1521 AD - Tenochtitlan

The air crackles with chaos, thick with the acrid scent of smoke and despair as screams pierce the night. Flames dance hungrily, licking the sides of buildings that once stood proud, now reduced to ash and ruin. Ayaz stands at the edge of the carnage, a helpless observer, desperately reciting the Eternal edict in his mind: Do not interfere. It is for the best. Yet, with every cry for help, his resolve falters.

When a nearby building crumbles, sending debris raining down toward a terrified child, his heart clenches violently. In an instant, he teleports, snatching the girl from danger just as the rubble falls where she stood moments before. She clings to his leg, trembling, her wide eyes filled with fear. He kneels down, his golden blond hair falling into his eyes, blocking out the horror surrounding them. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe now,” he soothes, his voice low and gentle, as if he can shield her from the chaos with his presence alone.

To distract her from the mayhem, Ayaz conjures a snowflake, each delicate pattern shimmering in the moonlight. It’s the size of his palm, and he hands it to her, watching as her astonishment washes over her face. “Do you like it? Yeah?”

The tension in her small frame melts away, replaced by wonder as she nods, a hesitant smile breaking through her tears. “It won’t melt away,” he adds softly, the warmth of the moment contrasting sharply with the chilling fear that lingers in the air.

Then, a frantic voice pierces through the chaos. The girl stiffens, her joy dissipating as she recognizes the tone of her mother calling her name. “Is that your mother?” he asks, his heart aching for her. When the woman bursts into the clearing, relief floods her features as she spots her daughter.

“Be nice to your mother and stay with her, okay?” Ayaz urges, his heart swelling with pride as the girl nods enthusiastically. “Go.”

Before she rushes off, she throws her arms around him in a tight hug, and he feels warmth spread through his chest—a flicker of hope in this dark time. “Thank you,” the woman breathes as she gathers her daughter close, her eyes brimming with gratitude.

With a bittersweet smile, Ayaz nods and teleports away, casting one last glance back at the child now safe in her mother’s arms.

As his feet land softly on the cool ground of the woods, he spots Ajak deep in discussion with Druig, Sersi, and Phastos. Just as Makkari arrives with Thena, Ayaz teleports back to them, eager to reunite.

“Where are the others?” Ajak asks, a furrow of concern creasing her brow.

“We had to separate,” Ayaz replies, his golden eyes searching for any sign of injury on Druig. Relief floods through him when he finds Druig unharmed. Their gazes lock, and the world around them fades into a blur. Druig’s smile is a beacon of warmth, igniting a spark in Ayaz’s chest that he’s struggled to contain. He feels like a stranger in his own heart, but with Druig, he begins to feel like he belongs.

“There were more Deviants than you said,” Thena informs them, her tone taut with frustration.

“I bet that was a lot of fun for you,” Phastos responds, attempting a lighthearted jab.

“It was,” Thena shrugs, her cool demeanor contrasting with the volatile atmosphere surrounding them.

Phastos pulls out a device, and a holographic projection of Earth glimmers to life, detailing their mission. “Once the others kill these last Deviants, we will have eliminated them all from the planet.”

Suddenly, the sharp crack of gunfire shatters the moment, drawing the Eternals’ attention. Ayaz’s heart sinks as he sees a group of humans fleeing in terror, pursued by another faction intent on violence.

“Don’t,” Ajak warns, her voice firm as she catches Druig’s gaze. His eyes flicker with a dangerous golden glow as he watches the unfolding scene, but then he looks away, a heavy burden settling on his shoulders. “We don’t interfere in their wars.”

A visceral cramp of anguish coils in Ayaz’s gut as he watches the humans slaughter one another, bodies piling up in the streets. “This isn’t war; it’s genocide. Their weapons have become too deadly,” Druig says, his voice a low growl of despair. He turns to Phastos, the frustration radiating from him palpable. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea helping them advance, Phastos.”

“Technology is a part of their evolutionary process, Druig. It’s not exactly something I can stop,” Phastos counters, the defensive edge in his voice mirroring the tension in the air.

“No, you can’t, but I can,” Druig insists, taking a step forward, a tempest brewing in his heart.

“Calm down.” Ayaz places a steadying hand on Druig’s chest, feeling the tension pulse beneath his fingers. Their connection is electric, a grounding force that transcends the chaos surrounding them. As Druig’s muscles relax under his touch, Ayaz’s heart races, the weight of his love for Druig crashing over him like a tidal wave.

“It’s too late. Everyone is going to die,” Thena declares, her eyes turning white, completely obscuring her striking green irises.

“Are you okay?” Sersi asks her, genuine concern lacing her voice. But in a heartbeat, Thena’s demeanor shifts; she creates a weapon, lunging at Sersi with lethal intent.

Makkari zips in, pulling Sersi out of harm’s way just in time. But Thena’s fury is relentless; she spins, her weapon slicing through the air toward Phastos, and before anyone can react, she stabs him.

“Get a casket ready and prepare my funeral,” Ayaz mutters to Druig, ice forming in his hands as adrenaline surges through him. He knows he must protect his friends, but the odds are stacked against him. He teleports toward Thena, throwing snowflakes at her, a playful attempt to distract her. He smirks every time one hits her, delighting in her frustration as she tries to catch him.

But Thena’s keen eyes calculate his every move, and before he realizes it, she lunges, seizing him by the neck. In one swift motion, she drives her weapon into his torso, and pain explodes through him like fire.

“Ayaz!” Druig’s voice cuts through the chaos, filled with anguish, but the words barely register as shock washes over Ayaz.

“Merde!” His breath hitches as he looks down, horror washing over him as he sees the weapon protruding from his body. “What…?” he gasps, pain radiating through him as Thena twists the weapon cruelly, pulling it free and tossing him aside like a discarded toy.

He crashes to the ground, gasping, vision blurring as he fights to stay conscious.

“What were you thinking?” Druig kneels beside him, panic etched across his features. His hands press against Ayaz’s wound, desperation and anger mingling in his voice. “You can’t just pull stunts like that! You could’ve been dead by now!” His worry wraps around Ayaz like a warm blanket, even as the world around them spirals into chaos.

“I did request you to prepare my funeral, didn’t I?” Ayaz attempts to joke, a weak smile attempting to break through the pain, but it falters. Druig’s expression shifts, a mixture of exasperation and affection playing across his features as he shakes his head, fighting the urge to smile amidst the panic.

“Ayaz.” Ajak rushes over, her expression grim but determined. She places a hand over his injury, and a warm, healing light envelops him, washing away the agony as if it never existed. “Are you okay?”

Ayaz sits up, the relief flooding through him overwhelming. “Thanks, Ajak.” His voice is filled with gratitude as he meets Druig’s gaze, seeing the worry still etched in his lover’s features.

As the remaining Eternals gather around them, Ajak moves to tend to others, while Druig helps Ayaz to his feet, their hands lingering together. Ayaz’s heart races, the bond between them feeling more substantial than any chaos that swirls around them.

He catches sight of Gilgamesh, who carries an unconscious Thena in his arms, his expression somber as they move toward the Aztec temple under the blanket of a pitch-black sky.

Hoping that the day won’t descend further into darkness, Ayaz intertwines his fingers with Druig’s as they walk behind the group. The simple touch ignites warmth in his chest, a reminder that even amidst chaos, love can thrive.

With Druig by his side, Ayaz feels a sense of strength, ready to face whatever challenges await them. As they step forward into the unknown, he knows they will fight together, and that is enough.