The Australian sun falls on what was a beautiful day to Kro. The night sky settles in with the stars and the moon being the only light. The breeze that passes by is more delightful than the warm air of the day, but Kro doesn't mind either way.

Feeling her silky blonde hair in his hand. Holding her in his arms. Looking into her emerald eyes that shined from the daylight. Letting her know that she won't face that disease alone.

He uses his hearing to check on her. He's relieved to hear her light snoring.

To think an Eternal could snore, he chuckles to himself.

He slaps himself as he thinks about being by her side in the bed.

What's wrong with me? We are just allies, nothing more than that. But....

He tosses and turns around the red dirt until he falls asleep.

---

Daylight breaks the next day. The Deviant feels the warmth of the sun on his green skin. He turns his head away from the sun so he can sleep in a little more. His ears tell him that Thena is still sleeping. He thinks about making her breakfast, but he doesn't want to disturb the goddess' sleep.

Something tells him an abruptly awakened Thena would be more of a hassle than the Mahd Wr'ry condition.

His ears perk up after hearing her footsteps. He goes back to the house to check on Thena.

He knocks on the door to alert her.

"Coming in!", he announces.

He waits for a response and enters. Thena is washing the bowl of her dinner in the sink. He notices her hair is a mess, but he doesn't mind it.

"Morning. Did you sleep well?"

She doesn't respond back as she cleans the other dishes. He thinks it will take some time because of yesterday.

"I'm going to make us breakfast. Would you like some fried eggs with some roasted potatoes?"

"That sounds good", she finally responds.

Kro grins that she's talking to him. It may be short, but it was worth it to him. He slides past her to grab some eggs, spices, and desiree potatoes. As he was on his way out, he wanted to embrace her. To let her know everything will be alright.

However, their past together is a hurdle of untold pain and misery. They had hurt each other in more ways than one. He closes the door behind him to cook breakfast.

After making breakfast, he prepares plates for them. He gives a double portion of potatoes just for her.

"Thena! Breakfast is ready!"

Despite hearing her breathe, she's not taking a step outside.

"Just put it by the door!"

He thinks about saying something, but would it only push them apart as allies?

He places the plate right outside the door.

"It's right there."

Within seconds, the door opens, the plate is gone, and the door slams shut. He hears her eating the meal which gives him partial relief.

Maybe distance is what we need, while eating his food. He slowly eats to enjoy each flavor of his work. 

As the sun is high above the sky, the door opens again. Kro turns his head to see Thena with a towel and bathing oils in her arm. She looks at him as if she wanted to say something.

"Don't worry. I won't look", he assures.

"That wasn't what I was about to say. The bath is behind the house if you want to use it", she suggests with eyes looking away from him.

"Okay. Wait. Are you saying I smell?"

Thena stifles her laughter. "Do Deviants smell?"

After sniffing himself, "I do now. Take your time."

She nods and walks behind the house for her bath. She calls out as he hears water splashing on the ground.

"I know you heard me sleep!"

He shoots up from the ground. If he was blushing, his face would be a deep red.

"I just wanted to check on you."

"I appreciate that. But you don't have to do that anymore. I will be fine."

"As you wish."

Kro keeps his eyes on the horizon as he hears her walking back.

"Do I have to tell you not to look?"

"No worries from me."

She looks at him while wrapped in a towel that hugs her toned frame. She sees he's not even using his side eyes to look back at her. She enters the house. He lets out a big sigh as he was gripping his knees not to look. Seeing her like that would make things more complicated between them.

I might not even make it to Ashirem because of her.

After some time, Thena comes back out in a comfortable green t-shirt and brown pants that matched her sandals.

"Kro, here's some clean clothes."

He turns around and he lost his breath. The way the t-shirt hugged her toned biceps; the daylight accentuating her fair skin; a few water droplets falling from the ends of her blonde hair. The combination of it all almost made him forget how to breathe properly.

Thena tilts her head. "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing. Thanks for the clothes."

He quickly takes them and runs behind the house. During his escape, he could have sworn to have seen a suggestive smile on her face. As if she was tormenting him on purpose.

He gets his mind off that as he takes his bath. He puts on the clean clothes and hesitates upon entering the house.

Just don't act like that again. She's the enemy, remember?

And yet, he wouldn't touch the doorknob. He smacks himself in the head.

Get yourself together! You are a Deviant. Not an awkward human!

He knocks before entering the house. He looks around and finds Thena curled up in bed with a book in her hands. He sits down at the table and tries to figure out what to say next.

"There are more books over there", she points out.

It would be better than this awkward silence. 

He looks at the book pile and picks up a random book. It doesn't appease him as he skims through it, so he puts it back. He picks up a book titled Frankenstein. He opens the book and almost lost track of time. He doesn't even notice Thena is amused by his behavior.

She watches on as the words of the story sink into his mind. He flips to the next page wanting to know more.

He closes the book with shaking hands. "Whoa."

"You really liked that story."

"I did. It's one of the best books I ever read. It was so....relatable."

"What was relatable about it?"

"Frankenstein's monster and I are the same. Both creations that are hated by our creators. I didn't care much about the ending though."

"Why?"

"Unlike that creature, I will have peace when Ashirem is dead. I will gladly dance on that giant head when he's dead", he lowly growls while gripping the book.

He looks up at her to gauge her reaction. She is back to her stoic self. The silence between them is interrupted by her growling stomach.

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine. Want some more venison?"

She nods and he makes their lunch.

"Do you have a favorite book?", he asks.

"If I had to pick, it would be Morte D Arthur."

"What's that about?"

"About the boy who became king by pulling Excalibur from the stone. His adventures and his death."

The Deviant recalls a "memory".

"Hmm. Didn't he have a crush on you?"

