My Phoenix - Sprite

Chapter 3

Lena POV

 Sersi, Ikaris, Sprite, and I all piled into the car after arriving in South Dakota. Sersi drove with Ikaris in the front and me and Sprite in the back. Sprite laid her head on my shoulder, while I played with her short hair.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, twirling a red strand of her hair in my fingers.

"Honestly I miss them but they left me so.." She trailed off.

"Hey it's ok we'll see them soon and I'm here for you." I said laying my head on top of hers.

"Yeah." She said looking down. She took her hand in mine as she slowly fell asleep.

As we pulled up to a ranch, Sersi, Ikaris, and Sprite walked in. I walked in after Sprite not wanting to ruin a family reunion.

"Ajak!" They yelled. They searched the house, I looked out the window to the yard.

"Umm guys look at this." I said, pointing to the body in the backyard. I heard a collective gasp around me as they stood in shock, Sprite ran over to the body.

"Ajak?" Sersi cried, Sprite fell to her knees looking at the only mother figure she had.

"It was a Deviant." Ikaris said monotonically. I ran to Sprite and rubbed her back trying to provide a small amount of comfort.

"Let's go inside." I said pulling her up and steadying her. I nodded my head to Sersi and Ikaris as I passed them.

Sprite sat next to me as I held her, pulling her into me. Over the past few days I had grown to care for her. Sprite played an illusion of the last time she saw Ajak. They were dancing in the kitchen to music and laughing.

"Ajak asked me to check on Sersi, so I went to London. Turned out, both of us were lonely and we needed each other." She said holding back tears, Ikaris entered the room to listen. I instinctively held her tighter. I got an odd feeling about him showing no emotion over someone who was practically family dying. "I guess, in her way, Ajak never stopped trying to take care of us" She said looking up to look at him.

"It's the first time in 7,000 years one of us has died. I think the Deviant that attacked us in London killed Ajak and absorbed her power" Sprite said, moving to sit on her own.

"It would make sense I mean the Deviant healed itself." I stood up supporting her.

"They have never done that in the past." Ikaris said.

"It healed itself just like Ajak. I swear, I almost heard it speak." She said defending herself.

"You're not the only one." I breathed out. She took my hand and gave it a squeeze signaling she heard me. I left her side to get some air. I saw Sersi on the ground next to Ajak.

"Sersi, how are you doing?" I asked, she just looked straight ahead. "SERSI!" I yelled, shaking her. The others must have heard from inside and came out running to her. Ikaris came over and asked if she was okay.

"Sersi what happened?" He asked.

"The sphere that Ajak used to talk with Arishem, it came out of her body and went inside me." Sersi said, trying to calm her breathing.

"Did you talk with Arishem?" Ikaris asked

"Yes. He said it's almost time." Sersi said.

"Can you try talking to him again?" Sprite asked, holding her shoulder.

"I don't know how." Sersi replied.

"But she chose you to replace her. And she gave you the sphere." Sprite pushed.

"Hold on, Sprite. Are you sure you talked with Arishem?" Ikaris questioned.

"What else would it be?" Sprite said mildly annoyed.

"Mahd Wy'ry." Ikairs replied. I shot Sprite with a confused look not knowing what it was. She mothed back to me. I'll explain.

"So red, want to explain what Ikairs was talking about back there?" I asked, stopping Sprite as we left for Mumbai.

"Mahd Wy'ry is an illness that Eternals can get the weight of our memories collapse on themselves and we become mental, Thena as in Athena got it and nearly killed 3 of the other Eternals." she informed me. I pulled her in and gave her a hug. "Why'd you do that?" She asked.

"You needed a hug and I'm not a big hugger so be thankful or I will burn you." I said with fake seriousness.