bust you for disobeying Ajak.”

“Okay, so maybe he would,” Druig conceded with a dimpled smile.  “But for someone who was so upset about Ajak getting on her case today, ya sure wasted no time robbin’ her.”

Makkari burst into silent giggles.  She slapped her hand over her face before giving Druig a helplessly amused look and signing, “I have a problem!  I had to have that little boatman today.  No force on earth could keep me from adding him to my collection!”

“And just what are ya gonna tell Ajak when she comes lookin’ for him?”

“I left an inferior version in his place, she’ll never notice,” Makkari replied glibly.  “That’s why I was running late.  Had to scour the market for a suitable knock-off.”

Druig laughed and tugged on one of her braids.  “Guess this behavin’ business is outta the question for us, eh?”

“Right.  We’ll have to just work harder at not getting caught.”

“That sounds far more doable,” Druig winked.

Makkari smiled back but then gasped.  “Oh no!  The smugglers!  They probably stole-”

She whirled around mid-sentence only to find the two men sitting like statues at the table, their eyes golden.  Makkari flashed a raised eyebrow at Druig over her shoulder.

“What?” Druig walked over to stand beside her.  “They were gonna roll ya.”

Makkari shrugged, unconcerned with his use of power.  “Did they know anything about the tablet?”

“Naw, they’re just swindlers,” he replied, relieved as he always was, at her lack of condemnation.

“For our troubles then,” Makkari removed a few shekels of silver from both men’s money pouches.  “Dinner’s on them.”

Druig happily allowed himself to be pulled along by his hand as they left the smugglers behind.  He was sure to erase the meeting entirely from their minds’ before releasing them.  He’d wait until they’d eaten before reminding Makkari that she now owed him a day trip to Athens and a boring afternoon of philosophical lectures for losing their bet.

 

                                         * * *

              

Thena walked into the kitchen looking for Gilgamesh to spar with her.  She was bored and it had been nearly three days since the last Deviant attack.  She wanted to get her blood pumping.

She found Gilgamesh calmly slicing up apples for his tarts, humming to himself at the counter.  Nearby on the floor, Druig and Makkari were wrestling over an apple.  Gilgamesh almost seemed unaware, but every once in a while, he would move his foot out of the way of an errant leg, showing that he was indeed tracking the brawl.

“What is happening down there?” Thena asked haughtily, walking around the combatants.  “If they are fighting, why isn’t Makkari winning?  She could easily defeat him, even without super speed.”

“She’s not trying to win,” Gilgamesh answered patiently sending her a quick wink.  “They’re playing.”

“Playing?” Thena repeated skeptically.  “Druig’s playing?”

“Makkari plays games with everyone,” Gil replied, pulling the last apple from the bowl and cutting into it.

“Everyone?” Thena rolled her eyes.  “I can’t even imagine… what game does she play with you?”

“The dish game?  Thena you’ve been in here before when we played-” 

Seeing her blank look, Gilgamesh sighed.  He stamped his foot twice on the ground and threw the empty bowl across the kitchen.

Abruptly, Makkari shoved Druig to the ground by his face and in a blur caught and dried the dish, putting it away.  She came to a stop in front of Gilgamesh and cocked her head.  “We’re doing dishes now?”

“Nope, just showing Thena something,” he smiled genially at her.  She accepted that without a comment and promptly did a flying elbow drop on Druig before he could take a bite of the disputed apple, eliciting a pained cry.  The battle was back on.

“Oh yes, I have seen that game,” Thena nodded thoughtfully.  “Okay, what about Ajak?  She’s far too busy to play.”

“After every scouting mission Makkari brings back some obscure human relic.  If Ajak can’t guess the civilization correctly, Makkari gets to keep the item.  If Ajak wins, she gets to keep it.  It’s the whole reason she has that shelf in her room.”

“Hmph.” Thena could clearly recall the shelf of odds and ends near the Prime’s bed.  She’d always assumed Ajak had picked up those things herself.

“Fine.  How about Ikarus?  He would never demean his own sense of importance by playing a game.”

“They race.  He keeps extending his head start and she still keeps beating him.  They raced yesterday.  You joined in Makkari’s victory dance when she won.”  

“Oh yes,” that memory made Thena smile.  “I love when Ikarus loses at things.”  Her face lit up again.  “Me!  I don’t have any games with her.”

“The balance game?” Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow.  “You played it this morning after our training session.”

That game involved finding some narrow, high target where the two warrior women would challenge each other as to who could maintain their balance on one leg, the longest.  They were fairly evenly matched, and they were constantly on the lookout for new and difficult perches.  That morning the challenge had taken place on the top limbs of a very tall tree.   Thena had won because Makkari’s branch had broken.

“Oh, that’s right!  That reminds me,” Thena walked over and stopped in front of the grappling pair.  She waved her hand to get Makkari’s attention.

Makkari sat on Druig’s stomach and held his arms twisted up in her own as she gave Thena an expectant look.

“I found a new high point in town.  It’s a decorative ledge on top of the blue temple.  It’s this wide,” she indicated with a gap between her fingers.

Makkari nodded enthusiastically and clambered off Druig.  She and Thena took off without a backward glance to the men.

Druig pulled himself up with a grunt.  He sighed at being abandoned but eyed the apple victoriously and raised it to take a bite.  In a flash, Makkari was there, kneeling in front of where he held the apple.  She took a big, obnoxious bite and grinned at him with puffed cheeks.  Druig couldn’t help but chortle as she ruffled his hair and took off again.

“Yer the worst!” He called after her, knowing she wouldn’t hear him.  His words were belied by the wide smile gracing his face.

“Ah, so it is just as I thought,” Gilgamesh commented from the counter.

“What?” Druig turned to look at him sharply.

“Oh nothing, I just bet we’re both in the same boat is all.”

“What boat is that?”

“The boat where we’re pining after an amazing woman, and she sees us as just her best friend?”

Druig’s heavy-lidded eyes widened.  He delayed a response, taking a few bites of the hotly contested apple.  Finally, wiping his mouth he asked, “What makes ya say that?”

“The look on your face when she left,” Gilgamesh shrugged.  “I wear a similar one whenever Thena leaves a room without me.”

“So you two aren’t…”

“Nope.”

“I’ve always assumed-”

“Most of the team does.  No one’s ever asked because they’re too afraid of Thena.”

“Huh,” Druig went back to his apple for a few moments of contemplation.  Suddenly, he jerked his head up.  “Does anyone think Makkari and I are…?”

“Uh… no,” Gilgamesh hedged.  “Everyone thinks you hate all of us… but that you can at least tolerate Makkari.”

“Oh well that’s fookin’ fair,” Druig grumbled, unsure if he was relieved or irritated. 

“It doesn’t really matter,” Gilgamesh offered.  “They’d be more annoying if they suspected something.”

“That’s true.”  Druig pinned Gilgamesh with his blue gaze.  “How do ya know?  That Thena doesn’t want ya in that way?  Have ya ever asked her?”

“I had the misfortune of hearing a drunken confession,” the strong man replied.  “She told me she loved me too much to ever be with me.  That she only slept with people that were just looking to use her up the way she was doing to them.  So, I not only know she takes other lovers, but that they don’t treat her nicely.”  He shook his head. “What about you?  Ever told Makkari?”

“No,” Druig frowned.  “If she wanted me that way… she would have told me.  I know she’s had her head turned a time or two.  Never by me.”

“And if you said something you might drive her away if she doesn’t return your feelings.”

“Exactly.  I couldn’t handle that.  She’s… everythin’ to me.”

“Ever considered taking a human lover for yourself?”

Druig shook his head with a little scowl.  “Can’t stand to be touched, unless it’s Makkari.”  He looked up at Gilgamesh, abashed.  “That makes me sound right pathetic, eh?”

“Hardly,” Gil laughed.  “I did try and take a human lover.  A little Scythian beauty.  I was trying to make Thena jealous.”

“Did it work?”

“Of course not.  Thena started an affair with the girl’s sister so we could travel to our assignations together.  We would leave and catch a drink to discuss our exploits.  It was surreal and awful.”

Druig chuckled a little and chewed on his apple in contemplation.  He raised his head and asked, “Do ya ever chase the suitors away?”

“All the time,” Gilgamesh smiled.  “What’s the worst you’ve done?”

“One of the Spartans approached me, lookin’ for Makkari to ‘pay her homage’.  I sent him on a pilgrimage to Athens, convinced he was a eunuch.”

Gilgamesh gave him the famous belly laugh.  “Good one,” he finally said on a sigh, wiping his eyes.  “When Achilles came sniffing around for Thena, I told him she was a succubus.”

It was Druig’s turn to burst into laughter.  “Did she ever find out?”

“Well, she found out there was a rumor that she was a succubus, yes.  But she thought Sprite started it.  I just never corrected her.”

 

   

 216 BC - Cannae

              

Druig was stationed on a hill across the Aufidus River, affording him a horrifyingly excellent view of the battle between Hannibal’s Carthaginian forces and the massive Roman Legions.  His job was to keep an eye out for Deviants coming in from the East, attracted to the carnage of a large military battle.  The Thinkers had been placed at various points across the northern edge of the battlefield while the Fighters engaged a number of Deviants to the south.  He’d reported two Deviants that had lumbered in from the ocean a little while earlier, and Thena and Gilgamesh had been sent north to deal with the monsters.  They’d managed to slaughter both Deviants on the beach and had climbed the hill Druig occupied to check on him.

“How goes it, Druig?” Gilgamesh called jovially, always in a good mood after a battle.

“You have the best view of a master strategist,” Thena announced, striding over to a better vantage point to overlook the battle.  “That Hannibal is one of the most cunning generals I’ve ever seen.” 

“I’m sure you could teach him a thing or two,” Gilgamesh grinned at her.

“Undoubtedly,” Thena threw an answering smile over her shoulder, “but I am impressed none the less.”

Druig barely heard a word they said.  He was sweating and shaking.  His eyes wouldn’t focus, and his breathing was shallow.  It took considerable effort to hold onto his mental shields to block out the screams and agony of the dying and wounded.  Although he had thousands of years of practice at control, the sheer volume of suffering humans had cascaded over many of his cerebral barriers.  Hundreds of lives were being snuffed out every minute.  He was sick from the humans’ suffering, as well as being visually and audibly inundated with their bloodshed.

“Look how the cavalry is cutting off any hope of retreat,” Thena marveled, eyes glued to the battlefield.  “He lured them into a trap with his front line, and now he’s springing it.”

“It’s not a fookin’ game,” Druig hissed, left eye twitching.

Gilgamesh, who was standing beside Thena, turned and really looked at him for the first time.  “Hey Druig, are you alright?  You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine,” Druig snapped.  “Just need this to be over.”

“It will be over soon,” Thena assured him without turning around.  “Hannibal has them right where he wants them now.”

Druig bit back a whimper and fought to keep himself upright as a new wave of panic and hopelessness assaulted him.  The humans were falling so fast, he could hardly withstand the spikes of pain lashing his mind.  “It’s too much,” he croaked out unconsciously.

“Maybe you should sit down?”  Gilgamesh walked back to Druig and tried to take his arm for support.  Druig shook him off angrily, paying for it when his headache exploded behind his eyes.

The motion had attracted Thena, and she turned too, frowning at Druig.  “He was trying to help, you brat.  Honestly, you have to make everything into a fight.”

“Well then ya’d think we’d get along famously,” Druig sneered, “since fighting’s the only thing you care about.”

“I don’t create battles for attention,” Thena bit back.  “We get it that you don’t like to watch human combat, but it isn’t Gilgamesh’s fault you were assigned as a lookout.  You should show him some courtesy for even trying to be considerate of you.”

“Maybe I’m too disgusted by yer lust for slaughter to appreciate the gesture.”  Druig fought the urge to cover his throbbing left eye and glared at Thena for all he was worth.  “Those humans are being massacred and all ya can do is fawn over that general.”

“Hey man, are you suicidal?” Gilgamesh murmured. 

“Careful or my lust for slaughter will extend to this hilltop,” Thena purred, a short sword manifesting in her dominant hand.

“Ok, calm down everybody,” Gilgamesh put up his arms.  He turned to address Thena.  “Why don’t we head back to the other Fighters and see if we can’t rack up some more Deviant hides?”

“That’s an excellent idea, the company up here is dismal,” Thena sniffed.  She immediately strode back down the hill.

“Druig, maybe you should call it,” Gilgamesh said with concern.  “We can move somebody else here and you can go back to the Domo.”

“I can handle it,” Druig gritted out, his mind awash in human despair.  He wasn’t truly mad at Gilgamesh, but his own thoughts and feelings were being crushed under the uproar of the humans.

“No one will think less of you, ya know.  Your power is-”

“I’m fully aware of what my power is,” Druig snarled.  “Go and catch up to Thena before she veers off and joins Hannibal’s army.”

Gilgamesh rolled his eyes, but he was finally driven away by Druig’s scorn.  He didn’t give up trying to help though.  After returning to the other Fighters, he had a private word with Makkari as soon as there was a lull in the action.

She took off to find Druig immediately.

 

“My beautiful Makkari,” Druig gave her a shaky smile as she slid to a stop across from him on his hilltop.  “Let me guess who sent ya.”

The first thing she noticed was the way his hands trembled as he signed along with his words.  Makkari looked up into his face and noted with dread that he was white as ghost and drenched with sweat.  Makkari walked the last few steps to him and placed her hands on his cheeks.  He was definitely hot with fever and vibrating with fine tremors.  But he sighed at her touch and allowed his head to sink down into her palms.  Her heart broke for him to see him in so much pain.

“Did ya know yer projectin’ yer feelings?” Druig asked absently, eyes gazing into hers to seek solace.  “Usually ya don’t, but right now I can feel ya worryin’.  I can feel it over all the others.” 

Makkari wasn’t sure if she was reading his lips correctly, because what he’d said didn’t quite make sense to her, but she did catch that she was projecting her feelings.  That intrigued her.  “How do I control it?  Can I send a feeling right into your head, like you do?”

“I dunno,” he smiled, pulling back so that he could sign as well as speak to her.  “Speed not enough for ya?  Ya trying to horn in on my power too?”

She grinned at him, not missing the ways his eyes warmed at the sight.  “You’re just worried I’ll be better at it than you… which I totally will be.”

His gloom lightened and he gave her a little chuckle, just what she’d been hoping for.  “Aye well, o’ course ya would be.  What aren’t ya amazing at?”

Makkari made a goofy face and rolled her eyes at the compliment.  She knew he spoke that way just to tease her.  “No more jokes.  What do I do?”

“Hmm, I guess close yer eyes and concentrate on the emotion, think about it real hard and I’ll pick it up.”

She did as he instructed, choosing her feeling of protectiveness to send to him.

“There it is.” She looked up into Druig’s smiling eyes when she felt the vibration of his voice.  “Do ya wanna take care of me my beautiful Makkari?”

Nodding, Makkari bounced a little on her toes with excitement.  “I can do it!”

“Maybe so, but I rather like readin’ your words on yer hands and on that pretty face o’ yers much better,” he told her seriously. 

A warm feeling swept over Makkari, unbelievably pleased that he liked her just as she was.  She leaned up and kissed his cheek.  Druig shut his eyes and inhaled sharply.  A small smile graced his face, showcasing both dimples.  Moved by the sight, Makkari impulsively started to lean up toward him again, this time aiming a kiss on his lips. 

But the moment was lost when he cried out in pain and sunk to the ground holding his head.  She could tell he was gasping for breath by the way his chest heaved.  “They’re… burying…” he was panting and looking up at her so that she could read his lips.  His arms were too weak to sign.  “They’re killing themselves,” he moaned.

Makkari didn’t fully understand what he was talking about, but she knew he was in bad shape, suffering along with the humans below.  She crashed to her knees in front of him and wrapped him up in a bracing hug.  He buried his face in her neck, all the while combatting the mental image of men burying their heads in the ground as a means of suicide to escape the enemy. 

When he was still struggling to find his breathing a few minutes later, Makkari pulled back and signed emphatically.  “We’re leaving now.  Don’t argue!”

Druig didn’t have the strength to resist any longer; he sagged against her appreciatively as she raced him back to the Domo.
  

Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Summary:

This is another chapter with violence and action for those that need the warning.

 

100 BC - Gaul

 

They split up into two groups to alert the neighboring settlements of the impending Deviant attack.  With Phastos and Gilgamesh still at the Roman General’s camp, Ikarus, Sprite, Ajak, and Kingo took the larger settlement of farmers to the north.  Thena volunteered her group with Makkari, Druig, and Sersi to warn the more itinerant tribe of warriors to the south.

Druig and the others seated themselves around a large central fire, graciously taking sips from the traditional goblet being passed around.  They had to tolerantly sit through four more mini ceremonies, which added an element of amusement for Druig, as both Makkari and Thena were visibly itching to get moving.  He and Sersi were used to languid formalities, often participating in introductory traditional meetings with the humans.  The warrior women were far less inclined to inaction.  He gave Makkari, beside him, a teasing look and signed an annoying platitude about patience just to further rile her.  She didn’t disappoint him and sent him a vulgar gesture in an old language as a reply. 

“We came to warn you of a terrible beast in this area,” Sersi was saying as he returned his attention to the matter at hand.  “The monster is a devourer of men.”

“How do you know of it?”  The matriarch of the village scowled at her.  She gestured to the large number of warriors standing around the peripheral of the fire.  “Our warriors have been hunting these lands.  They have seen no beast.”

“It is close by, I can assure you,” Sersi tried again.  “We have come from a village toward the sunrise where it decimated the people.  We came here to warn you.  It would be for the best if you could either move or take shelter.”

At this, a hearty laugh resounded, the warriors openly scoffing at the notion they would hide.  Druig was signing along with the conversation for Makkari’s benefit, but even she turned to look around, unprompted, after sensing the strong vibrations of the scornful laughter.  She exchanged a concerned look with Druig.  He nodded slightly in agreement.  He could feel the dark thoughts of the villagers slipping occasionally through his mental walls.

“I know it seems impossible to fathom,” Sersi said, holding up her palms.  “But this monster is a nearly unstoppable killer.  We are here to help.”

“Or maybe you are here to trick us off our land,” the matriarch spat on the ground.  “You came from the Roman camp, didn’t you?”  The warriors shifted even closer.  Thena tensed her shoulders.  Makkari stopped watching Druig’s hands, angling her head to read only vibrations now, ready to react to a threat.  She was the one to sense the Deviant’s approach.

She jumped to her feet and signed a warning to Druig.  Then she gestured to Thena, and the pair charged off down the hill toward the valley.

“It’s coming,” Druig called, standing also. “It’s coming up now through the valley.  You have to clear the area!” 

A few minutes later, the ground began to rumble with the heavy Deviant’s footfalls.  A chilling roar split the air.

“Go!” The matriarch shouted to her warriors, the majority of whom went charging into the valley to join the fight.  A few remained behind, seemingly to guard the matriarch and remaining villagers.  But she rose and pointed at the two Eternals, “You brought the beast to devour us!  You are witches!”

“What?” Sersi gasped.  “Of course not, we came to help you!”

“Seize them!” The matriarch thundered.  The warriors reached out to capture them.  Druig rolled his eyes with annoyance and roughly pushed off the man attempting to grab him.  Sersi touched a spear that was thrust too close to her face and turned it into a harmless vine.

“Witches!” The cry was being repeated throughout the village now, and people were pressing in on all sides to apprehend them.

“Fook this,” Druig growled.  He reached out his hands and seized all of the villagers’ minds at once.  They froze, eyes glowing gold, arms limp at their sides.

“No Druig, let them go,” Sersi frowned.  “You can’t hold them like this.”

“Seems I can.” He answered glibly, turning to look with concern toward the valley.  Despite the ruckus he could hear, he couldn’t see what was going on.  He tried tapping into the minds of the warriors who’d taken off to join the fight, but all he saw was bouncing terrain.  They were still running to their destination.

“Let them go!” Sersi demanded, spinning him by the shoulder to face her.

Druig took a step back from her, annoyed at the battle she’d chosen to wage at this particular time.  “If I let them go, they’ll attack us again,” he said slowly, enunciating each word as if talking to a child. 

“You can’t leave them like this!”

“Fine.” With a thought, the people dropped to the ground fast asleep.

“What did you do to them?!”

“Far less than they deserved!” Druig retorted hotly.  “Go and get the others.  Makkari and Thena are fighting a Deviant alone.  I mean to help if those warriors are as daft as this bunch.”

“You know you aren’t supposed to use your powers like this!”

“GO!” Druig shouted at her.  His anxiety was climbing without being able to see that Makkari was safe.  He pointed to the north.  “Get the others to help!  Worry about lecturin’ me when it’s over!”

Sersi looked unhappy, but she knew she needed to alert the rest of the team.  “Ajak will be hearing of this Druig!” She called over her shoulder as she left.

“Of course she will,” Druig muttered to himself, but he was already running and sliding down the hill toward the battle.  The only thing that mattered to him was helping Makkari.

                

The Deviant was built like an ox: stocky build, short horns, but about five times as large with claws instead of hooves.  Makkari had to crane her head up to look at it fully.  This monster was solidly built and bellowing roars Makkari couldn’t hear into the sky.  She knew they were loud because beside her, Thena was hunching her shoulders against the sound.

“Boy this thing is big,” Makkari signed to Thena as the monster was putting on some sort of stomping display before attacking them.

Thena quirked an amused eyebrow at her, “But we like them big.”

“You like them big,” Makkari retorted.  “I like them medium sized.”

The blonde gave a bark of laughter at her double entendre.  The Deviant stopped prancing and squared up on the women.  “You ready, Speedy?”

“Let’s go.”  Makkari and Thena exchanged a low fist bump and then Makkari zipped off. 

She barreled her shoulder into the animal’s thick stump of a leg.  It had felt like running into the side of a mountain.  She rubbed her shoulder as she stopped herself.  The Deviant’s leg had buckled under the assault though, and Thena followed Makkari’s strike with a slash of her golden broad sword.

“He’s thick,” Makkari motioned, as the Deviant took the combined attack in stride and rose with a roar.  It charged them, scattering them momentarily. 

“Let’s try belly,” Thena called with a quick shorthand sign for the maneuver.

Makkari raced back for a running start then hit the Deviant with a sonic blast.  It was so sturdy that it stumbled but didn’t fall over.  However, Thena used the moment of disorientation to slide beneath it and slice at its belly.  Greenish blood drenched her, but the Deviant merely charged at Makkari again, ignoring the wound.  Makkari let it chase her, dodging at the last second, so that it ran headfirst into a tree.  The tree cracked and fell over onto the creature’s back.  The Deviant shook off the enormous weight and sought its two targets.

“Damn,” Thena grumbled.  She glanced across the battlefield to Makkari and sent her another short sign, “Let’s try head.”

The speedster took a run right at the Deviant’s snapping jaws of sharp teeth, jumping up to hook one of the creature’s horns.  Her momentum jerked the Deviant’s head down and to the side, leaving an opening for Thena to spring into the air and bring her broadsword down on the monster’s neck.  The entire sequence happened in mere seconds, but it was an obvious success when the Deviant bellowed in pain as Makkari released her hold.

“Again,” Thena signed.

By this time the human warriors had flooded down into the valley, though at the sight of the enormous beast, none quite found the courage to join in the battle.  They watched the two warrior women in silent shock as they demonstrated supernatural speed and strength twice more, before the murmur went up through the ranks that they were witches. 

Both women were aware of their audience, but they’d fought Deviants seamlessly amongst the humans for thousands of years.  Never once had they been seen as anything but saviors.  They were paying little attention to the spectators until they found themselves under fire.  Makkari was too fast to even notice the arrows that had been sent in her wake; but Thena, leaping up to deliver another blow to the Deviant’s neck, was pinned fast to the creature’s rib cage by a heavy Roman pilum through her lower left abdomen.

Makkari balked, finally taking heed of the warriors, who were circling the Deviant and the Eternals and firing a barrage of spears and arrows.  She gave another sharp twist to the Deviant’s head to distract it momentarily and then shot out on a path around all of the warriors, knocking them to the ground in a rush of wind.  She flew back to Thena’s side, finding the woman holding her golden shield up to fend off the Deviant’s gnashing jaws and sharp horns.  Her other arm frantically tugged at the spear embedded in her core.  Makkari leapt up onto the Deviant’s back trying to pry the pilum loose from above, but the monster’s thick ropy hide held the spear fast.  As she was pulling, arrows from the humans started to fly through the air again, a few lodging shallowly in the armor of her shoulder.

“Enough!” 

The loud vibration of the word pulled Makkari’s attention, even if she didn’t know what had been said.  She followed Thena’s gaze.  Druig was there, at the base of the hill, his eyes gold and his face thunderous.  His arms were in the air, and Makkari knew without looking that the humans were now as still as statues.

She turned to Thena and signed for her to cut off the shaft of the spear. Then she leapt at the Deviant’s head, throwing all her weight into one horn again and dragging its face away from Thena.  Thena followed her advice, and then used her legs against the side of the beast to propel herself forward and free of the remaining shaft.  Before she could hit the dirt, Makkari caught her and zipped her over to Druig. Plunking her down and pressing Thena’s own hand over the wound, she left her comrade at Druig’s feet and turned to head back into battle.

“No Makkari, don’t go back,” Druig said desperately, grabbing her wrist.  “The others are coming, wait for them.”  His expression was pained as he pulled arrows from her armor that was concealed by her tunic.

As if in answer, the Deviant bit down on one of the humans Druig had frozen.  Makkari gently pulled herself free and patted his arm with a helpless shrug.  She zipped off, plucking the intended victim of the monster’s next attack out of harm’s way.  She took a grazing slash of the Deviant’s horn against her ribs for her troubles.

 

“Makkari!”  Druig cried out as the speedster staggered back.  Gritting his teeth, he raced forward, picking up a discarded Gladius sword as he charged.  He was not a Fighter, but he’d had enough training and sparring experience to offer some help.  He slid under a kicking back leg and hacked at the underside of the Deviant’s appendage.  He rolled underneath the beast and rose with another slash to its hindquarters.

“Nice moves!” Makkari slid to a stop off to his left.  There was a warrior slung over her shoulder that she’d rescued from being trampled during his attack.  “But it’s dangerous-”

“I’m not leavin’ ya to fight it alone!” 

The Deviant had rounded on him by this point, and Druig fended off the snapping jaws and gouging horns with heavy swings from his sword.  The huge mouth closed on his Gladius, trapping him in a tug-of-war.  Abruptly, the Deviant released the sword and raked its horn across Druig’s arm.  He fell on his backside as the monster drove its head down to bite him.  But suddenly, there was Makkari, knocking him back a few feet with a tackle and covering him with her body.  She tensed and braced for a bite.  The Deviant bellowed angrily and lunged forward, only to stop as a long golden spear pierced its jaw.  Thena had rejoined the battle.

“Thena!” Druig said in shock as Makkari’s head came up to see what had interrupted the certain injury.

The Deviant tossed its powerful head, sending Thena flying through the air, her spear disappearing as she soared back.  Makkari dropped her head with a weary huff of air, and then zipped off to aid Thena. 

The Deviant was already thundering toward the women as Makkari stumbled under Thena’s weight and velocity after the catch.

Druig jumped to his feet and ordered the frozen warriors to attack the Deviant with whatever weapon they were holding.  They threw themselves in the path of the Deviant and hacked ineffectually at the creature’s face and body.  One man was gored while another was bitten and trampled.  Makkari took a breath and then raced forward to pull a third warrior out of the path of the Deviant’s swinging horns.   

 “What do you think you’re doing, Druig!” Thena hollered, clutching her bloody side as Druig reclaimed his sword and went on the attack again.  He continued to puppet the warriors in the battle as well.

“Fightin’ a fookin’ Deviant,” Druig grunted, twisting back to avoid the Deviant’s mule kick.

Makkari went after the monster’s legs, delivering sonic tackle after sonic tackle in an attempt to hobble it.  Her time was split between attacks and pulling humans out of harm’s way.  Her golden blur was zinging all over the battlefield.  She had planned to lead the Deviant away from the humans until the others showed up, or until she could find a suitable cliff to push it off.  Unfortunately, receiving 'help' seemed to be making a lot more work for her. 

“The humans, Druig!  Let the humans go at once!” Thena was fighting with one hand pressed to her side, but she was still slashing away at the creature’s snapping jaws.  Eventually, the great beast overpowered her, and Thena had to create a shield as she was knocked to the ground.

Druig commanded a warrior to drive a pilum into the Deviant’s eye as he ran in and pulled Thena out of danger.

“You can’t use them like this!” Thena fumed at him.  “We are supposed to be protecting the humans from the Deviants!  Not using them as weapons!” 

“These are bad men, Thena: murderers, rapists, pillagers.  They’re finally doin’ some right in the world this way.”

“You are not allowed to be their judge and executioner!”

“I’m not killing them,” he answered philosophically.

Racing in for another attack, Makkari saw Thena and Druig bickering and performed the world’s first eye roll at light speed. Enough was enough.  It was time to end things… especially before the others arrived and saw Druig’s enthralled humans. 

She had one option available… one very painful option.

Pausing near Druig, she signed for him to move the humans out of the way.  He stopped arguing long enough to nod his understanding.  He absently put the humans into retreat, expecting a sonic blast.

“You know what Ajak will say when she learns of this…what Ikarus will do to you.” Thena glowered at Druig.  “Release those humans, NOW.”

“You act as if I give a shit,” he responded in his musical lilt, shrugging nonchalantly.

In the next moment, there was a slimy explosion of sound, and a shock wave that knocked Druig and Thena off their feet.  Green and blue gore sprayed them, and everything around them, in a 50-meter radius.

“Oh shit,” Druig muttered, clamoring back up.  “Makkari!”

He turned to see the Deviant laying on the ground in two pieces.  The tough monster was dying and braying in pain as its insides flooded out of it. 

“Damn it, she did the split maneuver,” Thena groaned, getting up slowly.  They all knew how Makkari felt about this particular attack, how much it hurt her. 

Druig saw movement on the ground a short distance away and raced to Makkari’s side just as she was sitting up.  She was covered in blue and green slime, and she had to wipe it from her face just to see him.

“Are you alright?” He demanded, remembering to sign in her eye-line as he spoke.  He scanned her face anxiously.

“I can taste it,” Makkari signed miserably, pushing her tongue out a few times with ‘puh’ sounds.  That seemed to make it worse, and she began to try to expel the goo from her tongue more urgently.  Unthinking and desperate, she wiped her tongue on her hand, also covered in goo, recoating her tongue in the process.  She made all sorts of strange spitting noises then, before frantically grabbing his sleeve and wiping her tongue thoroughly.

He might have been dismayed under normal circumstances, but damn it if she wasn’t absolutely adorable, even covered head to toe in monster guts.  Instead, he watched stoically as she licked all over his sleeve and finally scrubbed her mouth as well.  He struggled valiantly to keep his amusement in check while she was in crisis.

“Feel better?” He finally asked, raising one eyebrow wryly.  It was amazing how just sitting in her presence sapped all the ire out of his body.  He’d followed a very dangerous impulse earlier.   And Thena’s admonishment had only caused him to lean into the infraction even more.  But suddenly, sitting here, smiling indulgently at his lass, he was ready to pick up the mantle of Eternal again.

Makkari nodded, but quickly winced a little, and indicated a headache.  He helped her carefully to her feet and kept her arm as he guided her back toward Thena.  He noticed without comment that she was both leaning on him and limping a little.  They passed the warriors, who were now standing around the edges of the battlefield, still as death, their eyes still shining gold. 

“Are you alright Makkari?” Thena frowned seeing the state of her comrade as they neared.

The speedster gave her a cheery thumbs-up.

“Then would you please help me make Druig release those men?”

Makkari cocked her head in confusion, and Druig could feel his resentment start to simmer in his chest again.

“He refuses to release the warriors.  He put them in danger just to punish them for their misdeeds,” Thena explained to Makkari, shooting Druig daggers with her eyes.

Misdeeds?  Wasn’t that a laugh?  This very same war party had spent the last year in an orgy of blood and death, raping and pillaging their way across the countryside.  He was connected to their thoughts; he was a silent witness to every depravity.  It was no wonder they hadn’t feared a monster sweeping in on a killing wave from the East.  They were a collective of monsters doing the very same thing.

“He’ll let them go.”  Makkari simply raised a shoulder, her confidence never wavering.  She turned to him, looked up at him through her long lashes and signed ‘please’ by rubbing a circle on his sternum.  Was it any wonder he was hopelessly in love with her?  Staring into her big brown eyes, he raised his hands and dropped them, releasing the captive warriors immediately.  He did put them all to sleep first of course.

“What?!?” Thena sputtered.

“You have to say please,” Makkari signed to her with a smile.  She reached up and cupped Druig’s jaw for a moment, allowing him just a second to nuzzle, before giving him an affectionate pat by way of thanking him. Then she announced she was still going to collect up weapons ‘just in case’.    

“They’d better be sleeping Druig,” Thena scowled.  “I won’t put anything past you at this point.”

“I’m crushed,” he retorted sarcastically.  “And t’think, we always get on so well.”

“Spare me.  You were completely out of line today.  You were reckless with those humans’ lives because you deemed them unworthy.”

 “Well, fortunately for them, Makkari was here.  She can usually appeal to my better nature… such as it is.”

“Mmmmm,” Thena responded dryly.

Speaking of Makkari, she should have completed her task by now.  He turned to see her walking around the battlefield, crouching down instead of bending over to retrieve discarded weapons.  He grimaced remorsefully; knowing full well she was hurt worse than she would ever tell him.

“I promise, they’ll sleep through till evenin’, darlin’,” he called and signed to her after waving at her to gain her attention.  “Come on back and rest please.”

Makkari didn’t drop the bows and spears she was already carrying, but she did oblige him and return.  The fact that she meekly followed his suggestion was yet another sign of her injury.  He knew her well enough not to push her to admit that she was in pain.  She would fall over dead before she did that.

“Why did the humans attack us?” She signed, after dropping the discarded weapons near Thena.  

“They thought we were witches,” Druig told her.

“What?  But we’re so beautiful,” she joked, indicating herself, drenched in gore.

“Well, you are at least,” he winked; speaking in the cavalier way that never tipped anyone off that his flirtation with her was heartfelt.  “Though ya have looked better.” 

She wrinkled her nose up at him in mock annoyance, and he mimicked her expression.  She relented with a grin, and he pulled her closer gently, using the bottom of his already ruined tunic to wipe off more of the goo from her face and hands.  Her eyes looked up gratefully into his.

He felt Thena watching him in suspicious silence as he tenderly ministered to Makkari.  She and the others were convinced he was always a hair’s breadth from committing some dastardly act.  His behavior today certainly didn’t do him any favors.  But Thena had no cause to worry over Makkari.  When it came to the pretty speedster, his devotion to her knew no bounds.  Makkari was his light house, and as long as she was nearby, he could steer his ship back on course. 

A short time later, Ikarus soared into view dangling Ajak from one arm and Kingo from the other.

“What the hell happened here?” Ikarus demanded, landing in their midst after setting his passengers down.

“Turns out we don’t need your magnificence today Ikarus,” Druig called over with disdain.  It was as if he could not physically pass up a chance to annoy the field leader.  “Leave us Ajak and then you and Kingo can fly back off.”

Still facing him, Makkari had watched his expression change as he spoke to Ikarus.  She canted her head and quirked her eyebrows at him, reminding him without words that he was in enough trouble already.  He inconspicuously glanced down at her, twisting up his mouth sardonically in response.

Kingo began to wander closer to the battlefield in curiosity.  Ajak was rushing over to Makkari, but the speedster waved her off and pointed her to Thena.  “She’s been run through with a spear.” 

“Makkari you did the split maneuver?” Kingo exclaimed, cutting off the follow up questions Ikarus and Ajak had.  “You HATE the split maneuver!”

She shrugged sheepishly in response. 

“Does this have anything to do with Druig’s inappropriate response to human aggression in the village?” Ikarus snarled, stalking toward him.  Makkari, always protective of him, subtly placed herself in front of Druig as they both turned toward Ikarus’ approach.  

“The humans attacked us,” Makkari explained quickly.  “They speared Thena to the side of the Deviant.” 

Ajak looked up at Thena with concern as she knelt beside her, her hands already glowing with healing light. “Is this true?  The humans attacked you?”

“They did indeed,” Thena answered smoothly. She exchanged a long look with Druig, who stared back at her insolently.  He almost hoped that she would out him to Ikarus and Ajak.  Centuries on this violent planet and the company of mostly suspicious teammates, were only nourishing his reckless tendencies.

“Why are they all still here?” Kingo asked from his spot closer to the Deviant.  “Why didn’t you move the people to safety?”

“They didn’t want to go,” Druig smirked, now practically daring Thena to tell on him.

“You put them to sleep!” Ikarus jumped in before Thena could say anything.  “Just like you did to the people in the village.  We have all agreed that you were to severely limit using mental control over the humans, and you’ve done it twice today in massive displays!”

“I wouldn’t say I ever agreed to anythin’,” Druig pointed out in the sing-song tone he knew Ikarus hated, “so much as I was ordered to stop using me powers on the humans.”

“Because you can’t be trusted with that kind of control over them!” Ikarus exploded.  “Look at these humans, all sleeping here helplessly in harm’s way!”

“They’re okay for the most part,” Druig shrugged.

“This guy’s just a pair of legs,” Kingo pointed to a corpse unhelpfully.

“I said for the most part,” Druig rolled his eyes.

Makkari had been watching the conversation, and although he doubted she’d caught all of it, she’d understood enough to lightly smack his stomach in warning.  Druig had been purposefully avoiding signing so that she might not realize how antagonistic he was behaving.  Leave it to Makkari to see through him anyway.

“Did you have to do the split maneuver because there were humans sleeping all over the ground?” Kingo asked her, nodding and making a dramatically empathetic face.

“No,” Makkari signed and shook her head.  “I was the only healthy fighter left; it just seemed like the best choice.” 

“That doesn’t explain why the humans were not removed from danger,” Ajak spoke up, her tone somehow scolding and sad at the same time.  “And why Druig took control over such a large number of humans despite his strict rules of engagement.”

“You can all just admit this is Druig’s fault,” Kingo put in, not wanting Makkari to catch any of their leader’s ire. 

“I’m inclined to agree,” Ikarus growled, taking a large step closer as if to reach Druig.

“Wait,” Makkari began, moving forward to intercept him.  But her knees gave out, and she collapsed in a faint.

Druig had been keeping a close eye on her, fearing just such an event.  He reacted in plenty of time to catch her in his arms.  His heart hammered anxiously in his chest as he sank to the ground with his lass nestled in his lap.  “Ajak, she needs you!”

Kingo was at Makkari’s side faster than Ajak.  “This is your fault, you asshole.  She was covering for you!”

“Fook off Kingo,” Druig scowled at him, all interest in provoking his colleagues forgotten.  He turned to Ajak, his eyes pleading.  “I think she has a concussion at least.  Her head was hurtin’ her.”

“I’ll take care of her,” Ajak assured him calmly.  She placed her hands on Makkari’s head and rib cage, sending her healing energy coursing through the speedster’s small body.  The entire group waited in silence for Makkari to open her eyes.

