AMAZON FOREST

Elyus's POV:

I send a blast of air to the ground which sends me high in the air and land on top of the Deviant. I quickly wrap my arm around its neck and force it into a chokehold. "You just don't want to quit, do you?" I grunt, trying to hold my balance as it wildly shook my around.

It charges to the metal front of the building and my body harshly slams into it, forcing me to let go of my grip.

It snaps its canines at my shoulder but I swiftly grab onto its upper and lower jaw before it could sink its teeth in.

The tail harshly stabs into my leg but I hold back the cry as my knee buckled to the ground, tightening my grip.

This time its tail pierces through my abdomen and I couldn't help but groan in pain. "You're...not...killing me!" I angrily yell out.

Its tail wraps around my waist and chucks me to the side, sending me to roll across the dirt and land on my stomach.

I shakily try to push myself up but a heavy claw-like weight forces me back down, shoving my head to its side to make me stay down. I helplessly attempt to blast the harsh winds but no matter what I did, the Deviant continued to harshly drag its claws on my back.

"Get off of her!" A voice shouted before something pierces against its neck.

The weight suddenly comes off of my back and I quickly look up, seeing as Sersi frantically backed away as the Deviant angrily approached her.

It harshly slams its head against her, sending her to fall into the pond behind and jumped in after her.

My eyes widen in horror. "No, Sersi!"

However in a matter of seconds, a burst of water shoots up into the air, leaving me to quickly cover my eyes as the water completely drenched me.

Once the water settled, I look up and my eyes widen in surprise, seeing that the Deviant was no longer what it used to look like. Instead, it was shaped into a tree.

I quickly shake my head and scramble to stand before jumping into the water and ran over to Sersi who seemed shocked as well.

"Sersi," I whisper before pulling the girl into a tight hug. "Sersi? Are you okay?"

I feel her nod as she slowly wrapped her arms around me as well. "Y-Yeah. Yeah I'm okay."

I pull away, pushing some of the wet strands of her hair behind her ear. "Why did you save me? You could've gotten yourself killed."

The corners of her lips perk up a bit. "You're worth the risk."

My heart swells at her words as I unwrap my arms from her with a small smile. Maybe she isn't so bad after all.

The moment is cut short because almost as if he sensed it as well, a figure lands in the pond with tired breaths, quickly pulling Sersi into a hug next.

"Sersi, are you all right?" Ikaris worriedly asked.

I take a step back away from the two but a sharp pain on my side forces me to rest against the ledge.

A hand moves in front of my face and I look up, meeting Druig's expression filled with concern. "You okay?"

I nod, grabbing onto his hand and he carefully helps me out of the pond. I look behind me to the Deviant tree once more, seeing the surprised look on Ikaris' expression as well.

"How did you do that?"

"I-I erm--" My eyes flicker to Sersi, seeing as she turned away from where Druig and I stood and glanced back at the tree. "I don't know."

Ikaris quickly turns away from the tree. "Gilgamesh."

As soon as he said his name, we didn't spare another second to waste to run towards where Ikaris left Gilgamesh and Thena with one of the Deviants we faced off against London.

Ikaris flew ahead as the rest of us went to meet back up with Kingo and Sprite first, but the sounds of Thena's faint sobs sent shivers down my spine.

"I'll remember! I'll remember!" She cried out.

I quicken my pace and push aside the leaves blocking our path, a sense of dread filling my heart at the sight of Thena crying over Gilgamesh's lifeless body in her arms.

Similar to when we found Ajak, his skin was grey with his eyes shut and Thena slowly lowered him to lay on his back.

I take the first couple of steps to her and bend down to her level, not bothering to wipe the tears that flowed down my cheeks.

"I'll remember." She continued to sob and I comfortingly place my hand on her shoulder.

With a sniffle, she didn't waste another second to pull me into a hug with sobs escaping from her lips.

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THE DAY AFTER JULIAN'S FUNERAL
2013

I twist open the cap to the whiskey bottle and fill two glasses before placing the glass on top of his grave.

"I wish you could've seen the bar again." I give a weak smile. "I sort of got better at getting to know the employees, even if some of them and the customers still piss me off time to time."

I take a seat on the floor and cross my legs to get comfortable. "But your advice always comes to mind. The hatred I'm keeping in my heart might make me feel better at the moment but will I feel the same next week? If they absolutely deserved it, yes but otherwise, no." I lightly laugh, remembering as I watched in shock at his calm attitude to the group of guys that were disrespecting our bartenders. "I blame myself for not getting the chance to see you again. Maybe then I would've felt at place with your family but I can't help but feel like I'm intruding their business. Honestly, you already know how it is with my--well, would they even be considered my family if I haven't seen them in years. I'm convinced that anyone I come close to they always..."

I grab our shotglasses but lift mine to the sky. "Forget it. I'll miss you, Julian. Para y siempre." I whisper, allowing the tears to flow. I shake my head and quickly down the shot while I pour the other to the side.

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AMAZON FOREST
PRESENT DAY

I sadly stare at the roaring fire as it burned Gilgamesh's body, an all too familiar feeling of loss filling my chest.

The sun barely had started to rise but the only sounds that were heard are from Karun quietly saying a prayer in Sanskrit with Kingo.

