2024 - Iraq 

Phastos is buried in his work, the soft hum of machinery surrounding him as Ayaz wanders around the laboratory, restlessly trying to shake off his boredom. The air is thick with anticipation, and Ayaz’s golden blond hair falls into his eyes, catching the dim light. He feels the weight of expectation pressing down on him like a heavy mantle. Kingo returns, a playful glint in his eye, while Hestia slips away, her concern for Ikaris evident in her hurried steps.

“You always knew the end was coming,” Druig says quietly to Thena, both of them gazing at a painting that hangs crooked on the wall. The colors bleed together, a chaotic swirl that mirrors their turbulent emotions. “It must be a relief.”

“That Deviant is still tracking us,” Thena responds, her voice laced with a fierce determination that echoes in the cavernous space.

“Revenge won’t bring peace for you, Thena.” Druig sighs, recognizing the flicker of a smirk on her lips. It’s a smile tinged with darkness, and he wonders how far she’s willing to go.

“But killing it might,” she states, her eyes glinting with a predatory focus before she strides away, leaving Druig to contemplate the morality of their mission.

“I like her ways,” Ayaz interjects as he breezes past Druig, his fingers brushing against Makkari’s artifacts with a casual curiosity. The vibrant colors and intricate designs captivate him, if only for a moment.

Before Druig can respond, Sersi bursts into the lab, her breath coming in quick gasps. “It’s started! Is it ready? The UniMind?”

“I haven’t figured out a way to connect us, but I’m close,” Phastos replies, his voice strained as he continues to tweak the machinery. “I’m very, very close.”

“How much longer?” Sersi presses, urgency lacing her words.

“I don’t know, Sersi!” Phastos snaps, the frustration spilling over as he turns to Makkari. “Find the location of the Emergence!”

Makkari nods, her determination palpable as she zips out of the spaceship. Ikaris walks in, his combat armor glinting in the lab’s harsh lights, an imposing figure that commands attention.

“I’m close to figuring it out—” Phastos begins, but he’s cut off when Ikaris unleashes a torrent of laser beams from his eyes, obliterating the hologram of the UniMind. The blast sends Phastos crashing across the lab, leaving him groaning on the floor.

“Boss, what are you doing?” Kingo exclaims, disbelief written all over his face.

“I’ve let this go on long enough,” Ikaris declares, his voice steely, masking the turmoil brewing inside.

“Don’t hurt him!” Hestia rushes in, helping the dazed Phastos to his feet. “He lied to us. He already knew about the Emergence.”

“No, he didn’t,” Kingo defends Ikaris, his voice rising in the chaotic atmosphere.

“Ajak told me everything when we left Babylon,” Ikaris retorts, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

“What?” Ayaz whispers, disbelief flooding his golden eyes as disappointment mingles with anger in his chest. “You were never going to let us stop the Emergence?”

“No. I only wanted to protect you all from the Deviants,” Ikaris replies, but his voice lacks conviction.

“If Ajak wanted you to take her place, why did she choose me? What have you done?” Sersi's tone is sharp, her disbelief morphing into betrayal.

“He killed her,” Druig realizes, his expression darkening.

“I had to!” Ikaris’s eyes brim with unshed tears, and Ayaz feels a pang of empathy for the man he once considered a friend. Yet, loathing seeps through him like poison.

“She loved you,” Ayaz murmurs, his heart heavy with a mixture of sorrow and rage. The pain of betrayal lingers in his voice, the warmth of his affection for Ajak intertwining with the chill of anger toward Ikaris.

“Do you think it was easy to live with the truth? To know that one day all this would end? To keep lying to you all?” Ikaris steps further into the lab, the guilt heavy on his shoulders. “If we gave humanity the choice, how many of them would be willing to die so that billions more could be born?”

“We’re not giving them a choice,” Phastos interjects, his voice shaking as he fights back tears. “Is this why you’re willing to kill? You are so pathetic!”

“I’m an Eternal, Phastos. I exist for Arishem. As do you. It’s who you are,” Ikaris states, his voice tinged with resignation.

Phastos shakes his head vehemently. “I wouldn’t change a single thing about who I am. Born or made. But I do not exist for Arishem, I exist for my family!”

“Then you are making the same mistake Ajak did,” Ikaris counters, but Ayaz can see the uncertainty in his eyes.

“That's enough, Ikaris!” Ayaz yells, anger igniting within him. His fingertips frost over, ice forming as he prepares to retaliate against the one who is responsible for Ajak’s death. His heart races, the adrenaline coursing through him like wildfire.

“Ayaz, I know you're against this plan. Join me and protect the Emergence,” Ikaris offers, desperation creeping into his voice.

“You want me to join your bloody ‘we are dicks’ team, pote?” Ayaz scoffs, dark humor coating his words. “Guess what? I’ve changed my mind. I don’t give a damn about the Emergence anymore. If I cross paths with you again, I will kill you!”

Before Ikaris can respond, Makkari speeds into the lab, a whirlwind of energy and excitement. “I found Tiamut!” she declares, her smile brightening the tense atmosphere.

Ayaz’s eyes widen in alarm as Ikaris’s expression shifts to one of fierce determination, his eyes glowing dangerously. “Makkari! Get out of here!” Ayaz signs at her in a rush, not wanting her hurt.

Makkari, confused, barely registers the warning as she zips away, narrowly avoiding Ikaris’s laser beams.

With a newfound energy, Kingo conjures an energy projection bolt, pointing it directly at Ikaris. “You do not turn against your family. Gilgamesh died because of you,” he accuses, unwavering in his stance.

“I will kill every one of you if I have to,” Ikaris threatens, his voice a cold whisper that sends shivers through Ayaz’s spine.

Ayaz steps forward, the air around him crackling with energy. “I’d like to see you try,” he challenges, his voice steady despite the storm brewing inside him.

“You won’t succeed against me,” Ikaris fires back, his confidence faltering under the weight of Ayaz’s defiance.

“You think you can take me down?” Ayaz snorts, a challenge dancing in his golden eyes. “Centuries ago, I would have agreed with you without a doubt. But now? You’ve only seen a glimpse of what I can do, Ikaris. You can’t even begin to imagine the extent of my abilities now.”

Sprite suddenly rushes to Ikaris’s side, her loyalty unwavering. “I’m going with you,” she declares, solidarity in her voice as they prepare to leave.

“What is this?” Thena’s voice cuts through the tension, confusion etched on her features as she steps into the fray.

Sprite conjures an illusionary swarm of insects, a distraction to cover her and Ikaris’s departure as they brace for Tiamut’s emergence.

In that moment, the tension in the lab thickens, a precarious balance between loyalty and betrayal hanging in the air. Ayaz feels the weight of it all—the burden of choices made, friendships broken, and the uncertain fate that lies ahead.