 

What her teammates didn’t realize was that Makkari had not actually fainted.  In five thousand years of life on Earth, Makkari was the patron of tricksters for countless human societies for good reason.  Aside from a love of pranks, habitual stealing, and possessing impossible speed, she was also shrewdly calculating.  And while she was definitely in considerable pain after splitting a Deviant in half, she hadn’t been close to fainting.  Instead, she’d been protecting her idiot of a best friend from his own self-destructive tendencies for the second time that day.  If said idiot was not also her favorite person on the planet, she would not have made the effort twice.

Makkari figured what they all needed was a moment to cool down before Thena or Druig dropped the revelation that Druig hadn’t put the warriors to sleep until after he’d used them as a puppet army.  Thena, she could tell, was eager to share her apprehensions with the group.  The other Eternals had all steadily become more openly suspicious of Druig over the years, concerned with the way he bucked at orders and questioned the validity of their mission.  Druig didn’t help matters by becoming increasingly more insubordinate and belligerent.  Makkari had noticed that his reckless streak seemed to be snowballing every year as well, making him just as likely to tell on himself in order to infuriate Ikarus and Ajak.  She feared it was a matter of time before he struck off on his own or the others banished him, but Makkari was fighting tooth and nail to get him to the finish line.  If they could rid the planet of Deviants once and for all they could go home, and Druig would be free of the restrictive mission that tore at his soul.  The alternative was that he could be left behind as a punishment while the team was recalled.  Makkari wouldn’t countenance that.    

So as a solution for her current problem, Makkari had pulled out acting skills even Kingo would have been proud of and allowed herself to collapse in the midst of the group’s argument.  She’d even been aware that Druig had been tracking her with his eyes like a hawk, and he'd caught her before she'd had a chance to hit the ground.  From there, it was easy to let Ajak heal what were definitely real internal injuries.  And she could tell by the lack of vibrations that the team had tabled their dispute while she recovered.  Knowing Druig, her health scare would have at least temporarily shut down his desire to seek out trouble.  That left Thena to neutralize, and Makkari just needed a moment alone with her fellow warrior to call in a favor.  Makkari was strategic after all, and over the centuries had accumulated multiple favors from all of the other Eternals.  Thena might be wary of Druig, but honor would demand that she grant Makkari’s request to keep Druig’s more dramatic rule-breaking a secret.

Giving herself a believable little nap, Makkari finally blinked her eyes open slowly and glanced around in feigned confusion.  Druig’s arms tightened around her in relief, and she met his worried eyes with a slight smile.  “I’m fine,” she signed with one hand.  He knocked his forehead to hers softly and briefly, his eyes closed an extra moment with gratitude.

Makkari signed her thanks to Ajak as Druig reluctantly let her scoot out of his lap.  She took deliberately shaky steps and moved a few feet away to sit down next to Thena.  Kingo immediately picked up where he left off.

“If Makkari had been seriously hurt that would have been on YOUR head Druig!”

This time, instead of reacting with anger, Druig clenched his jaw with guilt.

“Maybe we need to take some time and recover,” Ajak spoke up, frowning thoughtfully at Druig.  “We can have a more reasonable review of the events when we’re back on the ship.”

“We will be critiquing today’s battle, at length,” Ikarus announced severely.   

“Can’t wait,” Druig muttered, rolling his eyes again.

Makkari hadn’t caught any of their conversation, her attention fixed on Thena.  “I know what you’re thinking,” she signed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“That you just pretended to faint?” Thena signed back with a smile. 

“I needed a breather,” Makkari winked, not bothering to hide her self-satisfaction.

“You truly are a rascal,” Thena laughed.

“Will you do a rascal a favor?”

“Makkari…” Thena groaned.

“Please, Thena.  He’s already going to be in trouble.  If they find out about the warriors…I’m worried how he’ll react if they restrict him further.  He’s the only one of us that’s not allowed to use his powers as it is.  Can you imagine how miserable you’d be if you couldn’t conjure a sword and stab something at will?”

“They don’t let him use his powers specifically because of days like today,” Thena signed.  “I’m worried about his actions today.  We’ve all been worried for a while.”

“Maybe he wasn’t on his best behavior today, but who hasn’t slipped up on occasion?  Remember how you made sure that Sumerian King couldn’t produce any biological heirs?  We’ll never know how that changed the course of history.”

“You wouldn’t,” Thena narrowed her eyes, although amusement pulled at her lips.

“I’ve dutifully kept that secret for how many millennia now?”

“Waiting for the perfect time to use it as blackmail you mean?”

“Blackmail, leverage, a friendly exchange of secrets between friends,” Makkari shrugged with a sly grin.  “You forget to mention Druig’s misbehavior, and on my honor, I will never bring up King Amah ever again.”

“You have a deal,” Thena agreed grudgingly, due more to the fact she did owe Makkari for keeping that (among many) secrets, more so than she was worried about any repercussions from gelding the handsy Sumerian long ago.  “But Makkari, you need to talk to him.  What happened today was disturbing.  If you hadn’t been able to calm him down, the humans might not have survived.”

“He’s not as far gone as everyone seems to think,” Makkari tried to reassure her.  But she read Thena’s doubtful expression loud and clear and didn’t press the argument.  Right now, she needed Thena's cooperation.  “I’ll talk to him tonight.  I’ll help him understand your concerns.”

Thena nodded, unconvinced, but willing to put her friendship with Makkari over her duty this day.  She knew Makkari had a way with the prickliest members of the team.  She and Sprite had bonded over the disadvantages of their physical forms.  Stand-offish Ikarus always warmed to her roguish teasing.  She’d even forged a deep bond with Thena herself, as they were the only two female fighters.  But Druig was different.  He was manipulative and dangerous and an agent of chaos on the team.  And while it was true that he positively lit up around Makkari, Thena couldn’t help but worry Makkari’s big heart would blind her to his obvious character flaws.  She seemed to believe the best of all the Eternals, and Thena wasn’t sure Druig deserved that level of trust.  But then there was Makkari, blowing her a kiss, and Thena chuckled and quashed her misgivings for the time being…though she would definitely be discussing this with Gilgamesh as soon as he returned.

Makkari relaxed with her success and continued to chat quietly with Thena until Ajak and the boys surrounded them and pulled them to their feet.  Ikarus informed them that they’d all walk up the hill, where Sersi and Sprite would be picking them up in the Domo.  The women were warned to take it easy up the hillside, but this seemed to be directed at Makkari more than Thena.

“What?  I know how to take it easy!”  She smiled along good-naturedly as they all scoffed and laughed at her protest, just as she’d intended.

She hung back a little from the group when they started walking, and it didn’t take long for Druig to fall in beside her.  He peered down at her occasionally to assure himself she was actually alright.  She bumped his hip roughly, causing him to stumble.  “I’m fine!”

“Well excuse me if ye don’t faint every day, and my heart canna take that kind of a scare,” he groused, signing along.  He bumped her back, albeit far more lightly. 

“I would say I was sorry I scared you, but you kind of deserved it for scaring me first. I was sure you were going to be caught.”

He craned his neck so he could look down into her eyes.  “So ya did do the split maneuver for me?”

“Well, the whole situation was spiraling, but mostly yes, it was to keep you out of trouble, you big dummy.”

“And that also explains what ya were saying to Thena, buying her silence eh?”

“Eavesdropping too?  Wait until they hear about that in the ‘everybody jump on Druig meeting’ we have later.” 

He grinned at her joke, and tripped her in retaliation, though he still proffered his arm for her to catch herself on. 

“Why on all this earth do ya go to so much trouble for me?”  He shook his head, barely signing, so that she really had to focus on matching his lips and the vibrations of his voice from a side view.

Makkari elbowed him, not allowing him to get too melancholy.  “I fully expect you to go to equal lengths to cover up whatever crime I commit next.”

He gave her the smile he reserved only for her, the one that stripped years of unhappiness away, and left him looking boyish and playful. 

“I can only imagine what that will entail.  Will I be forced to help ya hide one of those war elephants ya had your eye on somewhere on the Domo?”

“I like where your head is at, but let’s start looking for ideas with less feces,” she shot back.

He laughed.  “I’m not sure it’s safe to encourage your imagination with possibilities.”

“Well, since when do we play it safe?”  She smiled wickedly.

“How’d ya know I’d let ‘em go?” Druig asked her abruptly, studying her face for her reaction.

“Because I know you,” Makkari answered him plainly.  She didn’t have a list of logical arguments lined up in her head, she just knew him.  He had been her best friend for 5000 years, of course, but the surety felt eons deep. 

Druig did have a complicated relationship with humanity, but deep inside he was good.  He wasn’t good in the way that Ikarus was good: obeying all the rules, dutiful unto death.  And he wasn’t good in the way that Sersi was good: a beacon of hope and kindness.  But when push came to shove, Druig followed his heart, and he stood by his convictions no matter the cost. 

“I trust this, always,” Makkari told him seriously, pulling him to a stop and placing her hand over his heart.  She felt his breath catch as she looked meaningfully into his face.

“No one else does.”  He nearly whispered, but he didn’t sign, so he made sure he enunciated so that she could read his lips.  “Why do ya always trust me when no one else does?”

“I have to trust you.”  She locked eyes with him, and he gave her an arrested look.

“Because you have too much dirt on me,” she finally said, trying but failing to keep the smile off her face.

He snorted at her unexpected joke, and then joined her in laughter.  “Ach, my beautiful Makkari,” he slung his arm over her shoulders as they started walking again. “I should know better than to give ya an opening!”  

 

Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Summary:

Just a quick announcement that I have to take a two-week break. We have family coming into town and I won't be able to sneak away and post. I have a lot more written and waiting to be posted after the break. :)

 

208 AD - Yangtze River

 

As the Han Dynasty of China collapsed, Warlords had risen to fight for control of the divided provinces.  Cao Cao of the North, had amassed an enormous army and navy in order to bring all the people of China under his control and establish his own kingdom.  The vastly outnumbered Warlords to the South, Liu Bei and Sun Quan, had joined forces in order to resist the invasion, but they were still massive underdogs in the fight.

Yet it all turned around when the Southern fighters had sent a decoy squadron of ships to ‘defect’ to Cao Cao’s navy.  The squadron had been empty, instead filled with kindling and accelerant.  They’d set fire to the decoys and smashed into Cao Cao’s boats, which had the misfortune of being tied together to create a makeshift fort for the troops.  Tens of thousands of men and horses perished in the flames.

The Eternals were in the area due to the re-emergence of the ‘dragon’ Deviants that were taking advantage of the tumult and plaguing the land.  After successfully defeating two enormous twin Deviants, all ten Eternals stood atop the Red Cliffs and watched the destruction of Cao Cao’s fleet.

Druig had not been able to stomach the scene for very long.  On top of what he could hear, the pain and fear reverberating in his head made him physically ill.  He left before the Southern Generals brought their forces forward and drove the Northern Army into a desperate retreat. 

Makkari had come to his room that night and helped him up off the ground where he’d curled around the bathroom’s waste disposal system.  Climbing into his bed with him, she’d lain a little above him, tucking his head against her chest and running her fingers through his thick hair long into the night to soothe him.  Rambunctious by nature, Makkari was unfailingly gentle and compassionate whenever Druig was suffering.  He could never thank her or comment on it after the fact; however, as implying she had a soft side always ended with a ‘playful’ punch to his kidney.  What he did know how to do was appreciate a moment, so he sank against the woman he loved and absorbed her tenderness as he listened to the comforting sound of her heartbeat.

He woke the next morning to a blaring electronic horn summoning him to an assembly in the common room.  Druig was groggy, though he felt much better after a good night’s sleep.  Makkari was long gone of course, but in her typical thoughtfulness she’d left a bunch of grapes on the stand by his bed.  He was crazy about that woman.

After cleaning up and eating his quick breakfast, he went down to the assembly room to find only Ikarus and Sersi.

“Well thanks for joining us,” Ikarus sniped.  “We’re all going out on patrol in teams, but maybe you’d prefer to catch up on your beauty sleep.”

“Leave him alone Ikarus,” Sersi cautioned, peering into Druig’s tired face.  “He was ill last night.  Maybe he’s not up for this.”

“If I have to hear one more sob story about his feelings…” Ikarus griped.

“Fook you Ikarus,” Druig snapped. “I never said I wasn’t up fer it.  Maybe you should be more concerned as to why yer lady is keepin’ tabs on me at night.”

“You little prick!”

“Druig!” Sersi protested with a gasp.

“Sorry ya made such a lousy choice in men, but don’t come sniffin’ after me,” Druig taunted her, sneering at them both.

Ikarus reared back a fist only to stop abruptly when Makkari popped up right in front of Druig.

He lowered his arm with a great sigh.  “Sometimes you should just let him get punched in the face.”

“I play a game where I see how close I can let you get without actually hitting him before I jump in,” Makkari signed with her infectious grin.

Ikarus begrudgingly snorted out a laugh and Sersi gave Makkari a relieved smile.  Druig had been able to see her hands as well, and he felt a genuine smile tug at his own lips.  Someday he’d have to tell her to stop defending him, but today wasn’t that day.

“I wanna go with Makkari’s team,” Druig spoke up.

“You already are,” Ikarus said dryly.  “It’s a torrential downpour out there and no one else wanted to put up with your bitching.”

“We have Kingo too,” Makkari informed Druig.  “Apparently they gave the deaf woman all the complainers.”

“That’s not what he did!” Sersi protested, missing the fact that Makkari was joking.

“She knows love,” Ikarus said gently.

“Next time we’ll all point to our noses to indicate sarcasm,” Druig muttered under his breath.

Sersi heard it anyway and pouted, but Makkari dragged Druig out of the room before Ikarus could come to her defense. 

“It’s like herding cats,” Makkari commented to Druig with a shake of her head. 

“Just wait till you have to deal with both me and Kingo.”

Druig’s words proved to be prophetic.  Kingo had been annoyed they were getting a late start, despite the fact that once suited up he took extra time to find and don a hat to protect his hair.  Druig developed another headache when they’d gotten outside, so he was extremely snappish.  Both men sniped at each other viscously and then appealed to Makkari to support one side or the other.

Makkari wordlessly picked up her pace and left the men behind.   She walked a good distance in front of Kingo and Druig as they continued to bicker.  The rain was pounding down, causing the deep mud to suck down unsuspecting travelers like a bog.  It took a lot of physical exertion just to push forward.  All three Eternals were soaked through and miserable and Makkari had to keep wiping her face just to see the outline of Huarong Road in front of her.  She tried sensing vibrations for encroaching Deviants, but the pounding rain made that task difficult.

They came to a fork in the road and Makkari waited for Kingo to catch up, as he had the assigned route on a map projection Phastos had given him.

She turned back to the men and signed, “Which way?”

“Uuum,” Kingo struggled a minute to operate the little gold disc that would produce the map.  “Just a moment.  All this rain…”

But Druig walked right past them, heading toward the branch of the road by the lake.  Despite the rain and the mud, he picked up speed and raced by Makkari.

“Where the hell is he going?”  Kingo asked, finally getting the map to project above his hand.   “Ah, see?  I knew I could do it.  And the grump went the wrong way.  We’re supposed to turn here.”  He pointed down the other road.  “I vote we just leave him.”

Makkari rolled her eyes and took off after Druig.  Kingo called out in protest, but as she didn’t acknowledge him, he groaned and followed after her.

Ahead, Druig was frantically digging in the mud, becoming a hopeless mess and trying to pull something out of the ground.  Makkari dropped down by his side in a flash.  She saw immediately that he was trying to free a soldier who’d been trampled under-foot and left for dead in Cao Cao’s hasty retreat.  Makkari used her speed to dig more of the oozing mud away faster, and Druig then hauled the soldier out of the ground.  He cleared mud out of the man’s mouth, just as the soldier started sputtering at the taste of air.

“Gross,” Kingo frowned, looking at the muddy group.  “Alright, well good job.  But we’re in the wrong area.  We have to go back.”

“There’s more all down the road,” Druig rose to his feet with difficulty and started toward another misshapen lump of mud nearby.  “The retreating soldiers just passed through.  They just left these stragglers to die.”

“Druig, this isn’t Deviant business,” Kingo admonished him.  “You know we’re not supposed to interfere with this.”

“Yet we will make sure a Deviant doesn’t eat them,” Druig shot back, already digging again.  “If anyone asks, just say the Deviant was made of mud.”

“Ikarus will never accept that,” Kingo argued.  He threw his hands up when Makkari went to help Druig once more.  “Stop this!  This is a human conflict.  We are not supposed to get involved!  This is basically the biggest no-no!”

“Have some compassion!” Druig  shouted.  He yanked another buried soldier out of the ground that Makkari had dug out.  “For being the resident asshole, how is it I’m the only one who isn’t perfectly content sitting back and watching the humans die?!”

Makkari hit him in the shoulder.

“Not you either,” he told her, his expression momentarily softening.

“Well, I don’t particularly like having my ass chewed off by Ikarus and Ajak,” Kingo said primly, putting his hand on his hips.  “I’m going to the route we’re supposed to take!”

Makkari stood up so that Kingo could see her hands.  “Thanks for giving us all the credit on this one.”

“What do you mean?” Kingo frowned suspiciously.

“Being miraculously pulled out of the mud by mysterious guardians is the kind of thing humans tell anybody who will listen. And when these humans pass this tale of heroes down for generations, it will be about me and Druig saving them.  When you’re in hero stories, you tend to over-shadow everybody.”

“A hero story about Druig!?” Kingo roared.  “That should never even exist!  He doesn’t belong in a hero story!  He belongs in a… a… a cautionary tale!  Or a horror story parents use to get kids to eat vegetables!  Now Kingo, on the other hand?  That is a worthy hero.”

“So, you’ll help us save them then?” Makkari raised an eyebrow.  “I guess that means the stories they tell their descendants will star you after all.”  She feigned a disappointed look.

“You’re damn right they will,” Kingo declared, marching over to the next mound of mud.

Druig looked up at Makkari with admiration and amusement.  She waggled her eyebrows at him.  He gave her a fully dimpled smile as she helped him up to his feet.  They left the sputtering soldier wiping mud off his face and went to rescue another.  

 

 

532 AD – Constantinople

 

Over the years, monotheism had led to a much dimmer view of magic and monsters.  In many places, the Eternals had to hide their activity and their abilities from the humans in order to avoid being labeled as evil.  Constantinople was one such place, as Rome had converted to Christianity a few hundred years ago.  As a result, the Fighters took the Domo forward of the city, dispatching the Deviants at a distance.  The Thinkers had a sizable villa in the city to continue to work alongside the people and subtly influence their progress.  Two Fighters would rotate into the villa for a break, leaving three Fighters in the field at all times. 

It had been a rough few weeks of Deviant attacks, requiring all Fighters to remain with the Domo.  It had been equally rough in the city.  Riots had broken out after a chariot race, largely due to unhappiness with Emperor Justinian.  The riots had burned throughout Constantinople for five days.  After failing to suppress or appease the rioters earlier, the emperor was once again at the Hippodrome, trying to negotiate peace.

“The tracker shows he’s over here,” Phastos told Ajak over his shoulder.  Although the Thinkers wore human clothes these days, they all kept a small tracking bracelet on for safety.  Phastos was reading a glowing map above his hand, leading Ajak through the smoky streets of a wealthy neighborhood.  They came upon the heart of the mob packed around the broken doors of a villa… only the mob no longer shouted and raged.  All of the people stood absolutely still, their eyes golden.  The only sound was the dull roar of flames, as those with torches held them harmlessly aloft. Walking through the eerily silent crowd, they found Druig near the doorway, helping a finely dressed older woman to her feet. 

“Druig!” Ajak barked.  “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Hunching his shoulders slightly, Druig turned around to face his leader.  The older woman, also enthralled, remained standing still behind him.

“Sold me out, eh Phastos?” Druig sniped at the technopath.

“I didn’t sell you out.  She wanted help tracking you down, and I helped her.  Ajak is the Prime Eternal, Druig.”

“A concept you blatantly ignore on a regular basis these days,” Ajak blasted Druig.  “How dare you take over these humans on such a massive scale?  I have forbidden you from grabbing so many minds at once.  And you know that our directive is not to interfere!”

“Funny, I thought our directive was to help the humans advance.  How’re they supposed to advance if they’re all dead?  That’s what this is leadin’ to Ajak, thousands of deaths!”

“You can’t know that Druig,” Ajak frowned.  “None of us can predict the future.”

“I can HEAR them!” Druig thundered, marching a few steps closer.  “I know their thoughts and their plans!  Believin’ this will end in anythin’ but bloody conflict is being willfully naive.” 

“Justinian is in the Hippodrome right now calling for peace,” Phastos told him.

“Do ya know why they’re here Phastos?” Druig replied in lilting tones, belying his outrage.  “This mob has come to take possession of this old fella.”  He pointed to a disheveled older gentleman locked in the middle of a ring of burly men.  “They plan to make Senator Hypatius here the new Emperor, very much against his will.  Knocked down his wife quite roughly in the process,” Druig gestured to the woman behind him.  “Tell me what Justinian will do in response to that Phastos.”

“All the same Druig,” Ajak shook her head, interrupting before Phastos could engage.  “The humans must be allowed to make their own mistakes.  It is the only way they’ll learn.”

“Only they don’t learn!  Year after year after year, it’s the same!  More carnage, more death.  The humans never change!”   

“Arishem has made his wishes very clear.  We are not to get involved in their conflicts.”

“And yet here I stand, with the power to avoid all this bloodshed with the effort of a THOUGHT, and I’m supposed to stand back and do nothing,” Druig scowled.  “Maybe it’s time we question this all-knowing leader of ours.”

“Don’t you dare slander Arishem,” Ajak bristled. 

“Or what?” Druig challenged, staring sullenly at Ajak.

“Druig, stop man,” Phastos said nervously, glancing between the two combatants.

“Let them go and return to the villa,” Ajak’s voice was low and furious. 

“If I let them carry this out, mark my words Ajak, thousands will die.”

“I gave you an order,” Ajak said between clenched teeth.

Druig stared at her for a long moment, leaving both Phastos and Ajak wondering if he would refuse to obey.  But finally, Druig raised his hand, and the mob went into action.  The rioters shoved the older woman back to the ground as they abducted her husband and carried him off to crown him.  Shouting and destroying property as they surged back to the Hippodrome, the mob flowed around the three Eternals, like a stream parted around tall rock.  It was a small act of defiance on Druig’s part, showing he was still partially in control.  Ajak had to allow this insubordination or risk being trampled.  

Clasping his hands tightly in front of him, Druig strolled off in the direction of the Eternals’ villa as the last of the rioters moved on.  Phastos and Ajak exchanged a wary look and trailed behind him.  The injured woman’s loud sobbing dogged their steps.

 

Crowning Hypatius ended up costing 30,000 people their lives.  The slaughter was mainly contained in the Hippodrome itself, the scene of the false coronation.  Druig, despite his mental barriers, still felt the pulses of death and despair keenly.  He kept himself to his room and suffered in silence.  He didn’t come out for two days.

Finally, Ajak barged into his room with a plate of food and insisted he eat something.  She set the plate down on his bedside table with a clatter.  “I’ve had enough of this martyr act Druig.” 

“I’m no martyr,” Druig glared at the Prime from where he meditated on the floor.  Without the protection of the Domo to shield his mind from human thoughts, he had to concentrate fully on keeping up his mental barriers.  “Martyrs die for their causes.  I’m made to sit here and witness the results of my inaction.”

“You can’t fix the human’s problems for them Druig.”

“Tell me Ajak, is it morally right that tens of thousands of people should die to satisfy the avarice and ambition of a few men?”

“Druig-”

“Is it morally right to stand by and do nothing to help when I could save tens of thousands of lives with a unique power that only I have?”

“This isn’t about morals.”

“Why the fook isn’t it?!?”  Swiftly Druig rose to his feet and stalked closer to her.  He eyed her speculatively.  “Are ya stopping me ‘cause yer lustin’ after that Queen Theodora?” he asked, referencing the emperor’s wife.  Being privy to the other’s emotions often gave him excellent ammunition to provoke them with.  “Maybe sittin’ on our hands is what’s in her best interest, huh?  To have her husband squash the rebellion and wipe out his enemies.  Maybe that’s the real reason ya made me back off.”

“It is not!” Ajak heaved out on an angry breath.  “How dare you speak to me this way?  I am your Prime Eternal!  And I would never influence human affairs for such petty reasons!”  He opened his mouth, but she cut him off.  “And I will not tolerate you making such an insinuation ever again Druig.  You forget your place.  That is the real problem.  You are not a god to answer the humans’ prayers.  You are an Eternal, and you are subject to me.” 

Shaking with barely suppressed rage Druig stared hard at the floor.

It was at that moment Makkari zipped into the room behind Ajak.

“Sorry to intrude,” she signed contritely once Ajak turned to her.  “But Ikarus needs to talk to you Ajak.”

“I’m busy at the moment,” Ajak replied.  “You can tell him I will hear his debriefing later.”  She knew that the Fighters had finally had a lull in the action and were able to rotate two in for an overnight break.  She assumed Ikarus wanted to knock the debriefing out of the way in order to spend the rest of his time with his wife.

“He said it was very urgent,” Makkari insisted.

“You’re sure he said it was urgent?”  At Makkari’s nod, Ajak sighed noisily and signed, “Fine.” She turned back to Druig, who was still staring at the floor.  “We’ll pick this up later.”

Druig said nothing as she left.

Makkari walked all the way into the room and placed her hand against Druig’s cheek.  She lifted his face so that he was looking at her.  Druig nuzzled her hand and gave her the barest smile.

Pulling back Makkari asked, “Are you alright?”

“Better now that yer back,” he responded.

“Okay, good.  We have to go.”

“What?  Why?”

“Because the only urgent thing Ikarus is doing is having sex with Sersi,” Makkari told him with a twinkle in her eye.  “I don’t want to be here when he finds out why he was interrupted.”

Druig chuckled as Makkari zoomed him out of the villa and far away from Constantinople.

 

Makkari came to a stop on a beautiful tropical island that was nestled amongst a chain of islands, mostly uninhabited by man.  She’d been here several times due to the amazing scenery, and she’d been looking for a chance to take Druig.  He was not a big beach person with his fair skin, and she generally took him to view some of the less sunny wonders of the world.  Today, however, seemed like a perfect time to show off this mostly isolated paradise.

Druig walked around the sharp cliffs in amazement as the waves hurled themselves forcefully against the rocks.  He followed her inland and seemed to relax in the lush rain forest as they hiked along a stream to a special spot Makkari had found long ago.

“There’re no humans here,” he commented when they stopped.

“The explorers come here sometimes,” Makkari informed him.  “They have the wide boats with the painted sails.  They travel all over the ocean.” She smiled fondly at the thought of people she occasionally ran into on the islands, camping and fishing.  They never stayed long.  They were always off to the next adventure.  “I admire them; they’re fearless.”

“Ah kindred spirits for ya, eh?” Druig teased her.  His whole demeanor had lightened up considerably.  “Is that water I hear thunderin’?”

“Yes!” Makkari took his hand and led him to the ledge, showing him where the water dropped off into a waterfall.  They were perched high above a sparkling pool.  The water was so clear that rocks were plainly visible along the outer edges. 

“This place truly is a wonder,” Druig whistled, taking in the magnificent scenery. 

“Dare you to jump,” Makkari gave him a challenging smile.

“Are you crazy?”  He drew his head back.  “I’m Druig.  I don’t jump off cliffs.”

“It’s fun!  I’ve done it before.  You’ll love it!”

“I love admiring it from right here thanks very much.”

“Come on, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“Smashin’ m’self to death on the rocks down there,” Druig answered easily.

“I’ll bet you, you won’t die,” Makkari signed with a broad grin.

“Ya think that’ll work, do ya?”

“Any stakes you want.”

“Fine.  If I win…” Druig paused and gave her a very solemn look.  “We run off together and leave the Eternals for good.”

Makkari cocked her head.  “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

He nodded.

“Deal,” Makkari promptly replied.  “And if I win, we spend the rest of the day on the island.”

They shook on it, and with his hand tightly clasped in hers, Makkari pulled them both over the edge of the cliff.

Druig would never admit it, but he squealed all the way down.

The pool was deceptively deep, and they both landed safely with a large splash.

Very much against his will, Druig broke the surface laughing.  It had been a rush!

Makkari gave him a happy smile and swam over to the shore.  She pulled off her sodden tunic and leggings, as she usually adopted the soldiers’ clothing style with each new civilization.  She only wore women’s dresses on occasions she needed to blend in, since they restricted her legs.  Druig also swam to shore and shed his heavy long-sleeved robe.  Once free of their restrictive outer garments, Druig immediately tackled Makkari back into the water.  She was too busy laughing to dodge out of the way.

They played in the pool until they were tired.  Climbing back out of the water, Makkari took hold of the shoes and clothing and conducted a few cross-continent sprints to air dry them.  Upon her return, the pair dressed and hiked out to the ocean again.  She left Druig once more to grab a basket of his favorite Greek food, and the two then enjoyed a picnic.

With a full belly and a lighter heart, Druig put his head in Makkari’s lap and watched the sunset cast amazing colors over the ocean.  They stayed that way for a long time, in quiet awe.  Eventually Druig rolled over on his back to talk with her.   “I have to admit, that dive was fun.”

“Yeah, I’m glad that worked out.  I never actually jumped from there before.”

Druig sat up.  “What?!?  You said… we just… took a chance?!  Why’d ya agree to me bet then?”

“If you won, you’d be dead, and I wouldn’t have to go anyway,” Makkari kidded him.

He shoved her shoulder.   “Some best friend you are!”

“Yeah, I really am great,” Makkari grinned broadly.

Laughing, Druig bumped into her shoulder and just stayed there.  Finally, he said, “I really do wanna leave ya know.”

“I know,” she nodded.

“Yer not surprised?”

“I figured this was coming sooner or later.”

“Would ya come with me if I asked?”

“I can’t leave the others to fight the Deviants without me.  I’d never forgive myself if something happened to them.”

“Yeah… that’s what I thought.”

“But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t come visit you a lot.”

“Really?  Even if Ajak forbids it?”

“So, I break one more rule?”

Druig snickered.

“But do you think you could wait, just a little longer?” Makkari turned her head and looked at him hopefully.  “Phastos says we’ve almost taken out all the Deviants.”

“You want me to wait so you can come with me?”

“I want you to wait because I think we’ll finally get to go home then.”

“Ugh, Makkari, I don’t even know if I believe that anymore.”

“What if we do though?  And what if Arishem leaves you here as a punishment?” Makkari frowned and shook her head.  “That’s the only thing I ever worry about.  I can’t lose you.”

Druig was deeply pleased.  It was times like these that he nearly caved in and confessed his feelings for her.  He could almost convince himself that she loved him too. 

Ultimately, he chickened out.  Makkari was the only thread of sanity left in his world, and he couldn’t afford to take any chances with her.  “I’ll try, for you m’lass.  But I can’t make any promises.”

“Trying is enough,” she replied sweetly, and laid her head on his shoulder.

 

Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Summary:

Sorry for the long delay!

 

1096 – Speyer

 

Less than a year after Pope Urban rallied Europe into a crusade to take back the Holy Land, a collection of bands of the lower classes had amassed to wage their own movement.  These groups, comprised of everyone from peasants to knights, to clerics, did not wait to attack non-Christians in Muslim lands.  They started campaigns of terror against Jewish communities in Prague, France and Rhineland, the latter being the latest residence of the Eternals.

The Jewish citizens of Speyer had been warned of the encroaching violence in letters from neighboring cities.  The anti-Semitic fervor had even been building among some of their Christian neighbors.  Although the city’s bishop and other high-ranking clergymen had been preaching against such practices, it was very clear which way the wind was blowing.

Ajak was taking no chances for entanglement in the upcoming religious war.  She was pulling the Eternals out of the city and plotting a move to the southern tip of Africa.  Her team was starting to show cracks of stress and fatigue, and they needed a little space from the warring humans.  The Deviants had been cleared out and they had plans to leave shortly.  Everyone was camped out in a sprawling manor house nestled amongst the trees, waiting for Phastos to wrap up consulting work on an architecture project. 

It was the arrival of Count Emicho and his army at Speyer that drew Druig and Makkari out of the house to investigate.  Druig could feel the fanaticism pouring off the ramshackle army.  Many were forced to make camp outside the city, as the government and church leadership were leery of the milling mob.  They were right to be wary. Emicho and his followers had determined their own goals for the crusade, and that included the death or forced conversion of the city’s Jewish population.  The mob was also empowering like-minded citizens of Speyer to harass their Jewish neighbors.

“I could just turn them all around, make them march right back to their homes,” Druig mused as he and Makkari viewed the encampment from a forested spot down river.  “It would be so easy.”

“Think smaller,” Makkari advised.  “If Ajak sees you marching a whole army around she’s bound to notice.  She’ll just make you let them go.”

“Maybe I won’t,” Druig shrugged.  “Maybe this is the time I put me foot down and refuse to watch one more slaughter.”

“Maybe it is,” Makkari nodded.  “Or maybe you do something sneaky, so she doesn’t catch you, and you can save a lot of lives that way.”

He gave her a sardonic little smile.  “Have I fallen so far?  Yer now the voice of reason between the two of us?”

“Yuck,” Makkari made a face.  “Now I’m boring.”

Druig chuckled and nudged against her side with his body.  “Alright so what’s small, my beautiful Makkari?”

“I haven’t thought of it just yet.”  Makkari was watching a poorly dressed priest giving a speech to the camped crowd.  Citizens of Speyer had joined the impromptu lecture as well.  “What is he talking about?”

“Ridding the earth of non-believers so they can end the world,” Druig relayed and sighed.  “I wonder sometimes why we work so hard to save ‘em.”

“Come on, I thought nihilism was right up your alley,” she kidded him.

“Turns out it is as annoyin’ to listen to as everybody says,” Druig shot back.  Makkari grinned. 

He watched the preacher for another minute and then muttered, “I can make him shut up at least.”  His eyes turned gold and the priest abruptly stopped speaking.

They watched as the humans closest to the priest noticed his gold eyes.  Cries went up through the crowd and many of the people around him fell to their knees, lifting their arms to the sky.

Makkari looked over at Druig in question, as she couldn’t hear (or understand) what was happening.

“Aw shit, they think he’s havin’ a religious experience,” Druig grumbled as he signed.  He quickly released the man, who blinked at the scene around him and then seemed to accept it and continue his sermon.

The word religious gave Makkari an idea, and her eyes swept up to the edge of town.  The Bishop and the Captain of his Guard were also watching the mob and conferring urgently.

“The Bishop!” Makkari turned and slapped Druig’s arm.  “There’s your small thing!”

He furrowed his brow at her for a moment at the abrupt subject change, but he caught on quickly as she pointed to the distant figure.  “Influence him?”

“He has a whole guard and a castle.”

Druig was nodding, a pleased look on his face.  “Which he can use to hide all the Jews if they come under attack.”

“You can just ‘nudge’ him to make sure he won’t cave in or chicken out,” Makkari added.  “Ajak would never guess in a million years.”

“Brilliant,” Druig announced, and then elbowed her.  “See, I don’t only keep ya around fer that pretty face a yers.”

“That’s funny.  I keep you around for an alibi.”  

 

The pair returned to the manor that afternoon in considerably better spirits.  Druig had successfully gained an audience with the Bishop and his guard, implanting an urgency to protect the Jewish citizens from the crusaders.  Makkari had split off and delivered a note to a Jewish merchant she’d befriended, alerting him of a plan for an attack Druig had mentally overheard as they passed through the city gates.  Although it wasn’t as foolproof as taking control of the mob, Druig still felt a sense of peace that he’d finally been able to do something.   

As they entered the yard, Druig’s good mood was shattered by a scowling Ajak storming outside to meet them.  They followed her around the side of the house, where she clearly planned to yell at them with more privacy.  Druig could always tell a furious lecture was coming when her eyebrows were pinched together.  He probably saw that expression more than any other.

“Where have you two been?” Ajak demanded when she finally came to a stop.  They were near the wood line, and there was no entry door at this side, leading to a less likely chance of interruption.

“Out visiting the market,” Druig rolled his eyes.  “We’re leavin’ soon, didn’t ya say?  We were sayin’ goodbye to some friends.”

“You’ve been gone all day.  Do you really expect me to believe that?” Ajak narrowed her eyes.  “Why do I think it’s more likely you were meddling with the mob outside the gates?”

“We didn’t meddle there Ajak,” Makkari answered.     

“Yeah, go ahead an’ check.  They’re all still out there and as blood-thirsty as ever,” Druig put in dryly.

“Why didn’t you just stay in the house?!” Ajak said with exasperation.  “You are only putting yourselves in the way of trouble!”

“Pretending it doesn’t exist doesn’t make the mob disappear, Ajak,” Druig bit out. 

“It shouldn’t matter to you one way or the other Druig because we are not here to fix human problems,” Ajak reminded him.

“No we’re just here to watch ‘em die in new and horrible ways,” Druig replied heatedly.

Makkari put a hand on his arm to soothe him, and he looked down at her hand and then into her face with a weary sigh.  Without saying a word, she reminded him that this argument wasn’t worth having.

“Sorry if we worried you Ajak,” Makkari took over.  “We’ll stay here until we’re ready to leave if that makes you feel better.”

“What did you already do?” Ajak looked between them both suspiciously.

His beautiful lass was unflappable.  “We did go out and look at the mob.  But like Druig said, you can check.  We left every single one of them in peace.  Later, I warned some of the merchants I was friends with to be careful.  But I don’t think that’s really interfering.  They know trouble is coming.”

“That’s still not your place Makkari,” Ajak shook her head.  “I know you two care; but we have to be very careful about influencing human events.”

“Fer fook’s sake Ajak!” Druig exploded.  “Why do we even live among them, huh?  Ya were a lot less picky when they made fables about Gilgamesh or statues of Thena.  Are ya just tryin’ to make sure the humans kill each other as often as possible?”

“Idolizing us as mythical beings doesn’t change where the humans go in the world or how they relate to each other,” Ajak started to explain.

But Druig cut her off.  “Oh what a surprise, another fookin’ double standard.”

“It is not a double standard!  I have told you from the first day not to interfere!”

Druig approached her, clasping his hands tightly in front of him.  “Connect with me like ya did when ya were training me.  Just listen to the poisonous thoughts ‘a these humans and then tell me ya honestly wouldn’t feel compelled to do something.”

“I will not,” Ajak reared back a little.

“Cuz yer a fookin’ coward!” Druig raised his clenched fists in front of him to emphasize his point.  A second later, he was blasted by two gold beams and sent flying backward through the air.  Makkari caught him before he hit the ground.

She looked down at him frantically, assessing the damage.  Ikarus hadn’t intended to kill him obviously, as the wound went straight through his shoulder.  It still hurt like hell.  He clutched his bloody shoulder, wincing.  He’d never seen the look that came over Makkari’s face before.  Her eyes went coldly furious as she set him down gently and rose to her feet.

Ikarus landed protectively before Ajak, having witnessed the conversation from an upstairs window.  “How dare you threaten our Prime, Dru-oof!”

In the time it took Ikarus to speak, Makkari had sprinted off to create a runway and come charging back to blast him from the side with a sonic boom.  He went flying through the trees in the woods behind the house.  Makkari didn’t chase after him, but instead planted herself in front of Druig.  Her stance was wide and her hands were balled into fists.  Her entire body was unnaturally rigid as she waited for the first vibration of Ikarus’ return.

“Makkari, dear, please calm down,” Ajak implored and signed, walking toward her tentatively.

