Cold Heart

Chapter 04

Present day
South Dakota

Thunder rumbled outside of the house as an unknown car pulled up the hill. I moved back, taking myself into the darkness of the barn, the light casting over Ajaks body.

"Hello?" A woman called out, her and two others entering the house where I left the door open in my worry for Ajak.

"Ajak?" She called next, looking around and walking through cautiously. Finding the back door open and the wind blowing they slowly made their way outside. "Ajak!" The woman shouted as she ran out, running towards Ajaks body as the rain started to come down hard.

"Stay back" I warned, stepping out of hiding with an icicle in hand, pointed towards her.

"Isla?" She tilted her head to the side, careful eyes meeting my stern gaze.

"How do you know my name?" I demanded harshly, shifting slightly on my feet. A beam of light was shot at me from behind the woman, me swiftly moving out of the way and letting it hit the barn behind me.

"Ikaris!" The woman shouted at him in a scolding tone and my hard expression faltered at the name.

"She's mad, Sersi" Ikaris told her in warning.

"Isla, its me Sersi" The woman took a step forward and I stood tense, glaring her down. "We are friends" She smiled with hope that I would believe her. I yielded, stepping back and letting her kneel beside the body, something deep within me trusting her. She carefully reached for Ajaks face, a young girl and Ikaris walking closer as well.

"Who are these people?" I questioned Ikaris in a hushed tone, eyeing them carefully.

"They're family" He stated back, leaving me to nod in understanding. The child, Sprite, fell to her knees sobbing at the realization of the Eternals death.

"What happened here?" Ikaris asked me, moving onto the focus.

"It was a Deviant, I think." I told them, not really knowing but having my suspicions.

Sprite, Ikaris and I had moved into the kitchen as the rain poured down harder. Sprite presented an illusion to us, her and Ajak dancing while I sat at the table watching with a small smile.

The illusion faded, Sprite having tease in her eyes from where she sat at the table now, Ikaris moving through the kitchen and me leaning my back against the counter staring blankly at the old forgotten memory of such a Seminole time.

"It was the last time I saw her." Sprite stated. "Ajak asked me to check on Sersi because Isla had another episode and she didn't want me to get hurt, so I went to London." Sprite explained, shooting me an apologetic look for the mention of my attack. "Turned out, both of us were lonely and we needed each other. I guess, in her way, Ajak never stopped trying to take care of us." She claimed, Sersi still outside with the body.

"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 stated her theory to us both.

"You guys found a deviant?" I questioned, arms crossed over my chest sternly.

"Deviants have never done that in the past." Ikaris reminded the girl.

"It healed itself just like Ajak. I swear, I almost heard it speak." Sprite told us honestly, trying to convince us both. "Woah" She gasped when the lights flickered out.

"Shit" I cursed, looking around. The three of us ran out into the yard where the floodlights had also been blown out.

"Sersi! Sersi! Are you okay?" Sprite shouted to her, Sersi being in some sort of trance.