PRESENT DAY
📍SOUTH DAKOTA
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The car slightly moved from side to side as (Y/N) stared down at her hands while she sat in the backseat of the cab that was driving them up to Ajak's place in South Dakota with the rest of the group. Sersi was in the copilot seat, and Ikaris stood in between Sprite and (Y/N) as the youngest leaned her head to sleep comfortably for the ride.

(Y/N) couldn't help but wonder what would happen when she reunited with the rest of her friends and family. Ever since that day, she haven't seen the majority of them for centuries. The thought having to see him again brought her chills down her spine.

What was also strange about all this was how thunder loudly rumbled through the car ride, continuing to do so as the car pulled over at the front porch of the cabin. There was no sight of the sun and clouds covered the entire sky like a warm blanket.

Sersi was the first one to step into the cabin, which seemed to be eerie quiet, the lights on as if Ajak was still there but no sight of her. "Hello?"

"Ajak?"

(Y/N), Ikaris and Sprite followed after her, all searching for anything. The wind whistled through the house, which was the only source of sound throughout the entire cabin. It grew louder and louder, as if it was giving the four a clue.

(Y/N) noticed this first, seeing how the back door was also wide open as it blew against the harsh wind. She reached out to grab onto Sersi's arm before she moved any further to alert her of this. Sersi perked up at this and (Y/N) didn't have to say anything, she just gestured her head to the back door and that's all it took for the two to make their way outside with Ikaris and Sprite sprinting to catch up with them.

The sky was pitch black by then, the lampposts on the roof being the only thing allowed to illuminate the backyard of the cabin. A few feet away from the light stood a faint figure that (Y/N) couldn't quite figure out, but since she was the closest one out of the four, her breath caught on her throat when she recognized who it was.

"Ajak!" Sersi was the one allowed to use her voice at the moment, since (Y/N) had froze in her spot when she knelt down to the ground to inspect the body.

Ajak was laid stiffly on the grass of her backyard, her hair disheveled and her clothes covered in dirt. Her skin was not its regular color; instead it was a scaly green with white and her eyes were shut closed, her body cold as ice. Ikaris stood above (Y/N) and Sersi, eyes scanning all around the place as Sprite sniffled loudly, falling to her knees.

"It was a Deviant," Ikaris declared.

Rain poured down as thunder continued rumbling in the distance, and (Y/N) only weakly raised her hand to avoid the raindrops from falling down on the group, her eyes still fixed on her mentor's body on the grass.

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Back inside the house, an illusion of Ajak and Sprite swaying from side to side in the kitchen was what took the attention of both (Y/N) and Ikaris as they heard Ajak sing, wearing an old dress with cowboy boots.

"Our love, And our devotion," Ajak sang along, her eyes moving as if she could sense that (Y/N) was watching from the side. "Were as deep as any ocean."

Sprite waved her hand to make the illusion disappear, sitting on the table with her eyes still teary from what had just happened. (Y/N) had made coffee with the few stuff she could find in the pantry, and Sprite had one cup in her hand after (Y/N) suggested it would help.

"It was the last time I saw her," she pulled her arms close to her chest. "Ajak asked me to check on Sersi and (Y/N), so I went to London. Turned out the three of us were lonely and we needed each other."

(Y/N) sighed and tugged her jacket closer to her body, standing on the chair across from Sprite as Ikaris walked up to her from leaning against the doorframe to place a comforting hand on Sprite's shoulder. Sersi was still outside, staring down at the body of Ajak in pitch darkness.

"I guess, in her way, Ajak never stopped trying to take care of us."

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

"Deviants have never done that in the past," Ikaris protested.

"Maybe they'd evolved, we don't know," (Y/N) spoke up. "I mean, a few hours ago, we thought we'd killed them all."

"She's right. It healed itself just like Ajak," Sprite agreed, her tears dried up in her cheeks. "I swear, I almost heart it speak."

(Y/N) shifted in the chair to peek at what was happening outside with Sersi, only to find how she was stiffly kneeling over Ajak's body with her eyes closed, and the lights inside the house all blacked out at the same exact moment.

"Uh, guys. . ." she trailed off and they turned to look for themselves at what was happening.

Immediately, they all rushed to Sersi's side, shaking her slightly to awake her from the deep slumber she was in. In a few seconds, Sersi gasped out of air and her eyes opened wide with her looking from side to side, confused as them.

Sprite shook her several times. "Sersi! Sersi! are you okay?"

"Sersi, what happened?" (Y/N) questioned.

Sersi frowned and looked down. "The sphere that Ajak used to talk with Arishem, it came out of her body and went inside me."

This seemed to attract Ikaris's interest. "Did you talk with Arishem?"

"Yes," Sersi nodded. "He said, 'It's almost time.'"

"Can you try talking to him again?" Sprite asked.

Sersi looked down ashamed. "I don't know how."

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

"Hold on, Sprite," Ikaris cut her off before she could say more, and there was almost a glint of anger hidden behind his eyes. "Are you sure you talked with Arishem?"

"What else would it be?" (Y/N) frowned at him.

"Mahd Wy'ry," he answered without missing a beat, and (Y/N) felt her heart stop at the mention of that, remembering what happened that day.