Druig sat on the ground, shocked.  In all their time on Earth, Makkari was easily the most laid back member of the Eternals.  She never got angry, never got truly annoyed, and had never gotten into any kind of fight with any of her teammates.  More often than not, she acted as a peacemaker.  That Makkari was nowhere to be seen.  In her place, a scowling warrior stood, body tuned for a fight and eyes scanning restlessly for her target.

Suddenly her body tensed, and she squatted just slightly, a stance both Druig and Ajak recognized as poised to attack.

“Hold on Makkari,” Ikarus called, walking out of the tree line.  He was scratched and there were bits of branches stuck to him in various places.  He was approaching with his hands up, but his eyes sparked dangerously.  “I don’t want to have to fight you.”

That spurred Druig up to his feet with a grunt.  He would not let his lass fight Ikarus for his sake.  He threw himself in front of her just as she was changing her balance to the balls of her feet.  He’d barely stopped her in time. 

Makkari blinked at him, startled for just a moment out of her concentration.  Druig used that split second to his advantage.

“Look at me,” he signed emphatically.  He pointed two fingers at his eyes and then one at his chest.  He had to do this three times before she finally shifted her incensed gaze from Ikarus.  Her anger faded slowly as she focused on Druig.  “Calm down please.”  He continued to sign this to her repeatedly as well, craning his neck down so that his eyes stared deeply into hers.  When he finally had her full attention, he touched his forehead to hers.  He stood there patiently, breathing slowly, and rubbing his hands up and down her forearms.

Finally she relaxed her stance and stood normally before him.  When he pulled back, her expression was unreadable, but no longer murderous.

“Okay Makkari,” Ajak approached and touched her arm lightly.  “Okay.”

Makkari acknowledged her with a look, but didn’t respond in any way.

Ikarus kept his distance, remaining where he’d emerged from the woods.

“Let me heal this,” Ajak reached for the injury on Druig’s shoulder.

“No, don’t-” Druig started to say, as it was a habit to refuse Ajak’s help.  But Makkari shot him a warning glare, and Druig nodded quickly. “I mean, go ahead.”

As she finished, Ajak advised them softly, “We’re leaving here tonight.  Make sure you’re packed, we’ll be heading out to the Domo as soon as I can recall Phastos.”

Druig looked down at Makkari who was still blank-faced.  He was desperate to know what she was thinking, but as usual, her emotions were locked down tightly.  To his great relief, she took his hand and led the way back to the house.

 

“What the hell was that?” Ikarus asked once Druig and Makkari were gone.  “Makkari has never acted like that before!”

“You shouldn’t have shot Druig,” Ajak admonished absently, looking at the ground as Ikarus returned to her side. 

“It looked like he was going to attack you!”

“Violence would never even occur to him,” Ajak frowned.  “He is always emotional, but he would never harm any of us.”

“I fight with him all the time.  Believe me, if he stood a chance, he’d harm me.”

“Do not make jokes,” Ajak crossed her arms over chest, more out of worry than anger.  “Go and find Phastos and bring him back.  We need to leave this place before the team deteriorates any further.”

“I think he’s a bad influence on her,” Ikarus grumbled.  “Makkari has been my easiest charge for thousands of years.  I can’t believe she did that!”

“You’ve never blasted any of your teammates with your lasers before,” Ajak pointed out.

“I thought-”

“You thought wrong.”  She gave him a stern look, but softened and said, “We all need a break from the plague and the wars and the people here.  We are headed out to hunt down that pack of Deviants at the southernmost point of Africa.  Hopefully, living as Eternals again, without hiding, will be the respite everyone so desperately needs.”

“I don’t have to apologize to Druig do I?”

“If you want to make amends with Makkari, you’ll probably have to,” Ajak answered wryly.  She watched Ikarus stop himself from rolling his eyes using unmatched self-control.  He nodded to her respectfully then took off to find Phastos.  

Ajak fretted as she made her way back to the house.  On previous missions, stress had brought on Mahd Wh’ry amongst the team.  It was a sickness that caused the Eternal to lose all sense of reality and jumble multiple past lives into the present.  Some became violent, others catatonic.  The only recourse was a complete memory wipe, and it often had an extremely negative impact on the rest of the team.  Druig had gone down with Mahd Wh’ry three out of the last ten missions.  She came down on him so hard because she knew his sensitivity to the illness.  Not that she could ever explain any of that to him; the success of the mission depended on the Eternals being kept in the dark about many things.  After the events of this afternoon, she would have to watch all of them more closely.

 

Makkari led the way to her room and Druig shut the door behind them.  She didn’t want to answer the questions she knew he’d have.  Her emotions were raw, and now that the rage had receded, she felt a bit shaky.

He let her have a few moments to collect herself, and sat down on her bed while she paced in front of him.  “That was new,” he finally said gently, pulling her down to sit next to him.  “Were ya getting’ me back for callin’ ya the voice of reason earlier?”  

She snorted.  “No, but it’s your fault for making fighting with Ikarus look like so much fun.”

Druig chuckled and reached over to grasp her knee.  “Ya nearly gave me a heart attack, m’lass.” 

“I’m sorry.  I know you’re tired of violence,” Makkari wrinkled her nose.  In the last few centuries, the strain of living with so much death and destruction was very clearly taking a huge toll on him.  She felt guilty for her lack of self-control.  But the truth was, the moment those laser beams burned his skin, all rational thought went out the window.

“Violence against Ikarus will never bother me,” he confided with a glimmer in his pretty blue eyes.   “If anythin’ happened to you though…”

 “I might not beat him, but he’d know he was in a fight.”

“Over me?”  There was a funny expression on his face, confused and almost hopeful all at once.

“I probably would have lost it no matter which of the Eternals Ikarus blasted,” she replied.  Immediately, that felt like a lie.  She did love the others, but Druig was so much more important to her than any of them.

“Right o’ course,” Druig nodded curtly.  She didn’t miss the disappointment that flashed very briefly across his face.  “That was new too, wasn’t it?  Usually he just manhandles me around when his tiny brain runs outta words.”

Makkari snickered.  “I hope he doesn’t expect me to apologize.”

“Not if it means he’ll have to apologize to me.”

They shared a knowing grin.

“But,” he went on, “I want ya to promise me ye’ll never fight him again on my behalf, darlin’.”

“Are you going to stop goading him into hitting you?”

“I don’t know what yer talkin’ about!” Druig raised his eyebrows innocently, but he was clearly prevaricating.

“I always assumed you wanted to prove to everyone else that Ikarus isn’t as perfect as he pretends to be, so you constantly try to make him lose his temper.  And usually succeed.”

Druig stared at her in surprise for the second time that day.  “That’s it in a nutshell, yah.”

“Then you have to ease back on the Ikarus baiting.”

“I have to stop all me smart ass comments?”

“Of course not, I love those.  Just the ones that are guaranteed to get you punched in the face.”

“Okay deal,” he agreed grudgingly.

“And I promise not to fight Ikarus on your behalf again… unless he really deserves it.”

 

 

Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Summary:

Tenochtitlan

 

 

1521 AD - Tenochtitlan

 

It was by far the worst place Druig had ever endured.  The Spanish and Aztec had been embroiled in war for the last decade.  The fighting was endless.  The atrocities committed on both sides were truly shocking. 

At first, the Aztec had routed the conquistadors.  They’d endured a hasty capture of their city and a lackluster defense by Montezuma.  But the warriors had eventually employed their unique tactics and familiarity with the city’s waterways to push out Cortez and his soldiers in a crushing defeat. 

Cortez had not gone away.  Instead, he’d adapted his fighting style and made allies with the Aztec’s resentful neighbors.  Hostilities had persisted for ten years.  Every few weeks, sometimes daily, a new battle was fought.  Spanish weapons were able to cause catastrophic damage.  The Aztecs, some of the fiercest warriors the Eternals had ever beheld, continued their resistance despite, at this point, having been largely cut off from supplies for more than a year.  The people were weakened by the lack of food and clean water.  Their numbers were decimated by smallpox and a decade of combat.  Yet still they fought.  And when they took prisoners they sacrificed them to their gods, cutting out their hearts and eating their flesh.

Druig felt nothing but the pulse of pain and despair.   The death and destruction were like heavy weights, crushing his soul day and night.  The once vibrant city was a labyrinth of misery.  Death stalked every gaunt Aztec, disease claimed members of every class.  Citizens sacrificed everything in a vain attempt to appease indifferent gods.   Druig observed every desperate prayer, cursed with the knowledge that he could easily intercede with the effort of a thought.  He felt as if he was slowly going insane. 

According to Phastos, the Eternals had almost cleaned out the remaining Deviants.  The remnants were in the jungle, feasting on the carnage, and claiming unwitting people every day.  Yet the monsters were cagey, hiding from the Eternals, resisting eradication to the bitter end.  Druig had pulled in on himself; his only solace was sleeping against Makkari every night.  She treated him very gently all the time now, and no longer tried to jostle him out of his bad moods.  He knew that, in truth, she was just as horrified by their surroundings as he was. She willed him to stay strong to make it to the end, and she signed that to him often as he struggled.  She clung to the unwavering belief that they’d be recalled when the last Deviant was destroyed.  It was a forlorn hope that kept them both going.

 

It all came to a head on the same day.  Phastos alerted the Fighters that the Deviants had seemed to have amassed for a last stand.  After the Fighters left the city, Cortez and his army assaulted Tenochtitlan in a final drive.

The Thinkers abandoned the ship and waited on the ground for the end of the Eternals’ climactic battle.  This gave them a front row seat to the absolute bloodbath of the human war.  Makkari and Thena finished first, joining the Thinkers as Phastos announced that their mission was nearly complete.  The only thing Druig could hear was the loud rapport of the guns and the screams of the dead and wounded.  If they were almost done than what did it matter if he stopped the killing?

Just as his eyes took on a gold glow, Ajak stepped up behind him.  “Don’t.  We don’t interfere in their wars.”

“This isn’t war, its genocide,” Druig said from between clenched teeth, turning to face the group.  “Their weapons have become too deadly.  Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea helpin’ them advance Phastos.”

“Technology is a part of their evolutionary process Druig,” he answered smartly.  “It’s not exactly something that I can stop.” 

Makkari glanced up to read Phastos’ words as she approached Druig, sensing he needed her as she always seemed to.

“No ya can’t but I can!” Druig practically hollered at Phastos, sick to his stomach at the ‘hands off’ refrain.  But then his lass was in front of him, signing for him to stay strong and gazing deeply into his eyes.  He dropped his head in acquiescence.

“We’re almost done,” she told him.  “Please best friend, just hold on a little bit longer.”

“Ya really think we’ll get to leave?” He signed back, his expression bitter.  “You think Arishem gives a shit about us at all?”

Before Makkari could answer, she turned her head swiftly at some vibration she’d picked up.  He followed her gaze to see Thena attacking Sersi.  In the blink of an eye Makkari was gone, zipping Sersi out of the way of a follow-up blow.  Thena turned her attack to the rest of them, stabbing Phastos in the shoulder.  Both Druig and Ajak dropped to his side to help him, all their heated words meaningless.  Thena reared back for another deadly swing of her blade, but there was a familiar whoosh, and a streak of gold shot her away.  Druig’s eyes followed the streak of light until it came to an abrupt stop, and two bodies went rolling through the trees. 

He made a panicked noise in his throat and started to rise, but Ajak pulled him down roughly by the arm.  “Hold pressure on Phastos’ wound!”

“Makkari’s hurt!” Druig protested, his eyes wild.

“I’m going to her; you’ll only put yourself in danger if you go.  Stay here with Phastos.”  Ajak pressed his hands to Phastos’ shoulder.  “Put pressure there.”

“Ajak!” Druig’s voice broke.

“I’ll help her,” Ajak assured him, but she was already running toward the spot where the women had gone down.

“Don’t worry about Ajak,” Phastos tried to comfort him, misunderstanding Druig’s concern. 

They sat in fraught silence as Ajak tried unsuccessfully to corral Thena.  It took Gilgamesh’s timely return to knock her out.  Ikarus and Kingo arrived a few moments later and Kingo got to sit with Makkari as she recovered.  By the time Ajak relieved him, Druig was furious with her again.  He got up the moment she came back and went straight to his lass.  He was further annoyed as he overheard Ajak tell Phastos she’d heal him once they got Thena somewhere safe.

Druig barely had a chance to hug Makkari as the Eternals started gathering around Ajak, demanding to know what had happened.  Makkari didn’t pull out of his embrace though; she merely turned her head against his chest and watched the debate about where to take Thena.  Gilgamesh stood by Ajak; his face resolute but sad as he cradled his unconscious love.

“What’s wrong with Thena?” Ikarus pressed, also carrying Sersi in his arms, although she was only injured in the shoulder.

“Not here.  Let’s take Thena up to the temple,” Ajak gestured toward the towering structure.  She lifted her skirt and started back toward the city.

“The sacrifice temple?” Kingo pulled a face.

“It’s empty now,” Ajak replied.  “Come along.  We have much to discuss.”

The Eternals turned and followed her, because they always did.  Druig reluctantly let go of Makkari so that they could join the procession. 

On the walk he stuck strictly to signing.  “Are you alright?”

“Yes.  What do you think will happen to Thena?”  He knew Makkari was more worried about her friend than her own injuries.

“I don’t know.  I don’t think Ajak knows either.  I don’t think Ajak knows much of anything,” Druig scowled.  “Whatever happens next…I’m at my limit.  I can’t listen to her anymore.”

Makkari didn’t try to argue with him.  Instead, she slipped her hand into his, giving him her unwavering support, just as she always did. 

Inside the temple, Druig posted up on a pillar by the door.  Makkari had immediately gone to check on Thena, laid out on one of the offering tables like a shining sacrifice.

The diagnosis was Mahd Wy'ry.  The Eternals were confused and crestfallen, especially poor Gilgamesh.  Worse came when Thena awoke, and Ajak announced the only cure was to erase all her memories of her time on Earth.

So much for going home, Druig thought angrily.  It was just as he’d suspected all along.  All of their years on Earth, all of their blood, sweat and tears… it meant nothing to their overlord.  Arishem was a cruel task master that didn’t give a shit about them in the first place.  And instead of helping Thena, Ajak was encouraging her to wipe her memories.

“…your spirit will remain.  You will always be Thena deep inside, trust me.”

“Why should she trust you?” Druig spoke up, his voice quiet and dangerous, as he moved forward to confront Ajak, ‘Yer askin’ her to let you erase who she is.”

“Druig,” Ajak turned to him, “I know you’re upset-”

“Upset!?”  He practically screamed the word at her.  “We’ve trusted you fer 7000 years and look where ye’ve gotten us.  I’ve watched humans destroy each other, when I could stop it all in a heartbeat.”  A tear rolled down his cheek, but he refused to be embarrassed.  “Do ye know what that does to someone after centuries?  Could our mission have been a mistake?  Are we really helpin’ these people build a better world huh?” 

Druig glanced briefly around at the group.  His eyes paused just a second on Makkari, standing absolutely still across from him.  In that one moment he sought her acceptance for what they both knew was to come.  No matter what happened next, she couldn’t interfere on his behalf.  She responded by nodding her chin almost imperceptibly, her expression resigned.  That was it then, the last tie holding him to the Eternals.  With her assent, he could finally walk away from the group for good or die trying. 

He glared at Ajak again, and then turned his back to view the fighting at the foot of the temple.  Fires raged and cries of pain rent the air as the two factions battled.  “We’re just like the soldiers down there.  Pawns to their leaders.  Blinded by loyalty.  It ends now.”

He sent his power down over the entire city.  Every soldier and warrior below dropped their weapons, spinning toward the temple with golden eyes, awaiting his next command.  The silence in his head was a moment of bliss.

Suddenly he was jerked back by the shoulder and Ikarus slammed him bodily against the wall.

“Let them go.”

“Yer gonna have to make me,” Druig blustered, clenching his jaw.  He didn’t care what happened at that point.  He needed the madness to end one way or another, even if that meant pushing Ikarus into a final showdown. 

“Stop,” Ajak called, walking up in between the two men.

Ikarus stared down both Ajak and Druig, but obediently walked away from the fight.  Druig’s eyes gloated at Ikarus as he left.  Turning to Ajak he murmured, “If ya wanna stop me, yer gonna have to kill me.”

The moment called for a big dramatic exit.  Hardly believing his own temerity, (but pushed past the point of reason,) Druig descended down the numerous temple steps.  He expected a laser blast to his back at any moment.  No attack came and he realized Ajak was truly letting him go.  The enthralled humans turned as he passed and fell into step behind him.  He began to march the enormous group out of the city and into the surrounding rainforest.  He didn’t have a plan necessarily, more of a rough outline of how he would dictate human behavior to create a utopia under his control.  Ideas began to coalesce for a village in the jungle.  Druig would pare down the humans under his care and establish a completely peaceful society adhering to his strict guidance.  He was only missing one thing…and he planned to correct that immediately.

 

Makkari paced at the base of the pyramid, running her hand back over her forehead and ponytail in distress.  She would walk a few steps; take a few steps at super speed, and then a few more slow steps, covering a circuit between two trees over and over again.  She needed to run laps around the Earth and burn off this anxious energy that was hammering at her brain.  But she couldn’t take off.  Ajak wanted to talk to her.  Thena and Gilgamesh would need her to take them somewhere remote.  Some of the others might need help with travel.  And if she was honest with herself, she was debating going after Druig.  The problem there was that she wasn’t sure what she would say to him if she did.  She had promised him she wouldn’t stop him from leaving; but he’d conveniently left out any plans to kidnap a city of humans.  She hadn’t agreed to that.

She just needed a few moments to herself, away from everyone talking and worrying and arguing.  Ikarus was fighting quietly with Ajak.  Sprite was complaining that splitting up was a horrible idea to anyone that would listen.  Thena and Gilgamesh were intently discussing where to go next.  Kingo and Phastos didn’t seem particularly distressed, but Sersi looked heartbroken.  Makkari, confused and worried, just needed space.

A figure approached her through the gloom of the evening.  She considered and rejected the shape as being one of the Eternals she’d just left.  Her heart leapt thinking it was Druig.  He’d come back to his senses!  He always did once he calmed down.  Maybe the rest of the team wouldn’t have to split up.  But no, Makkari thought almost bitterly, there was no reason to stay together.  There was no end to their mission after all.  She’d worked so hard to carry Druig to the finish line, just to find out there was no line.  A part of Makkari worried that the reason Druig had taken human captives was because she’d coerced him into staying until the Deviants were wiped out.  And now she knew it had all been for NOTHING.

No matter.  Makkari would apologize to Druig and they could take off on some adventure somewhere, far away from humans and their never-ending conflicts.  It wasn’t as if she’d ever believed they were part of some noble cause anyway.  She’d fought Deviants to protect her friends and she’d (loosely) followed directives in the hopes of being called home to Olympia upon the completion of their task.  If nothing mattered, then she and Druig could have some fun for a while.  He needed it.  She could think of at least ten treasures she wanted to go back for now that the original human owners were dead.

Makkari took a few eager steps forward… and realized with steep disappointment the man before her was too tall to be Druig.  She froze in place.  He raised his gaze to her as he approached, and she saw unmistakable glowing gold eyes.  The man, a lanky warrior she didn’t know by name, stopped in front of her.

“Hello my beautiful Makkari,” the man smiled warmly and signed to her. 

“Hello Druig,” Makkari signed sharply, annoyance stamped on her face.

“I’ll bet this lad’s glad to find you down here and not up all them steps,” the man’s head motioned to the pyramid behind her.  Druig’s mood was lighter than Makkari had seen in many years. 

Grudgingly, a corner of Makkari’s mouth rose involuntarily, but she crossed her arms to hide the slip.

“Aw c’mon darlin’ ya can’t be mad at me.  Ya knew this was comin’,” the man signed all of his spoken words with Druig’s unique mannerisms, which was just a little unsettling.   

“I knew you were leaving.  I didn’t know you were taking them.”  She gestured to the man standing before her.

“Aye…things… got away from me,” the man shrugged helplessly in Druig’s place.  “But I can do right by them.  Already sent most ‘o the Spanish soldiers back to their base.  I can keep these people safe from ever being exterminated again.  Fook, I can stop them from ever sufferin’ again.”

“So you can cure diseases and prevent accidents and control wild animals and safely deliver babies and stop humans from aging?” Makkari asked, unimpressed.

The man was quiet a moment as Druig thought this over.  “Fine,” he finally admitted diffidently.  “Not all sufferin’.  But I can protect them from outside human threats and each other.”

“They wanted to stay with you?” Makkari questioned almost hopefully.      

“Too late to ask now,” the man shrugged again.

Makkari sighed with her whole body as she did whenever she was severely agitated.  She was almost afraid to argue with him.  Thena’s mental break weighed heavily on her mind.  Druig had been on the edge for hundreds of years now.  For the last 20 years, Makkari had been deathly afraid of losing her favorite playmate to his darkness forever.  What if he needed to do this in order to keep his sanity?

“Is this my fault?” She finally asked, looking up into the golden eyes of a stranger, but knowing Druig could see her face.  “Did I force you into this because I made you hold on until we beat the Deviants?”

“Aw, my darlin',” the man was quick to assure her, “of course not!  Yer the only reason I made it this far without endin’ up like Thena.  I’ve never been a good fit for this mission.  But now I don’t have to be.  I can take care ‘a these humans and I can stay outta the rest of the team’s way.  I just sent this lad back for you.”

“What for?” 

“To let ya know where we’re headed.  To invite ya to come any time.  I know ya can't come at this moment-”

“I can actually,” Makkari interrupted.  “You broke Ajak.  She just told us to all go our separate ways.”

“Did she now?”  The man whistled, “Cuz ‘a me do ya think?”

It was Makkari’s turn to shrug.  “It’s chaos up there right now.  She told us to go and find our own lives.”

“Not the announcement we’re going home then, huh?”

“Don’t you dare say I told you so,” Makkari warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” the man grinned cheekily.  “But it works out perfectly for me, cuz now ya can come with me.”

“Are you letting the humans go?”

“Not when I can finally show Ajak and the rest of them, that this is what the humans have needed all along.  This is the best way to keep them from tearin’ each other apart.”

She frowned at the ground for a moment then lifted her eyes to the man before her.  “I can’t go with you.”

“Makkari,” the man blanched in Druig’s place.  “You won’t come because of the humans?”  

“Because I can’t live with them like this,” Makkari motioned to the man again.  “They’re just a bunch of…” she gestured vaguely and then signed, “meat puppets.”

The man’s mouth quirked up: “At least they’re alive.”

“Are they Druig?  If you control every aspect of them, they’re just extensions of your life.”

The man was silent as Druig contemplated the analogy.

“A little while ago, you stopped Ajak from erasing Thena’s mind.  Despite the danger she poses with her Mahd Wy’ry, you knew that it would be a greater loss to wipe out Thena’s personality.”

“Mostly I was usin’ that as an excuse to fight with Ajak,” the man grumbled for Druig stubbornly.

Makkari smirked.  “If you say so.  But the same can be said for these people.  If you wipe out their flaws, you take away what makes them so unique and special in the first place, their humanity.”

The man gave a hearty sigh.  “So I shouldn’t take over the whole rest of the world then is what yer tellin’ me.”

“Please don’t.”

“I hate it when you win our arguments with logic,” the man muttered.

“I win all our arguments,” Makkari retorted.

“Yeah, but plenty o’times I give in cuz yer cute, when ya win with logic that means I’m wrong.”

She grinned at the man in Druig’s place. 

“I can’t go back now Makkari,” he told her sadly.  “Pretty sure I burned that bridge.” She started to sign a protest, but the man waved her off.  “Pretty sure I wanted to burn it.”

“If you need to do this, I won’t stop you,” Makkari told him.  “Even if I don’t agree with you, I think it would be harder on you if you didn’t at least try helping the humans your way.  And I want you to be well.”

“Ya don’t want me to turn out like Thena.”

“No.”

“But ya won’t come with me.”

“I can’t.”

The man furrowed his brow.  “Ya feel the same way I do about all the carnage Makkari, even about interferin’.  We’ve been meddlin’ for millennia.”

“That’s true,” she agreed.  “But you’re making these humans your pets.  If I lived with you, they’d be my pets too.”

“So why aren’t ya stopping me then?”

“Because if I have to sacrifice an entire city to keep you from Mahd Wy’ry Druig, I’ll do it.”

The man’s face was blank for a moment, as if Druig had stepped away from the controls.  When his expression changed, it was to form a cocky smile.  “Well maybe I need my beautiful Makkari around to keep me from Mahd Wy’ry too.”

Makkari rolled her eyes but smiled.  “I promised to visit if you took off, remember?”

“Yeah?  Even with the meat muppets?”

“Even if I have to wade through all the meat puppets,” she affirmed.  “It might take a while for that first visit.  I have to help everyone get settled.” 

“Not more than a year, though.”

“Pretty demanding,” Makkari wrinkled her nose at the man in Druig’s stead.

“I have to keep ya on a schedule.  I know how y’are.  Remember Alexandria?”

“You will never let that go, will you?  Fine, in one year, I’ll meet you at your… what are you setting up?  Some kind of jungle fortress?”

“A village.”

“Ok, I’ll be at your village in one year.”

“Ya don’t know where we’ll be.”

“Druig, it’s me.  I can find anything.”                                    

“Not the Emerald Tablet.”

“Keep bringing that up and I’m not ever coming.”

The man raised his hands in a grinning surrender.  “Ok, ok.  Don’t get so touchy.”

“Having a rough night,” Makkari signed dryly.

“I’d have him hug ya right now, but I’m not keen on him touchin’ ya,” Druig said, referring to the borrowed warrior’s body.

“You could’ve come yourself.”

“Thought it was lucky to escape getting me head blasted off by Ikarus once already tonight.  Wasn’t tryin’ to tempt fate.”

Makkari fought a smile and lost.  “You might have a point.”

“One year, Makkari.  Ya won’t forget?”

“That my best friend captured a city of people and may or may not be setting up a cult?  No, I won’t forget.”

The man grinned in Druig’s place.  He didn’t have blue eyes that crinkled up into slits or deep dimples in his cheeks, and Makkari felt a little bereft at the difference. 

“They’ll be in good shape, you’ll see,” he said.  “Maybe ye’ll even change yer mind about stayin’ with me.”

“Be careful please.”

“You too, m’lass.  I’ll be waitin’ for ya.”

 

When Makkari returned to the top of the pyramid, Ajak met her at the entryway.

“Did you go after him?” Ajak asked quietly.  The mood of the room was subdued, and most of the remaining Eternals were exchanging strategies before heading back to the Domo for one last night.

“No,” Makkari signed, but didn’t elaborate on her encounter.

“Do you plan to?  You’re the only one who could talk him out of this.”

Makkari studied Ajak’s face.  She looked impossibly weary, but not angry.  “I think he needs to do this.”

Ajak sighed.  “I think he does too.”  She put a comforting hand on Makkari’s shoulder.  “He’ll come around.”  She sighed.  “I have to ask you Makkari, something I’m not demanding of anyone else.  I want you all to find your own paths, but I need to keep in touch with you for occasional missions and to stay connected with the rest of the team.  You’re the only one who can move across the whole earth in a matter of minutes.  Ikarus…” she glanced over at the man in heated conversation with Sersi, “I can’t ask any more of him right now.”

Nodding, Makkari gave Ajak an understanding look.

“I would also like to ask you to safeguard the Domo,” Ajak sighed.  “You don’t have to live there, but you can access it easily and maintain its condition.  I’m sorry to burden you with all this, but no one else is as uniquely suited to these tasks as you are.”

Makkari nodded again.  Ajak was her leader, and she thought nothing of taking on additional assignments from the woman.  If anything, it would help kill time and keep her from missing her best friend.

“Tomorrow, see if the others need help resettling,” Ajak rubbed Makkari’s arm affectionately.  “When you get back, we will settle down somewhere together.”

The look Makkari gave Ajak must have been surprise, because Ajak was quick to add, “Just for a while dear.  I will release you to your freedom I promise, but in the beginning, I’ll need you close by.”

Again, Makkari nodded; what else could she do?  She turned and joined Gilgamesh and Thena when she spotted him waving to her.

“Hey Speedy, would you mind taking us someplace remote?”  Gilgamesh asked hopefully.  “Figure you’ve seen most of the world by now.  Maybe you might have a few ideas.”

“Of course,” Makkari signed.

“Oh Makkari,” Thena reached for her and pulled her into a light embrace, a little too stiff to be called a hug.  When she pulled back to talk there were tears in her eyes.  “Can you ever forgive me?  I would die before I’d hurt you.  I’m so appalled at my behavior.”

“It’s not your fault Thena.”  Makkari wiped a fallen tear from her friend’s cheek. 

“I almost killed you.  How can you not hate me?”

“You’re my sister,” Makkari smiled sweetly.  Her expression turned mischievous.  “But I will always take reparations in the form of Gilgamesh’s cooking.” 

Thena chuckled, and everyone in the room turned to her in surprise.  The atmosphere lightened subtly.

“Do you have anywhere you want to go in mind?”

“Not really,” Gilgamesh answered.  “Just want something deserted.”

“I have a place then.  It’s pretty quiet now; you may have awhile before some humans move in.  There are people on the island, but the spot I’m thinking of has a lot of dangerous wildlife that’s been keeping them away.”

“Is it warm?” Thena questioned hopefully.

“Don’t worry about that,” Makkari winked.  “I know better than to stick you some place cold.”

“Will you visit me… please?” Thena asked softly.  “I know I’m… dangerous right now, but would you still come?  Could you risk it?”

“Come on, I’m a busy body,” Makkari teased lightly.  “I’ll always be checking up on you.”

 

Chapter 12: Chapter 12

 

                                                                                                                                                

1 YEAR AND 4 MONTHS LATER

 

Makkari was late, because of course she was.  At the one-year mark Druig had made sure he was out in the village, working alongside the humans and looking productive.  They’d gotten used to his dour countenance and seclusion over the last year, so every day for the first week he’d felt their curiosity and concern at his new attitude pelt him through his active mind link.  The humans were always allowed to carry on with their daily duties and routines, Druig just monitored them at all times, tweaking or changing bad behavior as it arose.  In times of crisis, he took complete control of them and maneuvered them around as he saw fit.  They’d erected a medium size village of lean-tos and modest structures, but they were continuously working on building projects.  Just last month, they’d completed a massive perimeter wall for protection. 

Two weeks passed before his spirits started to flag.  He was used to Makkari being late, she was always late, but a year was the longest he’d ever gone without seeing her and he was miserable.  The old women of the village thought he was moping, although they’d never dare to say it out loud.  He was sure that he was moping, growing slightly surlier every week that passed without her.

By the time she was four months late, he was ensconced back in his own little lean-to, allowing the hive of human activity to carry on around him and without him.  There were project leaders that rose naturally, so when he wanted things done, he planted ideas in their minds and let them carry out tasks in ways they were familiar with.  He gave them all two languages, along with societal standards for dress and appropriate behavior.  He always kept in mind Makkari’s warning about merely making them extensions of his life, so he tried, (as much as he could,) to leave their practices and their personalities intact…the exception being the human sacrifices. 

As important as it was to him to protect the humans, he couldn’t bring himself to love them.  It might have been a defense mechanism due to their short lives or an admittedly superior attitude that the humans were still not developed enough to be on his level.  Whichever the case, he felt he’d made a poor trade leaving the Eternals as each day dragged by without Makkari.

And then like a miracle, she was there.  He was sitting just outside his lean-to, looking over a Spanish map.  He heard the whooshing noise his body had long ago been trained to recognize over any other sound.  The next thing he knew, he felt her presence nearby, and a sense of relief washed over him.  Scrambling to his feet, Druig abandoned his map and raced to the center of his village, skidding breathlessly to a stop a few feet away from her.  For a heartbeat he worried what her reaction would be upon seeing him again.  Was she still angry?  But she put all his fears to rest when she greeted him with her wide grin and jaunty little salute hello.  This was the woman he loved more than anyone or anything in the universe.  If she had been 100 years late, he wouldn’t have been able to hold it against her.  He just needed her.  Druig walked the last few steps to Makkari and enveloped her in a hug.

The villagers had stopped in their tracks at the sight of a beautiful stranger in his embrace.  He scanned through their thoughts briefly, removing anything negative or lustful automatically.  Before he pulled back from her, he sent them quietly marching off to other parts of the village to work.

“Oh good, you listened to my advice about not controlling them so much,” Makkari signed sarcastically as they pulled apart to talk.

“You don’t get to lecture me, my beautiful Makkari, yer four months late!”

“Four months is pretty much on time for me,” she answered sassily, with her ever-present mischievous sparkle.

“One year and four months has been torture,” he told her candidly.  “I’ve missed ya, ya know.  Have ya missed me?”

“Maybe a little,” she retorted raising her chin at him.

“By a little, I’m sure ya really mean every excruciating moment of every single day an’ night, right?”

Makkari giggled and pushed his chest playfully.  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders because he couldn’t help himself and pulled her closer.  “Don’t stay away so long next time, huh?”

She took pity on him and nodded in agreement, her big brown eyes cheerful and smiling at him.   “I brought you a gift.”

“Did ya now?”  He pretended to search the pockets of the red tunic she was wearing.

“They’re outside.  I couldn’t get them over the wall.”

“They?  It better not be any Eternals.”

“Like any of them are making this trip any time soon,” Makkari teased him.  “Can you open the gate, or do you need to mind control some goons?”

“I prefer goons,” Druig shot back.  He took her hand in his and led her through the village to the front gate.  Druig gestured to the two men on guard duty, and they simply opened the gate without the necessity of mind control.

Outside, tied to a tree, were two llamas.  “One boy and one girl,” she told him proudly.  “When they have their first baby, name it after me.”

“Ya don’t want one o’these two named after ya now?”

“They have names, Po and Bo.  I don’t know which is which, but the girl llama is the brown one.”

“So ye’ve progressed to stealing livestock huh?”

“I didn’t steal them.  I had to get good ones, so I bought them… with stolen treasure.”

He chuckled and gave her a side hug, more out of a desire to hold her than actual gratitude.  He hoped somebody in the village knew something about llamas.

 

 

Makkari would never admit it to anyone, but she had been worried about seeing Druig.  She hadn’t been concerned about what she’d find with the humans, or that he might be upset with her for being late.  (Truthfully, she’d barely been aware she was four months late, she was notorious for losing track of time.)  What had worried her was losing the closeness she had always shared with Druig.  Even as Druig’s mood had permanently darkened and his patience with the mission and the other Eternals had dwindled to nothing, his eyes had always lit up for Makkari.  They could still make each other laugh with snide, private jokes.  They could still be physically playful and affectionate.  Almost all of the Eternals took themselves so seriously (barring Kingo of course).  Druig was no different, weighed down by his mental connection to the humans.  He already felt the heavy burden of using his powers in their best interest.  She had worried that a new life and a new purpose might have made him more sober and dignified like Ikarus, and less like the playmate she adored.   It was a great weight off her shoulders when he’d immediately pulled her in for a hug.  His conversation was still light and teasing, and his pretty blue eyes were as warm on her as ever.

She stood by without judgment as his eyes turned gold and he summoned a human man to them where they stood with the llamas.

“These are yers to take care of now Rau,” Druig charged him, gesturing with his head at the animals.  “Don’t let ‘em die, or my beautiful friend here will get very upset with ya.”

“No, I won’t.  He’s teasing,” Makkari signed, expecting Druig to translate for her.

Druig said nothing, but wore a small, knowing smile.

The man signed back, “I’ll take good care of them my lady.”       

Makkari’s gaze whipped from the man to Druig.  “Are you making him do that?”

“Well in a sense, I guess.  I gave them all the knowledge o’ yer sign language.”

“The whole village?!”

“Aye, of course.  I’m trying to tempt you to stay here by givin’ ya a whole bunch o’ people to talk to,” he winked at her.

Jumping on him, Makkari squeezed Druig in a hard hug.  When she pulled back, he looked very pleased with himself.

“Thank you,” Makkari signed, turning back to Rau.  “If you ever need anything for them let me know… I’m great at acquiring things.”

Druig stepped over so that he was beside her and signed privately, “I thought ya didn’t wanna get involved with my pets?”

“The llamas are my pets,” she answered smartly.  “They’re on loan to you.  So, I can do things for them without breaking my own rules.”

“Ach, don’ tell me m’wild child is followin’ rules now?  What is this world comin’ to?”

“You’ll really die of shock when I tell you this.  Ajak left me in charge of the Domo.”

“I always said that woman didn’t have a lick o’ sense.”

Makkari grinned and elbowed him.  “I’ll have you know I haven’t taken it for a single joy ride.  I mean it’s been tempting, but I think it might be a trap of hers, so I’m resisting.”

“Good on ya.  Ye’ve really grown these last 7000 years.” Druig smiled at her, his adorable dimples prominent.  “Is that where yer stayin’ then?”

“No, I mean I go there sometimes.  And that’s where I’m storing my collection.  But Ajak has me living with her right now.”

“Storing yer-” He cut himself off and gave her a look.  “Ya live with Ajak?  What happened to findin’ yer own lives?”

“She said she needs me around for a while, but then I can go off on my own like everybody else.  Which does not bode well for my hope of going back to Olympia any time soon.”

“Ya shouldn’t have to live with her at all, Makkari.  She set everyone loose.”

“You’re just upset because you want me to live here.”

“Well, aye, but I’d be upset on yer behalf regardless.  Seems like you have to bear more of a burden than anyone else.  Does she even know yer here?  Are ya even allowed to visit the fallen Eternal?”

“I didn’t run it by her,” Makkari gave him a sly smile.  “She didn’t say I couldn’t come see you, but it’s not like I’m dumb enough to ask so she could say no.”

Druig snorted.  “Well, be careful not to let it slip.  She’d ban ya from here, no doubt.”

“I wouldn’t listen if she did.”  Makkari could tell he was getting worked up, so she leaned her body against his, offering physical comfort.  She felt his stiff posture relax slightly.  “I don’t even think she’s mad at you Druig.  She hasn’t said or done anything to show she’s mad at you… except to burn that effigy of you every night in the yard.”

It took him a beat to absorb what she’d signed, but then his frown melted away and he laughed.

                                                                                                                                                                                               

The next 100 years passed much in the same way.  Makkari would stop by the village every five or six months to spend time with Druig.  Every visit he tried to talk her into staying the night, but she would turn him down with a smile.   When he found out Ajak had allowed her to move out of their home, he campaigned for her to live with him.  She shook her head and gently rebuffed each offer.

Then one year, Makkari didn’t turn up at the village for almost ten months.  When she finally arrived, she was carrying a heavy pack on her shoulders and was obviously headed somewhere else. 

Druig frowned as she abandoned the pack on his porch (his house and all of the dwellings had been upgraded over the years,) and walked into his home blithely.

“And where have you been?”  He tried to keep the bite out of his voice, as part of him always feared chasing her away.  However, he’d been on edge with worry over her lateness, and frustrated that he had no way to check in that didn’t violate the sanctity of her mind.

“Sorry,” she signed sheepishly.  “Ajak has been running me ragged with ‘Deviant sightings’ this year.  None have been Deviants by the way, but she makes me chase down every tall tale.”

“What the hell was the point of Phastos’ tracker if she doesn’t trust it,” Druig grumbled. 

