575 BC - Babylon

Centuries later, when the Eternals arrive in Babylon, they find the ancient city already under siege by Deviants, their monstrous forms wreaking havoc among the people. The air crackles with tension, the scent of chaos mixing with the dust of the old world.

Ayaz steps into the fray, caught between the fierce battle and the desperate cries of the innocent. He’s often seen as the black sheep of the Eternal family, embracing chaos with a devil-may-care attitude that starkly contrasts with the solemnity of their mission. Despite his mischievous nature, he carries within him a reservoir of cosmic energy, capable of manipulating ice and teleporting across inter-dimensional spaces in dark grey clouds of smoke. His frosty demeanor, however, hides a heart that feels too deeply, shielding his emotions behind layers of ice as he dons an emotionless façade.

“I’m so ready for this,” he announces, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he cracks his neck, the thrill of battle coursing through him. The roar of a nearby Deviant snaps his attention, and he barely has time to react as it charges toward him.

With a flick of his wrist, he conjures sharp ice daggers, launching them with precision toward the creature’s weak spot. The jagged shards pierce its skin, and Ayaz watches with satisfaction as the Deviant shrieks in pain, a sound that resonates with a twisted sense of triumph in his chest.

Seizing the moment of distraction, he teleports onto the creature's neck, longer ice daggers forming in his hands. He drives them deep into the flesh of its throat, feeling the surge of power as he creates a fatal wound. As the beast collapses, he jumps off, dusting his hands with a nonchalance that belies the violence of the act. “No hard feelings, mon pote,” he quips, glancing around for his fellow Eternals.

His eyes catch Gilgamesh being flung aside by another Deviant. Ayaz teleports again, arriving just in time as Ikaris, Thena, Kingo, and Makkari engage the creature. With a quick movement, he freezes the Deviant's legs, encasing them in solid ice while Ikaris and Kingo unleash their powerful blasts. Thena leaps onto the creature, her agility unmatched as she delivers a swift and deadly strike.

The Deviant thrashes, desperate to break free, but Gilgamesh lands a powerful punch, sending it crashing to the ground.

“Is it the last one?” Ayaz asks, scanning the area for any signs of life among the Deviants.

“It is the last one,” Makkari confirms, a glimmer of relief in her voice.

“For now,” Thena adds, her eyes sharp and watchful.

“Good that,” Ayaz smirks, feeling the adrenaline fade as he teleports back to the Domo, eager to regroup.

Upon entering the Domo, he finds himself face to face with Ajak, the Prime Eternal.

“How’s the fight?” she asks, her tone light but her eyes serious.

“It went well,” he replies, a casual tone masking the thrill still buzzing in his veins.

Ajak nods, satisfied for a moment, before her expression shifts. “Can I talk to you about something? Specifically about your newly formed smoking habit?”

Ayaz taps his chin thoughtfully, feigning contemplation. “How about a no?”

“Listen to me for once, Ayaz—!”

He bursts into laughter, dismissing her scolding with a wave of his hand before teleporting away, leaving behind a cloud of dark grey smoke that swirls around the frustrated Ajak.

“My life is a bloody wild nightmare,” he mutters, taking a seat next to Sprite in Phastos’s laboratory. She’s sitting at a table, idly playing with a knife, her expression focused yet playful.

Druig appears, tossing a piece of fruit at Ayaz, who catches it effortlessly. “What did you do this time?”

“Wait for it,” Ayaz replies, taking a bite of the apple, the sweet taste bursting in his mouth.

“Ayaz!” Ajak’s voice cuts through the room, her frustration palpable as she rushes in.

Ayaz rolls his eyes, annoyance bubbling up. “What?”

“You’re acting like a spoiled child!” she chastises, hands on her hips, exuding exasperation.

“I am a spoiled child with the body of a grown,” he shrugs nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair.

“Don’t waste your breath. You can’t win arguments with him,” Sprite chimes in, shooting Ayaz a conspiratorial glance that makes him smirk.

Ajak sighs, realizing the futility of her pursuit. “Fine, I’ll drop it for now,” she concedes, turning her attention to Phastos. “Did you go to the party last night like I told you to?”

“Party? Yeah,” Phastos responds quickly, his eyes darting nervously.

“He worked all night,” Druig interjects, and Ayaz chuckles, biting into his apple again.

Phastos glares at Druig, his irritation evident. “Who’s talking to you?”

“Get a life,” Ajak retorts, scanning the room for two missing Eternals. “Where are Sersi and Hestia?”

“Late as usual,” Sprite replies with a shrug.

“I’m sorry! I have something very exciting to show you, okay?” Phastos exclaims, dragging Ajak toward the projection of his latest invention. “Wait till you see this!”

Ayaz watches with curiosity as Phastos showcases his work, chewing on his apple and struggling to grasp the complex theory behind it, failing miserably.

“What is it?” Ajak asks, her confusion mirroring the expressions of everyone else in the room.

“It’s an engine,” Phastos explains enthusiastically. “It moves steam from high pressure to low pressure. It will help them till their fields at an incredibly fast rate.”

“It’s gonna freak them out,” Sprite comments, her eyes wide with intrigue.

“It did freak me out,” Ayaz adds, a grin spreading across his face.

“I mean, they’ve only had the wheel for a thousand years,” Druig muses, leaning against the food table, his tone dry and amused. “So…”

“You know… we could do that thing. You know? Where you use your mind to control everything they could do and…” Phastos suggests, gesturing between his invention and Druig.

Druig raises an eyebrow, glancing at Ajak. “Hey, Ajak, you listening to this?”

“Phastos, this steam…” Ajak starts, but Phastos interrupts.

“Engine…”

“It’s too soon,” Ajak states firmly, just as Sersi and Hestia stroll into the room.

“What did we miss?” Sersi asks, eyeing the projection curiously.

“Nothing, just the screams of my big disappointment,” Phastos quips, crossing his arms.

“It looks complex but marvelous at the same time,” Hestia adds, her voice filled with excitement.

Ayaz rolls his eyes, hopping off the table, but he feels a familiar gaze on him. Turning, he meets Druig’s eyes, a challenge reflected in the depths of their blue. Ayaz raises an eyebrow, mirroring the expression, a small smile tugging at his lips. There’s a tension between them, a spark that ignites in the silence, unspoken yet palpable.

“Is that your way of flirting?” Druig teases, breaking the moment with his playful smirk.

“Maybe,” Ayaz shoots back, a teasing glint in his golden eyes.

Ajak interrupts, her voice firm as she reassures Phastos. “I’m sure you can think of something simpler.”

“Simple… okay… Let’s see,” Phastos muses, moving around the pieces of the steam engine until most of it disappears. He holds up another invention, a proud smile illuminating his face. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… a plough. ‘Cause that’s what it does. Ploughs dirt.”

“Hestia and I met another group of settlers who are building their houses in the northern fields. They will need to plant their own crops,” Sersi says, and Hestia nods in agreement.

“Thanks, Sersi,” Phastos replies, gratitude coloring his tone.

“Listen… humanity may be coming along slower than some of us want, but there’s no telling what wonders they will discover as they advance,” Ajak declares, her gaze sweeping over the room, inspiring hope in her fellow Eternals.