AN:
Chapter dedicated to all my dearly readers!

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2024 - Somewhere in space

It has been two tense weeks aboard the Domo, and there’s still no word from the other Eternals on Earth. Anxiety festers in the silence, making the sleek corridors of the starship feel colder than they should. Ayaz’s golden eyes, usually warm and bright, now seem to burn with a frustrated glow as he paces across the control deck. Makkari, Thena, and Druig stand nearby, their expressions reflecting a shared concern.

Makkari’s hands move swiftly as she signs, “It’s been weeks. We haven’t heard from any of them.”

Ayaz halts his pacing and nods. “It’s like… they’ve disappeared,” he says, his voice carrying the weight of unspoken fears. The thought of Arishem’s hand in this, his presence reaching across the stars, chills him to the bone.

Thena’s gaze sharpens, and her grip tightens on the hilt of her spear. “Arishem,” she murmurs, realization dawning in her eyes. “We have to go back.”

Ayaz’s eyes flick to Druig for reassurance. There’s a comforting steadiness in Druig’s gaze, and his lips curl into a faint smile as he speaks. “You’re the second-in-command, my beautiful Ayaz. You take the decisions when Sersi is not around,” he says, a note of encouragement lacing his words.

There’s a nervous cough from Ayaz as he straightens up, trying to push away the uncertainty gnawing at him. The idea of leadership is still foreign to him, but there’s no time to hesitate now. He schools his features into a mask of resolve, allowing the weight of command to settle onto his shoulders. “Alright, T is right. We’re going back—”

But just as he’s about to give the order, something pricks at the edge of his senses. There’s a shift in the air, a subtle disturbance that sends a shiver crawling down his spine. His energy crown manifests, glowing faintly above his brow, and frost begins to spread across his fingertips, glinting in the low light. Instinctively, he aligns himself beside Thena, who already has her spear poised for action.

Makkari signs quickly, her movements tense. “I feel it, too.” Her eyes lock onto the empty hallway ahead, her body tensed like a coiled spring.

Druig’s voice cuts through the charged silence, confusion evident in his tone. “What? What’s going on?” He steps closer to Ayaz, trying to gauge the sudden change in atmosphere.

Before anyone can answer, a swirl of colors erupts in the hallway, bending the very fabric of space. The strange, swirling light seems to coalesce into a portal, and a second later, a creature stumbles out, collapsing onto the floor with a thud. A goblet clatters beside it, the sound echoing through the otherwise silent ship.

The creature, resembling an elf with disheveled hair and glazed eyes, lets out a drunken laugh. “Wow. Aah! My ears… my eyes are numb,” it slurs, wobbling on its feet. “No more drunk teleporting for you.”

Thena's spear twitches in her hand as if ready to strike, but she hesitates when the creature raises a hand to speak again, clearing its throat with theatrical vigor. “Hang on, hang on.” It then mimics a fanfare as another portal whooshes open, revealing another figure stepping through the veil.

The man who emerges is tall, with an easy confidence in his stride. As he moves into the light, his features become more defined—a handsome, roguish face that wears a perpetual grin. “Behold, the royal prince of Titan, brother of Thanos, the Knave of Hearts, defeater of…” the elf begins to say.

“Thanos’ brother?” Makkari signs quickly, her expression a mixture of confusion and suspicion.

“...Black Roger,” the elf continues, only for the man to correct him with an amused tone. “Roger.”

“Right, defeater of Black Roger! The great adventurer, Starfox of Mystery Planet!” the elf finishes with a flourish.

The man, now fully illuminated, bows slightly with a charismatic grin. “What a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my fellow Eternals,” he says, before turning to his companion with a dry smile. “You know, you really don’t have to do the whole introduction every time.”

The elf, who seems to be called Pip, shrugs. “Everything you do is impressive. What am I gonna leave off the list?”

“No, I know it’s impressive,” the man—Eros—replies, his tone half-joking, half-serious.

Ayaz’s jaw clenches as he rubs his forehead. The sight of the two newcomers bickering like old friends is more than a little irritating. “Who are you?” he demands, voice edged with impatience.

“I’m Eros,” the man introduces with a wink. “And this is Pip.” Pip gives a sloppy thumbs-up before taking a long swig from his goblet. “And you, Ayaz,” Eros continues, his eyes roaming over Ayaz’s features with open appreciation, “are as beautiful as legends say.”

The comment draws a chuckle from Ayaz, who meets Eros’s gaze with a smirk. “Charming one, aren’t you?”

“Aren’t we all?” Druig interrupts, his tone laced with a hint of possessiveness as he steps closer to Ayaz, wrapping an arm around his waist. His posture radiates a clear message to Eros—He’s mine, stay away. There’s an unspoken challenge in the way Druig’s eyes meet Eros’s, his grip on Ayaz protective yet tender.

Ayaz sighs, rolling his eyes at Druig’s jealous display, though there’s a fondness in the exasperation. “So much for not being childish,” he mutters under his breath. Turning back to the intruders, he crosses his arms, his expression shifting to one of authority. “What do you want, lads?”

Eros’s demeanor shifts to something more serious, though a playful spark remains in his eye. “Pip and I are here to help, aren’t we?” he says, glancing at Pip, who responds with a loud burp. Eros exhales sharply, then steps forward, reaching into the air to produce a small, glowing cosmic-energy orb—the same type used by Ajak and Sersi to communicate with Arishem. It pulses with an ethereal light, a silent declaration that Eros, too, shares the same synthetic origins as the other Eternals.

“Your friends are in big trouble,” Eros states, his voice steady and his gaze intense. “And we know where to find them.”

The Domo falls into a tense silence as Ayaz processes the revelation. The golden light of Eros's orb reflects in Ayaz's eyes, which now gleam with renewed determination. He exchanges a quick glance with Druig, whose grip on him remains reassuring, grounding him amid the chaos. The path ahead is fraught with uncertainty, but they will face it together.

"Alright then," Ayaz finally says, his voice firm and steady. "Lead the way."

END OF ACT 3