I feel Sersi's hand interlace with mine but I didn't have the energy to pull away. Hate to admit it but I needed some sort of comfort.

Two of the Eternals were dead. We spent thousands of years together but now in the span of a few days, two of us were gone. Gilgamesh and Ajak were never coming back.

After the fire disintegrated, Thena carefully collected his ashes into a jar before she glanced at me.

Getting the hint, I walk beside her into the river, feeling the cold river go up to my ankles as the breeze hit my skin.

Thena tightly clutched onto the jar, almost as if she felt that once she released his ashes, it meant that she was really letting him go.

"You know, Gil was one of the first people that made me see who I was. Hell, he was drunk and still knew before I even came to terms with it." I chuckle, remembering the night we were partying in Babylon and he caught me trying to leave early. "He wanted to make sure that I knew I was always accepted and that he would have my back. As much as he and I butted heads from when I was staying with you two, one time I asked him why he chose to protect you. He looked me right in the eyes and said 'because she would do the same for me'. By that alone, I could see that you meant everything to him and he would go through hell and back to make sure you were okay. Even if he got a slice or two from your deadly cosmic spears."

Thena lightly laughed, using her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "He never once complained." She whispered, rubbing her thumbs across the jar. "He could've easily given up and left me behind to go to some island to drink but he always took care of me. He never stopped believing in me a-and..." Her voice cracked and I comfortingly place my hand on her shoulder. "He said he'd do it again on any planet. Without him...I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"From what I learned when I first lost another friend of mine, they'd want you to live." I give a small smile. "It's time for you to make your own path and remember who you are, goddess of war."

She simply nods and carefully pulls the lid off of the jar, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. "I'll remember."

She carefully pours the ashes into the water, allowing the contents to spread in front of us.

Goodbye, Gilgamesh.

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CHICAGO

In comparison to the places we've visited, I was glad to learn that Phastos had settled in a small town in Chicago. After we laid Gilgamesh to rest, Druig decided to come with us after all but only if we could figure out how we can have enough power for him to take control of a mind of a Celestial.

From what Druig explained, Phastos gave up on humans around 1945 due to the bombing in Hiroshima. If I had to guess, he wanted his technology to help advance the United States by making the war stop but....the two atomic bombs killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, the majority being innocent civilians.

"Oh, so close!" We hear Phastos chuckle as Sersi, Ikaris, and I reached the white picket fence.

"Daddy, daddy! Watch this!" The child excitedly called out with the football in his hands.

The football wobbles in the air as the boy throws it to another man across the driveway, catching it at ease with a grin.

The sight of Phastos happily watching the man and the child toss the football back and forth as he was fixing a bicycle causes me to smile. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he fell in love with someone and adopted a child together.

I'll admit that I was a little envious that Phastos found someone after everything the Eternals went through. I couldn't even if I tried.

No one could compare to her especially.

Phastos's gaze lands on us and instantly his smile drops.

"Hi." Sersi greeted first, earning the other man's attention away from the boy.

"Hello. Can we help you?"

"Throw it again!" The boy insisted and the man quickly nods, tossing the ball back to him. "Yes! Dad, did you see that?"

"I did! Jack, Ben. Hey, guys." Phastos nervously patted his wrench against the palm of his hand as he walked over to us. "These are my friends from college."

Ben's smile falters as he glanced between us. "I see."

Looks like Phastos told him.

"Uh, this is Sylvia, Elena," Phastos introduced but I tilt my head to the side at the name. "and, uh, Isaac. That's Isaac."

Ikaris glanced at us with a brow raised. "Isaac?"

"Dad, that's Superman." Jack tugged on Phastos's cardigan sleeve with a wide smile as he pointed to Ikaris. "Dad, that's Superman!"

"Jack...that's really funny, Jack--"

"No, no! He is Superman."

"That is definitely not Superman--"

"I saw him on TV! He was in London, fighting a-a monster." He excitedly explained before he turned to us. "And you were with a cape and you were shooting laser beams out of your eyes."

Ikaris lightly shook his head. "I don't wear a cape."

"Oh, sorry." Jack's eyes land on mine, his smile widening once more. "Oh, oh! And you shoot air out of your hands! You remind me of at girl on a tv show I watch all the time, Korra!"

I couldn't help but smile at his rambles. "That so? Tell me how."

"Well she shoots air out of her hands sometimes and she can also control fire, rocks, and...oh yeah, water! She's so cool. Can you do what she does? Have you seen it?"

"Well, I can tell you that I do one out of those four things." I say as I held my hand out, preparing to form a small sphere of wind. "Wanna see a trick?"

"Yeah!"

"Actually!" Phastos quickly jumped in with a nervous laugh, patting Jack's shoulder as he gestured for us to follow them inside the house. "We should just go inside, right?"

"Aw." Jack whined.

I chuckle. "Next time, kiddo."

"Can I call you Clark? Is that what you go by now?" Phastos sarcastically remarked to Ikaris as Ben and Jack went inside the house first. "Because, you know..."

"You've called me worse." Ikaris teased.

I lift my hand. "I think I take the cake on that one but the difference is that I said them behind your back." I glance at Sersi and she shakes her head with amusement before she continued to follow behind them. "What?"