Makkari shrugged.  “It’s no big deal.  I don’t mind-”

“And yer about to leave again?” He gestured sharply at the pack on his porch.

“She’s sending me out on an ocean voyage,” Makkari shrugged.  “I’m supposed to take this route that keeps running into a sea monster.  It might take a while, so I wanted to make sure I stopped by before I had to set sail.”

“Ya just got here, and already yer running back out?”  Druig knew his expression was upset, but he couldn’t seem to control it.  “It’s been ten months since I saw ya!”

Makkari bit her lip with concern.  “Don’t be mad please.  I’m sorry.  It’s not like I can tell Ajak no.”

“And why the hell not?  I thought she released everyone.  How is it yer the only one still at her beck and call?  Whatever happened to her precious golden boy?!”

“She’s still the boss,” Makkari replied a bit helplessly.  “I think she had a falling out with Ikarus.  I didn’t really ask.  And I don’t mind doing things for her, Druig.  I get bored a lot.”

“Then why don’t you ever stay here with me?” Druig’s voice was raised, knowing she couldn’t hear him, but that she was definitely picking up the force of his vibrations.  “Ya can’t be bothered to stay here for more than an afternoon!”

“You know why I can’t stay, Druig,” Makkari frowned.

“Oh, aye, my bloody pets,” Druig bit out.  “If ya stay here too long, ya become just as guilty of controllin’ ‘em as me.”

“You chose this,” Makkari signed, anger starting to show on her face.

“I chose to leave the Eternals; I never chose to leave you!  I came back for you almost as soon as I left!”

“You sent a human back for me.  And you took all these humans with you.  You kept them.  I told you that very first night I couldn’t be a part of that.”

“Too hard for ya to deal with, huh?  Well then maybe ya don’t care about me as much as ya say!”

Makkari flinched and instantly Druig felt his heart drop.  That was about the stupidest thing he could have uttered.  Even if she didn’t feel as romantically inclined as he did, he had no doubt that she adored him.  He didn’t want to fight with her at all, but it was getting so hard to survive on these brief little meet-ups.  They had used to live in each other’s pockets.  He was greedy for more time with her.

“Look,” he sighed, ready to apologize, but she cut him off with a gesture.

“I have to go.”

“Wait,” he pleaded, stepping forward.  “I didn’t mean-”

She shook her head, not willing to argue with him any further.  Makkari spun on her heel and returned to the porch, but not before he caught her eyes glistening with tears.  He felt his stomach twist in the pain of guilt.   

“Please Makkari, stay a minute,” he called after her pointlessly, following her.  He felt so stupid for taking out his frustrations on her.  He knew how she’d react to this; he might not see her again for years.

“Don’t go like this,” he frowned from the doorway when she finally turned toward him. 

She gave him one last long look, shouldering her pack resolutely.

“Just wait-”

But in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

 

 

Makkari stayed away from the village for two years.  In that time, Druig was surlier and harsher with the humans than he had ever been.  He took away more of their autonomy, controlling when they got up in the morning and went to bed each night.  He worked them endlessly on building projects and stepped up their mandatory education with the variety of texts Makkari had brought him over the years.  It was a special kind of torture to pour over her literature gifts when he missed her so desperately, but he’d decided he needed to ramp up the humans’ intelligence and general progression.  It seemed the only way to make his little project of any value.

He worked himself and the villagers so hard, that he had permanent bags under his eyes and had dropped weight.  He couldn’t sleep, and he couldn’t even force himself to enjoy his favorite past time, eating.  Every thought was dogged by how much he missed Makkari, and every activity seemed almost pointless if he never saw her again.  Druig was despondent.

Then one day she popped up outside his schoolhouse.  Druig dropped the book he was holding on the floor and raced outside.  Unlike their first reunion in his village, Druig didn’t pause to gauge her expression.  He crashed right into her, hugging her tightly against him.

The villagers gathered in the doorway behind him, eager to know what had caused their scowling task master to abandon his lesson.  They traded knowing looks as they watched their leader hold onto his small woman for dear life.  He ignored them completely.

Pulling back from Druig, Makkari gave him a small, chagrined smile.  He let her go but remained only inches from her, obviously itching to pull her in again.

“I’m sorry,” she told him earnestly.  “I shouldn’t have stayed away so long.”

“Why did ya?”

“Because we never fight like that, and I was mad at you.”

“I’m sorry too,” he told her pensively.  “I was just wantin’ to see ya more.  The last thing I wanted to do was drive ya away.  It would kill me to lose ya.”

“You couldn’t,” Makkari responded lightly.  “We are best friends after all.  I take that duty seriously.”  She wrinkled her nose and looked up at him with naked honesty.  “I missed you a lot.”

Druig knocked his forehead against hers gratefully.  He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing her admission and her closeness.  Finally, he pulled away and asked, “My beautiful Makkari, what if I figure out something... outside of the village?  A place where we could spend more time together away from the humans?”

“I’d like that,” Makkari nodded.  “Then I could stay with you a little longer sometimes.”  

Druig breathed a deep sigh, years of tension unspooling in his chest.  “Then that’ll be the next thing I do.”

He must have truly looked as bad as he’d been feeling, because Makkari stayed with him that night, for the first time in over a hundred years.  During the day, she pestered him into eating large meals, and nudged him gently when he was too snippy with the villagers.  He didn’t bother to enforce a bedtime on the humans, already knowing how that would have gone over.  The village buzzed softly with activity late into the night.  But Druig retired with Makkari soon after the communal evening meal.  He knew she usually tried to avoid the humans on her visits but had made a big exception for his welfare that day.  It was also nice to have her all alone.

They played cards.  The deck that had once belonged to a French King, but Makkari had left it with him for safe-keeping decades ago.  Over the course of the game, she told him about her adventure at sea that had started on a passenger ship but had ended with her joining a pirate crew after an attack.  When he’d seemed worried by this story, she’d informed him that she’d disguised herself as a man and volunteered to go with the pirates when they’d asked for recruits.  She assured him that she’d had much more fun as a pirate.  As usual, she glowed with irreverence and daring, and Druig wished, as he often did, that he was brave enough to kiss her. 

When it got late, he asked her quietly to stay the night with him and she cupped his cheek and agreed.  They curled up together in his narrow bed, and Druig slept soundly for the first time in two years.        

Makkari left early the next morning, but not before she promised to come back more frequently.  Feeling refreshed and lighter in spirit, Druig organized a work detail to start construction for a cabin down river, about a mile from the village.  He and Makkari named it the Waterfall House after its completion, due to the scenic water feature it sat beside.  Spending far more time with him there, Makkari was eventually able to convince Druig to walk back some of his more controlling measures on the villagers through a combination of gentle teasing and thoughtful discussion.  She was his lighthouse after all, and he always found himself to be more reasonable when she was around.   

 

     

Chapter 13: Chapter 13

 

1746 AD - Cairo

 

Makkari was wondering the streets of Cairo, modestly covered in a head-wrap and a cloak spread over a light cotton tunic and leggings.  The city had gone through many regime changes, and she remembered some of them vividly.  She hadn’t been there when the grand old city finally fell to the Ottoman Empire, but the evidence could still be found in the changes to the old buildings and religious sites.  Regardless of who was in charge, the city always felt alive and exciting.  She had fond memories of past adventures, and as usual, nostalgia tapped against her mind impatiently.  But Makkari didn’t have time for reminiscing this morning.  She had a mission to track down a prized old Greek scroll that recounted the legend of the Emerald Tablet.  For as many things as she’d crammed into the Domo, that damn tablet still eluded her.  She had a bead on an antiquities dealer in the bazar who might have texts dating from the time the Tablet was rising in fame.

Pushing through the stands, her senses were overwhelmed by the rich smells fighting with the rank odors.  She politely waved off sellers hawking their wares and had just spotted her target in a modest little shop near the open stands.  Suddenly, a wave of despair overwhelmed her entirely, and she stumbled into a heavy man next to her.  The pitiless man merely shoved her back, and Makkari bit back a gasp at the severity of her instant headache.  She’d never experienced anything like this before, but she knew immediately that the source of the pain was Druig.  He was suffering, and somehow, she was sharing in it.  Retreating to the edge of the crowd, Makkari ditched her cloak and sped off for the Amazon.

What she found admittedly horrified her for a moment.  All of the people were standing around all over the village with their hands covering their faces.  Although she never heard the bustling, she’d previously been able to feel the vibrations of activity during every visit.  Now, all was eerily still and calm.  Makkari walked slowly at first, passing the people, harboring a somewhat irrational fear someone would reach out and snatch her.  But no one moved a muscle, and Makkari hurried toward Druig’s cabin.  At the last moment she veered toward the meeting hall, getting a sense from the wide-open doors that she would find Druig there.

Taking a deep breath Makkari pushed herself inside.  There was a man sprawled out on the ground with a knife protruding from his chest.  He’d clearly been dead for a while; the pool of blood beneath him had dried.  Another man stood a few feet away, eyes golden, holding one of Druig’s knives to his throat.  Blood had been pricked by the tip, but the knife was suspended there by the man’s own hand.

Finally, she saw Druig, kneeling between them.  His eyes were open wide and glossed over with gold.  His hands were tightly clenched together in front of his waist, but he was seemingly frozen as well.  Makkari gave a little gasp of despair and fell on her knees in front of him.  She scanned Druig’s body, but he didn’t appear to be injured.  She immediately worried that he’d fallen to Mahd Wy'ry.  It was the fate she’d been desperately trying to avoid each time she’d refused to condemn his methods after Tenochtitlan.  As she’d explained multiple times, his health was more important to her than the health of the humans.  Had it all been for nothing?  Was he doomed to be broken like Thena anyway?  

But as she looked closely, she saw that Druig’s eyes were not pale and milky.  They were the same shade of gold that always heralded his control over the humans.  She studied his face, and then waved her hand before him.  Was he lost in his own head?

Makkari bit her lip and considered going for Ajak.  Druig would be pissed to wake up and find her, but at least he’d be awake.  She made another soft sound of distress, and on an impulse, clasped his face between her hands. It might have been wishful thinking, but she would have sworn she saw his face twitch. Remembering the day of Hannibal’s military triumph, she pressed her forehead to his and pushed out her emotions with her full concentration.  She sent him her fear, her adoration, her need for him.  She wasn’t sure if she was doing it right, or even if it could work for her alone.  But she stayed there, pressed close to his face, sending him all of her longing for his return with all the might of her emotions.  It seemed like an eternity, but with a jolt, Makkari received an answering feeling pushing back against her mind… relief.

Slowly Druig blinked his eyes, the gold retreating and the blue returning.  He took in a deep breath and clutched her elbows, holding her to him like a lifeline.  “My beautiful Makkari,” he mouthed to her, “ya came.”  Another sentiment flooded her brain for just a second before it was snatched back.  She carefully kept her warm expression neutral, not revealing that she’d felt him send her a deep, if brief, impression of his love for her.  It wasn’t the love for a family member, or even a best friend; the desire he sent her was a physical and emotional yearning that was all-consuming.  

That information was a little shocking, but Makkari compartmentalized it for the time being.  She needed to continue to project strength and reassurance to bring him back to her fully.  They sat there with their foreheads together for what felt like ages.  She sent him wave after wave of gentle encouragement and concern. 

Finally, with a deep sigh, Druig was able to pull back so that they could sign and speak.

“I’m sorry love, I think I called ya,” he nearly whispered, signing along.  “I was fallin’ away from m’self and I just… made one last grasp…”

“I’m glad that you did,” she broke in impatiently.  “I’m always here for you.  Don’t you know that?”

Druig gave her a small, sheepish smile.  “Guess I must.”  He tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear and watched her face for a few moments.  It was as if he was gathering fortitude for what was ahead.  She leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss against his cheek, and his eyes stayed closed for an extra moment when she pulled away.

“What happened Druig?” She asked when he was looking at her again. 

“I’m failin’ at this,” he said on a ragged exhale.  He bunched his hands in the fabric of her shirt, holding on for dear life.  He only spoke out loud now, and she had to concentrate on matching his lips to the vibrations he emitted.  “I’ve been trying to pull back, to let them have more freedom.  Too much, maybe.” He turned sorrowful eyes on the man standing with a knife.  “He wanted to kill me.  He wanted to free everyone from my control.”

Makkari frowned, unsure of the best answer.  If there was a common theme in history, it was that humans always rebelled against tyrants, even when the effort proved fruitless.  She didn’t think Druig was tyrannical by any means, but he had taken away the one sacred right the humans were born with: free will.  She understood how precious that commodity was.

“And then Hector,” his eyes shifted to the dead man, “tried to protect me.  As if I needed it.  As if I couldn’t brush aside a threat from a human with ease.  He died for me.”

His breathing turned rough, and his hands shook despite his death grip on her clothing.  Makkari knew exactly what to do then.  She surged forward and hugged him tightly.  She stroked his hair and rocked him gently, offering him her unconditional support.  His hands released her shirt to clutch her around her tiny waist.  For a long time, he simply shuddered in her arms, wracked with conflicting emotions. 

“What am I even doin’?” He asked several minutes later when he sat back again.  Druig kept his hands resting loosely on her hips.  It was not lost on her that he needed to maintain physical contact.  She scooted forward a little more so that she was seated in between his knees.  “Humans are so violent, all the time.  I want to just keep them locked down… keep them from being a danger to themselves and everyone else.  But I know yer right, too.  If I don’t let them live their lives, what’s the point of havin’ ‘em?  Then the first time I fully let my guard down… they show me why I shouldn’t!”

“The hardest part is accepting the good with the bad,” Makkari signed with an empathetic look on her face.  “We’ve seen them do so many terrible things.  But we’ve also seen so many moments of goodness.” She paused to touch his face and nudge him to look at Hector.  “One man tried to kill you, yet this human selflessly gave his life to protect you.  They’re capable of both extremes.”

“I’m supposed to protect them, it’s why I did this whole damn thing,” Druig replied with anguish.

Makkari gave him a soft smile.  “You aren’t infallible, you know. They sent us here to fight Deviants and help people advance a little.  You decided to take on a side project.”

An answering smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.  “So, this is gonna turn into a lecture on not interferin'?”

“No way, that would make me a huge hypocrite,” Makkari grinned.  “Why shouldn’t we use our powers to interfere now and then?  We have to do what we can, but we also have to know we can’t do everything.  We’re just some foot soldiers really, not actually omnipotent beings or anything.”

 

Druig huffed, but sat quietly for a moment, thinking over her words.  Out of all of the Eternals, Makkari had the most unconventional view of the humans and their mission.  She had a free-wheeling morality that didn’t define the world in black and white.  Makkari understood, better than any of them, that all humans fell somewhere on the grey spectrum.  Very few people were paragons, but she enjoyed humanity on the whole despite their numerous flaws.  She was in awe of the humans’ imaginations, cleverness, will power, and their fierce determination to live as hard as possible during their incredibly fleeting lives.  The Eternals generally fell into two camps, those that loved the humans and those that were largely apathetic.  Makkari straddled this line, never fully immersing herself as Sersi and Druig had done, but still able to admire and appreciate humanity’s accomplishments and talents without judgment of their often horrific behavior.

What Makkari was telling him now was a version of what she’d been telling him for thousands of years.  He had to accept that he couldn’t fix everything: no one could.  Druig had to stay strong and remember not to take on the entire burden of correcting humanity’s flaws.  At the same time, she understood that Druig bore the strain of being mentally connected to the humans, and the unique ability to truly wipe out their sins with a thought.  He had greater power over the humans than any of the other Eternals, and therefore felt more responsibility toward them.  She never belittled his burden or grew impatient with his words or actions, even when she didn’t agree with them.  But she often reminded him that humanity’s most amazing intangible was free will.      

“I know ya want me to find middle ground,” Druig finally said, looking into her beautiful face.  “Somewhere between control and protection.”  She’d stopped actively pushing her emotions at him, and he found he missed the connection.

She gave him a small smile and nod.  He clasped her hips tightly; afraid that if he let her go of her, he would sink back into the oblivion she’d hauled him from.  Only Makkari had the power to pull him out of his downward spiral.  The way she was looking at him now, with quiet faith and infinite compassion, gave him the strength to make the decision he’d been waffling on for over a century.

“I need to let them go, don’t I?”

“At least give them the option,” she confirmed.  “Some of them will want your protection.  This way, it will be their choice.”

“If they stay, I’ll still be the same.  I’ll still use my powers on them for their own good.”

“Your powers aren’t evil Druig.  You aren’t evil.”  She took his face between her hands again and he practically sank into her.  She held his eyes for a minute and then let go of him to sign.  “Do you know why I’ve never been afraid of your powers like the others?”

“Because ya always have me dancin’ to yer merry tune?” He crinkled his eyes at her, smiling a little despite his mood.

“Well that too,” she retorted.  “But also, because I trust you to make the right decision…” she teased him with a quick wink, “eventually.  That’s why your assassin is still alive over there.”

He sighed and looked over at the man that had tried to kill him.  He hadn’t been monitoring them and had temporarily broken the connection with the people of the village.  He’d removed himself completely from their minds as a test for them and for himself.  And he’d had his back to the door as he’d been discussing irrigation plans with Hector in the meeting hall.  Hector had seen the lunge, just as Druig had felt the wave of hate wash over him.  And it was Hector that walked right into the knife as he protected Druig’s back. 

She was right, she always was.  He hadn’t killed his attacker because he’d understood the sentiment of needing to break free.  In fact, he blamed himself more than anyone, as he had been the one to let down his guard.  Humans were inherently violent.  He knew that.  But they were also capable of astonishing nobility, just as Hector had demonstrated.  There was no final solution he could put in place to separate the two without losing the spark that made the humans so special.  It was finally time for him to make some concessions.

Hesitantly, he removed his hands from her waist to sign along with his words.  He squeezed his knees around her more tightly to keep them physically connected, but he wanted his next question to be clear.  “If I release them, will ya stay here with me?”

Makkari canted her head in amusement at the question.  He constantly asked her to stay, but this was a new caveat, and she hesitated.  “I can’t live here all the time.  I’m still tasked with taking care of the Domo, and Ajak summons me constantly for her errands.  Plus, I have my own side projects you know.”

“Aye, of course,” Druig nodded agreeably.  “But if ya no longer have moral objections to the village, maybe ya could stay here longer… and more often?”  He was pretty sure his expression was completely pitiful.  But if she agreed, he didn’t give a damn about his pride.

Makkari studied his eyes with her usual lightning quick scrutiny.  People mistook her for being impulsive, but the truth was that Makkari made multiple evaluations and drew conclusions as rapidly as she could run.  Whatever she read on his face decided her.  “Deal.”

 

 

 Makkari was as good as her word.  She stayed with Druig as he called a meeting with the village and gave his people the option to leave for the first time in 200 years.  She’d quietly offered her support standing beside him as he allowed more than a third of the village to pack up and leave.  She held his hand as he forbade Hector’s brother from avenging his death and had comforted him when both brother and would-be assassin left the village to carry out justice on their own.  The speedster accompanied the departing villagers through the worst of the jungle and into the nearest development.  And she made no protest when he wiped his village’s location from their minds.

She remained there with him for six months before Ajak summoned her, the longest she had ever stayed.  Slowing down had taken some getting used to, but she made the effort for Druig’s sake.  He’d leaned on her heavily that first month.  He’d been raw from his breakdown, and a little heartsick at releasing the villagers from his protection.  But as usual, he’d hidden behind his aloof manner and apathetic expression in front of the humans.  The villagers never realized how much he suffered as he forced himself to relinquish control. 

The best antidote was to stay busy, so Makkari dragged him around like the old days, zipping from project to project.  Makkari knew how update their town with sewers and put everyone to work with digging or constructing pipes.  She brought in a few more llamas to the herd she’d first established.  The increase in animals had required a bigger corral.  She also brought them reams of sturdy cotton fabric from India which necessitated updated clothing to be created.  The villagers, having only glimpsed her briefly in centuries past, came to adore her enthusiasm, helpfulness, and sunny nature.  Druig teased her that already they liked her better than him, but he seemed very pleased with that fact.

It was always in the back of her mind that Druig was in love with her.  For the first time, she noted the looks of longing he sent her when he thought she wasn’t aware.  She picked up on the way her normally reserved best friend constantly got her attention with touches and boyish gestures like hair pulling or shoulder bumps.  That might not have been unusual; Makkari herself was very physically affectionate.  But the fact of the matter was that Druig normally wasn’t fond of touch.  He only ever willingly touched her.  And she finally allowed herself to see that when he casually flirted with her, his eyes were always sincere.  She felt like a dope for missing all the signs for so long.  To be fair, none of the other Eternals had ever even brought up the fact that Druig had feelings for Makkari; and it was just the sort of teasing they reveled in.  On the other hand, the Eternals were all pretty dreadfully self-involved and this would be exactly the kind of thing everyone would miss.

How did she feel?  Druig was her best friend; and she did know that she loved him far more than the rest of her makeshift family.  He was absolutely her favorite person in the universe, and just as importantly, he made her feel like she was his favorite.  They had shared their lives for nearly 7000 years.  They kept each other’s secrets, comforted each other in hard times, and shared more inside jokes than could be kept in a written record.  But did she love him romantically?

She thought about that Egyptian Captain and his laughing eyes and broad shoulders.  Yet when he kissed her, the only thing she felt was a sense of deep dread.  She’d experimented a few more times with kisses over the years.  And it had always ended the same; she’d pulled away, mired in guilt.  She remembered the day she’d confided in Sersi.  Sersi had been blithely confident she just needed to find the right man.  Of course, being in love with Ikarus had made Sersi a little too much of an optimist, even for Makkari, but maybe she had a point?           

It made sense to her, therefore, to spy on Druig and see if she found him attractive.  She watched him labor on the various village projects with his shirt off, muscles straining with activity.  He had strong, sculpted arms and some muscle to his chest.  Makkari smiled to herself, she did indeed appreciate the view.  She’d never considered it before, but he’d always felt solid and sturdy when he put his arms around her.  She already knew he had striking blue eyes, and she’d always adored his deep dimples.  His true smile was rare, but Makkari saw it more than anyone.  She remembered finding it achingly familiar the first time he’d bestowed it on her.  She didn’t know what that meant exactly, but she chalked it up in the attractive column.  She found herself watching his mouth when he was talking to her more frequently, not reading words, but pondering what it would be like to kiss him.  Druig had not seemed to notice her new scrutiny, he was just so happy to have her with him.

Each night they would crawl into bed together.  Makkari normally cuddled against him without a thought, but now she seriously considered what lying with him would mean if they became a couple.  Could she imagine them locked in an illicit embrace, like the humans she’d witnessed over the years?  A tiny, excited twist in her stomach at the thought, told her she might very well enjoy such an experience.  The first night she’d had this revelation, nervous energy caused her to roll over as far away from his side as his small bed would allow.  But he was having none of that, and pulled her against him into her usual spot as soon as he settled in.  She’d derided her nerves.  This was Druig, the dearest person to her in the whole world.  She knew the comfort she’d always found in his arms and the contentment she experienced whenever his warm body was pressed to hers.  So instead of over-thinking things, she simply enjoyed the snuggle, and proceeded to curl up against him like normal from then on.

It wasn’t until she was summoned away by Ajak that the answer to her dilemma dawned on her.  Leaving him after six long months together had seemed excruciatingly hard, even as she promised to return as soon as she was able.  They’d used to spend so much time together in the old days, and six months of living together again had made her wistful for the time they’d been inseparable.  Druig had looked sad but resigned when she’d had to leave and had given her a very long hug goodbye.  None of her other departures from his village had seemed to sting her as badly as this one had.  Later, as she zipped along the coastline, scouring for Deviants after a report of a sea monster in North Carolina had reached Ajak, she grumbled to herself, for the first time ever, about the pointlessness of her task.  It was as if she was wasting time instead of doing something more important. 

She missed Druig being nearby.  She missed sharing whatever joke popped into her head or teasing him when his hair stuck up wildly.  She missed his funny anecdotes and quips and the way his eyes softened whenever he looked at her.  She missed his body wrapped around hers at night.

However, it was a visit to Kingo that finally drove the point home.  He asked after everyone, and she gave him updates to his questions. 

“Have you seen the surly beast of the jungle?” Kingo inquired, languidly dabbing a handkerchief to his face as he sat in his finery. He'd set himself up as an exotic French aristocrat, and he inhabited the role of wealthy nobleman very easily. 

“Do you mean Ikarus?”

“Ha ha, you know I mean Druig.  Who knows if you could even get close to whatever jungle lair he’s got now?  There’s probably Eternal booby-traps all over that place.  Although if anyone would be allowed through, I guess it would be you.”

“Why me?”

“Your bad luck sis, you were the only one he’s ever tolerated,” Kingo shrugged elegantly.  “And I mean you were probably his only friend ever.  You always stuck up for him or dragged him out of his moods.  You were the only one brave enough to be playful with him; it was like you were sticking your head in a loin’s mouth!”  He shook his head at the memories.  “Although after that epic tantrum, you might want to steer clear too.  We’re probably all on his hit list now.”

Makkari sank inward for a few moments as she watched Kingo describe what he perceived as her relationship with Druig.  No one ever saw them climb into bed together as they sought comfort in each other’s heartbeats or spied their deep and expansive conversations.  The Eternals didn’t know she’d almost kissed Druig when he’d told her he preferred reading her hands over any other form of communication; or that the time Ikarus had blasted Druig with his eye beams had sent her into a murderous rage.  They didn’t understand that just the sight of Druig had brought Makkari indescribable comfort when she’d been grievously injured by that flying Deviant; or that he was the first person she sought out with her eyes whenever she entered a room without him at her side.  And no one, not even Makkari herself, had realized until that moment that she touched Druig so much because she needed to, because she craved it.  She hadn’t sought Druig out so frequently just to pull him out of his moods; she had just always wanted to be with him.

“Good advice,” Makkari finally smirked, deciding not to correct Kingo’s assumptions.  It was more fun that way.  Especially because she now knew that not only was she in love with Druig, but she also probably always had been.

 

 

Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Summary:

I don't know how to put on the warning button, but there will be sex.

 

1746 AD – Amazon

 

Druig left the candle burning in the lamp as he climbed into bed so that he could continue to talk with Makkari.  She’d been stuck out on errands for Ajak, and it had been almost four months since her last visit.  Compared to having her around night and day for six months, four months apart had felt excruciatingly long.  He had missed her keenly. 

She watched him clamber in next to her with a warm smile and turned onto her side so that they could face each other to sign.  This was his favorite part of her visits if he was honest.  He loved having her tucked in bed beside him, all to himself.  He recalled fondly all the years they’d snuck into each other’s bedrooms on the Domo. 

“So how did the visits go?” Druig asked dutifully, even though thinking about the other Eternals was still painful and he generally avoided it.

Makkari stuck to a few funny tales, but not much detail, sparing him any unnecessary agitation.  “I do think this be my last visit to Kingo for a while.  He’s become this stuffy theatre patron and everything he says is so pretentious.  And he quotes Shakespeare all the time. He has this little group of men around him in fancy clothes and they just toss lines to each other for fun, as if that’s remotely fun.”

Druig snickered.  “Suddenly mind control doesn’t seem like such a bad power, does it?  I could’ve shut that down in a snap.”

“Yes, well someone decided to hole up in the Amazon instead of helping his best friend get out of awkward social situations,” Makkari rolled her eyes at him.

He tugged one of her braids, his eyes affectionate.  “That’s why you should just stay here with me all the time.”

“And ignore Ajak’s constant summons?”

“I wouldn’t mind some company in her bad graces,” he teased.

She snorted and shoved his shoulder playfully.

Unexpectedly, Druig caught her hand and gave her a serious look.  “Ya won’t do that to me, will ya?”  He knew the sudden fear that struck him was irrational, but he needed her to allay it all the same.  “Ya won’t just stop comin’?”      

“No Druig, of course not,” she gave him a frown and shook her head.  “I just agreed to start staying here with you more often.  Plus, you’re my best friend.”

“Aye well, they all love ya, but ya see them less and less,” he quietly observed.  She’d noticeably stopped visiting the others as often as she’d used to.  Even when gathering info on their fellow Eternals to report back to Ajak, sometimes she chose to be a quiet observer and not make her presence known.  If anything, he was much more high maintenance than any of the rest of the Eternals.  What would happen when she realized she was better off avoiding him also?  Without her company, it would be the end of him.  “What’s to stop ya from leavin’ me behind too?”

 

 

Makkari felt her brow furrow in confusion.  She wasn’t sure where this was coming from, although Druig could often take a dark turn mid-conversation.  She sighed and laid a hand on his cheek for a moment while she gathered her thoughts. He nuzzled against her as he always did, unable to help himself.

“They probably do love me Druig, but the others don’t need me around.  They don’t really miss me when I’m not there.  They all have their lives, and I visit and check up on them for Ajak, but then we go our separate ways, and they forget about me again.  I fade into the background for them.”

“Thena has a spell if you don’t visit,” Druig pointed out.

“That’s part of her illness right now; she needs the routine of seeing me.  But those visits are short and sometimes rough.” Makkari paused and looked deeply into his stunning blue eyes.  “You always see me Druig.  You always have.  You know when I need a translator, or a shoulder to lean on, or just a quick laugh.  I don’t have to fight to get your attention or force you to notice me.  You make me feel seen and heard, more than anybody else in the world.”  

He looked stunned and honored at her proclamation.  She knew she didn’t tend to have many serious conversations, so maybe that explained why he seemed taken aback.  Surely, he understood how much he meant to her?

“Oh, m’ beautiful Makkari,” he said on a sigh.  “If I’m always seeing ya, it’s because I can never take m’eyes off ya.  Seven thousand years and I’ve yet to find a sight more glorious than you.” 

It was Makkari’s turn to look flattered.  Her heart thumped painfully as she considered her earlier revelation about him.  Acting on her feelings could change everything about their relationship, but she was confident that it would only be for the better.  Without giving it any further deliberation, she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips.

He was obviously startled, but that lasted only a moment.  He moaned, vibrations she could feel in her mouth, and then he was rolling his body over hers.  He deepened the kiss, framing her face with his hands.  She felt an almost electric charge wind through her body, no guilt, no anxiety, just an overpowering sense of rightness and joy.  Druig was the man she’d been meant to be kissing all along.  She smiled against his lips.

“Makkari,” Druig pulled back roughly, speaking slowly so he wouldn’t have to take his hands off her to sign.  “I’ve been in love with ya for millennia.  If ya don’t feel the same, stop me now.  I can’t go back after this.”

She scanned his eyes with her own, and then beamed at him.  She signed her love with one hand and pressed it over his heart.  She didn’t hear the relieved groan he made, but she felt it tremble in his chest.  And then he was back on top of her, hungry kisses and eager hands roaming all over her body.

 

               

For almost seven thousand years Druig had wanted this more than his next breath.  He’d probably loved her since she pulled a fish out of her boot, and often, it felt like he’d loved her for infinitely longer.  He had no idea what had prompted her to take their relationship in a romantic direction, but he was no fool to press his luck and question it.  She was in his arms, and she loved him.  The rest of the world could fall away around them.  She was all that he needed.

Although she did undress them both quickly, Makkari surprised him with her slow, searing kisses. She would run her nimble hands in light caresses down every plane of his body she could reach.  When he put his mouth to her breasts, she lightly scored her nails up his back.  Trapped beneath him, her lithe body moved sinuously against his, urgently seeking skin to skin contact, but always moving with a languid grace.  He took long gazes at her perfect, petite body.  He couldn’t stand to stop touching her, concentrating fully as he filled his wandering eyes and hands with each of her sensuous curves.  Every single moment of longing, millions of them, had been worth it to be with her now.

He was overwhelmed with lust, nearly blinded by it.  He wanted to touch and kiss every inch of her lovely brown skin, but his body was making demands he wasn’t prepared for.  He squeezed one of her tightly muscled thighs and lifted it against his hip so that he could grind against her soft center.  He knew of things the humans did to satisfy each other, and he did want to try them, but those adventures would have to wait.  He was hard and throbbing and mindless with this new exhilaration.  

Makkari looked up into his face and gave him a knowing little smile.  She placed his hand on her clit and guided him into giving her pleasure all while he continued to rock his painfully swollen erection against her mound.  After a few minutes, she gave a little shudder, and he felt the sensation of her wetness before she encouraged him with her eyes to enter her.

“I don’t think I can last long,” he told her desperately, with a bit of embarrassment, guiding himself to her entrance.  “I want ya so badly.”

His beautiful lass gave him a sly smile and signed, “The night is long, and we don’t need much sleep.  Let’s get the first one out of the way.”

Druig laughed, overwhelmed and happier than he’d ever remembered being.  He slid into Makkari slowly, giving her body time to adjust as he went inch by inch, finally burying himself to the hilt.  For the first time in 7000 years, he felt as if he was home.  

 

 

Early afternoon sun filtered in through the window over the bed, finally rousing Druig from exhausted slumber.  He blinked his eyes open… and broke into a wide grin to find a naked Makkari sprawled across him like a blanket.  He might have feared it was all a dream if they hadn’t just finally fallen asleep a few hours ago.  It seemed that both had centuries of pent-up sexual frustration to get out of their systems.  The first foray had been lamentably quick, but after that, each successive time was longer and better.  By the end of the night (morning?) he was pretty confident in his ability to satisfy his lady.

Makkari stirred slowly, stretching her body like a cat.  She looked up at him with a soft smile that made his heart kick around painfully in his chest.  “Hello,” she gave him a small salute.

“Hello,” he signed back.  Druig immediately leaned up and kissed the lush lips he’d spent so many years fixated on.  Makkari wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.  That was all it took to arouse him again, and Makkari pulled back briefly to raise her eyebrows with a smirk, asking him without words if he was ready for another round.  He rolled her over in reply and eased himself into her warmth.

Druig moved in a slow, lazy cadence, luxuriating in the feel of her tight, wet center grasping him with every thrust.  After several minutes of deep, satisfying drives, Makkari pulled his head down to hers and proceeded to part his lips with her seeking tongue.  Once he’d opened to her, she sucked on his tongue in an imitation of the thrusting of their bodies.  He was almost undone there, but she rolled them over so that she was straddling him.  Druig's eyes nearly rolled back in his head as Makkari gyrated her hips and began subtly vibrating her body.  They both found orgasm only a minute or so later.

After they were lying side by side again, panting and sated, Makkari turned to Druig.  “We are really good at that!”

“I certainly think so,” he laughed. 

She traced his dimples with her nimble fingers before kissing his cheek.  “I love those dimples.”

“Well, they’re all yers, and the rest o’ me too, m’ lass,” he grinned.  “Always have been.”

“You definitely should have told me earlier,” she signed with a sigh, sitting up and rolling her back. 

“What do ya mean?” Druig frowned, rising to lean against the headboard.  “I didn’t tell ya at all.  Matter o’ fact, I wasn’t even plannin’ to question m’ good fortune and ask how this came about.”

Makkari giggled silently.  She placed her palm over his heart briefly and made a contrite face.  Removing her hand, she told him, “Except, oops, you did.”

“How, in me sleep?”  He asked incredulously.

“Remember when you called me after you were attacked?  And we were pushing feelings back and forth-”

“I pushed out that I loved you?!”  Druig almost felt embarrassed, except that it had all worked out exceptionally well for him.

“It caught me off guard too,” Makkari nodded, her eyes sparkling.  “I was too close to you to recognize I was in love.  But when you sent your feelings to me, that you loved me…then I started to consider it.”

“Damn, that means Ajak was right when she said I should tell ya how I felt.  Not that I’ll ever concede that to her.”

“Ajak knew?”

“And Gil,” he amended.  “He’s in a similar situation with Thena.”

“That figures,” Makkari observed wisely.

“Ya knew they weren’t together?  I thought everybody figured them a couple.”

Makkari huffed a laugh.  “No.  As many times as Thena has tried to drag me to-” 

She cut herself off at the pained expression on Druig’s face.  “I never did it,” she kissed his jaw comfortingly before continuing.  “And I always thought the one she really wanted was Gilgamesh.  She was just too afraid she’d hurt him.”

“Well, we’ve commiserated over it before,” Druig replied.  “How these beautiful ladies we loved more than life itself kept overlookin’ us.”

“More than life itself?” Makkari repeated with a tender expression.

“Oh aye,” he tucked a curl behind her ear and let his eyes roam her face.   “Yer the whole world to me, Makkari.”

She answered by kissing him sweetly.  Pulling back, she rested her forehead against his for a moment then sat up straight.  Her expression grew mischievous.  “You are going to be so mad when you find out who helped me realize I was in love with you.”

“Oh no, don’t say Ikarus.”

“Worse,” Makkari smiled wickedly.  “It was Kingo!”

“That is worse!  Let me guess, he was insulting me somehow when it dawned on ya?”

Makkari chuckled.  “No, he was asking after you actually, but yes, in an insulting way.”

“I knew it.”

“He wondered if I’d visited you, because he said I was the only one you might let visit.”

“That’s true enough.”

“He thought it was because I was the only one who was friendly to you.  That’s when I saw that none of the others really knew what our relationship was like.  I didn’t seek you out to cheer you up because I’m so nice; I always needed to be with you… to touch you.  I was protective of you because you were the most important person to me.”  She beamed at the look of adoration on Druig’s face.  “Talking to Kingo made me see that I’ve probably been in love with you for thousands of years.”

“Shit. Does that mean I have to start bein’ nice to Kingo?”

“Follow your heart,” Makkari teased, leaning against his side.

“Ah good, cuz me heart still says, ‘fook that guy’.”

Makkari tipped her head back and laughed. 

 

 

They got a solid week together of marathon lovemaking, before the little signaling bracelet Makkari wore started blinking, letting her know she was being summoned.

“If it’s a sea voyage, ya tell her no,” Druig looked down his nose seriously at Makkari as she stood in the circle of his arms outside the village palisade. 

“I promise,” Makkari replied before leaning up on her tip toes and kissing him passionately.  When she finally withdrew, she joked, “So you don’t forget me.”

“My darlin’ as if that’s possible,” Druig murmured. 

He staggered back a step when she took off.  He thought he was watching her golden trail fade off into the distance, only to be pushed roughly back into one of the broad trees behind him.  He chuckled as Makkari peppered kisses all over his face and neck.

“My beautiful Makkari needs a proper send off, I see.”

Druig pulled down his pants as well as hers and hoisted her into his arms so that she straddled him.  Bolder than he would have been a few days ago, he pressed Makkari’s back to the tree and proceeded to drive into her with powerful stokes.  Her head was thrown back in reckless abandon, and she bounced her body down on his thrusts to add more pressure.  He had fantasized about this untamed woman for millennia, and she was finally his.  Druig couldn’t believe his good fortune.  He was able to hold on until she found orgasm, but the euphoric look on her gorgeous face sent him over the edge right behind her.

“This is why ya can’t stay gone too long,” he enunciated to her when she was looking at him again.

Makkari bit her lip coyly before leaning over him and taking his face in her hands.  She gave him a slow, gentle kiss, filled with promise.  Her eyes twinkled when she pulled back and nodded her agreement.

“Oh, I love ya,” Druig responded on a soft exhale before setting her back down on the ground.

“I love you too,” she signed the sentence out.  With one more kiss to his cheek she added, “I’ll be back soon.”  

 

 

The moment Makkari arrived at Ajak’s boarding house in Boston, she started brainstorming excuses to get out of whatever assignment was in store for her.  Her body hummed with a radiant kind of energy she’d never experienced before, and she yearned to get back to the man who’d given her this new glow.