"He did, but I kindly rejected him. I wish I did give him some wisdom about Guinevere though."

"That's true."

"Do Deviants fall in love?"

He almost dropped the bowl of spices when she asked that. She couldn't help but smirk.

"I mean, we do have physical urges to make more of our kind. Love isn't a prerequisite for that. Why do you ask?"

"Maybe you can settle down with someone once you complete your mission."

"Me? With someone? Besides being an alien, she wouldn't accept where I came from after I tell her. She would just run away. I'm better off alone anyways."

"I bet my spear that you will find the love of your dreams. That she wouldn't run away."

"That's a huge wager. I will take those odds then."

After dinner, Kro goes back to sleep outside while Thena gets comfortable. She feels the skin of the gazelle blanket he made and wraps herself around it as the cold air blows through.

---

Days begin to pass between the Eternal and the Deviant. One day, Kro hears something from the inside of the house. A liquid dripping down to the floor. He sniffs it out and it's salty.

He rushes to the door.  "Thena, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!", she yells out. Her tone betrays her words.

"If you want to talk-"

"Leave me alone!"

She buries her head into her knees.

Kro doesn't open the door. "I will be here by the door when you're ready. I won't abandon you."

It rattles him that he couldn't do more for her, but he hopes she will let him in. Day turns to night. He hears something small hitting the door. Followed by another. Based on his hearing, it was a pebble that she's throwing.

He takes it as her way to let him come inside.

He slowly opens the door. Moonlight spills onto the table. With his enhanced vision, he sees Thena sitting on the edge of the bed with puffy red eyes. He turns on some glass lamps to illuminate the house.

He gets a glass of water ready and hands it to her. She drinks the whole thing down and hands it back for more.  After she drinks several glasses down, he grabs a chair and sits so they can meet eye to eye.

"Feeling a little better?"

Thena nods.

"I'm glad. Just let me know when you're ready to talk."

Thena pats her hand on the bed. He goes over and sits gently on the bed. Her side lifts up from the weight distribution. He sits in silence, thinking she wants to vent.

"Thank you, Kro. For everything. And when I had Mahd Wr'ry."

"You're welcome. I would do it all over again."

She turns her face to him and grins. That small grin is contagious to him. She lays a hand on his chest.

"I trust you now."

Energy glows around her hand which gets absorbed by his body. His body temporarily shakes. He feels his lifespan being extended even further. He just absorbed another Eternal. He looks at Thena with a puzzled look.

"I gave you Sprite's ability to shapeshift. Sersi tasked me with trusting you before giving you this", she explains.

Kro looks at her. Was everything that she did just an order?

"Why?"

"Sersi told me that there's some good in you. I wanted to believe her too. Now, you can disguise yourself among humans. You can be whoever you want to be once it's all done."

She gives him a pocket mirror to check on his work.

He turns around and tries out Sprite's ability. He thinks about who he wants to be when he faces Ashirem.

His green skin changes to a reddish complexion. His side eyes merge with the ones at the front. He redistributes his weight and height around to have broad shoulders, a tapered back, and a puffed chest. Finally, a black goatee forms on his face.

Due to his enhanced abilities, he makes sure this is the look. Human, but keeping his Deviant features to show his pride.

He smiles showing his sharp teeth. He shows himself to Thena. She gasps, almost losing her breath.

"Well, I still think I'm handsome", he cockily mentions with a tilted head.

"I meant that it suits you well."

"Thanks. I won't let this power go to waste."

"I know you won't. I do have a request."

Kro can see she is holding her hands tightly. "What is it?"

"Due to the Mahd Wr'ry, I never got the chance to say my final words to Gilgamesh. Will... you transform so I can say those words?"

The Deviant understands. He imagines the former Eternal. His height, weight, and features redistribute as he shapeshifts. Thena's eyes widen to see her beloved Gil with short, thick black hair. Kro sits on the bed and offers his tan hand.

She takes his hand into hers. She is choking back tears before she can say a word. Kro avoids using the Eternal's voice. He waits for her.

Thena looks at his face and touches it with her hand. Kro starts feeling warm inside, but he buries it to be respectful of what she wants.

"Gil, thank you for all that you did for me. You have been there for me for several lifetimes and never judged me during that time. Out of everything you said, I will always remember this: When you love something, you must protect it. It is the most natural thing in the world."

Her emeralds sparkle. The glow of the light on her skin made her even more beautiful. Kro couldn't look away.

"I love you."

His heart almost jumped out of his body when she said that. He feels that way about her, but....

She's just saying it to Gi-

His thoughts are interrupted with a kiss.

Part of him wants to resist, but he pulls her by the waist and kisses back. She pushes him down on the bed and runs her hands down his body. The Deviant shudders from her touch. He does the same to her. A moan escapes her mouth. Kro's emotions went off like fireworks. Thena feels his black goatee tickling her jaw.

The goddess of war opens her eyes to find herself kissing the Deviant. She slips her tongue into his mouth before jumping off of him. Her back turned on a confused Kro. He realized he's back to his normal form.

"Thena, I'm so sor-"

"Thank you. That was all I needed."

The sharpness of her words outmatched her spear. He would have preferred the weapon plunge into his heart. At least it would be quicker.

His shoulders hunch over with the shaking heart of a leaf. Tears formed from his eyes as he runs out of the house.

Thena realized what she said was not what she really meant. Her heart and mind clash with each other when it comes to him. She gets into bed and clutches a pillow close to her.

How could she fall in love with the person who killed her beloved?

Kro has changed significantly. He's a good person.

He sleeps under the starlit sky, wishing the darkness to bury him whole. He flips his thoughts to his creator. He will use all of his emotions in his fight.

He has nothing left to lose.