𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ━━ 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦

𝐕: 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐚

𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐙𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

OF BLOODY COURSE, he was in the Amazon rainforest; it made sense. Druig had been utterly fascinated with nature, and its give-and-take lifestyle, the circle of life. It was also the best hiding spot; it was vast and hard to navigate with its tall trees that reached the skies and blocked most of the sun with their large thick leaves. The ground floor was dark, with the bare light that streamed through the cracks. The brown dirt was wet and clung to our shoes, staining them a muddy color.

Every few years, I would travel the globe looking for him; it became less frequent over the years as my hope dwindled but never died. I had trekked through this forest a few times but never came upon him. Doubt seeded in my mind. Was I not looking harder for him, or was he too good at hiding?

It was an annoying trek through the woods, especially with the others bickering, either Spirte being sad and transforming it into anger and lashing out, Sersi and Ikaris being lovebirds despite her being with a dude named Dane (Sprite loved giving tea when she wasn't angry) and Kingo and Gilgamesh were back to their old sleeves laughing and making everyone else the butt of their joke like a pair of older siblings. Thena was in the back watching our backs with a cool aloof air about her, one she had since the first day they met and was silently disapproved of their jokes but cracked a smile when they were funny. Karun was there filming the whole thing with a large but strained smile as sweat dripped down his face, and he tried keeping up with us.

I drowned most of their bickering out (having magic helped), and my thoughts ran wild about Druig...would he be happy to see me? Would he embrace me as he once did, and would he still call me his like I still did despite all the years and distance between us? Did he still love me despite leaving me on those steps as the world was set a flame or was it I? How blasphemous it was of me to do that.

"She's definitely going to throw an axe at him," Kingo told Gilgamesh with a loud laugh that brought everyone's attention to him, and they started their bets. I had stopped my doubting and questions and gaped at them as they betted with my love life.

"She wouldn't," Sersi told them with a soft smile, patting her shoulder as she walked past, leading the group.

"She should," Thena told us, looking at me with a raised brow and stating carefreely, "I would help."

I smiled and shook my head at her, collapsing her hand into mine as we walked and squeezed it in thanks.

"She'll probably kiss him~" Sprite teased, poking her tongue out and then illusioned herself invisible when I brought out the highly spoken of axe.

Laevateinn. Loki had crafted it for me when he pronounced his undying love for me when he was young and full of careless mischief. He was like a peacock anytime Druig was around, puffing out his chest. Seeing a little black-chaired child trying to look bigger and stronger than a grown Eternal was an amusing sight.

We walked for thirty more minutes with more commentary on her choice of a husband than she wanted. She still hadn't figured out what to say to him or do to him.

They finally reached a small settlement, the only sign of life for miles. We all looked around for Druig and watched the villagers walk past and go about their daily lives in their idyllic life. It seemed really peaceful, something Druig would be proud of.

"It's very nice here, sir," Karun told Kingo, moving the camera around and showing off the village.

"Don't be fooled," Kingo said with a sigh and slight disdain, "Ignorance is bliss," he stated with a scoff, knowing they were all mind controlled.