She stopped by the barn in the back and put on the annoyingly heavy dress that was in fashion.  Ajak always set up a similar station wherever she lived so that Makkari could don the local clothing and blend in.  Walking toward the front door, she was pushed off the porch by a rough man and called a word she didn’t recognize.  The rest of what he said was clear, “Servants use the back entrance.”

Makkari walked out of his line of sight and then used her super speed to circle back and eject him off the porch and into a bush.  She breezed through the front door and up the stairs to Ajak’s office.  She did not particularly care for the current human societies.

“There you are,” Ajak said, looking up from her desk.  “I expected you yesterday.” 

“I’ve been busy,” Makkari hedged.  Druig had used a hang dog expression to get her to stay an extra day after she’d been summoned.  He hadn’t had to work very hard to convince her.   

“Are you burglarizing something?” Ajak asked warily.

“Nope, nothing like that.”

Ajak narrowed her eyes and studied the speedster carefully.  “And you’re not getting into trouble?”

“Never,” Makkari answered innocently.  “But if we could maybe wrap this up quickly…”

“Are you in a hurry to get back to someone?”

Makkari merely blinked at her, but Ajak embellished her reaction to get to the truth.  “Is that a blush I see?”

Quickly the speedster put her hands to her cheeks to see if they were warm.  Makkari let out a silent chuckle when she caught the triumphant look on the Prime’s face. 

“So, you found someone special then?”

“I wouldn’t say I found him.”

Ajak’s eyebrows shot to the top of her forehead.  “Is it Druig?”

“That depends.  Are you going to yell at me if I say yes?”

Shaking her head with a small laugh, Ajak said, “Of course not.  That boy has been in love with you since we landed.”

“He did tell me you knew about his feelings.”

“And I advised him to open up to you.  I want all my children to be happy.  And that includes Druig.”  At Makkari’s nod, she continued, “How is his village doing?”

It was the first time Ajak had spoken about the village.  Over the years she’d asked Makkari to see if Druig was well, but she’d never asked about what he was doing or the humans he’d taken captive.

“He released the people that didn’t want to be there a while ago.  The humans in the village now chose to stay.  They’re thriving.”

“I knew you’d be a good influence on him.”

“Druig came to that decision on his own,” Makkari defended him.  “He never took over the city out of any ambition for power.  He’s just always felt very strongly about his duty to protect the humans.”

Ajak stood up from behind her desk and walked over to Makkari.  She took the smaller woman’s face in her hands and kissed her hairline.  “I didn’t mean to rile you.  You two are good for each other.  I’m pleased for you both.”

Makkari relaxed visibly and smiled.

Sitting back on top of the desk, Ajak folded her arms and viewed Makkari warmly.  “Is this still new?”

“Yes.”

“I had wanted to send you to Lima, Peru.  They’ve had a massive earthquake and a tsunami.  It’s always a good idea to make sure that no Deviants have been dredged up.”

“Can I say no?”

Ajak had spent the last 200 years giving Makkari assignments to keep her mind engaged and her boundless energy at bay.  It now appeared that Druig would be taking over that task for her.

“You can say no,” Ajak nodded.  “I’ll still need you to help me check in with the others and maintain the Domo, but… I think it might be safe to assume the Deviants really are gone.”

It was Makkari’s turn to narrow her eyes.  “Have you been sending me on wild goose chases?”

“Of course not dear.”  Ajak ruined the sentiment with a sly wink.

 

 

Chapter 15: Chapter 15

 

 

1800 AD - Amazon

 

The last few decades had been the happiest of Druig’s life on Earth.  He’d been surrounded by a peaceful society that had worked together and with him, because they had desired the lifestyle he had always envisioned.  He was able to use his powers (at will) to help them without the nagging fear that he was a burgeoning despot.  He’d even taken a somewhat personal approach to his human villagers, interacting with them during daily life.   Most importantly, he had Makkari, his best friend and lover, living with him more frequently than at any time since the Eternals had split.  Being with her in every way was infinitely better than he had ever dared to imagine.  It felt like a missing limb had been returned, or half his heart had been restored.  Nothing felt more right than being with the love of his life.

That day, he and a small group of farmers were returning from a meeting by the cornfield.  He had broken off mid-sentence when he caught sight of newly returned Makkari in the center of a group of women weaving blankets.  Makkari had no patience to create craftsmanship pieces, even if she did appreciate them, so she had tasked herself with entertaining the women’s children.  She gave the little ones rides on her back, zipping around at a slightly-faster-than-human-speed.  She was laughing and active in a sign language conversation with the women as they worked.  She looked delighted, and she was gloriously beautiful.

“Hey, your wife’s back,” one of the farmers commented, grinning at Druig’s smitten expression.

He turned to the young man with a half-smile, but he didn’t correct him.  He let everyone call her his wife.  He told himself it was to spare the humans’ sensibilities, but the truth was that he liked to hear them say it.

“She’s gorgeous,” another farmer said wistfully.  Immediately he blanched and looked at Druig.  “I’m sorry sir!  I meant no disrespect!”

Druig merely chuckled.  “Yer damn right she is, lad.”

The farmers laughed with him.  Most were too young to remember the time before Makkari was a frequent resident of the village.  They knew him as a much happier individual than their ancestors would have recognized.  Druig left the farmers behind as he walked over to Makkari, pulled as he always was, directly into her orbit.

She gave him a bright smile as he approached and jumped up into his arms when he was close enough.  Druig caught her with a little laugh and kissed her soundly when she leaned down.  Around them, the women tittered.  Only he heard it of course, but he didn’t care in the least. 

“Welcome back, my beautiful Makkari,” he said as he gently set her back on the ground.  “That was a short trip, eh?  Any luck?”

Makkari had been corresponding with antiquities collector in England that claimed to have possession of an ancient Indian scroll with pictures of the Emerald Tablet.  He’d cut off communication with her when he found out she was a woman.  In response, as any reasonable thief with superpowers would do, she planned a heist.

“He had a copy of the original, but it had details I’ve never seen.  So, I borrowed it,” she wiggled her eyebrows at him.  “The scroll showed me a new temple to check out.”

“Maybe ye’ll have to take me along then, if yer that close,” Druig told her.  “I’m not missing out on findin’ that damn thing after all this time.”

He’d just started leaving the village with her on day trips.  She’d been surprised the first time he’d suggested it, as she knew he didn’t like to leave his people unattended.  But Druig claimed to miss the thefts and misadventures, and so far, he’d made himself useful as a translator and a white, male presence for those that refused to deal with women or people of color.  He didn’t go on all her explorations, but she did enjoy running capers with him again.

“It might be an over-night trip,” Makkari warned him.

“Well, if I’m with you, that’s a night much better spent than by me lonesome,” he flirted with her.  

It was a lot more fun for her, knowing that his flirtation was genuine.  She smiled broadly at him and kissed the end of his nose.

“Your husband is always cranky when you’re gone,” one of the women signed to Makkari, teasing Druig.

He snuck a glance over to Makkari to appraise her reaction to the title of husband.

Makkari was as imperturbable as ever.  Grinning at the woman, she replied, “He’d better be.  You let me know if he starts to look happy.”

The group of artisans laughed.  Makkari signed goodbye to them and took Druig’s arm to walk back to his cabin.

“Sorry about that,” he said, signing mostly one handed.

“About what?”

“They’ve been calling us husband and wife.  I haven’t corrected ‘em.”

“I already knew that,” she shrugged.

“Ya did?”

“Druig, they all speak sign language.”

“Oh.  Yeah,” he tipped his head to the side.  “So ya don’t mind then?”

“I’m not doing some human ceremony like Ikarus and Sersi, but otherwise, it’s nice,” Makkari smiled.

“Good, cuz I kinda liked it meself,” Druig pulled her in under his arm and kissed her.  It had been almost 50 years, and he still wasn’t over the novelty of being able to casually kiss her at will.  He tried not to worry that something would come along to destroy his happiness, but he was Druig, so of course he did.  “Any other news to share, wife?”

“I have one more trip to make before we go to the temple, don’t forget husband.”

“Ah, yeah, it’s nearin’ the end o’summer.  You’ll be headin’ out to visit Thena and Gil soon I imagine?” 

“Yes.  You know how upset Thena gets if I’m late.” 

Thena, who had trouble keeping track of time, would assume her attack on Makkari had just happened.  During the handful of years Makkari had missed the summer window, Thena either believed she’d killed Makkari (and that Gilgamesh was lying about it to protect her,) or that Makkari had decided never to speak to her again.  Both imagined scenarios set off an episode.

“How soon do ya have to leave?”

Makkari leaned in and delivered a suggestive little nip to his neck.  “That depends.”

“On what?” Druig smiled down at his love.

“On how long I can get you to hole up with me in the Waterfall House.”

“Ahhh, ya might miss yer trip entirely then.”

 

Makkari and Thena laughed at Gil as he brought out the main course.  He was wearing the bicorn hat Makkari had stolen for him from Napoleon.  She’d brought Thena one of the great man’s dress swords. 

“It’s too small for your head,” Thena told Gil laconically.  Napoleon was indeed a much smaller man, making it look more like a crown than a hat on Gilgamesh.

“I like it,” he told her.  “I feel stylish.”

“How did you happen upon these treasures if this Napoleon is so important?” Thena asked Makkari, always interested in her exploits.

“It was pretty easy; the end of his Egyptian campaign was a mess,” Makkari relayed with a grin.  “When Napoleon high-tailed it back to France, he might have been short one trunk.”

What she did not share, was that she’d also shown a young French officer a block of stone that had had Greek writing, Demotic writing, and Egyptian hieroglyphs carved into it.  The stone gained notoriety pretty quickly, as it was being used as a tool for the modern man to try to decipher hieroglyphs.  Ajak probably wouldn’t have approved of the interference, but Makkari just couldn’t bear to see the intricate writing lost to time. 

Makkari entertained them with a few of her impressions from the French’s march on Egypt and the wild misinterpretations the French archeologists made while exploring the pyramids and ruins.

As the conversation ebbed and flowed with the meal, Gilgamesh exchanged a long look with Thena and then asked abruptly, “So, Makkari, how are the others doing?  Have you seen them lately?”

The speedster cocked her head.  “Everyone is doing well.”  She wasn’t sure how much she could say without triggering Thena.  “I really haven’t visited anyone lately besides you two and Dr-”

She’d started to use his name sign, but stopped in the middle, shooting a questioning glance at Gilgamesh.  On some visits, he warned her not to mention any of the others.

“No, it’s okay, were you going to say Druig?” Gilgamesh asked hopefully.

Makkari nodded.

“We actually wanted to talk about him.”  Gil exchanged another meaningful look at Thena.

“If he isn’t too busy enslaving humanity,” Thena muttered.

Ignoring her comment, Gil asked, “Do you remember Ajak telling us a long time ago that Druig couldn’t enter our minds unless we invited him in?  Do you know if that’s something he could really do?”

“He hasn’t done that to anybody,” Makkari glanced between both of them defensively.

“No, no.  We don’t think he did, we were just wondering if he could… if it was possible.”

“He can do it to humans, so probably,” Makkari shrugged.  “He’s never tried on any of us.”

“As far as you know,” Thena put in.

Before Makkari could protest, Gilgamesh answered Thena’s comment.  “We don’t even have to ask him if you’re not comfortable with it.  I told you I’m not sure I’m comfortable with it.”

“You’re the one that suggested it.”

“As a joke!”

“Could somebody please explain what’s going on?” Makkari interrupted.

“Gilgamesh wants Druig to put me to sleep so that he can take a vacation.”

“I said it as a joke!”

“Do you need a vacation, Gilgamesh?  I can stay here with Thena.”

“It’s not safe Speedy,” Gilgamesh raised his forearms to display a multitude of scars.  “It’s just been a rough couple of years, and I jokingly said I needed a vacation.”

“But I want to give him one,” Thena picked up the story.  “He needs it.  However, while discussing all possibilities, the only feasible solution Gil came up with was having Druig put me to sleep.”

“Would he even do it?” Gil asked.

Makkari studied the hopeful expressions of her friends.  She wanted to help them.  “I think he would try.”

 

Makkari zipped Druig to a stretch of grassland far enough from Gil and Thena’s house to be out of sight.  It was never a good idea to startle Thena.

Druig looked around nervously; wearing the same frown he’d sported since agreeing to try his powers on Thena.

“You sure you’re okay?” Makkari signed, and then brushed his hair from his forehead and cupped his cheek. 

He nuzzled her hand and nodded.  “Oh, aye, what’s the harm in pokin’ around the mind of somebody with Mahd Wy’ry?”

She grinned and released him to sign, “Don’t worry, she’ll probably chop your head off before we even get to that part.”

Druig snorted and pulled her in closer by her hips.  “Remind me again why I agreed to this?”

“Because you love me,” Makkari teased with a beaming smile.

“Now that’s the truth of it,” he replied before leaning down and kissing her thoroughly.

Makkari was so caught up in the moment, she almost missed the vibration of Gilgamesh’s approaching footsteps.  She pushed lightly against Druig’s chest, but she was too late.  Gilgamesh had already gotten a nice little show.

“Well, well, well,” Gilgamesh called jovially.  “Look what we have here.  No wonder Speedy was so sure she could get you to come out here.”

“Ya know already she has me wrapped around her little finger,” Druig responded.  He shook Gil’s hand when it was offered.  “Nice to see ya, Gil.”

“You too, Druig.  So, I take it you two finally found your way to each other, huh?”

“Fifty years ago, give or take,” Druig nodded, exchanging an intimate smile with Makkari.

“Well then congratulations man,” Gil slapped his back heartily.  “I’m glad it worked out for you.  And Makkari?” He turned to wink at her.  “You could do better.”

Makkari answered with a gasp and a laugh. 

Druig chuckled and elbowed the big man.  “Okay get yer shots in.  And just where is your lady?  Set up somewhere to ambush me?”

“She’s back at the house.  And she has no plans to kill you… yet.”  He glanced between the pair.  “Maybe we don’t tell her about you two.  At least not right now.  She seems to be in a good place today, but she never has trusted you very much Druig.”

Druig looked down at Makkari as she tucked herself against his side.  “Seems like a strange preface to ask for a favor, eh love?”

“If you play nice, we’ll do some dirty stuff later,” Makkari grinned up at him.

Pursing his lips, Druig nodded enthusiastically.  He looked mirthfully over at Gilgamesh.  “That’s how ya ask for a favor.”

“Well maybe,” Gilgamesh smiled, “but it would be a whole lot less appealing to you coming from me.”

 

After a stilted greeting with Thena, the group moved to the table near the large outdoor kitchen.  There were baskets of rolls and fruit on the table, and Gilgamesh had started the fire in preparation for cooking dinner.  Druig helped himself to the fruit while Thena and Gilgamesh explained their request.

“Where are ya plannin’ to go Gil?”  Druig asked, focusing on the least important detail.

“Viti,” Gilgamesh answered with a little sigh, referring to an island paradise.  “Makkari took me fishing there before.  The water is so clear, you can see for miles.”

“You went fishing?” Druig sent a disbelieving look to Makkari.  They sat side by side on a bench, across the table from Gil and Thena.  “When was this?  Ya hate any activity requiring patience.”

“Lost a bet,” Makkari admitted, smiling broadly.

“Yeah, it was five or six hundred years ago now.  And she didn’t spend more than 5 minutes fishing before she took off exploring,” Gil ratted her out.  Makkari shrugged nonchalantly.

“That’s more like it,” Druig teased her, bumping into her.

“But I’ve thought about that place a lot.”  Gilgamesh glanced over at Thena.  “I wish I could take you.”

She rubbed her hand over his.  “I’m sorry my love.”

Druig’s eyes snapped back to Makkari.  He raised his eyebrows, questioning without words if they were a couple.  Makkari confirmed with a subtle nod.

“I’m not even sure I should go,” Gil frowned at Thena.  “You need me here.”

“I won’t need you if I’m hibernating,” Thena assured him.  “And I want you to have a break.  You’ve been doing this for a quarter of a millennia, Gil.”

“Yeah, but you don’t feel comfortable with…” Gilgamesh and Thena both turned to Druig at the same time.

“What, with me?” Druig asked.  Part of him relished making the conversation more awkward.

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t entirely trust you having free reign to poke around in my head,” Thena said tersely.

“Afraid I’ll have ya cluckin’ like a chicken?” Druig smirked.

Makkari slapped his thigh. 

“Or maybe I worry I’ll end up like that city of people you enslaved,” Thena clenched her jaw.

“It’s not what you think, Thena,” Makkari immediately came to his defense. 

Druig placed a hand over her wrist and shook his head.  “They all believe the worst o' me, m'darlin'.”

“So why did you come here?” Thena pinned him in place with her eyes.  “Why did you agree to help me?”

“Because Makkari asked me to,” he replied simply.

“That’s it, huh?  No ulterior motive?”

“I’m not the villain ya seem to think I am.”

“Oh, did I misinterpret your march into the jungle with a thousand captives?” Thena spat. 

“Remember, Druig is the reason you still have your memories,” Gil broke in gently.

“You’re the reason I have my memories, Gil,” Thena touched his face.  “You agreed to give up your life to look after me.”  Turning to Druig she sneered, “Don’t pretend I wasn’t just another excuse to attack Ajak.”

Druig’s jaw muscled twitched under his skin, but he answered snidely, “It did make for some mighty fine pretext.” 

“Whatever happened in the past, Thena, Druig only came today because I asked him to.  It could be dangerous to put you to sleep with your Mahd Wy’ry, and he knows you don’t like him, but he came anyway.  He cares.  You and Gilgamesh needed help; otherwise, I never would have wanted him to take this risk.  Please give him a chance,” Makkari signed earnestly.

Out of the view of the others, Druig slung his arm around her hips.  It was a gratifying feeling to be loved by such an extraordinary woman.

Thena looked into Makkari’s eyes for a long time.  “You’d trust him with your life, wouldn’t you?”

Makkari signed the word 'yes'.

“Do you deserve that kind of trust Druig?” Thena turned her steely gaze to him.

“No,” Druig replied automatically.  “But she’s always given it to me.  And I’d rather die than let her down.”

In response, Makkari laid her head against his shoulder.  “Of course, you deserve it,” she signed just to him.  “You’re a good man.”  He smiled down into her big, brown eyes.

Sighing, Thena raised an eyebrow at Gil.  “And you trust him too, don’t you?”

“I do, love,” Gil answered, taking her hand, and squeezing it.

“Hmm,” Thena narrowed her eyes at the group.

“Let Gilgamesh have a fishing trip where he isn’t attacked by sharks and crocodiles,” Makkari teased.

Thena smiled first at Makkari and then at Gilgamesh before giving Druig a more resigned expression.  “If you betray me, I will cut you into pieces.”

Druig smirked again.  “Figured ya might do that anyway.”

 

The group conducted an experiment that evening to see if Druig was able to enter Thena’s mind.  It did require her full consent, but he was able to put her to sleep.  Gilgamesh roused her by ringing a set of chimes that usually sat outside the house.  After the demonstration, Makkari had searched Druig’s eyes deeply when he’d assured her that he hadn’t even touched upon Thena’s Mahd Wy’ry.

Thena chose not to be put to sleep for the duration of Gilgamesh’s trip.  She left her mental defenses down instead, so that Druig could breach her mind if she had a sudden attack.  Makkari ran Gilgamesh to their previous fishing site with a big camping bag and promised to fetch him in four days.

She returned to find Druig and Thena raiding the larder for the pre-prepped food Gilgamesh had left.  “Eating soon?”

“Did you want to help us cook Makkari?”  Thena asked, carrying items to the center table.

“My beautiful Makkari is not allowed to cook,” Druig looked up at the speedster with a twinkle in his eye. 

“They banned me from it in his village,” Makkari added.  

“What for?” Thena frowned.

“Because Makkari hates waitin’ for things to roast, so she shoves food directly into an open flame, until it catches fire,” Druig replied, unable to keep the grin off his face as he ribbed his love.  “Yer left with a blackened outer layer and an uncooked center.”

“It’s an acquired taste,” Makkari joked to Thena.

“I still ate it,” Druig loyally pointed out.  He turned to Thena, “Then I was sick for three days, but that could’a been unrelated.”

Thena laughed at them.  She and Druig managed to cook the midday meal without incident. 

Later she showed them around the sprawling ranch, warning them about the numerous ways the plants and wildlife could attack.  Makkari and Thena played the first of many new rounds of the balance game.  The trio got through a peaceful evening meal and even a semi-spirited card game that Makkari won (most likely by cheating).

That evening when they all retired, Druig and Makkari agreed to split watch in the main room, in case Thena had an episode after a nightmare.  She left her bedroom door open to provide them easier access to sounds and vibrations.  

It also afforded her a shocking view a few hours into Makkari’s watch, when Druig came back out to the main room to join her.  It was too early for him to relieve her, and Thena didn’t see what they were signing to each other.  But suddenly, Druig scooped Makkari out of her rocking chair and sat back down with the slender woman in his lap.  Thena was even more surprised a few minutes later when they started kissing slowly and intimately.  Many things clicked into place for her at that moment.

The next day after breakfast, she found Druig while he was meditating in the back rock garden.

“Where’s Makkari?” Thena questioned, scanning the grounds for her.

“Out runnin’,” Druig opened his eyes to look at her.  “She’ll be back soon.  Thought you were in your paintin’ studio?”

“Wasn’t in the mood.  Are you meditating?”

“Yeees,” Druig answered warily.

“Does it help?”

“With what?”

“With whatever is riling you all the time.  Does it bring you peace?”

“It helps me center,” he shrugged.  “It takes a lotta work to keep me mental shields up, so I don’t have to listen to the whole ‘a the world.”

“I think I could use some help centering,” Thena sat down across from him folding her legs in front of her.  “If meditating doesn’t bring you peace… does Makkari?”

His eyes widened, like a kid caught in the act of a transgression.

“You really did come here just because she asked you to, didn’t you?”

“I did tell ya that already.”

“Do you love her?”

“Aye,” Druig responded softly.  “Always have.”

“Alright,” Thena nodded, making up her mind.  “Show me how to center.”

 

 

Gilgamesh held Thena in his arms on the bed they shared the night he came home.  Druig and Makkari had taken off back to the Amazon after a big dinner.  Everyone seemed pleasant and happy, a far cry from how the visit had started.

“So, how’d it go…really?”

“It went remarkably well…really,” Thena returned, looking up at her man.  “They are easy to be around.  They teased each other, they teased me, they were playful and light-hearted.  Being around them was like…”

“Being an honorary member of an exclusive little club?” Gilgamesh supplied, having had numerous experiences of his own with the duo.

“Yes,” Thena smiled.  “I don’t think I’ve ever known Druig to be in such a good mood.”

“Maybe the village life is agreeing with him,” Gilgamesh dodged.

“And I’m sure having sex with Makkari on a regular basis is a big help as well,” Thena put in sardonically.

“They told you?!  I told them not to tell you!”  He lowered his brow.  “I didn’t know if it would upset you, given your feelings about Druig.”

“Those feelings might be changing,” Thena confessed. 

“Seriously?”

“I’m not blind.  I knew he had a soft spot for Makkari.  I just thought he was using her to hide behind her skirts as he threw shots at the rest of us.  But that wasn’t the case, was it?”

“No, he’s been in love with her for a long time.”

“He said as much…though they didn’t ever tell me they were together.  They just routinely underestimated how long it takes me to fall asleep.”

Gilgamesh laughed.

“He let the humans go, by the way,” Thena commented thoughtfully.  “The ones that are in the village now all chose to stay.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“I suppose it’s possible I misjudged him.”

“Hey, he can be a lot sometimes,” Gilgamesh stroked her back.  “But he’s in a good place now.  That makes a big difference.  I’m just glad everything went smoothly.”

“Already planning your next vacation?”

“No, but maybe we could invite them both back again…for a visit.”

“Maybe we could.”  Thena leaned up and put a soft kiss on Gil’s lips.  “But right now, I want to welcome you home.”

“Your wish is my command!” 

 

 

Chapter 16: Chapter 16

 

1922 AD - England

 

Howard Carter followed a stiff-backed butler through the vast halls of Highclere castle.  He was running through his semi-prepared speech, hoping to convince his sponsor to fund just one more expedition in the Valley of the Kings.  The last few years had been abysmal, but he just knew he’d finally pinpointed the right place to dig.  One more year of Lord Carnarvon’s money could lead to the greatest archeological discovery of their generation.

The butler opened the door and then stood aside and announced Carter.  Carnarvon rose from behind his desk and waved him toward a seat in front of him.  A young man stood behind the desk as well, dressed formally in black, his hands clasped in front of him.  He had heavy lidded blue eyes which tracked Carter’s every move as he shook hands with the English lord.

“I’m sorry sir.” Carter turned to address the young man.  “I don’t believe I remember meeting you before today?”

“Aye, and ya probably won’t remember meeting me after today,” the mystery man responded in an Irish lilt.  His eyes glimmered with humor.

“This is Drew, my secretary,” Carnarvon said dismissively as he and Carter seated themselves.

“What happened to Richard?”

“I’m filling in for him today,” Drew answered, and immediately Carnarvon nodded.

“Well… alright,” Carter decided to press on.  “Sir, if I can cut to the heart of the matter, I think I know why you wanted to meet with me.”

“Last season was dreadful,” Carnarvon sighed.  “I’m sure you understand this can’t go on indefinitely.”

“I do understand that sir, but I feel so strongly about the dig planned this season.  I just know I finally found the site of Tutankhamun’s burial.”

“Do ya have it on the map?” Drew interrupted, (quite unlike a secretary,) and pointed to the stack of paperwork Carter was holding in his lap.

“Well yes,” Carter flashed a look at Carnarvon, but he gave no indication that his secretary was talking out of turn.

“Can I see it?” Drew persisted, walking closer to the desk.

“This information isn’t for general consumption-”

“Let him see the damn map, Carter.”

Begrudgingly, the would-be archeologist pulled out a map and pointed to the area circled in red. 

“Oh, aye that’s very close,” Drew commented.  He pointed his finger a little to the left of the circle and tapped the map.  “But ya actually meant right here, didn’t ya?”

“I certainly d-” Carter looked up angrily into Drew’s face and briefly met a pair of golden eyes.  The impression disappeared as soon as it was made, and Carter found himself crossing out the circle and marking an x at the suggested location.  “Yes, it’s right here.”

“That’s a good spot,” Drew turned to Carnarvon.  The older man nodded.

“I… I was going to say, sir that I feel so strongly about this location that I’m willing to put up my own money in financing.  It would still be your claim, of course, but just the honor of the discovery would be enough for me, my lord.”  He looked earnestly at his benefactor.  “I’m positive it’s there.”   

Carnarvon turned to his young secretary.  “What do you think Drew?”

“Mighty powerful argument, he makes, sir,” Drew turned his head so that Carter missed the flash of gold.  “Any man willin’ to put up his own money is probably pretty confident.”

Lord Carnarvon stood, and Carter jumped to his feet as well, holding the rest of his documents in one hand.  He’d actually had a much more in-depth sales pitch planned.

“Let’s give it one more go Carter,” Carnarvon shook his hand.

 

 

1922 AD – Egypt

 

With the new season finally underway, Carter toured the dig site.  It was still early but he had high hopes that this year would finally end his run of bad luck.  The workers were being called in for a break by the foreman, leaving their tools behind while they went for refreshments.

Carter had stopped by a group clearing away the excavated debris.  He noticed one small figure digging in the sand next to the workman.  He guessed it was one of the many children that ran errands around the site.

“It’s break time,” Carter said as he approached the hunched over figure.  The child was wearing a robe and a turban, and as he got closer, he saw a scarf tied around his face.  Many of the adults wore similar scarfs to avoid eating the constantly blowing sand.  “Don’t you want to get a drink?”

While he was still a few paces away, the figure shot up.  He could see that the child was slight, but taller than he’d assumed.  Turning slowly, the child flashed Carter a look with enormous brown eyes, glanced back purposefully at the area he’d been digging, and then scampered off in a flash.

Carter chuckled to himself, but stopped suddenly, as his eyes caught on a slab starting to emerge from the sand.  He hurried over, picking up the child’s discarded tool and started to dig frantically.  He uncovered more of the slab before rushing back to the workers and excitedly calling for help.  By the end of the month, Howard Carter would descend the staircase discovered that day and enter Tutankhamun’s tomb.

 

 

Stopping outside the circle of firelight, Druig turned to Makkari and squeezed her hand.  She bounced on her toes beside him, her beautiful face awash with excitement.  Smiling at her, Druig led her forward, extending a hand and putting all of the workers and guards on the dig site to sleep.  They walked down the staircase and straight into the room that Carter would later dub the antechamber.  This was the first room the team had begun to excavate, but it was the only room Makkari needed to access. 

Inside, there were stacks of furniture piled up high against the length of the back wall. Disassembled chariots lined an opposite corner and two huge statues stood sentry before the door to the next still-sealed room.  The furniture was gilded, but a thin, pink layer of mold had settled over the artifacts.

“It stinks in here,” Druig complained making a face as they entered.

“Old tomb smell,” Makkari winked, turning in a circle to take in everything.  Druig loved to watch her exploring her ancient treasures.  She was absolutely radiant.    “I should have known it was Egyptian.  They loved writing down instructions for everything.”

They scanned for an elaborately decorated chest painted with battle scenes.  They tried very hard not to disturb the placement of items as they nosed around.

Druig kicked a chariot wheel in disgust as he walked by.  “Bloody chariots.”

“Still holding a grudge?”  Makkari grinned, catching his childish behavior out of the corner of her eye.

“I’m an Eternal,” he told her.  “That means I can hold a grudge forever.” 

She laughed and zipped over to his side, hugging him around the neck until he was smiling down at her.  Stepping back, she signed, “He never stood a chance.  Do you think I could have brought that guy tomb raiding?”

“Well, he certainly wouldn’t have been as enthusiastic about it as I am,” Druig joked back.

Makkari gave him a sweet little kiss and then sped off to continue the search.  It took a few minutes, but she finally uncovered the chest in one of the furniture stacks and hauled it to the center of the room. 

“That’s it, huh?” Druig questioned as they both bent down to study the chest.  “What is that pink film covering everything?”

“Mold,” Makkari answered.  “They get flash floods in this area.”

Druig scooted back a few inches.

Meanwhile, Makkari lifted the fragile lid.  It had been looted in ancient times and she fervently hoped the robbers hadn’t been aware of the false bottom.  She pushed down on one end, and the entire floor panel popped up.  Removing it carefully, Makkari stared down at her prize: the Emerald Tablet.

“Ya did it,” Druig beamed at her.

“We did it,” she corrected him.  “Especially this last part.”

“Worth all the trouble?”

Makkari picked up the tablet gingerly.  She inspected the intricate carvings and glistening green gemstone.  “Definitely.”

“Can I hold it?”  Druig asked as he stood up, half-teasing.

Just as he’d suspected, she made a pained face.

“Ya just said how important I was to recoverin’ this beaut.”

In lieu of a response, she wrinkled her nose at him.

Druig laughed.  “Remember, ya do love me.”

With a put-upon sigh, Makkari stood and handed him the tablet.  “Be careful.”

He admired the craftsmanship.  Druig knew the real value of the tablet was the amount of work required to find it.  They’d doggedly followed clues all over the world, with Makkari running down far more leads than he’d participated in.  The fact that it had been buried in a long-forgotten tomb and required using the humans to open it made the prize even sweeter. 

That didn’t stop him from messing with her.  He pretended to nearly drop it.

She shot him a murderous look.

Grinning like a brat, Druig tried to hand it back as she reached out for it, and the tablet was knocked out his hand.  They exchanged a momentary horrified look, but Makkari’s super speed saved the tablet from disaster.  She caught the relic inches before it hit the floor.

Makkari levelled Druig with another thunderous stare.  Druig looked totally chagrined… for about ten seconds.  He then burst into laughter at the situation.

Smacking his arm, Makkari tucked the tablet against her protectively.  “You. Are. Never. Touching. This. Again!”

“Aw, don’t give me that look, my beautiful Makkari.”  Druig stepped closer and she turned her back on him in a huff.  He snickered and grabbed her around the waist; kissing her ears and neck in all the places he knew she was ticklish.  She finally relented and giggled, spinning in his arms and lifting her face for a kiss.  He obliged and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers.

“You’re still not allowed to touch this anymore,” Makkari stated promptly when they parted.  “Consider this one of those Eternal-sized grudges.”

He chuckled again, “Fair enough.  So, where’re we puttin’ this thing?”

“The Domo, of course.”

“Is there room left on the Domo?  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine museum, but the others will kill ya when they see what ye’ve done to the place.”  He took the painted chest and returned it to its original spot in the stockpile.

“I’ll worry about that day when it comes,” Makkari responded breezily when he was facing her again.  She was not normally one to agonize about future events.  And the longer they spent on Earth, the less she thought it likely they would be called home.

Druig shrugged.  He personally liked the collection she’d curated haphazardly throughout the halls and spacious rooms on the ship.  They often spent time there studying artifacts or reminiscing.  Makkari always kept the place stocked with snacks, as they both had ravenous appetites.  It was also the only place he didn’t have to work to hold up his mental shields.  He rather enjoyed their visits.

“Say, if yer gonna run us to the Domo, shouldn’t I hold onto the tablet?” He ribbed her, grinning widely.

“Never again.”

 

 

Chapter 17: Chapter 17

 

1945 AD – Hiroshima

 

Makkari stood back as Phastos walked forward in a daze to witness the devastation of the leveled Japanese city.  He’d demanded that she bring him, and had threatened to find his own way through the war-torn country if she didn’t.  Reluctantly, Makkari had raced him through the conflict in the Pacific and had stopped in the blast radius of Hiroshima.  She had never seen Phastos in such a broken state before, and her heart ached at her inability to help him. 

World War II had started six years earlier.  At some point, each of the Eternals had become disenchanted with the human race.  The Second World War was the breaking point for Phastos…and Makkari. 

She had gone on small rescue missions during every modern war she was made aware of.  She saved civilians pinned down under fire, and occasionally pulled sailors and pilots from wrecked crafts.  Generally careful not to take sides, she was responsible for once sinking a Confederate submarine during the American Civil War.  She had seen atrocities and cruelty for millennia, but nothing had prepared her for the mass casualties at Stalingrad or the horror of the Nazi concentration camps.  The last few years in particular, she’d witnessed scenes that had haunted her with nightmares.  Driven to combat such atrocities, she'd pitched in on the side of the Allies far more often than she'd ever participated in the past.

During that time, Phastos had been working at the Metallurgical Laboratory in Chicago, known as the Met Lab.  Scientists there had contributed to the Manhattan Project, conducting plutonium research.  Upon learning that their efforts would lead to a nuclear strike against Japan, Phastos had joined 69 other scientists in signing a petition against dropping the bomb.  The scientists urged that a demonstration of the bomb’s power would be convincing enough; and that continuing to develop atomic power would lead to escalating destructive weapons capabilities by all the world powers.  The petition never made it to the President’s desk.  The next month, the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

Makkari had been in close contact with Phastos throughout the war.  He fed her places to lend her aid, and she brought him notes or special equipment he needed from the Domo.  In the summer of 1945, Makkari had been volunteering with the Red Cross to care for survivors of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp.  She’d witnessed the horrific conditions of the death camp by tagging along with the British Army as a nurse when they’d liberated it.  She had stayed on with the field hospital to care for the ravaged victims.  The bombing had been big news among the medical staff.  Makkari had slipped off a few hours later to find Phastos.

When she’d finally relented to his demands to see ground zero, Makkari immediately regretted it.  Phastos threw up as soon as he laid eyes on the charred earth and blackened building shells. 

“I did this,” he muttered to himself over and over again.

Gently, Makkari tried to put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he shook her off and kept walking.  Makkari hung back, agonizing over how to help him.  Only one idea came to mind.  With a resigned sigh, she zipped off to fetch Ajak. 

Ajak didn’t scold Makkari or demand further explanation.  As soon as Makkari gave her a brief and rapid run down, Ajak merely nodded.  “Take me to him.”

It was Ajak that brought comfort to Phastos.  She didn’t even argue when Phastos claimed that Druig had been right all along and that the humans weren’t worth saving.  Makkari stood back and silently agreed.

Afterward, she took both Phastos and Ajak to a quiet, newly purchased ranch in South Dakota.  Ajak was going to try her hand at breeding horses for a while.  This was a complete culture shock to Phastos’ normal lifestyle, but that didn’t seem to bother him.  He staked out a guest room and didn’t emerge for two days.  Makkari collected most of his clothes and belongings for him from his Chicago apartment.  She then left Phastos in Ajak’s hands and headed straight for the Amazon.

 

Druig had become familiar with Makkari’s sudden nighttime appearances over the last few years.  She was heavily involved in the war, much to her own detriment.  Her once sparkling, happy face was now usually forlorn and world-weary.  She avoided the villagers, like she’d done when he’d first deserted the Eternals.  Instead, she would suddenly be beside him in bed, curling into his body.  She didn’t converse much.  Sometimes she made desperate love to him and sometimes she just burrowed against him and cried silently.  Druig tried just to be there for her, in whatever way she needed him.  He worried about her constantly, but Makkari stubbornly refused to share her experiences with him.  He knew she believed she was protecting him, but he was anxious to help his lass.        

It was a surprise when she barreled into him in the middle of the day as he was outside helping to care for the llamas.  (He had eventually become somewhat of a llama expert in order to keep Makkari’s favorites alive.)  One minute he was by the pen, and the next he found himself outside the Waterfall House.  Although he was briefly disoriented, he adjusted quickly when he felt his love’s small, shivering frame clutch him in a distressed hug.

“Hey, hey,” Druig cupped her face and loosened her grip on him to look down into her eyes.  They were swimming with tears.  Makkari just shook her head slightly, and he pulled her tightly against his chest.  “It’s okay, my beautiful Makkari.  It’s okay.”

It took several minutes of stroking her back, but eventually, Makkari stopped shaking.  Worse, her emotions were locked down tightly.  He suspected she was putting in effort to close herself off in order to keep him safe from her despair. 

She finally let go of him and stepped back so they could talk.  “Sorry... I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize, m’love.  What can I do to help?”

“I just needed you.”

“Ya always have me.”  He tucked some loose curls behind her ear, and then craned his neck to look into her eyes.  “What has ya so upset m’darlin’?”

“I think I made a mistake.” 

“Well then I’ll help ya cover it up,” Druig teased gently, trailing his hands up and down her arms.   

Makkari attempted a smile but dissolved into tears again.  She leaned her forehead on Druig’s chest.

“That’s all I can stand, love,” he shook his head and scooped her up in his arms.  He headed into the cabin, shutting the door with a backward kick.  Cradling Makkari, he sat down with her on the bed.  The open curtains provided enough light to see each other. 

“Yer takin’ a break,” Druig told her firmly.  “I hate what this war has been doin’ to ya, but I know better than to try and stop yer work.  I am demandin’ ya take a rest for a while.  No arguments.”

She simply nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. 

“Makkari,” Druig’s voice broke.  Her easy acquiescence was never a good sign.  “Please m’ love, tell me what happened.”

“It’s Phastos.  I told you that he’s been working for the Americans during the war.”

“Aye.”

“They did something…”

“Did they drop that bomb?”

