Elyus's POV:

Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan: 1521 AD
The Fall of Tenochtitlan

I tiredly wipe the sweat from my face, the heat becoming unbearable by the second due to the fires wildly spreading within the homes of the Aztec Empire.

With the amount of death and destruction from the wars and raids I had to watch, the sickening feeling worsened. I could've easily helped to stop the warriors battling with the raiders. I could show that this wasn't the answer. I can make them understand.

But if I didn't want to face the repercussions from Arishem, I had to sit back and finish off the nearby Deviant, no matter how badly I wanted to help.

I harshly slash my hand across, the wind slicing the head of the Deviant clean off which sent the beast to tumble into a tree and lie motionlessly.

I wipe the green liquid that splattered my face with my sleeve, scrunching my nose in disgust.

"Ah, I see our training sessions have been paying off." I hear Thena call from behind and I turn, seeing her proud smile. "Nice work."

"Thanks, Thena." I mutter but from behind, my eyes widen at the sight of the raider on a horse galloping towards the oblivious child, not showing any signs of stopping.

I quickly sprint after them and push my hands forward, blowing a harsh gust of wind that sends the raider to slam into the monument, knocking him unconscious.

The boy frantically looked around but I guided him away, moving him out of the middle of the temple. "Get away from the flames!" I hurriedly advise in Nahuatl. "Hide until you see one of your people."

He quickly nods before running towards the forest, seeing as some of the villagers already sprinting towards the clearing.

I walk back towards where Thena stood, but this time she had her arms crossed. "Ajak's not going to be happy."

"Then it is a good thing Ajak will not know." I shrug as we continued to walk towards our meeting spot with the others.

Makkari skidded to a stop next to Thena, sending a sincere smile to us. "Are you two all right?" She signed and I simply nod.

"Where are the others?" Ajak worriedly asked with Sersi, Phastos, Sprite, and Druig standing behind her.

"We had to split up." Makkari signed.

"Elyus and I managed to stick together." Thena added. "There were more Deviants than you said."

"Well, I'm sure that was a lot of fun for you." Phastos spoke up.

"It was." Thena grinned before she elbowed my side. "I will say that Elyus makes it fun. You all should have seen the way she sliced the Deviant's head off."

My eyes briefly meet Sersi's, seeing her surprised look but I turn away in discomfort. "Can we not talk about it?"

"Once the others kill these last Deviants," Phastos used his abilities to create a projection of the globe. "we will have eliminated them all from the planet."

Gunshots rang behind us which were soon followed by the villagers screaming out in agony. The fires from the torches brightened the forest, giving a clear view of the raiders chasing after the villagers. With each gunshot that rang out, another body would collapse forward and the urge to step in became harder and harder to control.

"Don't." I hear Ajak warn and I turn, expecting to meet her gaze but hers were set on Druig, whose eyes briefly shined gold. "We don't interfere in their wars."

"This isn't war." He calmly spoke. "It's genocide. Their weapons have become too deadly." He turned around, setting his eyes on Phastos. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea helping them advance, Phastos."

"Technology is a part of their evolutionary process, Druig." Phastos explained as Makkari walked towards Druig. "It's not exactly something that I can stop."

"No, you can't. But I can!" Druig raised his voice.

"Druig, if we interfere, they will not grow on their own." I try to explain, taking a step toward him but he rolled his eyes.

"Stay strong." Makkari signed, attempting to calm him down.

"Thena," I hear Sersi call and I turn, watching as Thena's eyes went white. "are you okay?" Thena conjured a spear and turned towards Sersi, leaving my eyes to widen. "Thena?"

She moved her spear, preparing to attack. "Sersi!" I yell out, using my abilities to thrust myself forward and tackle Sersi out of the way, feeling the spear slash across my side and I collapse on my back with a groan.

"No!" Sersi frantically scrambled to my side.

"Thena?" Phastos stepped forward, trying to get through her senses but she instantly jabbed her spear into his chest. "Thena, no!" Ajak and Druig rushed to his side, leading Makkari to grab onto Thena and speed off.

However, they didn't get to make it far because, in a matter of seconds, Thena plunged a knife into Makkari's stomach, sending them to roll across the ground.

"No!" I try to sit up but instantly a sharp pain on my side caused me to let out a groan, feeling the blood spill out of my side but Sersi pressed her hands against the wound. "Let me go, I have to help her!"

"Not when you are bleeding out like this!" Sersi scolded, using all her strength to keep me down and I helplessly watch as Ajak attempted to fight off Thena. "Ellie, let me or wait for Ikaris to take you to Ajak--"

Just the mention of Ikaris' name made me snap enough to harshly pull away from her. "Get your hands off of me!" I yell out, pushing myself away from her. "I don't need your help and I don't ever want your help, Sersi!"

