miss me? - drukkari

mesopotamia

5000 B.C. MESOPOTAMIA

Ajak asked Druig to stay behind, on the Domo.

"You do not fight," she said. "You help us with the humans. But you do not fight, and you do not interfere."

Taken aback, he looked at her, baffled. She said nothing and simply walked away to watch the battle.

If he couldn't fight, then what use did he have? From what he understood, they had been sent here to wipe out the Deviants. So what exactly was he there to do?

Sprite, Sersi, and Phastos had been asked to stay behind as well. He didn't mind the company. Out of the other Eternals, besides Makkari, this was the best company he could've asked for. Soon enough, he'd found out what all of them could do.

Phastos was the engineer, the scientist. He could manipulate cosmic energy, and he was going to be vital in the evolution of the species of this planet. "Humans," they were called. He'd already drawn up schematics for advanced mechanics that were definitely going to freak the humans out.

Sersi could transform most states of inanimate matter into other forms. She could turn a rock into water, metal, or wood, and once she turned a rock into air! She hadn't even met the humans yet, but she loved the idea of them already.

Sprite made illusions. Trickster, and she harbored a love for blades. Particularly knives. (Remind you of anyone yet?) Mostly she just sat there and watched the others fight.

Phastos' abilities made sense, but what in the hell were Sersi, Sprite, and himself supposed to do? They couldn't fight. Were they simply supposed to help humans advance? Without interfering? He couldn't wrap his head around it.

The Deviants looked awful. Fascinating creatures, sure, but they fought to kill the humans. And Ajak had made it clear that the humans were not to be harmed. Plus, they were trying to bite off the Eternals' heads. Those who were fighting anyway.

Staring out the window, he followed Sprite's gaze. She was staring at Ikaris. Go figure. His eyes darted back and forth, looking for Makkari. He spotted the cosmic energy left behind and followed it until he found her.

He watched her run, occasionally causing sonic booms that knocked the Deviants back. Mostly, she sped humans who were frozen in terror out of the way.

"What're you smiling at?" Phastos asked, having crept up behind him.

"Shit, don't do that," Druig flinched.

He hadn't even noticed that he was smiling. It had just crept up his face.

"So, what were you smiling at?" said Phastos, trailing his gaze.

"Them," he responded simply.

He nodded and smiled. "Humanity. Their vulnerabilities are what make them beautiful."

If only Phastos knew what he'd really been smiling about.

"Druig, Sprite, Sersi, Phastos!" Ajak's voice rang out. "It's time. We're meeting the humans."

They looked at each other and began walking. Sersi, Sprite, and Ajak joined them as they descended from the Domo.

The humans watched them in awe, as they seemingly floated down on top of disks that Phastos had constructed.

Druig walked toward the humans as they raised their weapons. His eyes glowed, and indistinct whispering could be heard. The humans' eyes began to glow as well, and they lowered their weapons. They looked around confused.

The Eternals had formed themselves into a V-formation, from left to right, Kingo, Makkari, Gilgamesh, Thena, Ikaris, Ajak, Sersi, Sprite, Phastos, and Druig.

Sersi broke formation as Ajak nodded at her, and she began to walk towards a child. She picked up a simple weapon lying on the ground, and it transformed into a golden version of itself with a blue handle. She offered it to him, and then Druig stopped watching.

Druig turned to stare at Makkari. She was already looking at him.

Impressive fight, he signed.

You were watching?

Always, he signed.

She smiled and stood up straighter, lifting her chin with amusement, seeing if he would copy as he had before. And he did.