“You know about it?”

“It was in those papers ya brought me love.”  She brought him American newspapers at his request, although only sporadically.  He shared the news with the village, almost as a deterrent for war and violence. 

“It destroyed a city,” Makkari looked near tears again.  “And he insisted I take him, or he was going to find his own way.”    

“He felt responsible,” Druig surmised.

“I’ve never seen him so broken.”  Makkari paused and covered her face as if to block out whatever she was seeing in her mind’s eye.  Eventually, she lowered her hands and signed, “I didn’t know what to do.  I went for Ajak.”

“Honey, that was the right call,” he assured her, rubbing her thigh.  “For any o’ the others, that’s the right call.  For me, a’course, the only one I need is you.”

A corner of her mouth quirked up and she leaned forward and kissed him lightly.  “I brought them both to Ajak’s farmhouse in America.  He wouldn’t come out of his bedroom.  …I shouldn’t have taken him to the blast area!”

“We both know Phastos; he would’ve found a way there.  Might have gotten himself killed in the middle of a war.  Ya only did what he asked.”

“He said he agrees with you.  That our mission, the Eternals' mission, was a mistake.”

“Well, glad to have more Eternals comin’ around.”

“He said the humans aren’t worth it.”

“And what did Ajak say to that?”

“Nothing,” Makkari dropped her head slightly.

“What do you think, love?”

Makkari looked at him for a long moment, her expression torn.  “What if I agree with him?”

“Are ya worried that’d I’d take that as permission to control all the humans?” Druig asked her gently. 

“Maybe I’ve been wrong this whole time, about the sanctity of their free will.  Maybe they…” seeing no judgment on his face, she continued in a rush.  “Maybe they don’t deserve it.”

“Ah love,” Druig finally understood her behavior.  She’d grown disillusioned with the humans.  And if they’d broken both Phastos and Makkari, humanity really had sunk to new lows during this war. 

“Do ya want to know what I’ve come to realize?  The humans don’t deserve free will.  But they don’t have to deserve it, they were born with it.  By takin’ it away, I was oppressin’ them, whether I meant to or not.”  He rubbed her arm before continuing.  “Sound familiar?  Ye’ve only been tryin’ to get that sentiment through me thick skull for 7000 years.”

She didn’t smile, but her eyes sparked.  He took that as a good sign.

“Ya don’t have to be strong for me.  I won’t backslide, I promise ya.  I want ya to lean on me for a change.  Let me be there for ya like ye’ve been there for me so many times.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Druig.”

“I don’t owe ya, I love ya.”  He stopped signing to cup her face.  “Please let me help ya through this, my darlin’ lass.”

Makkari leaned in swiftly and kissed him.  She crawled further into his lap until she was straddling him and deepened the kiss.  Eventually she toppled him to the bed, and they made slow, passionate love late into the afternoon.  He knew that sometimes she preferred to express herself physically, and this was her way of showing him how much she loved him and appreciated his support.

While they laid together in the waning afternoon sunlight, Druig asked, “So tell me, my beautiful Makkari, where will we go for this break ‘a yers?”

“We?”     

“Aye, how can I take care of me favorite lass if I’m not with her?”

She smiled and stroked his cheek. He turned his head and kissed her palm.

“I don’t want to be around humans,” she eventually said when she pulled her hands away from his face.

“Hmm, that leaves out most of yer flats then.  They’re all pretty much in cities.” 

Makkari had several properties all over the world she occasionally occupied.  “Half of those have been bombed out anyway.”

Druig grimaced.  “Well, we could always go to the Domo.  No humans would even be able to find it, buried as it is.”  She still took him there when he needed a break from the low-level thrumming of human activity always pushing against his mind.  Times of great suffering gave him splitting headaches, though he’d largely been keeping them to himself over the last few years. 

“I don’t even want to be around all the humans’ stuff,” Makkari stated, making a face.

“How about right here then?  The Waterfall House is far enough from the village, and I can ensure no one will wander over here.  I mean the house itself was built by humans, but short ‘a livin’ in a cave, that’s anywhere we go.  And the area’s still wild, thick jungle.  Ya won’t see another human or evidence of civilization until yer ready.”

She canted her head thoughtfully.  “That could work.  But don’t you still have responsibilities in the village?”

“I’m not far away if somethin’ comes up, and I can still pop in when yer out on yer runs.  Ya don’t plan to stop those, do ya?”

Makkari shook her head with a rueful look.  Runs were integral to her mental and physical health.

“I appointed humans for the day-to-day stuff long ago, anyhow.  Right now, the only thing I want to worry about is you.”  He looked deeply into her big brown eyes.  “Ya can tell me, ya know, what’s botherin’ ya so much.  I can handle it.”

“No.”

“Makkari-”

“Never.  Please don’t ask me again.” 

He knew the mulish look on her face well.  She wouldn’t budge.  And maybe it was for the best.  If something the humans had done had so drastically impacted Makkari, there was no telling what it could do to him.

“Alright, m’love.  I won’t push ya.  But I’m here, ready to listen if ya change yer mind.”

Nodding, Makkari nestled into his side and promptly fell asleep.

Druig sighed, wishing he could do more.  It slowly dawned on him that he didn’t have to do anything.  Being there beside her was exactly what Makkari needed.

   

                       *                     *                    *                          *

 

Two years later, Druig was startled from a carved figure he was detailing when Makkari dropped a newspaper on the small table beside him.  He’d been outside on their little front porch set, waiting for her to return from her run.  This was the first time in a long time she’d made a stop. 

“What’s this, then?”

“I went to see Ajak and Phastos,” Makkari told him, sitting down in the empty chair beside his.

“Did ya?” Druig smiled.  He was proud of her.  “I’m glad to know it.  How’s Phastos doin’?”

“The same.  He’s still…” she shook her head and didn’t finish her thought.

“It’s alright,” Druig rubbed her knee.  “He just needs some more time, m’love.”

“At least he talked to me,” she signed, brightening.  “He’s not upset with me.”

“Certainly not!  Ya both just need to recoup for a bit is all.”

“He’s a cowboy,” Makkari reported with a grin.

Druig had been carefully counting all her smiles over the last few years.  He smiled back with a mixture of affection and relief.  “What’s that?”

“He rides a horse, and wears a curvy hat, and he manages a herd!” She explained with excitement.  “But he’s Phastos, so he invented a machine that feeds the horses automatically.”

“‘A course he did.”

“He still feels like I do.  He doesn’t want to be around any humans.”

“Mmm.  Well, my beautiful Makkari, we will stay out here as long as ya like.”  He took her hand and kissed her palm.  “I have no complaints.  I’ve had ya all to meself.”

Makkari bestowed a loving smile on him and leaned over to give him a deep kiss.  When she finished, she combed the hair off his forehead and lightly held the back of his neck.  “Thank you,” she signed with her free hand.

He brushed his nose against hers softly a few times in response, and then surged forward for more kisses. 

“Tell me somethin’,” he said after a few minutes, as he finally leaned back.  “What’d ya bring the paper for?”

“In case you were curious how it all shook out,” she shrugged.

He narrowed his eyes and ducked his chin to make direct eye contact with her.  “Ya thought I was curious?  Or maybe you were, eh?”

Makkari chuckled silently, knowing she was caught.  “Maybe I was curious too.”

He sat back in the chair, feeling much more optimistic about the recovery of her spirits.  She was still plagued with nightmares, but the bouts of crying she tried to hide were less frequent.  Her smile was returning and venturing back out to contact the world again (even indirectly) was an important step.  Druig was in no hurry to leave their oasis, but he was determined to heal her heart.

“Anythin’ interestin’ in that paper?”

“I didn’t read it yet, just stole it off Ajak’s kitchen table,” Makkari admitted with a touch of her old naughtiness.

“Ah, slowly workin’ back up to the big crimes, huh?” Druig kidded her.  “Robbin’ Ajak is some nice familiar territory to get yer feet wet.”

Makkari laughed; a sight that never failed to knock his heart out of rhythm.  She stood and pulled him to his feet as well.  “Right now, I have something more fun than stealing in mind.” 

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” He asked, swaying toward her.

“Having sex with my handsome husband under a waterfall.” 

Druig pulled her into his arms.  She knew he loved it when she called him her husband.  “That’s the best idea ye’ve had all day.  Let me get out of these clothes-”

“Aw, it’s cute that you think I’m not going to dunk us.”

“Makkari, no, we just have to step inside for a minute-”

“No time.”

“Yes, there’s time!  We have nothin’ but ti-”

He didn’t finish his sentence before he found himself splashing, fully clothed, into the river.

     

       *                     *                  *                           *

 

It took almost a year for Makkari to take another huge step toward recovery.  Druig came back to the Waterfall House from the village to find Makkari arranging wildflowers in a vase at their little all-purpose kitchen table.  Upon further examination, he recognized the vase as one of Makkari’s favorites from their time in Crete among the people now known to history as the Minoans.  The vase had a tri-corn handle and a spout at the top.  It was decorated with sea-life and dominated by a giant octopus.  

“I remember that vase,” he sat down at the table with her.  “Has somebody made a little trip to the Domo?”

“Maybe,” she stopped her work to sign and smile at him.

“Ya did always really like that one,” he ran his hand over her slender back.  “Maybe ye’ll be missing a few of yer other things as well?”

She shrugged a shoulder non-committedly.  In her compulsion to curate, she’d taken to displaying his finished carvings around their little house.  Druig didn’t think anything he was producing was exactly museum worthy, but carving was a good way to stay focused and block out the drone of humanity’s thoughts.  The growing population was getting harder and harder to ignore all the time.  And if Makkari admired his craftwork, that was a nice bonus.

“Well think about it at least.  If ya can stand to look at ‘em again, yer treasures might class up this place.”

Makkari finished the arrangement and set it in the center of the table.  A hint of mischief twinkled in her eyes.  “Careful about giving me free reign.  You know I’ll abuse it.”

“A reasonable amount,” he clarified with a big nod.  “The house is only so big, m’darlin’.”

“You seem to be forgetting we have two definitions of reasonable,” Makkari shot back.

At that moment, Druig didn’t care if he had to clear walkways to navigate floor to ceiling artifacts.  He was just so pleased to see her acting like her old self.  Still, he knew providing resistance would actually make it more enjoyable for Makkari when she stuffed the place full, so he put on a wary expression.  “Try to keep in mind nobody is allowed out here, so if we become trapped under piles of relics, no one will ever know where to find us.”

“But what a great way to go out,” Makkari retorted with a broad grin.

He chuckled and pulled her into a side hug.  And he never uttered a word of complaint as ancient treasures slowly took over their house.

               

    *                             *                               *                                *

 

Makkari was stretching out after a long run in front of the Waterfall House.  It had been about five years of self-imposed exile, but it had definitely been the right call.  The horror was not as close to her anymore.  Her nightmares and painful flashbacks were far less frequent.  The biggest blow she’d suffered was losing the belief that humanity was worth fighting for.  She had yet to bring herself to face the humans again. 

Druig was the reason Makkari had made so much progress.  He had been a patient, loving presence for her through dark and difficult moments.  He never complained if she jolted him awake in the middle of the night or collapsed in a puddle in his arms.  Druig simply held onto her and soothed her shattered spirit.  The other Eternals would be shocked to see this gentle side of Druig.  When she tried to thank him, he would point out that she’d done the same for him more times than he could count. 

Finally, the man in question strolled into the clearing, but her head snapped back a little when she saw what he was carrying.  A small boy clung to his neck and stared at Makkari with huge eyes.

“What is that?” She signed to Druig when he was close enough.

“They’re called children m’love.  Did ya forget?” He answered jovially.

“No, I did not.  But the last time I checked, children were humans.  And humans aren’t allowed out here.”

“He’s like, a quarter the size of a human.  Thought he might be able to slip through.”  Turning to the boy said, “Can you tell me beautiful wife hello?”

The little boy looked again at Makkari with big, brown eyes and impossibly long eyelashes and gave her the salute hello in sign language.  And Makkari, (because she wasn’t dead inside,) melted a little and saluted him back.

“Why did the villagers allow you to abscond with their handsomest child?”

“His mum is havin’ a baby, and his da and grandma are with her.  I was the next logical choice as babysitter.”

Makkari gave him a look, and he chortled.  “Okay, maybe I volunteered.”

“Why is he really here?”

“I thought maybe ya were ready to dip yer toe in with the humans again.  No better place to start than little Otho here.  Kids are really the best humanity has to offer, ya know.”

Makkari planned to deliver a retort, but Otho chose that moment to pull Druig’s face so that he was looking at the boy.  Otho then pointed to Makkari and signed ‘pretty’. 

“That’s what I was tellin’ ya lad,” Druig replied, as if the two were in the midst of a serious conversation.  Makkari couldn’t help but grin when they both turned to look at her again.  “Can ya believe I got so lucky?” 

Otho shook his head.

“He doesn’t talk?” Makkari asked, gauging the boy to be at least three years old.

“Well, he can hear, but so far not a word,” Druig told her.  “Good thing they all know sign language, eh?”

Makkari nodded and turned to the boy.  “Do you want to play a fun game?”

Otho looked excited and signed ‘yes’.

Without being prompted, Druig knew exactly what game she had in mind.  “Point yer finger lad, and Makkari will vanish and reappear right where yer pointin’.”

Looking skeptical, Ortho pointed off to his left.  In the blink of an eye, Makkari was standing in the new location.  He clapped in delight and quickly pointed to the right side.  Makkari pulled the same trick.  This went on several more times, provoking the child’s merry little laugh after each turn.  Makkari didn't hear his giggling, but she couldn’t help but smile at the look of joy on his little face, or the way his laughter prompted Druig to join in.

Finally, Otho pointed to the ground right in front of him.  Makkari zipped into place, careful to keep the blowing wind to a minimum.  Otho grinned brightly and put his pudgy hands on Makkari’s cheeks, pulling her in and delivering a kiss near her eye.  Makkari chuckled silently and kissed his cheek in return.

“Okay, you win, I love him,” she told Druig.

“Thought ya might,” Druig winked at her.  He looked very proud of himself, and Makkari realized he’d probably been planning this out for a while.  She felt her heart swell with her love for him.  Druig knew Makkari better than she knew herself sometimes.        

They spent the rest of the afternoon spoiling Otho with attention, gifts and treats.  Makkari brought him toys from the Domo she’d collected over the years.  Druig plied him with hot cocoa.  They took him swimming, and Makkari raced him around (at reduced speed) in front of the house.  When the sun started to set, Druig commented that he had to take the boy back to his family to meet his new brother or sister.

“If ya want, ya can come with us,” Druig offered, looking at her hopefully.

“You mean go into the village?”  Makkari paused to sign.  She and Otho were pushing a wheeled toy back and forth.

“Only if ya want to, I’m not tryin’ to rush ya if ya aren’t ready for that yet.”

Makkari glanced at sweet-faced Otho, and then regarded Druig thoughtfully for a few moments.  “I haven’t seen any of the villagers in a long time.”

“They know the war left ya hurtin’, m’love.  They’ve been worried about ya.”  He crouched down next to her and brushed her cheek with his knuckles.  “Caught an earful more than once from the lot of ‘em, wantin’ to make sure I was takin’ good care of ya.”

“You have been,” Makkari leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips, mindful of their audience.  “You’ve taken great care of me.”

“Well, I love ya an awful lot.”  He leaned in for another kiss but stopped when Otho climbed into Makkari’s lap to reclaim her attention.  “Should’a known better than to bring competition around ya,” he grumbled playfully, pinching Otho’s pert little nose.

Makkari chuckled at him as she stroked the boy’s soft hair.  Finally making her mind up she signed, “Let’s go meet the new baby.”

 

Chapter 18: Chapter 18

 

2018 AD – The Amazon

               

Many centuries ago, Makkari had developed a relationship with a family of smugglers in the Middle East that helped her fence artifacts for money or acquired tips on other treasures she was seeking.  She’d remained loyal to that family, the Khans, and continued to do business with them throughout the years.  Over time, the family had become immensely prosperous and settled in Qatar to run multiple legitimate businesses alongside their legacy smuggling ring.  The relationship was so longstanding, that Makkari knew multiple generations by name, and they had become her financial managers as the world progressed.  They bought and maintained properties for her, brokered sales of artifacts, and provided her all the identification paperwork she ever needed. 

It was a family secret that their oldest client was some sort of immortal, but the Khans never betrayed that sacred trust.  Although the Eternals generally didn’t have rules about associating with humans or even hiding their identities, Makkari figured a long-standing connection to the criminal underworld would probably be frowned upon.  (Druig knew about the Khans of course, because Makkari told Druig about all her criminal exploits.) 

It was also helpful to have a manufactured identity in the modern world, where many transactions relied on proof of that identity.  The Khans had asked Makkari what she’d wanted to use as a last name long ago, and she’d chosen Druig.  Druig had been pleased that she’d used his name until the time came when she’d had an identity forged for him, and his documents named him as Druig Druig.

He was reminded of this indignity when Makkari excitedly handed him a new satellite phone that was designed to resemble the modern smart phones.  It had a touch screen with apps, and when he turned it on, the message said, “Hello, Druig Druig!”

“I thought we were gonna make up a new name for me,” he griped, fiddling with the updated technology.  “And what was wrong with our old sat phones?  They were only a year or two old, weren’t they?”

They were seated at the table in his cabin in the village, and Makkari was attempting to show Druig how to set up and operate the phone.  Initially, he’d resisted phones in general, but when Makkari showed him how easily he could reach out to her with a text whenever he wanted, he’d embraced the modern marvel.  They had to rely on satellite phones due to his remote location, but even with the lag, he could check in with her whenever he missed her.  Makkari did spend more than half her time in the village with him, but she also still went on far flung adventures, and it was nice to text with her when she was away.

“Everyone changes phones to upgrade every couple of years.”

“That seems wasteful.”

“I’ll just donate our old phones.  Problem solved.”

 “No, problem is not solved.  Why am I still Druig Druig?”

 “The Second,” Makkari corrected him with a lighting fast grin. 

 “The Second?”

 “Yes, Druig Druig the Second.  Druig Druig the First died,” she reported sadly.

 “Why didn’t I get a new name then?” He asked with exasperation.

 “I don’t know,” Makkari answered with a clearly fake innocent expression.  “The Khan boys must have forgotten.”

 “Did the Khan boys forget, or was my beautiful Makkari up to her old mischief?” Druig put down the phone and leaned over the table to put his face in line with hers.

 Her eyes sparkled as she silently giggled.  “I’m afraid Druig Druig the First took that secret to his grave.”

“Rascal,” Druig admonished affectionately, tugging her forward and kissing her.  And, since she’d been gone for over a week, that kiss inevitably spiraled into a quickie against the kitchen counter.  If he lived for two eternities, he would still never be able to keep his hands off her.   

Later, the pair took a stroll outside to enjoy the warm spring weather.  Villagers bustled all around them and they stopped several times to exchange pleasantries. 

“Do I get to keep ya awhile?” Druig asked Makkari, sliding an arm around her hips.

“Yes, I think I’m running out of things to explore.” 

“I’m sorry love, we have been here a very long time.”

“I don’t suppose you’d wanna travel to space, would you?”

“What do ya mean, are ya finally gonna take the Domo for a joy ride?”

“No, it’s packed pretty full.  I was thinking about going up with one of those billionaires.  They’re just doing some space sight-seeing.  It would only take a day or so.  That might be fun.”

“We came from space.”

“Yeah, but I don’t remember it.  We were asleep the whole time until right before we landed.  Plus, it was thousands of years ago.  It might be exciting to get up there.”

“With a human-built rocket?  Do ya know how dangerous those things are?  I’d rather just take the Domo up and sit on a pile of artifacts the whole time.”

“Even if the rocket crashed, we’d probably still be fine,” Makkari shrugged, never one to take safety into consideration.  “Besides, it’s still a few years off.  I went on a tour around one of the companies building a rocket in Washington State in America.  I mean, not an official tour, but they look like they’re getting close!”

“Yeah, still not keen on trusting human technology to move me around space,” Druig said, giving her the side eye.  “And I’m definitely not keen on m' beautiful Makkari going up there alone.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not leaving the planet without you,” she smiled at him cheerily.  “I’ll con you into going with me when the time is right.”

He laughed, even though he had no doubt that she absolutely would.

Suddenly, screams broke out all over the village.  Druig felt an overwhelming wave of terror assault his mind.  He stumbled as that feeling was followed by a profound grief that engulfed him.

Makkari was at his side in the blink of an eye, holding him up against her.  They looked on with dread as villagers all around them started turning to ash and blowing away on the wind.  Makkari clutched Druig against her chest, preparing to rise and rush him inside, when she realized that the attack wasn’t coming from any direction.  People ran screaming out of their homes, while others stood out in the open and watched the person next to them dissolve.

Before she could make sense of it, Makkari felt Druig violently spasm in her arms.  His eyes rolled back in his head and blood trickled out of his nose.  But he wasn’t turning to ash, he seemed to be enduring a violent assault on his mind.  It occurred to her, in a lighting fast train of thought, that his suffering might be related to the mass casualty event occurring in the village.  Worse… this event might be taking place on an even larger scale. 

Juan, a young man related to a village councilor, dropped down beside her.  She tore her eyes from Druig’s face to watch his hands.

“What’s going on Makkari?  What’s going on!?”

“I don’t know,” she signed with one hand, holding Druig tightly to her with the other.  He’d gone very still which frightened her more than his seizure.   “I have to see if this is just us.”  Very carefully she transferred Druig’s head to Juan’s lap.  “Don’t let him swallow his tongue.  I’m going to find out where else this is happening.  I’ll be back in less than two minutes.”

“You promise?”

“You’re holding my heart in your hands,” Makkari gestured to Druig with her chin.  “I’ll be right back.”

She checked three major cities in different parts of the world.  Each of those places were filled with screaming people and ash floating on the air.  Makkari felt sick to her stomach.

Zipping back to Druig, she gently eased him into her own lap before addressing Juan.  “I think it’s the whole world.  I don’t know what is going on, but I have to take Druig to our ship.”

“You’re leaving us?!”

“No.” Makkari reached out and briefly placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder.  “Our ship is the only place Druig is safe from feeling and hearing human thoughts.  It’s the only way I can help him.  But we’re not leaving you for long.  I swear to you, we’ll both come back.”

“What about right now?  What are we supposed to do?”

“Gather up all the survivors in the meeting hall.  There will be orphans and elderly that need to be assigned to families for care.  Try to find your dad or any of the other Councilors.  If there aren’t any left Juan, you can do this.  Keep them calm.  I will be back this afternoon, but I have to make sure Druig is okay first.”

“But there’s no way you can change this?”

“I’m so sorry Juan.  I don’t know what happened yet.  I will find out.”

Makkari rose with Druig in her arms.  She didn’t have time to reassure the young man any further. 

Juan stood up with her.  “You’ll come back?”

With her arms full, Makkari could only give him a solemn nod.  As bad as she felt abandoning them, Druig’s health was more important to her.  She raced off for the Domo, hoping the barrier to humanity might work some miracle on her love.  But after laying him carefully on one of the tables in the common room, she knew she had no choice.  He was totally unresponsive and barely breathing. 

Makkari bent over and brushed Druig’s thick hair off his forehead before kissing his cool cheek.  He wouldn’t be happy about this, but Makkari took off once more to retrieve help from South Dakota.       

 

               

Ajak had just returned from the pen and was hanging her hat on the hook by the kitchen door when a strong gust of wind knocked it onto the floor.  Her shoulders slumped as she turned to face the person she knew was standing behind her.  Makkari’s expression was tortured.

“I know Makkari,” Ajak started to say, dreading having to explain Arishem’s orders to stand down and not fight Thanos.  But she didn’t get another word out.  Makkari snatched her against her chest and took off.  Before she had a chance to catch her breath, they were in the middle of a barren desert, the spot the Domo was buried.  Makkari stepped on a partially exposed stone disc; it created a tunnel through the sand, held open with golden energy.  Makkari didn’t give Ajak a moment to regroup; she rushed them both inside.

She set Ajak directly in front of the platform table in the cluttered common room, and Ajak got her first look at Druig.  He had obviously been gently laid there, still in the drab cotton uniform of his village.  But there were tracks of blood from his nose and ears.

When Ajak glanced at Makkari beside her, the speedster signed emphatically, “Fix him!”

“This happened after they all started turning to dust?” Ajak asked, placing glowing hands on Druig’s head. 

Makkari nodded.  Her eyes were locked on Druig, and her face was pinched with anxiety. 

“It was smart to bring him here, to shield his mind,” Ajak turned her face so Makkari could see her.  “He’s had a massive aneurism.”

Makkari let out a harsh breath that almost sounded like a sob.

“It’s alright,” Ajak assured her soothingly.  “I can help him.”

Having too much nervous energy built up, Makkari began to pace restlessly back and forth.  She didn’t stray far from the table, and Druig never left her line of sight.

After a few more minutes, Druig moaned softly and blinked his eyes open.  Seeing only Ajak, he frowned.  “Where’s Ma-”

But before he could finish her name she’d zipped up onto the table and crashed into him.  Makkari lay right on top of him, throwing her arms around his shoulders and burying her face against his neck.  Her body shook with fine tremors.

Ajak watched as Druig’s harsh expression melted to pleasure.  He wrapped his arms around Makkari and stroked his hand over her ponytail.  In a soft voice he murmured repeatedly, “I’m okay, darlin’.  I’m okay.” 

Makkari felt the soothing rumble of his voice more than she could possibly understand the words, but it had the desired effect and she calmed down.  Sitting up over him slightly, she began to rain speedy kisses over his face and neck as he grinned and tried futilely to kiss her back.  Ajak felt as if she was intruding on the intimate moment and turned away to give them a little privacy.

Finally, Ajak heard Druig ask Makkari to help him sit up, and she turned around and faced the pair as they sat on the table across from her.

“What the hell happened, Ajak?” Druig asked, holding onto Makkari’s waist as he leaned against her for support.  She was fussing over him, wiping away blood, and smoothing his hair back from his eyes.  “Why was me village attacked?”

“It was everywhere,” Makkari told him.

“I didn’t consider how it might have affected you, Druig,” Ajak drew in a breath, her voice apologetic.  “I should have known your mental walls could never withstand half of life being snuffed out at once.”

“Half the life on this planet?”  Druig’s face went slack with shock.

“Half of life in the universe,” Ajak corrected, shaking her head.

Makkari made a stuttering, huffing sound and Druig gave a low groan.

“How is this possible?” He asked. 

“It was the work of Thanos,” Ajak replied looking at them both with helpless despair.  “He is an Eternal.”

Makkari shook her head in disbelief, “Are the others okay, did we lose half too?”

“No,” Ajak said carefully.  “All of the team remains.”  She could not explain that the Eternals of Earth were not strictly life forms in the natural sense.

“What can we do?  How can we fix this?”

“We can’t,” Ajak responded in a small voice.  “Arishem has ordered us to stand down.”

“No,” Druig said the word with both incredulousness and command.  “He can’t possibly sanction this.  For 7000 years I couldn’t so much as break up a bar fight, but this Thanos can wipe out half the fookin’ universe!?”

“I don’t understand the order either Druig, but I don’t have to,” Ajak held up a hand when he opened his mouth.  “We are servants of Arishem.”

“Speak for yerself!” Druig hollered at her.  “I’ll never follow that fookin’ hypocritical prick again!”

“There is nothing we can do now Druig,” Ajak scowled.  “The deed is done.”

“What about Earth’s other heroes?  The ones that have popped up over the last decade?” Makkari questioned.  “Were they decimated?  Maybe we could offer our aid to-”  

“No Makkari, it’s over.  Arishem doesn’t want us to war with another Eternal.”

“Fook Arishem!  Why the fook did we ever come here?!” Druig lurched forward to jump off the table, but quicker than a blink, Makkari was standing in front of him, in between his legs.  Her hands lightly restrained his shoulders, and her forehead was pressed to his.  Ajak remembered a time in the not-to-distant past when Druig had performed a similar service for Makkari.

Druig allowed his lover to soothe him.  A few angry tears escaped down his cheeks, but he consciously followed her steady breathing and lost himself in her big brown eyes.  Makkari’s hands travelled in a calming circuit over his shoulders and down his chest, over and over.  She continued her ministrations until he finally nodded to her, back under control.

Turning to Ajak, Makkari signed, “You have to stand up to him this time Ajak.”     

“I can’t, Makkari,” Ajak protested.  “I live for Arishem.”

“And they all accuse me of brainwashin’,” Druig muttered.

“If this mission means anything, we shouldn’t let this stand,” Makkari pleaded.   

“I won’t go against his orders,” Ajak told them both, her heart twisting in her chest.  She had no experience with an event like this.  In all the eons she had lived, she had never endured such a monumental tragedy of loss.  “Arishem is wise.  And I have to believe he has reasons behind his commands.”

“I believe he doesn’t give a single fook about anythin’,” Druig snapped.

“His plans are much bigger than us, Druig.”

“Oh, aye?  Bigger than half the universe?!”

In response to the rising vibration of his voice, Makkari turned back to him and rubbed her palms over his thighs.  She looked into his eyes, asking if he was alright without words.  Druig nodded slightly, calming himself by counting the freckles on her face.  He couldn’t know, of course, but Ajak remembered him using that same trick over countless lifetimes.  Druig had always found his solace in Makkari.

“It’s not our place to question him,” Ajak said, although deep in her heart she was more conflicted than she would ever admit.  “He wants us to complete our mission here.”

“What mission?” Druig jeered.  “The Deviants have been dead for hundreds of years, and we just let half the Earth get turned to dust on our watch.  What is the fookin’ mission, Ajak?”

“Helping the people to adv-”

“Are we ever going home?” Makkari cut off her boiler plate answer.

“Yes of course dear,” Ajak put her hand on Makkari’s arm in comfort.  “I just don’t know when.  This turmoil complicates matters.”

“Turmoil,” Druig repeated sarcastically.

“I don’t know what else to say Druig!” Ajak finally broke down and shouted.  “I’m torn up about this too!  I want to help the people of this planet.  But we can’t!”

“Ya don’t mean can’t, ya mean won’t!” Druig hissed.  “We’re not even gonna to try!”

“And just what would you do?  For all your anger you are as impotent as I am!”

Druig clenched his jaw, the muscles jumping under his skin. 

But Makkari responded immediately.  “Druig never stopped fighting against orders he felt were immoral.”  She glanced over to see him watching her hands intensely, obviously moved by her defense.  Turning back to Ajak she added, “And when he got to the point that you’re at now, he left.  He didn’t keep following those orders.”

“My orders were immoral?  He took a whole city hostage!”

“I said he didn’t stop fighting, I didn’t say he was perfect,” Makkari joked, sending Druig a small wink.  He gave her a dimpled smile in return.

“Also impotent is the opposite of Druig.  If you saw the way he had me against the counter this morning, you wouldn’t-”

“Makkari!” Druig yelped, snatching her hands, and pulling her whole body backward against his.  Although his face was red, he was laughing.

Ajak couldn’t fight a smile either.  She was sure that had been Makkari’s intention.

“I’m sorry.  I lost my temper,” Ajak sighed.  “I do know where you’re coming from.  But the truth is we couldn’t do anything regardless.  Thanos has taken himself to another planet.  Half the universe is already wiped out.  Short of a time machine, we can’t change that.”

“At least we gave it the ol’ Eternals’ never-try effort,” Druig groused.

“Druig-”

“We’re done here,” Makkari signed, cutting her off.  “I’ll take you back to South Dakota.”

Ajak nodded sadly.  “It was nice to see you again Druig.”

“Sure felt like old times,” Druig replied derisively.

Makkari took Ajak off the ship through another energy tunnel.  When they arrived in her kitchen, Ajak took a step forward and braced herself on the wall.

“I hope you know how hard this is for me,” Ajak spun to face her subordinate.

“I’m sure,” Makkari’s expression did not hold her usual empathy.  She continued to sign when Ajak opened her mouth to add more.  “Thank you for healing Druig.  You saved both our lives.”

Ajak nodded.  “Of course, my child.  I’ll always-”

But Makkari interrupted once more.  “Please don’t call me again unless we’re going home.”  She didn’t wait for an answer, she simply disappeared.

Ajak sank to the floor and cried. 

 

Chapter 19: Chapter 19

 

 

2024 AD – The Amazon

 

Druig burst out of the meeting hall and began walking with single-minded purpose out of the village.  He was coldly furious.  It was bad enough seeing most of his teammates for the first time in 500 years.  Druig could not quell the resentment he still carried with him.  To make matters worse, they dropped bombshell after bombshell on him, not the least of which being that the world was ending.  And they’d only come for him because they wanted to use his power to stop it.  Suddenly, the power they’d unanimously loathed was crucial to their last desperate bid to be superheroes.  They were phony assholes, and Druig had not been able to stop himself from fighting with them.

“Druig, wait,” Sersi called, banging outside behind him.

“Give me a while to think it over.”  Druig stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn around.

“We don’t have much time,” she cautioned.

“Then feel free to leave without me.”    

He resumed his retreat and headed to the Waterfall House.  Druig pulled out his phone to text on the way.  “Where are ya love?”

A few minutes later, Makkari answered, “At the Saqqara Site.  Looking at a statue of Phastos’ old BOYFRIEND!”  She sent a picture of a bronze statue of the famed architect Imhotep.  Credited with being a genius in every field from architecture to medicine, Imhotep had risen through the ranks to become the Pharaoh’s Vizier.  Phastos had been in a serious relationship with him for over a decade.  But there was not time today to reminisce.   

“I need ya to meet me at the Waterfall House ASAP.  DON’T go through the village.”

By the time he reached their private sanctuary, Makkari was already waiting for him.

He continued his march straight to her and enfolded her in his arms.  His shivering body alerted her to his distress immediately, and she leaned back to search his face. 

“Let’s go sit by the water,” Druig stalled, taking her hand, and pulling her toward the river.  They stopped at the fallen log they’d been occupying for hundreds of years.  It was worn smooth on the top from their constant use and rested directly across from the waterfall.   They straddled the log, facing each other.  Druig let his legs stretch in front of him so that he could touch hers.

He repeated Sersi’s news in minute detail.  Her expression changed from mild concern to grief as she listened.

“Oh, Ajak,” Makkari finally signed when he was finished.  She covered her eyes and allowed a few tears to fall.  He took her hands away from her face and held her comfortingly for several minutes.

She sat back.  “The last thing I said to her was not to call me again.  What if she didn’t call because-”     

“No way,” Druig caught her hands to stop her train of thought.  “First of all, Ajak was not the type to cut off her nose to spite her face.  If she could have called ya for help, she would have.  And second, it had to ‘ve been a sudden attack.  She would’a healed herself otherwise.”

Makkari nodded at the logic in that.  “But maybe I missed something… all those times she sent me out to look for Deviants?”

“I thought she admitted it was just busy work to burn off yer excess energy.”

“Yes, but maybe-”

“No more maybes, m’love.  Besides that, Ikarus said the Deviants thawed out’ve a glacier.  If anythin’, it’s the humans’ fault with all their global warmin’.  They killed all their polar bears and brought back the Deviants in one fell swoop.”

“I still wish I hadn’t fought with her.  I’ll miss her.”

“Well, accordin’ to Sersi, she’s not dead exactly… bein’ as we’re all just a bunch’a fancy robots.”

“That bothers you, doesn’t it?” A teasing glint sparked to life in Makkari’s eyes.

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

She shrugged cavalierly.

“What if everythin’ we’re feelin’ for each other, what if that’s not real?  What if it’s all some sort’a programmin’?  That doesn’t upset ya?”

Makkari reached out and held his face in her hands for a few moments.  He sank into her touch before turning slightly and kissing her palm.  She let go of him to sign, “I don’t care what I’m made of.  Whatever’s inside of me, all of it loves you.  And even if I was programed to love you, I would’ve fallen for you anyway with everything we’ve shared for the last 7000 years.”

Druig made a soft moaning sound she couldn’t hear and practically yanked her into his arms.  He tried to pour out all his love into the passionate kiss he gave her in reply.  When they finally came up for air, he rested his forehead against hers.

“Ya truly are brilliant, m’ beautiful Makkari,” he told her.

“Duh.”

Druig laughed and sat up straight.  “Well that just leaves us with the world endin’ part, then.”

“Can you even put a Celestial to sleep?” She asked skeptically.

“Certainly not,” he replied.  “All they have is a half-assed idea right now.  Not a full plan.”

“That’s comforting.”

“But they surely don’t mind gettin’ me to use this power they’ve all condemned me for, I’ll tell ya that much.  ‘Druig, the world is endin’, and yer a robot and Ajak’s been killed by the returning Deviants.  Oh also, we could really use that mind control stuff right about now’.”

Makkari chuckled.  “Lucky for them, you’re such a forgiving guy.”   

“Right,” he snorted.  He gave her a chagrined look.  “Yer gonna insist we help them, aren’t ya?”

“You talk a big grudge game, but I don’t think even you would destroy the world to get back at Ikarus.”

That earned her the full dimpled smile.  “Shows what you know.  I’m already plottin’ on the two of us escapin’ in the Domo.”

This time Makkari laughed.  “And what about all the villagers you’ve been doggedly protecting for five centuries?”

“Fine… we’ll… cram ‘em in,” he suggested carelessly.

“No way, they might break my stuff,” she joked back.

“Guess I’m stuck helpin’ then,” Druig grumbled, “cuz I’m not losin’ ya and startin’ over again.  Obviously, I’m shit at courtin’ ya.  I’m not tryin’ to go another 7000 years before I can hold ya in me arms as often as I like.”

 Makkari leaned forward and kissed his nose.  “Do you think we end up together on every planet?”

“I feel it at me core, I’ve always loved ya.  I can’t imagine wakin’ up in any reality where I don’t.”

She gave him a tender look and a quick peck on the lips.  But her eyes held an impish gleam when she replied, “Me either.  I’m a total smoke show.” 

Druig chuckled and pulled her in closer.  “That ya are, m’ darlin’ lass.” 

“I think we always fall in love, too,” she told him more seriously.  “I’ve never been happy unless you were nearby.”

They sat in a quiet embrace for a few minutes then, the only instance in their long lives where they wished for more time. 

“What do ya want to tell them about us?”  Druig asked as the thought occurred to him. 

“I don’t know…  Maybe we don’t bring it up right now with everything going on?”  She raised her palms in question.

“Ugh, I was afraid ya’d say that,” Druig made a face.  He knew she had a point, and he didn’t want to endure the other Eternals’ scrutiny right then.  But she was his, damn it, and he didn’t feel like downplaying that fact for even a minute. 

“Don’t worry, we can make a game of it.”

“You wanna make up a game when the world is endin’?”

“What better time to distract ourselves?”  She suddenly made an excited face.  “I know!”

“Och, don’t say make a bet.”

At the same time, Makkari signed enthusiastically, “Let’s make a bet!  Whoever gives up the fact that we’re together first, loses.”

“What would the stakes even be?”

“I don’t know, I mean, it is the end of the world.”

Druig rolled his eyes and heaved a put-upon sigh.

Makkari giggled.  “I got it!  When I win, (if we live,) we go on that spaceship ride with the billionaire… if he lives too that is.”

“Oh yeah, well when I win, (if we live,) I get the Emerald Tablet,” he challenged, his eyes shining with amusement.

She gasped.  “No way!”

“That’s the stakes, m’love.  Take it or leave it.”