Her grip loosens as her eyes widen, giving me the chance to slip out of her hold and run after Thena.

Just as she pierces her spear through Ajak's side I kick my foot forward, creating a tunnel of wind that collides with Thena's chest and sends her to stumble back.

She conjures another spear and slashes across but this time I jump and spin over, using the wind to make sure I safely landed on my feet.

She tries to rush again but I aim my hands at her, sending the harsh wind to hold her back. "Thena, you have to remember who we are!" I grunt as my arms glowed a bright orange at the amount of energy I was exerting since she managed to take a step. "We are your family!"

Thena blinked a few times as the colors of her eyes returned, causing me to ease my abilities with a sigh.

However another gunshot rang out and in a matter of seconds, her eyes went white once more.

I blast another tunnel of wind towards her direction but she slides on her knees underneath the tunnel and conjures another spear, plunging the weapon into my stomach which causes me to freeze.

"Ellie!"

She yanks the spear out of my stomach and twirls it around her hand but Gilgamesh runs in from the side and holds her back, pulling her away from me. "Hey, Thena! Hey! Stop, stop, stop!"

My knees buckle to the floor but with a shaky breath, I clutch onto my stomach.

"Elyus!" A pair of arms carefully sit me down and I look up, meeting Kingo's frantic expression as he pressed his hands over mine to make the bleeding stop. "Keep your eyes open for me, all right?"

"I-I tried--I wanted to help Ajak--"

"You did. You did great." He reassured before he looked to the side. "Ajak, hurry! She's losing a lot of blood!"

I forcefully try to keep my eyes open but just as I let my head roll to the side, a sudden burst of energy trickled along my sides and I snap my eyes open, meeting Ajak's relief.

I quickly sit up with worry. "Thena. Where's Thena?" I follow Kingo's line of vision and my eyes soften, seeing Gilgamesh carry an unconscious Thena in his arms.

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"I thought Mahd Wy'ry was a myth." Sersi spoke up, breaking my stares away from the lying unconscious Thena on the table.

"There is no cure," Phastos informed as Ajak continued to heal the wound on his chest. "so no one really talks about it."

Thena's eyes shot open with a gasp escaping her lips, causing Kingo to tug Sersi away from the woman. "What happened?"

"Thena, you attacked everyone." Ajak answered, gesturing to all of us. "Wounded Sersi, Phastos, you nearly killed Makkari and Elyus."

Thena sat up, her eyes flickering over everyone in guilt before she slowly shook her head. "I don't remember."

Ajak took a step closer to the table. "You have Mahd Wy'ry. Your mind is fracturing under the weight of your memories. And all I can do is erase them so you can start over. I will have to inform Arishem and take you back to the ship where we have the technology to help you."

"Wait what?" I quickly add in, earning everyone's eyes to fall on me. "That's not fair."

"She won't be Thena anymore." Makkari signed.

"What if it happens again?" Kingo worriedly asked. "She could've killed you. She could have killed all of us."

"We'll be ready this time." I argue, reaching over to place my hand over Thena's shoulder. "I'm not scared to get hurt, Thena doesn't deserve to lose her memories over this."

"Elyus--"

"Please." Thena begged. "Please, I-I want to remember. I want to remember my life."

"Thena, I love you. But listen to me. It's not important if you remember or not. Your spirit will remain." Ajak tried to reassure the girl but I slowly shake my head in disbelief, pulling my hand away from Thena. "You will always be Thena deep inside. Trust me."

"Why should she trust you?" Druig spoke up with slight annoyance. "You're asking her to let you erase who she is."

"Druig, I know you're upset, but--"

"Upset?" He yelled, making me flinch at the abrupt tone. "We've trusted you for seven thousand years, and look where you've gotten us. I've watched humans destroy each other when I could stop it all in a heartbeat. Do you know what that does to someone after centuries? Could our mission have been a mistake? Are we really helping these people build a better world, huh?"

My thoughts trail back to the chaos ensuing down the temple, helplessly watching as the humans were slaughtering each other.

I couldn't imagine being in Druig's position. He had the power to control everyone's thoughts but wasn't allowed to for years.

Druig spun around and stepped past the doorway to glance down at the war below us. "We're just like the soldiers down there. Pawns to their leaders. Blinded by loyalty...it ends now."

Judging by his silence, the distant clamoring and screams came to a stop and I knew he had taken control of their minds by stopping the battle.

Ikaris stepped forward and grabbed Druig's shoulder, slamming his back into the wall. "Let them go." He tried to intimidate, causing me to clench my jaw.

Druig didn't seem fazed. "You're gonna have to make me."