Narrowing her eyes, Makkari stuck out her hand to signify the deal.  He shook her hand, and then raised it to his lips and kissed the back of it.  She smiled affectionately at him.

“Oh, what about Thena and Gil?  They’re already on to us.” He pointed out.

Makkari freed her hands to sign.  “Thena won’t say a word… mostly because she hates small talk.  And Gilgamesh…” He could see her clever mind working as she pondered a solution.  And then she gave him a wicked smile.  “You tell Gilgamesh that if he says anything, I will tell everyone the real origin of Enkidu.”

She was referring to a character out of the collection of stories known as the Epic of Gilgamesh.  Makkari and Gilgamesh always did share a secret look when someone teased Gil about that work of fiction.  It would be in no way surprising if she held some long-standing leverage over their friend, as she was notorious for blackmail.

“M' crafty lass,” Druig grinned.  “Do I get a hint as to what yer holdin’ over his head?”

“He knows,” Makkari toggled her brows.  “Maybe I’ll tell you if we live through this.”

“Yet another reason to try, then.”

“That, and a bunch of wild, life-affirming sex,” she added helpfully.

“Well, fook all the other reasons.” 

She giggled, and Druig gave her a brief but lascivious kiss to punctuate his point.

“I guess I have to take off again,” she signed when he finally let her go.

“Would anybody besides me have any idea where to find ya?”

“I think Sersi believes I live on the Domo.”

“What?  Why would she think anything so daft as that?”

“The last time I talked with her she asked what I was up to.  I named a few things and said Ajak had me looking after the Domo.  She said, ‘at least you have your room to stay in’.  So, I’m pretty sure she thinks I live there.”

“Yer one of only two Eternals that can travel around the world without dependin’ on human technology.  Ya have an insatiable thirst for explorin’.  Ya love immersin’ yerself in human cultures and collectin’ their treasures.  Yer Makkari.  Why would ya ever choose to entomb yerself in a bunker?”

“Sersi jumps to conclusions,” Makkari shrugged a shoulder.

“No.  No way, not even Sersi is that obtuse.”

“Side bet,” Makkari smirked.

“A side bet on Sersi thinkin’ ya live in the Domo?”  At her nod, he shook his head.  “Oh, yer on.  But here’s the bet.  I’m so confident that no one could believe ye’d bury yerself in the Domo, that if yer right, (and we live,) I will finally help ya break into the Tower of London and try on the Crown Jewels like ye’ve been pesterin’ me for, fer ages.”

Makkari clapped her hand in anticipation.  “And take pictures of me wearing the crown!  And maybe wearing the crown and holding a mace!  And steal a piece off the crown for my collection!”

“Sure, sure, whatever ya like,” he waved off her escalating demands.  “Cuz I’m so sure I’m right, that when I win, (if we live,) you have to tell Kingo what ya really think of his acting.  And how ye’ve been leavin’ all those terrible reviews for his movies on that Rotten Tomatoes site for years!”

Her mouth dropped open comically.  “Mean!”

“No meaner than those reviews, I’ll assure ya,” he teased her.  “I actually really wanna do this side bet cuz I can’t wait to see the look on Kingo’s face when ya stab him in the ego.  Ya should’a been there to witness that cocky bastard today.”

She patted his arm in mock comfort.  “We are definitely doing this bet.  Sorry Kingo, but the Crown Jewels are on my bucket list.”

Druig grinned at her as they shook hands again.  He should have been surprised to find himself laughing and joking after so much bad news, but Makkari’s infectious irreverence had almost always been able to lighten his gloom.

“I love ya,” he told her softly, giving her a warm smile.

His beautiful lass beamed back.  “I love you too.”

They made out a little more but curtailed their lust because they were pressed for time.  It was decided that Makkari would go back to the Domo to wait for the others, as they were bound to show up there no matter what.

“Remember ya have to pretend to be surprised by all the fancy robot, end of the world stuff,” he told her.  When she nodded, he added, “And please be careful out there darlin’.  If the Deviants are out and about again, I don’t want ya to run into one by yerself.”

“I’ll be careful,” she rolled her eyes but smiled at him again. 

“See ya soon.”  He kissed her once more because she was the most precious treasure in the universe.  She stepped back, her heart in her eyes, and disappeared.

 

Walking back toward the village, Druig felt a lot better about things.  Sure, absolutely nothing had changed, and it was all still a giant shit show, but to his mind, any situation was vastly improved by adding Makkari into the mix.  They’d probably even have fun playing their stupid new game, (not that he would ever admit such a thing out loud).  He considered all the ways he could flirt outrageously with Makkari and make her crack first.  He didn’t necessarily want ownership of the Emerald Tablet, but if he won their bet, he could at least end the ban on his being allowed to touch it.  That would drive her nuts.

Smiling and distracted, Druig didn’t see the ropy tail that whipped into his stomach and sent him hurtling backward into a tree.  He groaned and rolled out of the way just as the Deviant followed the first attack with an attempted tackle.  Scrambling up to his feet, Druig’s heart sank as he stared down a jaguar-like Deviant on steroids.  He didn’t have a single weapon on him, and mind control didn’t work on the Deviants.

Makkari!  If he texted her, she’d return to help him in a flash.  He kept his eyes fixed on the stalking Deviant and searched the pockets of his jacket.  To his dismay, he pulled out a phone that had been smashed to bits after the first blow.  Cursing, he tucked the broken phone into his pants pocket and dodged two more snake-like strikes of the tail. 

The Deviant lunged forward, snapping its jaws.  Druig relied on his quick reflexes.  He side-stepped the bite and simultaneously swung his fist into its jaw like a boxer.  He wasn’t a Fighter, but he did still possess enhanced strength.  The Deviant reeled, and he used that moment to deliver two follow-up punches.  The monster staggered back a step, and Druig raced off for the village to warn the others.

He only made it a few yards before the Deviant was on his heels.  It reached out to snag Druig with its jaws and caught the back of his jacket.  He managed to slip out and slide under the Deviant as it kept bounding forward.  He picked up a fallen branch from the forest floor, and when the Deviant whirled around to pursue him, Druig belted it on the side of the head with his make-shift club.  He turned and started running but was tripped by the Deviant’s whip like tail.

Druig dropped the club as he fell and was immediately pounced upon by the Deviant.  He took the sleeves of his jacket, still caught up in the Deviant’s teeth, and twisted the monster’s head away from him.  He brought his leg up and kicked the Deviant in the throat.  As it wheezed and pranced sideways, Druig rolled up to his feet and sprinted once more for the village.  The Deviant shook his jacket loose and charged after him.  Druig could see the outlying buildings, and he wished they hadn’t torn down their palisade a century ago.  It might have provided at least some protection against the Deviants.  With a mighty leap, the monster landed in front of him.  And when the tail hit Druig again, he soared right through a few smaller trees, knocking them down and burying him. 

Pausing, the Deviant scanned the still pile of debris.  It started to pad forward to investigate, but the sounds of screams pricked its ears.  Drawn by bloodlust, the Deviant abandoned Druig and headed for easier prey in the village. 

Coming to a few minutes later, Druig pushed his way out of the fallen trees.  He was hurting, but his people were in grave danger.  Fortunately for him, Eternals were built to recover quickly.  He hauled himself up and charged back into the fray.

 

 

In less than an hour, it was all over.  Most of the Deviants had been taken down, although one highly advanced monster calling itself Kro, had managed to escape.  The village had sustained heavy damage, and a handful of the people had perished.  Worse, they had lost Gilgamesh.  It was a terrible blow to the team, but especially to Thena.  She didn’t utter a word to any of them throughout the village funeral ceremony, or during her personal send-off of her lover’s ashes into the river.

Sprite watched Sersi try again to quietly convince Druig to accompany the Eternals on their quest to save the world.  He didn’t seem resistant this time, and by the end of their private service for Gilgamesh, he had agreed to rejoin the team.

She noted with interest that after he went to his cabin to pack a small bag, he came out in a relatively modern new outfit.  Sprite wondered if he actually had confined himself to the jungle all these years as he’d claimed.  She’d seen a surprising array of creature comforts and technology that had to have come from the outside world.  

Her suspicions were further aroused when he stopped to speak to a middle-aged man before joining the other Eternals on the boat out of the village.  She hid herself from view with her cloaking ability to draw close enough to eavesdrop.

“I am sorry to leave ya this way, Tomas,” Druig frowned.  “But if we don’t head this thing off now, we won’t get a second chance.”

“Where is your wife?  Is she alright?”

“She’s fine, mate.  She’s waitin’ for us on our ship.”

His wife?!  For a second, Sprite wondered if Druig had married one of the human villagers, but that didn’t make any sense.  Makkari had told her that she’d buried the Domo in Iraq shortly after they disbanded, so how could Druig possibly access the ship?  Sprite had even begged Makkari to let her take the Domo on a space adventure a few hundred years ago, since Makkari was the one maintaining…

Oh, holy shit.

Sprite’s mind was buzzing so loud she almost missed the rest of the conversation.

“Well, I’m glad she was safe and far from here during the attack,” Tomas said.

“Trust me, she won’t be happy about that at all,” Druig chuckled.

He chuckled!?  What the hell was going on here!?

“Good luck to both of you, and please be careful.  We will hope you both return to us soon.”

Druig shook the man’s hand.  He slung his little bag over his shoulder and headed toward the Eternals waiting by the river boat.

Materializing, Sprite ran to catch up with him.  Druig kept his eyes down as they walked but he looked over at her when she loudly cleared her throat.

“Sad to be leaving?” She asked.

“Sad to be going back to the Eternals,” he replied sarcastically.

“Where’d you get that jacket?”

“I dunno.”

“You don’t know?  It’s not like there’re stores around here.”

“Ok, then I made it,” he shot her a withering look before returning his eyes to the ground.

“Does leather come from llamas?” Sprite asked to further annoy him.  She had few things in life she enjoyed more than being agitating.

“Didn’t they cover that lesson in school little lass?” He glanced up again, his expression as provoking as her own.

“Shut up,” Sprite snapped, instantly riled.  “Quit trying to change the subject.”

Druig smirked.  “Aw, ya sound cranky.  Maybe somebody needs a nap when we get on the boat, yeah?”

“Five hundred years wasn’t long enough away from you!” Sprite spat out. 

“The feelin’s mutual.  Hey look, there’s an open seat next to Ikarus,” Druig motioned to the spot with his chin.  “Ya better hurry before Sersi claims it.”

Sprite wanted to hold Druig’s feet to the fire.  But the possibility of sitting next to Ikarus for a few hours was too tempting.  She gave Druig the finger (because he deserved it,) and then trotted ahead to claim the vacant seat.  She’d torment Druig later.

 

 

On board Kingo’s private jet, Druig chose a seat near the back.  Mostly, he wanted to avoid interaction with the others.  Losing Gilgamesh had hit him hard.  Gil was one of the few people beside Makkari that he’d ever confided in.  While most of the Eternals gave him a wide berth, Gil had never been anything but friendly with Druig.  They shared a love of food and commiserated over unrequited love (that had fortunately turned out well in both cases). 

Surprisingly, Thena took the opposite row of chairs across from Druig.  Maybe she knew he wouldn’t try to make conversation, or maybe she thought he was uniquely positioned to understand her pain.  He had returned with Makkari to Australia at least a dozen more times, and he’d seen firsthand how much Thena and Gilgamesh had loved each other.  Druig could feel the despair emanating off Thena as she sat across the aisle from him.  It roused sympathetic pain in his heart and made him ache to have Makkari in his arms.  He admired Thena’s strength, knowing that if he had been in her position, he would be inconsolable.

“Hey what about Makkari?” Kingo asked Sersi as he moved down the aisle toward his seat.  “I know we’re getting Phastos next, but when do we track down my girl?”

Druig perked up immediately.

“Oh, well actually, we don’t have to search for her,” Sersi told him.  “I’m pretty sure she lives on the Domo, so we’ll head there once we have Phastos.”

“What?” Druig burst out incredulously.

“Ajak asked her to look after the Domo,” Sersi explained, not understanding the heat of his tone.  “So, she lives there.”

Druig exchanged a look with Thena.  “Based on what?”

“Druig’s just mad because he’s not her best friend anymore,” Kingo reassured Sersi when she frowned in confusion.  “As her current best friend, I can tell you, Druig is what the kids call a ‘hater’.”

It took everything in Druig to keep his mouth shut.  But he knew Makkari would already take Gilgamesh’s death hard, and he didn’t want to compound her distress by ruining their game before it even started.  Eventually he settled on, “Just how are you her current best friend?” 

“Obvs, I didn’t desert the team and storm off like a jerk,” Kingo replied, offhand.  “You haven’t even seen her in 500 years.”

“An’ ya have, eh?” Druig was dying to inform him that he knew Makkari had stopped visiting Kingo in the 1700s.

“I mean none of us have seen her in a few hundred years, but that’s still more recently than you,” Kingo taunted. 

Druig gritted his teeth.

“Kingo, Druig, shut up,” Ikarus interrupted before anyone could argue with Kingo’s assertion.  “Sersi, I think I should go with you to talk to Phastos.”

The conversation shifted to the formation of a Phastos delegation and Druig sunk back in his chair and crossed his arms.

“Why didn’t you correct them?” Thena asked quietly, as she sat down in the empty seat beside Druig.

“I can’t correct them,” Druig complained on a sigh.  “And now I have to help Makkari rob the King of England.”

There was a small twitch of Thena’s mouth.  “Lost a bet?”

“Aye.  An’ she will be waitin’ for us on the Domo anyhow.”

“Good, so you were able to inform her about all of this?”

“That’s the thing, Thena, I owe ya an apology.” He frowned regretfully at her and kept his voice low.  “I texted her to meet me at our little house outside the village.  She was there today.”

“Ah.  When you were ‘thinking things over’?”

“Yeah, an’ we decided to keep things on the low about us.  Made another stupid bet about who would bust out the secret first.  I’m so sorry Thena.  If I had just brought her back to the village with me…”

“Don’t do that.  Don’t play what if.  There is no way to know what would have changed,” Thena whispered fiercely.

“Ran into a Deviant on me way back in.” Druig pulled out a piece of the broken phone he was keeping in his jacket pocket.  He’d brought it to show Makkari, to explain why he hadn’t reached out to her for help.  He knew one of her biggest fears was letting her teammates down in a fight.  “I’d have texted her to come back, I tried to.”

“Gilgamesh didn’t die because Makkari wasn’t there,” Thena shook her head.  “He died protecting me, pulling me out of another Mahd Wy’ry episode.”  Her large eyes filled with tears, and her hands gripped the arm rests until her fingers were white.

“For what it’s worth,” Druig said slowly, looking up at her statuesque face, “speakin’ as a man in love, it’s a choice Gil would’ve made 100 out of 100 times.”

Thena stared at him a moment, her face unreadable.  But he could feel her pain ebb slightly. Finally, she nodded a little, and it was a clear indication of the end of that portion of the conversation.

“Why do you have to rob the King of England?”

“She bet me that Sersi thought she lived on the Domo… underground… in the Domo,” Druig shook his head, still clearly in disbelief.

“Sersi jumps to conclusions,” Thena told him, echoing Makkari’s words.

“Apparently,” he made a noise of disgust.  “Makkari went there to wait for everybody, anyway, since only I ever know where she is.”

“And you’re enduring Kingo’s taunts to keep the bet going, I see.”

“Don’t wanna wreck her game before she gets a chance to play it,” Druig grumbled.

“You really are a man in love,” Thena teased, rising to return to her seat across the aisle.  “Word of advice, pretend to sleep the rest of the flight, or Kingo will be insufferable.”

 

 

Chapter 20: Chapter 20

 

 

2024 AD – Iraq

 

When the Eternals neared the site of the Domo, they came across an excavation team digging out a primitive structure.  Druig was already aware of the archeologists, although he couldn’t admit it.  Makkari had been forced to move the entry disc to the Domo behind the nearby hills to avoid detection when she went in and out.  Fortunately, the disc opened a tunnel, no matter the distance, so she could still bring in newly acquired items for safekeeping.  As a lark, she even joined in the dig sometimes as a volunteer. 

Druig had cautioned the team to about the archeologists right as they arrived on site.  He’d covered the slip by telling a dubious Ikarus he could always sense human minds.  Sprite used her cloaking powers to hide the team’s approach, while Druig took control of the archeologists and sent them on their way.  Phastos brought the Domo up from the earth.

As they entered, Sprite fell in beside Druig.  “Seemed like you knew those guys were digging here.”

“Already said I felt their minds,” Druig growled back.  This was now the third time she was pestering him with questions, the second occurring while they were on the plane waiting for Sersi and Ikarus to return. 

“Yeah, but it’s almost like you’ve been here before,” she raised her eyebrows at him, clearly looking for a reaction. 

He refused to rise to the bait.  “We’ve all been on the ship before,” Druig answered drolly.

She grunted in frustration.

Finally, they reached Makkari in the common room.  It had been two whole days and he was chomping at the bit to see her.  For a reason known only to Makkari, she had decided to pretend not to notice their arrival until they were right in front of her.  He alone recognized that the twinkle in her eye was mischievous when she asked innocently if they were going home.

“Mmmmm,” Kingo made a face and shook his head slightly to her question.

After feigning disappointment, Makkari’s eyes scanned the group, and she paused just a hint longer on Druig.  He felt a small answering smile cross his face.

“Where is everybody?” she asked, genuinely noticing Gil’s absence.  Her eyes fell on Karun.  “And who the hell is this guy?”

“The Deviants have returned.  They killed Ajak at her home.  We lost Gilgamesh,” Sersi shot a look at Thena, “after they attacked Druig’s village.”

Makkari jumped up.  She first sent an inconspicuous questioning look to Druig.  He pulled the broken phone slightly up out of his pocket in response.  Without pausing, Makkari walked straight to Thena and hugged her tightly.  Thena, who was almost as allergic to touch as Druig was, visibly unwound and clung to the smaller woman.

After a moment, they parted and signed privately between them.  Druig kept a worried gaze on Makkari, but Thena told her something that eased her guilt-ridden expression.  And whatever Makkari replied drew a smile from Thena.  She patted the shorter woman’s arm then signed, “Me too.”

“Makkari, let me introduce you to Karun,” Kingo called, waving for her attention.  To the group he hissed, “I’ll break the rest of the bad news to her.  It’ll be easier coming from her best friend.”

Druig rolled his eyes as Kingo paused to give him a meaningfully smug look.

They all split off then.  Phastos retrieved some items from his lab.  Kingo took Makkari to one of the garden-window benches to inform her of the current crisis.  The other Eternals fanned out to scan through the endless array of human memorabilia spanning all 7000 years of their time on Earth.

Because Druig had been on board multiple times since Makkari had turned the place into a museum, he knew exactly where to find snacks.  She kept the place well-stocked for their visits.  He was going for a box of Twinkies, when he noticed Ikarus, of all people, holding the Emerald Tablet.  No one was supposed to touch the Emerald Tablet.  Okay, maybe it was just Druig who was technically banned, but he’d be damned if he let Ikarus paw at it.  The man had no idea how much hard work that artifact represented!  Besides, if things went well, he just might be the new owner of the tablet, which meant he was officially banning Ikarus-handling from that moment on.

He happened to know Ikarus had an insatiable sweet tooth, so Druig deviously shook the twinkie box to casually draw the field leader’s attention.  Once eye contact was established, and a few gestures indicated a trade, they snatched the items in question out of each other’s hands in the time-honored tradition of masculine aggression.  He kept a leery eye out from an attack at his rear, but once he saw Ikarus tear into the twinkies, he was home free.  Druig made a beeline for his lass. 

 

 

“At least my boredom is ending,” Makkari signed impertinently to Kingo as he finished the terrible news she’d heard once already.

Kingo, always eager to be the focus of any conversation, gestured that he was changing the subject and asked, “Have you seen my movies?”

Crap.  Not only had she seen all his movies, but she also hated them.  The only way out of this situation, (unless she lost the side bet,) was to lie her ass off.  She shrugged and fibbed, “I don’t have a DVD player.”

He proceeded to lecture her on the futility of outdated technology while she looked around for an escape.  It was then that she saw Druig approaching, and he gestured for her to join him with a nod of his head.

Patting Kingo’s knee, she hopped up and indicated with a thumb that she was headed elsewhere.  Walking around Phastos, (who’d returned with some of his tools and was creating prototypes in the air,) Makkari stopped in front of Druig, tilting her head a little in question.

He was hiding something behind his back.  “So, how did you end up scoring this… Emerald Tablet,” he pulled it around to taunt her with it.  Her eyes got big, as Druig knew very well that he was not allowed to touch that particular artifact after the ‘Dropping Incident’.  He yanked it away from her reaching hands, and seeing her riled he added sweetly, “My beautiful, beautiful Makkari?”

Now he was over-doing it.  She gave him a quick look of admonishment and snatched the tablet away while he smiled at her like a brat.  This unfortunately drew the attention of both Kingo and Phastos, who’d stopped what they were doing to watch the pair.  They were completely caught off-guard by the mind reader’s out-of-character behavior.

Makkari could tell by his expression, Druig’s focus was only on her at that moment. 

“Did ya miss me?” He spoke and signed, his whole body leaning into hers, his eyes crinkled up in amusement.  Makkari was just as much of a sucker for him as he was for her.  She forgot their audience and lifted her chin flirtatiously.  Druig chuckled softly.

“I’m sorry what are we watching? Because this… Are you two…” Phastos interrupted.

“Is this new?” Kingo asked in disgust at the same time.  “Because I hate it.”

Makkari shot Druig a private mock glare and made the sign for ‘rocket ship’.

“Phastos,” Druig said loudly, reverting back to aloof, “I need to control the mind of a Celestial.”

“Okay, get ready for it,” Phastos started his presentation above them, and all the Eternals ringed around to watch. 

Druig stayed close to Makkari, so close that she could feel him an inch from her back.  Only a few moments into Phastos’ lesson on cosmic energy, he was bumping her shoulder for attention.  The second time he did it, she couldn’t contain the wide grin she gave him.

The plan, once fleshed out, still seemed largely half-assed.  And when she questioned what would happen after Druig put Tiamut to sleep, no one really agreed on what came next.  The more the team argued, the less comfortable she felt.  She did not want Druig wading into danger with only a fledgling idea guiding him.

Then Sprite threw a tantrum and tried to incite a mini rebellion to put Ikarus in charge over Sersi.  He would not accept the mantle.  Sprite stormed off, then Ikarus, and finally Kingo chased after Ikarus.  The remaining team looked toward Sersi, who seemed largely out of her depth.

“I can get Sprite,” Makkari offered the new Prime.

“Would you?” Sersi nodded thankfully.  “I’d appreciate that.  You have a way with her.”

“I’m just going to change my jacket,” Makkari told her, and headed at normal speed toward her room.  Druig took the hint and followed her a few moments later.

Makkari waited until they were inside the bedroom to talk.  She put down the tablet on her bed and asked, “Are you alright?  Were you hurt in the attack on your village?”

Fretfully, Makkari ran her hands over him, checking for wounds. 

His rapid healing had cured his bruising already, and he shook his head.  “I had the misfortune of runnin’ into a Deviant right after ya left.  It caught me with its tail before I saw it.  Smashed me and the phone.  I swear I would’a called ya back.  I know ya’d never want to leave the others in a fight.”

Makkari made a throw-away gesture and pulled him down by his jacket lapels to kiss him.  “I’m just glad you’re okay.”  She gave him one more kiss and then stepped back and signed, “I don’t think they have a very good plan for Tiamut.”

“Ah, that’s givin’ ‘em maybe too much credit by callin’ this a plan, darlin’,” Druig replied.  “But it’s too late fer my plan now.  Everybody’s on the ship, it’d make it more difficult to ditch ‘em.”

She grinned and smacked his chest lightly.  Throwing her sweater jacket on the bed next to the Emerald Tablet, she went to her built-in shelves and picked up the light leather jacket she’d left there.  She put it on and winked, “Now we match.”

“Careful, ya don’t wanna give our secret away,” he teased, catching her hand, and pulling her close.

“I’m not sure we shouldn’t already call it that you lost!  Phastos is on to us.”

“He knows nothin’,” Druig assured her.  “I always call ya my beautiful Makkari.”

“You were laying it on pretty thick!”

“Can’t help meself.  Have ya any idea how stunnin’ ya are?”

She giggled and he leaned down and kissed her again.

“I have to go get Sprite!” Makkari signed reluctantly as she broke away.  “While I’m talking her down, maybe you could work on a better plan.”

“Me?  I’m certainly not running this shit show.  They have enough wanna-be Primes as it is.”

“You’re clever,” she assured him and patted his cheek.  “And maybe if we have a back-up plan- that isn’t ditching everybody and escaping-then I wouldn’t worry so much about you.”

“Although, to be honest, ditching everyone is the safest alternative for me,” Druig pointed out.

Makkari grinned.  “Then we’ll keep it on the table.”

 

 

Sprite had been happily wallowing in a pout when Makkari suddenly appeared beside her with a crack of sound.

“Jeez!” Sprite made a show of being disgruntled as Makkari grinned, sidled up beside her, and plopped down.  They were seated on large boulders in the middle of a vast stretch of rocky hills.

Using her power, Sprite conjured a picture of the ancient city before them.  “Babylon used to be right there.  If we ever had any real home on this planet, that was it.”

Makkari gave her a funny look and shook her head slightly.  “Nostalgia doesn’t suit you.”

“You built a museum of human history on our spaceship.”

Shrugging, Makkari replied, “I hated seeing humans destroying their own culture and knowledge.”

“Yet you still think they’re worthy of being saved,” Sprite made sure to sign along for clarity, “after all the terrible things we’ve seen them do.”

The speedster nodded sagely.  “They defeated Thanos… and saved half the universe… with little more than hope, perseverance… and their capacity to sacrifice themselves for those they love.”

“Ajak told me how bad off you were after World War Two,” Sprite informed her.

“That’s true.  It took some time to recover.”  Makkari flashed her a grin.  “I never said the people of Earth were easy to love.  But just when you’re about to give up on them… they sucker you back in with some act of selflessness, or courage, or compassion you didn’t think they were capable of.”

“I don’t know if I ever got suckered back in,” Sprite responded sullenly.  “All I’ve ever known on this planet is disappointment.”

“Oh yeah, what about that month we stayed in my Italian villa?  You seemed pretty happy with Earth then.”

Sprite snorted.  “Okay, that was a good time… from the pieces I can remember.  Do you still have that villa?”

“Sure.  I still have a lot of properties.  Although it doesn’t do me much good now, does it?”

“With Sersi in charge?  No.  The world is definitely exploding.”

The two women chortled together.

“Did you know Sersi thought you lived on the Domo?  That’s why we didn’t search anywhere for you before coming here.”

“She said that?”

“Yeah.”

“In front of everyone?”

“Yeah,” Sprite repeated, bemused.

“Excellent.”  Makkari smiled evilly.

“Why were you here anyway?  I was hoping we’d show up and you wouldn’t be here, and she’d look like an idiot.  How’d you know we were coming?”

“Oh,” Makkari froze for just a millisecond… a millisecond that Sprite caught.  But then smoothly, she recovered, “I came here because of all the earthquakes.  Had to make sure the ship, and mostly all my stuff, was okay.”

“Uh-huuuuh,” Sprite shot her old friend a suspicious glance.  “The earthquakes.”

“Yep,” Makkari nodded forcefully, offering no elaboration.  Sprite had to hand it to her, she knew how to pass off a lie.

“Well, that was lucky I guess.”

“Otherwise, I might have missed the whole adventure,” Makkari added brightly.

Sprite gave her a long stare.  “Say, on an unrelated note, been to any weddings lately?”

Makkari canted her head in confusion, but then her face cleared.  “Do you mean Phastos?  I didn’t find out until months after!  I did send him a wedding present though.”

“No, I don’t mean Phastos.”

“Kingo didn’t marry somebody did he?”

“No!”

“Well then, I don’t know.  Did you mean someone famous?  I’m not paying attention to any celebrity couples right now.”

“Argh!” Sprite threw her hands up.  She was 90 percent sure Makkari was being thick on purpose.  But Makkari was wearing an innocent, perplexed expression, which meant she was fully committed to the act.

“Let’s just go back in,” Sprite finally groaned.  “I’m hot.”

 

 

Back on board the Domo, Makkari was called away by Phastos and sent off to find the point of emergence for the sleeping Celestial.  After a brief conversation with Druig, Thena went to try and track the remaining Deviant from the ship’s control room. 

That left the rest of the team to bear witness to Ikarus’ admission that he’d killed Ajak and double crossed the Eternals.  He was going to ensure the emergence occurred, no matter the cost.

Druig had been seated next to Sprite at the start of confrontation, skirting around a few more of her pointed questions.  All the Eternals had risen to their feet when Ikarus shot Phastos’ prototype out of the sky, and all of them stood around arguing futility with him until Makkari suddenly zipped back into the room.  Druig’s heart froze as she proudly declared she’d found the point of emergence.  He’d only managed to lean toward her when Phastos shouted out and Kingo threw himself in the way of Ikarus’ laser blast.  Makkari had dodged immediately as well, but she shot back to Kingo’s side to check on him.  Druig stopped mid-step when he saw with relief that she was alright.  So, apparently that was two he now owed Kingo.

Kingo sent Makkari back off, and she had more sense than to demand an explanation.  He then challenged Ikarus with one of his balls of energy.  “You do not turn against your family.  Gilgamesh died because of you!”

Giving up on his oldest friend, Ikarus turned his glare on Druig.  “You won’t succeed against me.  And I will kill every one of you if I have to.”

Druig stepped forward in challenge. 

But as Sersi cried at his treachery, Sprite volunteered to go with him.  Sersi called after her to no avail.  Sprite followed Ikarus when he turned to leave.

Thena, returning from the control room, met them at the doorway.

“What is this?”

Ikarus’ eyes blazed to blast her.  Thinking quickly, Sprite made it appear as if they’d turned into a swarm of moths, and the two made their escape.

“What the hell is going on?” Thena asked, absorbing the sword she’d conjured in defense.  “Makkari came to the control room and told me Ikarus shot at her.”

“Is she still in there?” Druig asked, wanting her back where he could see her.

“Flash the warning light twice for her, and she’ll come back,” Thena told Phastos.  He used the floating command panel over his forearm to signal the control room.  Makkari showed up standing next to Thena a split second later.  Druig moved a little closer to her and seated himself on one of the low tables nearby.  He picked up a can of dried fruit on instinct.  Inside he was desperate to hold her after that close call with Ikarus, but he kept his face passive as the team relayed the events the two women had missed.

“That son of a bitch is the reason my Gilgamesh is dead,” Thena intoned in a low, deadly voice.

“Not directly, Thena.” Sersi, loyal to the end, tried to defend her husband.

“Wake up,” Thena barked.  “He murdered Ajak and gave the Deviants the powers they have now.  He not only gifted them healing, but he also made them smart enough to track us.  Do you think he even cares?  Ikarus would see us all dead to complete this emergence.  Seven thousand years of serving beside us and still he could so easily betray us!”

Sersi hung her head, feeling shame for the man she had loved so ardently.

“Take a minute,” Makkari advised Thena gently, watching the warrior’s breathing speed up erratically.  She knew the signs of an upcoming Mahd Wy’ry attack.

Thena raised her eyes to Makkari’s and concentrated on regulating her anger.  “I need some air,” she finally announced to the team.  Makkari squeezed Thena’s arm supportively as she retreated from the room.

“Why did Sprite go with Ikarus?” Makkari asked the group, unable to understand how her friend would abandon them.

“Because she loves him,” Kingo answered.  “Oh, you guys didn’t pick up on that?”

Sersi was clearly floored, but Druig and Makkari exchanged a knowing glance.    

“He really fooled us didn’t he?”  Kingo appeared uncharacteristically sad.  “Karun, let’s go.”

“Wait where the hell are you going?” Phastos demanded.

“I can’t help you guys.  I still think Ikarus is right,” Kingo replied.

“So that’s it, huh?  Just gonna follow him?” Phastos bit out.

“I love the people of this planet,” Kingo pleaded to the other Eternals.  “But if you stop this emergence, you are preventing so many other worlds like this one from being created.   I still have faith in Arishem.   But I refuse to hurt any of you for my beliefs.”

He started to leave, but Makkari shook her head and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.  How could both of her good friends desert the team?  One handed she signed, “We need you.”

“Even with my help we’re no match,” he smiled a little at her.  “It’s Ikarus.”

Makkari, momentarily defeated, let him go.

At the doorway, Kingo expressed the desire to see them all again on the next planet.  Karun delivered a touching speech, thanking them for the privilege of knowing them.  Then both men quietly left the ship.  The remaining Eternals felt shell-shocked.

“Look, if I’m gonna get meself killed goin’ up against Ikarus, we’ll need to have a backup plan.”  He looked directly at Makkari, hinting to her he’d done as she’d asked.  Makkari’s eyes widened, and a little life returned to them.  She raised her brow in encouragement.

“All of our powers, even if they’re amplified are not enough to kill a Celestial,” Phastos raised his arms.

“Well, Sersi did turn a Deviant into a tree,” Druig replied, twisting to face Sersi.

“I’m sorry, what?” Phastos questioned.  “You didn’t wanna tell me that?”

“You’ve never been able to do it before,” Makkari stated with surprise.

Sersi immediately denied knowing how she’d performed the feat and expressed no desire to duplicate it on a Celestial.  And when Phastos protested, Sersi was moved to anger.

“I can’t kill a Celestial!”

“Sersi, Sersi-”

“We can’t!”  Sersi shouted.  She then whispered again, “We can’t.”

“It’s okay Sersi.”  Druig, possibly for the first time in his life, broke up the group argument.  He gave the new Prime a reassuring little nod.  “I’ve got this.”

She nodded back, tears in her eyes, and quickly left the room.

Druig watched as Makkari threw up her hands and spun to face one of the indoor gardens.  He picked up the can of fruit and considered how to cheer her up.  It had become painfully clear to him that this was a hopeless mission.  He’d never been particularly on board with the vagueness of the plan in the first place, but now that the team had fallen apart, everything seemed far more bleak.  He’d been working on an alternate strategy the entire afternoon while the others had caught up and Makkari had been with Sprite or on mission.  And now Sersi’s emotional state was too fragile for her to acknowledge what might be required to save the planet.  Druig really felt their rebellion was doomed.

That was why he refused to waste another minute with his lass.  Druig hopped up from the table.  He tapped Makkari’s shoulder so that she was looking at him.

“Phastos, we’ll leave ya to it,” Druig called to the inventor.

“The Uni-Mind?  I mean, are we still even…”

“What the hell do we have to lose at this point?” Makkari asked recklessly.  “It’s either death or certain death.”

“Wow, an’ she’s the cheery one,” Druig joked, nudging her with his elbow.

Makkari gave him a half smile, which was all he could really hope for under the circumstances.  She turned back to Phastos.  “I know at least two humans who are counting on you to crack this.”

“Not fair,” Phastos canted his head.

“Worked though, didn’t it?” Druig leered.

“Alright,” Phastos heaved a big sigh.  “I’ll give it another shot.”

 

 

Druig and Makkari were silent as they proceeded to her room, but they held hands tightly as if each feared becoming untethered.  Once inside with the door shut, Druig backed Makkari against the wall and captured her lips with his own.  His kiss was all-consuming, laden with desire and love and desperation.  It was a gallows kiss, and Makkari had a sheen of tears in her eyes when he finally drew back.

“You’re not allowed to give up,” she signed furiously, her expression pained.

He smiled sadly.  She knew him too well.  “An’ what about yer grim prediction just a few minutes ago?” He stroked the backs of his fingers over her soft cheeks. 

“Well, when have I ever let a little thing like certain death slow me down?”  Makkari retorted.

Druig chuckled softly and cupped her face, giving her another lingering kiss.  Lifting his head, he looked down into her eyes.  “You?  Certainly not.  Me on the other hand?  I’m nowhere near as tough as y’are, m’lass.” 

Makkari shook her head, rearing back so she could sign.  “You are not allowed to die on me.”

“So bossy,” he teased, catching her hand, and kissing the palm when she whacked at him.  “I may not have a choice in the matter, love.  Ikarus shot at ya, and he likes ya.  He killed Ajak, and he loved her.  What’dya think he’ll do to the likes o’ me?”

Makkari scowled down at the ground.  Druig lifted her chin so that she was looking at him.  “It was one thing when all we had was a half-baked idea.  Cuz then it was the whole team.  We’ve faced down some pretty long odds in the past.  But now, we’re down Gil and Ajak.  Kingo abandoned us.  Sprite and bloody Ikarus are actively workin’ against us.  All we’ve got is that same half-baked idea.”

“And Sersi refused your suggestion,” Makkari added.  “She doesn’t seem to understand we’ve entered into full mutiny here.”

“I don’t know if she’s capable of full mutiny, to be truthful with ya, darlin’,” Druig shook his head.  He exhaled his frustration and searched her eyes for a moment.  “I’m gonna keep goin’ though, even if I don’t think we have a chance.  The possibility of escapin’ this endless loop, of stayin’ with ya, just as we are… it’s worth dyin’ for.”

She gave him a distressed look.

“If the worst happens… if it all goes to shit,” Druig leaned over her intently as he spoke and signed, “I will always find ya again.  Even if we never break this cycle, I will love ya on each new planet, through each new life.”

“You promise?” Makkari asked, fighting back tears.

“Ah, Makkari, yer my heart,” he told her sincerely.

She leaned up and kissed him hungrily, pouring out her own emotions of longing and anguish.  The intensity spiraled, and soon she was pulling at his pants, unbuttoning them, and pushing them down.  He returned the favor.  Their jackets hit the floor next.  Druig pressed Makkari up against the wall, working his hand against her clit until she was wet and writhing.  Makkari reciprocated by taking his engorged shaft and stroking him with a strong grip.  He groaned and laid his hand on top of hers, guiding his throbbing member into her wet warmth.  She clutched his arms as he impaled her, and proceeded to drive into her with deep, frenzied strokes.  Makkari’s whole body arched up against Druig when she came, and he followed immediately after, as her inner muscles milked him into orgasm.  He was loathe to pull out of her, and for a long time, he just buried his face against her neck and kept their entangled bodies pinned to the wall.

The mission intruded, as it always did, and the light bar flashed above Makkari’s door, alerting them that the team was being summoned to assemble.  Slowly, Druig pulled away, and Makkari nabbed two wet washcloths from the bathroom before he even saw her leave.  They set themselves to rights quickly, but before they joined the others, she stopped him.   

“I love you,” Makkari signed, the emotion shining in her eyes.  “Just come back to me Druig.  I can’t face eternity without you.”

They shared one more kiss before heading out to meet their fate.

 

 

Chapter 21: Chapter 21

 

 

POINT OF EMERGENCE – 2024

 

It had been decided that the remaining Eternals would split into two teams.  Makkari, Druig and Sersi went to the beach, getting Druig as close as possible to Tiamut.  Phastos would fly the ship as a decoy for Ikarus, who was certainly going to attack once the plan got under way.  Thena remained on board with Phastos to delay the field leader for as long as possible.

Makkari raced her team along the beach to a wide-open spot facing the volcano Tiamut rested under.  They were to spread out in a triangle formation with Druig in the center, but she and Druig stayed close to each other for as long as possible.  Covertly they flashed each other the sign for ‘I love you’, before taking up their positions.

She gazed at Druig, facing toward the volcano stoically, and her stomach twisted in fear for what he was about to attempt.  A strong instinct inside of her wanted to snatch him up and run far away, but Makkari knew that no place on Earth would be safe once the Emergence started.  The bracelet on her arm whirred, and she watched it spin in fascination for a moment before her mind was consumed with a blinding gold light.  Her arms opened and her body lifted into the air.  Makkari was only partially aware of her own consciousness: lines of code, in a language as old as time, scrolled before her eyes.  She felt brushes of unfamiliar memories and feelings without being able to recall or relive them.  The sensation of her corporal body seemed to drift away, and she was connected to something immense that she couldn’t pull out from.

Slowly, the connection started to ebb, and she was lowered gently back to Earth.  As her eyes regained sight, she saw the reason for the disruption.  Ikarus was standing over Druig’s prone body, and while she fought the paralyzing effects of the Uni-mind, Ikarus snatched Druig up by the throat and took off into the air.  Finally, Makkari was able to move, but it was too late.  She watched in despair as Ikarus hurled Druig toward the side of the volcano and unleashed his laser beams straight into Druig’s sternum.

For the first time in 7000 years, Makkari made a vocal sound.  Throwing down her hands, a scream ripped out of her chest… right along with her heart and soul.  Druig smashed into the volcano in a giant plume of rocks and dust, and still Ikarus blasted him, to ensure he was buried in the chamber of lava.  Her worst fear had just been realized… the love of her life was dead.

Ikarus went on to shoot the Domo out of the sky.  Makkari shook off the numbness of shock and pulled Sersi out of the way of the crashing ship.  The two women watched the Domo land in pieces on the beach.  For a moment, fear for her friends took over, and she charged into the wreckage to pull out Thena and then Phastos.  It was only when they were safely back on the beach that another emotion slowly slid over Makkari.  She recognized it now… pure rage.  She realized she’d only experienced a fraction of the emotion before, because when Ikarus landed in front of them, callously announcing Druig was gone, she wanted to coat her hands in his blood.

Makkari scowled and stormed forward.  She grabbed Ikarus by the chest plate and proceeded to run him through every rock formation on the beach.  When he was finally able to mount a defense and attempted to blast her, she hurled him into a rock wall.  This was Ikarus… she would not be able to beat him.  But she was hell-bent on mortally wounding him before he took her down.  Sprinting at him, she avoided another blast, and then smashed his face into the rock wall and mushed it along the stony surface as she took off again.

 

 

Tiamut could feel the presence of the Eternal entombed above him.  Knowing everything, as Tiamut seemed to, it was easy to identify the man as Druig.  Druig was the same Eternal who had only moments ago used a thousand voices to try to lull Tiamut back to sleep.  It had almost worked.  And now Druig was buried deep in the volcano, suffocating, and slowly dying.

What had made Druig disobey his internal programming?  The Eternal’s first objective, submerged in the subconscious, was to protect the Celestial.  They guarded the Celestial’s nest, they protected the Celestial’s food source, and they ensured the Celestial was safely birthed.  Tiamut knew the disastrous history of the Deviants.  Although Tiamut had never lived above the Earth, that information was seeded deep inside every Celestial.  The Eternals were supposed to be an improvement on the Deviants.  They were supposed to be loyal.  But that had not turned out to be true.  Tiamut knew that four of Earth’s Eternals were actively trying to prevent Tiamut from rising at that moment.

Rebelling Eternals went against everything Tiamut understood.  Why would half the team turn against Tiamut?  Deciding to correct that breach of knowledge, Tiamut gently probed Druig’s dying mind for answers.  Instead, Tiamut found Druig locked into a dream.  Although he had lived on Earth for 7000 years and had encountered millions of people, Druig was dreaming of another Eternal: the warrior Makkari.  He could have chosen any number of exotic backdrops for his dream, but Druig’s final thoughts were of holding the small woman in his arms on a simple, narrow bed.  He was focused on her face, and she was smiling at him.  He was consumed with his love for her.

Tiamut recoiled with surprise.  The Eternals were not supposed to have such strong feelings. They were not capable of making deep connections.  Tiamut wondered if Druig was the outlier, as he was designed with mind control and empathic abilities.  Tiamut sent a tendril of thought toward Makkari.  Despite the vastness of Tiamut’s consciousness, the magnitude of Makkari’s grief was astounding.  She believed her lover to be dead, and she was seeking vengeance on his killer, hitting Ikarus repeatedly with sonic blasts.  Her underlying love was every bit as palpable as Druig’s.  

Interested now, Tiamut reached out to touch the other Eternals.  Could they all have developed similarly intense emotional ties?  Thena and Phastos had come to Makkari’s aid when she was finally brought down by Ikarus’ lasers.  Thena was also grieving.  She had lost her mate, Gilgamesh, an Eternal that Tiamut could no longer sense anywhere on the planet.  Thena’s mind was fractured by Mahd Wy’ry, yet the yawning pain of her lost love dominated her thoughts.  Phastos, a Thinker, was battling with equal ferocity to the surrounding Fighters.  He was waging war for his family, two humans, and his total commitment and love lay with them.  Even Ikarus, loyal to Tiamut, was embroiled in an inner conflict.  He was dedicated to seeing his mission through, but his love of Sersi, his mate, was slowly shredding his resolve.

Tiamut found Sersi and the last remaining Eternal, Sprite, closer to the volcano overhead.  Sprite was determined to see the Emergence through as well, but her reasoning lay in a poisoned, unrequited love for Ikarus.  Sersi was more altruistic than any of the others.  She loved the humans.  While she possessed stirrings of romantic love, it was her love for humanity that pulsed through every thought and action.  She’d abandoned all her long-held principles to serve the Celestials because she could not bear to let the humans of Earth be destroyed.

That, Tiamut decided, was truly noble.  Tiamut stayed with Sersi, scanning through her memories, seeing the humans through her eyes.  Tiamut was a Celestial, and a Celestial was, at the core, a judge.  Tiamut deemed both humanity and these passionate Eternals, capable of such depths of love, worthy of life.  That meant that Tiamut could not live.

Entering Druig’s mind once more, Tiamut changed the dream.  Makkari’s smile turned into tears, and she began to plead to Druig with desperate gestures to wake up and return to her.  Unsettled out of the dream, Druig woke with a start.  His mind pushed up against the invading Celestial for a moment, but Tiamut stayed only long enough to deliver one final command.  “GET OUT!”  

 

 

In the end, both Tiamut and Ikarus joined the Uni-mind voluntarily to help Sersi.  Tiamut’s hand and head had come crashing up through the Earth unconsciously, following a compulsion to rise.  But using the combined cosmic power of the entire team and the Celestial, Sersi had been able to transform Tiamut into a giant stone monument.  The Earth was safe for another day.    

Thena had gotten a small measure of revenge for Gilgamesh and killed Kro, the last Deviant.  She rejoined Makkari and Phastos on the beach, and the three of them stared at the enormous stone head on the horizon.

Makkari was bereft.  The power of the Uni-Mind had healed her body after Kro’s tentacles had almost drained her life force. But part of her wished that Phastos had not saved her.  Life on Earth would go on for everyone else, but she could not fathom how to face eternity without Druig.  He was the best, most important part of her world, and now he was gone.

As she gazed morosely at the dead Celestial, she sensed vibrations approaching, and turned to see Sersi ambling toward the group.  Makkari noticed the strain on Sersi’s face and was moved to step toward her and offer a hug.  Sersi accepted it gratefully.

“How?” Phastos questioned Sersi.  “How did you do it?”

“When I touched Tiamut’s palm, I felt energy surging into me.  Tiamut joined our Uni-Mind.”

Phastos shook his head.  “I always wondered how we survived the destruction of other planets that we were on.”  He looked at Makkari and signed along with his next words.  “By being connected to the Celestial as it emerged.”

Makkari turned and walked toward the ocean.  All their in-fighting had been pointless after all.  Ikarus would never have been able to harm Sersi.  He had killed Druig and crushed her heart to dust... and then he had helped stop the Emergence anyway.  She exchanged a brief but commiserating look with Thena, who was standing quietly down shore.  They were both adrift now.

Turning back to Phastos and Sersi, she signed, “We became one… even Ikarus and Sprite, all because of Tiamut.”

Phastos nodded sadly.  He seemed to recognize how brittle she felt.

New vibrations caught her attention suddenly.  It was a pattern she would recognize anywhere, even against a roaring ocean and a wailing soul.  She turned her head swiftly to find the source of the footsteps, the gait, she knew so well.

Like a miracle, she saw her beloved Druig sauntering across the sand toward her.  A flurry of emotions flitted over her face, joy and sadness, fear and reprieve.  Her body was still achy, but she jogged to meet him, limping slightly but feeling absolutely amazing.  When he was close enough, she saw her favorite smile on his face: his eyes were crinkled up and deep dimples cut into his cheeks.  Makkari practically threw herself against him, feeling his chuckle as he squeezed her tightly.  They swayed back and forth briefly, before Makkari pushed him back so that she could reassure herself with a look at his dear face.  She didn’t hear his moan of pleasure as he smiled at her and then knocked his forehead into hers.

“My beautiful Makkari,” he mouthed, his face radiantly happy. 

She closed her eyes for a moment, drinking in the feel of him.  It was as if her heart had started beating again.  Makkari opened her eyes to find him watching her face intently. 

“I’m okay,” he mouthed.  They pulled apart, but kept a hold of each other, exchanging sweet smiles of love and relief.

Sprite came trudging along behind Druig.  The couple separated a few feet to make up the ring of Eternals that surrounded Sersi and Sprite, as Sersi graciously offered to turn the smallest Eternal into a human.

Makkari didn’t see the loving glance Druig sent her way, as her eyes were locked onto Sprite.  Despite everything, she was happy for her troubled friend.  This was the second chance Sprite needed.  But after only a few minutes, Makkari was physically burning to touch Druig.  As soon as Sersi stepped back, Makkari walked forward and captured Sprite in a side hug from behind.  Sprite clasped her forearm and Makkari kissed the top of Sprite’s head.  She then walked directly into Druig’s arms and planted a long, bold kiss on him for all to see.  He laughed a little with surprise before pulling her in tightly and kissing her senseless.

“Wait, what…” Phastos sputtered.  “Haven’t we been through enough today?”

“I knew it!” Sprite screeched.

“My goodness,” Sersi tittered.  “When did this happen?”

“I think 300 years ago, more or less,” Thena spoke up for the first time in a long while.  She had a telling smirk on her face.

“You knew about this already?” Phastos asked.

“They visited us,” she shrugged casually.  “How else would Gil have been able to ask Druig to put me to sleep?”

Ignoring the commentary, Druig and Makkari came up for air and grinned at each other.  Druig kept his arms around her waist, but Makkari leaned back a little to sign to him.  “No matter what we do next, I’m staying with you.  All the time.  I’m not leaving your side again.”

Druig smiled brightly, touched by her words, but he couldn’t help but tease, “Oh yeah?  Is it cuz I’m the proud new owner of the Emerald Tablet?”

She swatted lightly at his shoulder but beamed at him and accepted another kiss when he leaned down to her.

“Quit it already!” Sprite called.  “It’s bad enough you didn’t invite us to the wedding!”

“What wedding?” Druig asked, raising his head.  Makkari turned around in his arms so that she could look at the group.

“I heard that villager ask about your wife when we were leaving,” Sprite said smugly.

“Ooooh, that’s what ye’ve been on about,” he shook his head.

“That explains Makkari beating the brakes off of Ikarus back there,” Phastos said quietly to Thena with a knowing look.

“What?  What was that?” Druig leaned forward over Makkari’s shoulder.

“She destroyed him for several minutes,” Thena answered with a feline smile.  “It was magnificent.”

Druig turned Makkari a little in his arms so that he could sign one-handed.  “Worse than Speyer?”

“Much, much worse,” Makkari nodded.

He looked remarkably pleased but raised both eyebrows at her.  “What happened to our deal, of ya not fightin’ him over me?”

“I thought you were dead!”

“Eh, who am I kiddin’?  I wish I could’a seen ya whoopin’ him,” Druig smiled.

“Can we not disrespect Ikarus?” Sprite scowled.  “He’s not here to defend himself.”

“I can’t say anythin’?” Druig asked sarcastically.  “He did try an’ murder me.”

“We’ve all thought about murdering you at some point,” Sprite stated dryly.

“Well, then I guess I’m glad ya saw Sersi before ya ran into me,” Druig retorted.

Sprite ducked her head as the others drew closer and fired off questions.

Sersi held her hands up.  “Let’s not get into it now.”

Druig signed a quick explanation of events to Makkari.  Phastos, who had no shame when it came to eavesdropping, caught enough of what he signed to exclaim, “Sprite stabbed Sersi?!”

“That is water under the bridge,” Sersi asserted.

“Or a knife in the back,” Druig agitated.

“Sprite!” Makkari signed in disbelief.

“Very dishonorable of you,” Thena admonished the former Eternal.

“I’m sorry!” Sprite exclaimed, appearing close to tears.  “I’m sorry about all of it.  I never should have-”

Sersi hugged Sprite tightly.  “None of it matters now.  We made it through.  We’re safe.  Let’s focus on our next priority… um…” She gazed around the group.  “What is our next priority?”

“Getting the hell outta here,” Phastos cast a backward glance at Tiamut’s head.  “I feel all four of those eyes on us.”

Druig studied the stone face thoughtfully.

“What about the ship?  We can’t leave it here to be found,” Sersi pointed out.

“I think I can make some basic repairs, at least get it off the beach,” Phastos calculated, eyeing the wreck.  “It’s programmed with extensive self-restoration features.  I’ll just need somewhere private to work to get it back to 100 percent.”

“Ajak’s,” Sprite suggested as if it was obvious.  “She has a hundred acres.”

“That’s a good idea,” Phastos nodded.  “Everybody will have to pitch in right now though if I’m gonna get this bird in the air today.”

They headed toward the wreckage as a group. 

“Oh no,” Druig looked down at Makkari as he saw the damage to the ship up close.  “Yer collection!”

Makkari was tucked against his side as they walked.  She stopped, put her hands on his chest and kissed him.  “I would’ve set it all on fire to bring you back,” she signed.  “You’re the only thing I can’t live without Druig.”

He felt his heart swell in his chest.  “When I thought I was dyin’, I carried yer smile with me into the abyss.  An’ when I woke up, getting’ back to ya was the reason I climbed hand over hand out’ve that fookin’ volcano.  I love ya Makkari.”

She reached up and touched his face, her smile beatific.   He nuzzled against her hand and kissed her palm.

“Come on you two, you have eternity to moon over each other,” Phastos called to them.

Druig flipped him the bird, and then signed to Makkari (who’s back was to Phastos) what he’d said.  He took her hand and kissed it again, before leading her toward the ship.

“We better check to see if my Emerald Tablet made it through,” he joked wickedly.

“Don’t get too cocky.  Sprite already told me Sersi announced that I lived on the Domo.  We’re about to be wearing some Crown Jewels.”

“Damn it.”

 

 

They had arrived late that night in South Dakota, dividing up the four bedrooms of Ajak’s farmhouse and crashing in exhausted heaps.  Despite the late hour, Druig had confided in Makkari his suspicions about Tiamut aiding him in the volcano, and perhaps purposefully helping their mission succeed.  He had also woken up in terror from a nightmare about suffocating.  Makkari had held his head against her breast and stroked his thick hair through her fingers as she’d done in the old days.  The familiar comfort allowed him to sleep through the rest of the night.

In the morning, Makkari had showered and had an early coffee with Phastos.  They made a shopping list of necessities for Makkari to grab for the household.  He pressed money in her hand with a stern, fatherly glare when she seemed non-committal about acquiring the groceries legally. 

Druig wandered out to the kitchen shortly after Makkari’s departure, obviously looking for her.  Phastos explained that she’d gone on a shopping run.  Druig had nodded glumly.  The two had not strayed more than a few feet apart from each other since Druig’s miraculous return.

“I always wondered why I stopped hearing from her shortly after World War Two,” Phastos commented.  “I thought she might have retreated like I did.  Then Sersi said she was living on the Domo, so I figured she’d decided to hide out there.  But I suspect now she was with you, huh?”

“She never lived on the Domo,” Druig groaned, still affronted that anyone had believed that.  “Makkari was all over the place when the team split up, my village included.  But aye, right after that war she was with me, and we did hide out for five years outside the village while she recovered.”  He looked up at Phastos empathetically.  “I learned a little about what ya went through.  I know what she suffered.  I’m sorry ya both had to endure what ya did.”

“I think Makkari saw far more than I did.  I just had the special hell of knowing that I directly contributed to the pain and suffering the humans inflicted on each other.  Feel free to say I told you so.  Even right at the end, I thought I was providing a tool of defense against the Nazis, and instead it became a means of wiping two cities off the planet.”

“Wasn’t yer fault Phastos,” Druig replied magnanimously.  “This whole mission was a lie to get us to feed a Celestial.  And ya certainly can’t take the blame for the humans bein’ war-like.  They’re that way all on their own.”

“I stood in the ruins of Hiroshima… I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to let myself off the hook entirely.”

“Takin’ ya to that city… and then leavin’ ya with Ajak…. that still haunts Makkari.  She wanted to do more for ya.”

“I stayed with Ajak for at least a decade.  I saw Makkari once more, but I never got a chance to thank her for bringing Ajak to me.  I know Ajak lied to us, but she has always been a mother figure to me.  Even now.  Being with her here helped me to heal.”

“Glad to hear it.  Definitely tell Makkari that.”  He accepted the cup of coffee Phastos handed him and proceeded to dump an irresponsible amount of sugar into it.

“I will,” Phastos replied softly.  “Makkari’s always been a good friend.”  He looked up at Druig and narrowed his eyes.  “And you know you’re gonna catch it from me if you don’t treat her right.”

“Aye Dad,” Druig smiled and rolled his eyes.  “Ya are about 300 years late on this lecture.”

“Well, you still have an infinite number of years to fuck it up.  So… just… keep my warning in mind.”

Druig gave him a mock salute.

“I actually feel kind of slow on the uptake,” Phastos commented over his cup.  “Looking back, you two were always pretty inseparable.”

“Don’t worry Phastos, no one expects ya to be particularly observant of anythin’ that’s not science related,” Druig kidded lightly. 

“Ha ha,” the technopath said sarcastically.  “No one expected you to be capable of warmth.  I guess we’re both full of surprises.”

 

 

That afternoon, the remaining Eternals gathered in the living room of Ajak’s farmhouse to discuss the future.  Kingo was on the screen of a laptop through video chat, Karun squished happily beside him.

“So now you’re caught up on everything,” Sersi wrapped up the re-telling of the fight on the beach for Kingo.  “That leaves us to decide, as a team, what we’ll be doing next.”

“Am I still part of the team?” Kingo asked hopefully.

“Nooo,” Druig heckled from the small couch he sat on with Makkari and Sprite.  He had his arm on the top of the couch behind Makkari’s back. 

“You quit before,” Kingo reminded him snidely.

“Yeah, but he didn’t abandon us at the end of the world,” Phastos objected. 

“If you let me back in, you have to let Kingo back in too,” Sprite spoke up.

“Not sure ya count either, human,” Druig commented provokingly.

“We are all that’s left,” Sersi spoke over the eruption that followed with a newfound sense of authority.  “We’re all part of the team.”

“Yes, do play nicely children,” Thena admonished, leaning against the door jam, and looking both bored and annoyed, “or I’ll make you.”

“Thank you Thena,” Sersi acknowledged.  “So, who has a suggestion for what we should do next?”

“Join the Avengers?” Karun asked hopefully.

“They wish,” Kingo scoffed.

“What about all of the planets that are about to be turned into Celestial food?” Makkari asked.

“That’s a good point,” Sersi nodded.  “There are likely dozens of teams out there, as clueless as we were.”

“We’d have to travel to those planets,” Phastos shook his head.  “We have no radio communication with anyone to speak of.  Only the Prime Eternal contacted anybody outside of the immediate team, and that was a one-way line to Arishem.  Somehow, I don’t think Arishem is going to willingly pass on our warning.”

“I can’t leave Earth!” Kingo protested. 

“Yeah, Bollywood would collapse,” Druig muttered.

“It’s not just that!”

“Don’t forget he doesn’t believe in defying the Celestials,” Phastos put in.

“Okay, are you gonna leave?” Kingo challenged.  “Just ditch your family?”

Phastos frowned and looked down, unable to argue that point.

“I’ll go,” Thena volunteered.

“You!?” Kingo gasped.  “But what about your Mahd Wy’ry?”

“Space would be the best place to contain it,” Thena responded laconically.

“That’s a big sacrifice to make,” Sersi shook her head.  “I don’t want to leave Earth either.  And that means you’d be all alone to deal with your illness.”

“There is nothing left on this planet for me,” Thena said resolutely.  “I want to go.”

“But you’d be lonely,” Sprite protested.

Druig looked at Makkari contemplatively.  He caught her gaze and raised his eyebrows.  Her expression turned from pensive to hopeful.

“Makkari and I’ll go with her,” Druig offered, sending his love a small smile.

“What?!” Kingo exclaimed.

“You want to go to space?” Phastos questioned.

“I thought you had a cult,” Sprite added.

But the only query Druig paid attention to was Makkari’s.  “Are you sure you want to leave the village behind?”

“I’ve given ‘em 500 years o’ protection and nearly died savin’ the planet for ‘em,” he responded softly while he signed.  “I think I repaid me debt to ‘em.”

“Thena, is that alright with you?  Do you feel comfortable enough to be around them even with Mahd Wy’ry?”  Sersi asked Thena gently.

“We bump along just fine,” Thena gave the pair a knowing smile.  “If they are willing to come, I am glad for their company.”

“You don’t have to do this for me,” Makkari signed privately to Druig.  “I know I said I was bored before, but we don’t have to leave the planet to fix that.”

“I’m ready for the next adventure too,” he signed back.  “Plus, what better place than space to have all that wild, life-affirming sex you promised?”

His end of the conversation did not go as unobserved as he’d intended.  Phastos looked over at Thena and assured her, “I will soundproof their room before you take off.”

“Thank you,” Thena nodded with heartfelt appreciation.

“Oh, ew, what?” Kingo cried from the monitor.  “This is really a thing?  They are a thing?  Makkari!  I leave you alone for a few hundred years and you fall into bed with Druig?!  After everything I tried to impart to you about finding the perfect man?”

“Please,” Makkari rolled her eyes.  “The only thing you ever ‘taught’ me was to look for a man that was well-endowed.  Well… done and done.”  She finished with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Druig, the most fluent in her rapid sign language, reacted first.  He snorted and slapped a hand over his eyes as he laughed.  He was long familiar with her particular brand of chaos.  The others realized what she’d pronounced with various screams and squeals of disapproval.  His beloved leaned back against him with a self-satisfied smile stretching across her face.

“Makkari I’m too young for that kind of imagery!” Sprite moaned from beside her.

“I can’t unsee that ever!” Kingo shouted.

“Yep, that’s a fact I never needed to know,” Phastos sighed.

“Very good sir,” Karun commended Druig cheerfully.  “Congratulations.”

Druig waved regally to him.

“Alright,” Sersi interrupted the fun with a smile.  “Let’s get back to business please.”

“Yeah people,” Makkari signed with mock seriousness.

“That’s enough outta ya, ya troublemaker,” Druig grinned at her, pulling her tighter against his chest.  She looked up at him pleasantly and kissed his jaw.

“Ew,” Kingo threw out from the computer screen.

“I should be the next order of business,” Sprite put forth.  “What am I going to do now that I’m human?”

“Go to school,” Phastos answered immediately. 

“What?!  No way.  I’ve been on Earth for 7000 years.  What am I going to have in common with a bunch of 14-year-olds?”

“You’ll learn to emulate their behavior,” Sersi suggested helpfully.

“Oh yeah, like that’s so hard,” Sprite mocked.  “One day of watching TikTok videos should cover it.”

“You’ll have to unlearn a lot of what you actually know about history,” Makkari advised.  “Humans rewrite it all the time.”

“And technology is always changing,” Phastos chimed in.  “You’ll want to learn to integrate that knowledge with whatever career path you choose.”

“It’s better to have some records going back to childhood anyway,” Kingo tacked on.

“Oh, I do suppose we’ll need some help with forging an identity,” Sersi fretted.

“I’ve got a guy,” Makkari winked. 

“Aye, just pick your name first, don’t leave that up to Makkari,” Druig grumbled.  Makkari, who’d been watching his hands sign in front of her from her perch against his chest, burst into giggles. 

“I can take you in here, Sprite,” Kingo offered.  “We can put it out that I adopted a kid.  World famous actors do it all the time.”

“’World famous’ is pushing it,” Druig commented wryly.

“Quiet you,” Kingo pointed a finger at him.  Turning his eyes to Sprite he said, “It’ll be like old times.”

“The times that ended with you deserting me?”

“It won’t happen again.  Let me do this for you.  Get you through school, get you on your feet.  Please.”

Kingo’s sincerity gave Sprite pause.

“And if you get through school, I’ll leave you that Italian villa as a graduation present,” Makkari sweetened the pot, patting her friend’s leg.

“Okay, deal,” Sprite agreed.

“Look at Sprite succumbing to bribery, she’s just like a human kid already,” Phastos joked.

“I’ll bring Sprite to you Kingo.  We can meet in London and pack her bags,” Sersi announced.

“And see Daaaane?” Sprite asked in a sing-song voice.

“Yes, if he’ll speak to me,” Sersi sighed.  “I’ve given him a lot to digest.”

“You’re worth the effort,” Thena assured her.  Sersi smiled her thanks.

“Guess that leaves me to fix the ship,” Phastos said.  “But fair warning, I’m flying my family in by next week at the latest.”

Makkari turned and sent Druig a mischievous look, “We have some things to take care of too before we leave Earth.”

“Offerin’ to go to space doesn’t get me out’ve it, huh?”  He knew exactly what she was referring to, and although he tried to look weary, he couldn’t help smiling at her.

Makkari shook her head and gave him a look of evil glee.  “No, that just makes it more urgent.”

 

 

Notes:

Epilogue to follow!

Chapter 22: Epilogue

 

 

2 WEEKS LATER

 

Makkari and Druig had only been back in South Dakota for a day and a half when Phastos announced that the Domo was ready for interstellar travel.  They had stayed and helped with repairs for the first five days after the team’s arrival but had then offered only the excuse of ‘business’ before taking off together.

‘Business’ had included a few days at the village.  They said their goodbyes to the people, explaining that they were headed back out among the stars.  Druig couldn’t tell if anyone planned to remain in the crippled village, or if they would all just assimilate into modern society.  He picked up sadness from the elder members but eagerness from the younger generation, and he didn’t allow himself to pry into their minds for more information.  One of the nights spent there, Makkari had woken up in a near panic attack, convinced Druig was dead.  They’d had to walk all the way out to the Waterfall House before she could breathe normally.  A long night of tender lovemaking had finally soothed Makkari enough to fall asleep, and they continued to sleep in their secluded nest for the rest of the visit.  It was difficult to say goodbye to the village and the Waterfall House, but Druig knew he was making the right move.  His duty to this group of humans had been fulfilled.

There were a few more errands.  Makkari returned some objects to governments or tribes interested in preserving history.  A small number of treasured items (including Druig’s Emerald Tablet) were being kept on the Domo, but the rest she had moved into a storage locker the day after their arrival in South Dakota.  Phastos had promised to manage that treasure trove in the best interest of history.  She settled most of her properties on the Eternals remaining behind, but she left some money and properties for the Khans to supervise in her name in case her team ever returned.  That included a parcel of land in Fiji for Thena, as Gilgamesh was never able to share Viti, (later named Fiji by the rest of the world) with his love.  Druig, after considerable pleading, was able to get Makkari to have the Khans change his identity to Drew Druig.  It wasn’t much better, but it was still preferable to Druig Druig.

Then of course, there was an important matter in London to take care of.  They were even able to catch a farewell dinner with Sersi. 

Finally, they wound up back in South Dakota.  Ben and Jack had already arrived, and a few games quickly cemented Makkari’s and Druig’s status as favorite Aunt and Uncle with Jack.  (Especially since Thena tended to avoid Jack like the plague.)

Crashing on the little couch with Phastos, Makkari pulled out her phone to show him pictures of their recent visit to the Tower of London.  Druig sat down on Makkari’s other side and turned on the TV, flicking through the channels.  The pair still needed to be in close proximity to each other at all times.

“Is that you… wearing the Crown Jewels?” Phastos exclaimed, lifting his glasses for a better look. 

In one picture, Makkari was making a flirty face at the camera, wearing St Edward’s Crown.  In the next, she was wearing the crown and holding the Sovereign’s Sceptre.  In the following picture, she was wearing the crown while holding the scepter and an ancient mace.  The picture after that showed Druig wearing the Imperial State Crown and holding the Sword of State.

“Wait, you got Druig to put on a crown?!”  Phastos gasped at Makkari. 

She nodded proudly. 

Phastos turned disbelieving eyes to Druig.

“Eh, it’s much easier just to go along with her on these things,” he shrugged flippantly.

“You really are magic,” Phastos told Makkari in awe.  She grinned and raised her chin.

He kept scrolling only to find both Makkari and Druig in the next batch of pictures.  They were wearing an assortment of royal and consort crowns, while battling with maces, pretending to drink tea, or blowing on trumpets.

“Who took these?”

“One a’ the guards,” Druig answered with a glint in his eyes.  When Phastos just stared, Druig winked.  “Don’t forget, I’m magic too.”

“Here we go,” Ben came bustling out of the kitchen like a waiter, passing a bowl of blueberries to Druig, a plate of French fries to Makkari, and a plate of pizza to his husband. 

Makkari signed her thanks while Druig grunted.  Phastos kissed Ben on the cheek.  “Thanks honey, we appreciate it.”

“No problem, but should I alert you that Thena is in the kitchen?  I’m not sure, but she might be attempting to cook something.”

“The one we have to worry about cookin’ is sittin’ safely here beside me,” Druig joked.  He received a sharp elbow to the ribs from his love and laughed.

“Is it okay if I turn on the news?” Ben asked, facing the outdated little cable box to turn the channel.

Druig rolled his eyes and signed to Makkari what he’d asked.  “She has to be able to see your lips mate,” he scolded Ben with annoyance.

“Easy Druig,” Phastos cautioned.

“I’m so sorry, Makkari,” Ben turned around and spoke to the speedster.  He tried to sign ‘sorry’ and signed ‘please’ instead.  On either side of Makkari, both men immediately showed him the correct sign.  He blushed and changed the open hand to a fist.

Makkari waved him off and replied, “Don’t worry, I appreciate the effort!”

Ben made a nervous laughing sound through his nose and looked between Druig and Phastos.  He didn’t worry so much about offending Makkari, who’d been perfectly gracious to him as he struggled to communicate.  But Druig was over-protective and snappish to boot, and he always called Ben out on his mistakes.

“She said don’t worry about it, she appreciates you tried,” Druig interpreted impatiently.

“Druig, will you lay off him?  A lot of people don’t know sign language.”

“Yeah, well if ya’d just let me teach him-”

“You don’t mean teach; you mean putting the knowledge in his head!”

“So what?” Druig argued.

“Hey, isn’t that Tiamut?”  Makkari pointed to the TV.

Everyone tuned into the news.  Ben sat down in the little armchair.  After a few minutes he faced the three Eternals on the couch slowly.  They were more absorbed in their snacks than in the giant stone head.  “Uh… you guys did that?”

“I love you so much,” Phastos replied.

 

 

Space --- 3 Months Later

 

“Four of a kind,” Makkari signed after slapping down her cards on the table.

“There is no way!” Pip the Troll shouted, slamming his own hand down in frustration.

“It would seem the lovely Makkari is a card sharp,” Eros flirted with her over the table, giving her a heated look.

“It’s yer deal pretty boy,” Druig unceremoniously hurled the deck of cards at the interloper.  Beside him, Makkari put her hand on his thigh and gave him a pert smile.  Druig allowed her laughing eyes to soothe his jealousy, admitting reasonably to himself that Eros had been coming on to all of them since he and Pip had teleported onto the Domo. 

Eros claimed to be another Eternal, and to prove it, he was in possession of a Celestial Communication Sphere.  He and Pip had boarded the Domo through one of Pip’s portals a few weeks into the team’s journey… right as they had decided they needed to return to Earth to discover why they’d lost contact with Sersi, Kingo, and Phastos.  Thena had suspected Arishem’s involvement, and Eros had confirmed that their friends had indeed been taken to the World Forge to await the Celestial’s judgement.

Thena, seated between Druig and Eros, pushed back from the table, gesturing to her non-existent pile of poker chips.  “That cleans me out.  I think I shall retire.”

“I have some chips to spare,” Eros caught her hand and kissed it briefly.  “All you have to do is ask me nicely, pretty lady.”

A knife materialized in Thena’s hand and was thrust up under Eros’ chin before he could blink.  “Touch me again and I’ll slit your throat.”

“Stab him, Thena!” Druig cheered.

Eros put his hands up in surrender.  “My apologies, darling.  I was only attempting to prolong your company.”

“I’m not your darling,” Thena growled.  The knife pressed closer to Eros’ skin.

Makkari was at her side in an instant.  She steered Thena back a few feet from the table and flashed Druig an imploring look.  He acknowledged her signal and then harangued Eros into dealing for the remaining players at the table.

The women turned their backs to the game and started signing.

“I wasn’t about to have an episode,” Thena assured her quietly.

“I know.  Just didn’t want you to gut Eros while we still need him,” Makkari teased. 

The unfamiliar Eternal had promised not only to help them break into the World Forge, but also rescue their friends.  No one trusted him exactly, but they didn’t have a lot of options.

“It’s hard when he… flirts,” Thena broke off and looked at the ground with a frown.  “I feel disloyal to Gil just by letting him touch me.”

“If it’s any consolation, I don’t think Eros is able to help it.  He’s even hitting on that little troll he brought with him,” Makkari pointed out offhandedly. 

“Mmm,” Thena smiled a little.  “You’re right, I’m probably over-reacting.”

“Hey, you don’t have to put up with it Thena,” Makkari assured her.  “But if you do decide to murder Eros, let Druig do it.  I think it would make his year.”

Thena shot her an amused look.  She glanced over her shoulder at the troll and the two Eternals, arguing over whether or not to incorporate a wild card.

Makkari touched Thena’s arm to regain her attention.  “I know you miss Gilgamesh a lot.”

“It hurts like a gaping wound,” Thena confided.

“For a little while on that beach, I shared your pain,” Makkari told her.  “The love of my life was gone, and I was slowly going insane, wondering how I would be able to live without him.”

Thena put a sympathizing hand on her shoulder.

Just then, the poker table erupted. 

“Let him go!” Eros shouted.

Pip was frozen beside him in the act of dealing cards.  His eyes were gold.

“Make yer stupid troll stop dealin’ from the bottom of the deck!” Druig replied snidely.

“I’m warning you!” Eros threatened with a malicious gleam in his eye.

“Yeah, what are ya gonna do, paint me nails to match yers?” Druig rolled his eyes.

“Of course not, but you seem very, very hot.  Maybe you’d feel better if you took off all those heavy clothes, eh?”

Against his will, Druig stripped out of his jacket.  Mechanically, he tugged off his t-shirt.  But just as he bent to unlace his boots, he shook his head and fought the mental compulsion.  Druig broke free long enough to command Pip to dump out his mug over Eros’ head, breaking his spell on Druig.  The mind reader put his clothes back on in a huff, but he did release Pip from his control.

Makkari heaved a sigh with her whole body at their juvenile antics and commented dryly, “That’s right ladies and gentlemen.  Back off, he’s all mine.”

This time, Thena laughed.  The men looked up at her in surprise.

“It wasn’t at you.  You three are idiots,” Thena told them.  Spinning around, she and Makkari continued their private conversation.

“Childish behavior aside,” Thena told the smaller woman, “I know how deeply in love you two are.  I envy you that.  I miss that.”

“Well, what if you could have it again?”  Makkari asked slyly.

“I hope you aren’t suggesting I move on?”

“No, I’m suggesting that maybe when we get to the World Forge, we bring back four Eternals instead of three.”

“We-” Thena froze, giving Makkari an arrested stare.  “You mean…”

“Druig told me about Sersi’s visit with Arishem.  All the shell bodies standing around that looked like us.”

“But it wouldn’t be my Gilgamesh.”

 “I don’t know about that.  In the Uni-Mind, I felt past memories and feelings sort of zip by me.  Like they were locked away inside me, somewhere.”

“And my flashes… when I have Mahd Wy’ry episodes… I see things that happened at different times, on different planets.”

“So, if we bring back a Gilgamesh, maybe Phastos can figure out how to restore his memories.”  Makkari shrugged.  “And maybe he can’t.  I don’t know.  But either way, it’s still Gilgamesh, and he’s awesome.  You’d fall in love with each other in no time.”

Thena shook her head fondly at Makkari.  “Rather hopeful of you.”

“Someone on this ship has to be the optimist,” Makkari joked.

“And you really don’t mind taking the risk?  Have you discussed this with Druig?”

“Of course,” she nodded emphatically.  “Is he slightly less enthusiastic than me?  Maybe!  But we both want to help you.  You’re our sister.”

“Thank you,” Thena kissed the top of Makkari’s head.  Makkari snaked an arm around her middle.  They turned and watched as another heated argument broke out.  “You’d better go intervene before Druig gets totally naked.”

Makkari smiled up at Thena and squeezed her hip.  Then she walked over to the table and sat right in Druig’s lap.  Thena saw him blink in surprise, before an adoring look quickly spread over his face.  The speedster pulled his head down to hers and kissed him hotly, heedless of their audience.

“No fair teasing me!” Eros cried.  “At least let me join in!”

Eyes golden, Pip clonked his beer mug against the back of Eros’ head.

“Damn it Druig!”

Makkari sat back and smiled at her lover.  “Want to go test the limits of Phastos’ sound proofing?”

Druig laughed low in his throat, utterly and helplessly in love with the petite woman perched in his lap.  “Thena,” he said turning his head slightly, but keeping hungry eyes on Makkari.  “We’re gonna disappear for a while.  If Eros looks like he might follow, disembowel ‘im for me, would ya please?”

Grinning broadly, Makkari rose and pulled Druig up, holding onto him as he rapidly towed her out of the room.

Eros looked over at Thena.  “I don’t suppose you-”

A sword erupted into Thena’s hand.  “Unless the rest of that question is ‘would I disembowel you’, the answer is a resounding no.”

“Thanks for clearing that up,” Eros mumbled to her back as she strode out of the room toward her own chamber.

“What the hell have you gotten us into?” Pip scowled at Eros, shaking out his empty mug forlornly. 

“Don’t worry old boy,” Eros shuffled the cards idly in front of him.  The unassuming expression he wore turned devious.  “It will all be worth it in the end.”  

 

 

 

Notes:

This is it! The first story I've ever shared, and by far the longest I've ever written. This was a novel by the end! And yes, I did leave it open-ended. I couldn't help myself. :)

I just want to thank everybody that read this and especially all the people who left such wonderful and encouraging comments throughout. You guys will never know how much I appreciated reading those!

Also, one final note out there for the universe, we need MUCH more Drukkari in Eternals 2 (or wherever we finally get them next,) or we riot. ;)