Ikaris lifted his fist but I swept my hand to the side, sending Ikaris to harshly slam against the wall. "Agh--!" He grunted, attempting to push through the harsh air but I kept my hand still.

"Elyus!"

"Stop!" Ajak scolded the two men before her eyes flickered to me. "Elyus, enough."

I lower my hand with a scoff and cross my hands over my chest, ignoring Ikaris's glares as he stepped away from Druig.

"If you wanna stop me, you're gonna have to kill me." Druig stated before turning away from us and marching down the steps.

Ajak didn't move to stop him.

"I'll watch over Thena." Gilgamesh spoke up, causing my eyes to widen. That means they were going to leave too. "Let her keep her memories."

"One day, when she attacks you, you might have to kill her." Ajak warned.

Gilgamesh looked over to Thena, a grateful smile appearing on her face which he nodded. "We'll take that chance."

I turn to Ajak, waiting for our next instructions but I could sense the hesitation. "Ajak?"

"You may all go." She stated and my heart quickened out of fear. "The Deviants are gone. There is no reason for you to stay with me."

"Shouldn't you ask Arishem first?" Ikaris worriedly asked. "We're a team, we should stay together."

"I didn't ask you for your advice, Ikaris." Ajak countered, her harsh words stunning him. "Do not forget your place."

Normally this would be amusing seeing him get talked down to but the overwhelming fear of being on my own terrified me. It terrified everyone.

"This is where we say goodbye." Ajak looked at each of us with a sympathetic smile. "You are free to go. I want you to go out there. And live a life for yourselves. Not as soldiers. Not with the purpose you were given. Find your own purpose. And one day, when we see each other again, I want you to tell me what you found."

I glance over to Sersi but see that she was already eyeing Ikaris with wonder, solidifying her choice.

I should not be surprised. Ever since her marriage with Ikaris, we've spent less time together. I tried to make time but of course, there was always an excuse. I was sick of it.

I made the first step toward Ajak and embrace her in a hug. "I'm going to miss you the most, Ajak." I whisper as she patted my back a few times.

"Do not be afraid to be yourself, Elyus." She whispered once I pull away. "Embrace it. Be proud of who you are."

"I will. Thank you for everything."

I wave goodbye to everyone else before carefully going down the temple steps, seeing the city burn from the flames growing higher.

But just as I reached the middle,

"Ellie wait!" Sersi called and I turn, seeing that her eyes were already brimmed with tears. "You are just going to leave? Just like that?"

I furrow my brows in confusion. "Ajak said. I'm just following her orders."

"No, that is not what I mean." She remarked, quickly going down the steps to stand in front of me. "Are you just going to go on your own?"

"Well, who else would I go with? Out of precaution, Gilgamesh only wants to be with Thena, Makkari just lost one of her closest friends so she will go on her own, Sprite will probably stick with either Kingo or Ajak and--"

"You could come with us. I know that we haven't gotten the chance to hang out like we used to but we can fix that." Sersi cut in, reaching to interlace her hand with mine. "You, me, and Ikaris."

I roll my eyes, yanking my hand out of her grasp. "I would rather have Thena stab me again to put me out of my misery."

"Ellie! You don't mean that."

"Well, it is true!" I exclaim in frustration. "You have known since the beginning that Ikaris and I don't get along. Why would I do that to myself?"

"But if you give him a chance as I have, someday you guys can get along and--"

"And what, I'll just sit back and watch you two fall deeper in love for an eternity while I live the rest of my life doing nothing?" I ask and her eyes soften, leaving me to shake my head. "Sersi, we've said this since the beginning. We both wanted to learn about the variety of how each civilization lives their lives and now that Ajak is setting us free, we finally get to without worrying about the consequences but you're still hesitant to do so. You already know deep down, Ikaris wasn't thrilled about splitting up and he's going to be solely focused on waiting for Arishem to call us to return."

"That's not true." She whispered as a tear trickled down from her eyes.

"Or you're just too ignorant to see that mister perfect isn't so perfect after all. I don't know what else you want me to say, Sersi." I cross my arms over my chest. "So I'll give you a choice. If you are serious about mending our friendship, you come with me and we can catch up like we used to do. We can go back to the way things were and explore the world. Or...you can go with Ikaris and live out the rest of your lives together."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "You can't be serious."

"You made your plan seem easy so why can't mine? The choice is yours."

She hesitantly glances at the top of the temple and I follow her gaze, seeing as Ikaris watched us in curiosity before she met my eyes once more. "I-I'm sorry."

I slowly nod, ignoring the painful ache in my heart. "I guess this means you were never serious about fixing this."

"No, I do but I cannot choose—"

"Goodbye, Sersi." I whisper before I walk down the steps, not bothering to turn around as I continued to the next destination.

Wherever that is.